Page 94 of The Wedding Toast
Xander just smiled.“You’ll drink enough champagne later.Just humor me, okay?”
He chuckled.“Gladly.”
Xander held up his glass.“Here’s to you.The best big brother a guy could ever hope for.I love you, Jacob, and I know these guys do too.”The others nodded as he continued.“You deserve all the happiness in the world, and I know that with Becca, you’ve found it.Here’s wishing you a long and happy marriage and a forever kind of love with your wonderful wife.”
He lifted his glass higher and said, “Jacob and Becca,” before downing his shot.
The others did the same, and Jacob had to swallow a couple of times before he could join them.
He laughed as he set the glass down.“Cognac shots?”
Slade laughed.“Shots because you’ve loosened up so much since you met Becca, Cognac because you’re still you – and we love you.”
Bentley chuckled beside him.“Dammit, guys, if we’re all just coming out and saying it, I’m not going to be left out.”He grasped Jacob’s shoulder as he said, “I love you too!”
Jacob blew out a breath.“If you guys are trying to make me cry, you just might succeed.So, let’s go, can we?I don’t want Becca to get there before me.”
As they started for the door, he added, “And yes, I’ll say it, too – I love you all.”
~ ~ ~
Becca stood in front of the mirror.This was it!The time was finally here – and she couldn’t wait.
She loved the dress.She loved the way her hair was pinned up in front, but the back still fell around her shoulders.She’d wanted it to be fancy, and Jacob loved her hair down.She reached up to touch the beautiful necklace that sat at her throat.She’d joked with him earlier in the week that she’d probably stand out as the only person who wasn’t wearing anything cornflower blue.
He’d told her that of course she’d stand out – even if she weren’t the bride, she’d still be the most beautiful woman there.And he’d gone and made sure that she had something: cornflower sapphires – that came from Kashmir, according to Callie.She touched the earrings too.She wouldn’t have cared if they were blue glass that came from Walmart – what mattered to her was that Jacob had listened and cared enough to make sure she had her something blue.
Callie came out of the bathroom.“Are you ready?It’s time to do this.”
She nodded, and her hand came up to cover her mouth as tears stung behind her eyes.
Callie smiled and touched her arm.“Your mascara’s waterproof for a reason – do you need a tissue?”
She sucked in a deep breath and shook her head.“I’m just so happy, Callie.I love him so much.”
Callie chuckled.“Then let’s get you out there so you can tell him – and put a ring on him!”
That made her laugh.“I never thought of it like that until now, but it’s true, isn’t it?I get to put a ring on him, too.”
“You sure do – unless Bentley lost them, but I don’t see that happening.”
“If it were anyone else, I’d say don’t even joke about it.But with Bentley you can joke and tempt fate as much as you like – he’ll have the rings ready.”
“He will.Are you ready?”
She nodded.
“Then hang on a sec.I’m going to shout down.Your mom’s got Walt and Elena, and Russ and Ria down there.They want to get a look at you, then she’s going to shoo them out so that it’s just you and your dad while you go down the stairs.”
Becca’s eyes stung with tears again, but Callie laughed.“Don’t get too choked up about getting to share a completely private moment with him – you know the photographer will be lurking, and your mom will be taking hundreds of photos of her own.And I’m going to have my camera ready to catch your dad’s face from up here when he sees you.”
Becca sucked in a shaky breath.“Callie!I’m going to be a puddle of tears before I get out there at this rate!”
“Nah, you’ll be fine.Just remember to enjoy every single second of it.You’ll remember today for the rest of your life.”
“Aww!”She held her arms out.“Screw the dresses!”
Callie leaned in and hugged her tight.“Love you, Becs.”
