Page 31 of The Wedding Toast
Her mom laughed.“You’re most welcome.I love that I still get to cook while we’re here.”She smiled at Elena.“I appreciate it.”
Elena nodded happily.“And I appreciate having a new friend to work with.”
Becca didn’t miss the way that Jacob visibly relaxed at her words.She knew that he’d been concerned that Elena might feel ousted.
As she looked around the table, it hit Becca that this evening was probably the first time the kitchen had been used for a family meal.In the normal run of things, she and Jacob usually ate in his study, where they spent most of their time.When people came over, they ate in the family room, or sometimes – but not often – the big formal dining room.From what Jacob had told her, his mother wouldn’t be happy with them all eating in here like this.And although she was sad for him that his mother wasn’t there, Becca loved the way this was working out.She loved the idea that one day she and Jacob and their kids would eat together here in the kitchen.
Callie sat back with a big sigh.“I couldn’t eat another thing.But I wish I could.”
Elena, who was sitting beside her, patted her hand.“Don’t worry.There’ll be leftovers in the fridge.If you get hungry, you can come down for a midnight snack.”
Callie chuckled.“I would, but I’m not sure that I’d find my way down here or back again.”
Becca wasn’t even worried that either Callie or Jacob would feel embarrassed by her words.She might have worried in the early days after she moved in, but her mom and dad had already paved the way during their first few visits.They’d made no secret of how impressed – if a little taken aback – they were by the size of the house.
She turned to Jacob, remembering that he’d been more embarrassed than her parents.The way his eyes shone as he smiled back at her made her heart feel as though it melted in her chest.
It didn’t matter what superficial differences there might have been between them in the beginning.What mattered was that they’d somehow managed to bring their two worlds together into one.It might not look conventional, but then again, whose life ever did?
When her dad pushed his chair back from the table, she loved seeing how relaxed he was.Although, to be fair, once he’d gotten to know Jacob, it hadn’t taken him too long to relax.
Jacob smiled around at everyone.“Are we all done, then?”
As they nodded and spoke their agreement, Jacob leaned in to press a kiss to her cheek.“I’m going to head out with your dad and Walt for a while, if that’s okay with you.”
“Of course it’s okay.”She rested her hand on his thigh and kissed him back.If anything, she was a little concerned that he might be sick of cornflowers by now.
But her dad and Walt, the groundskeeper, were doing everything they could to make sure that the flowers would be in peak condition for Saturday.Although it was a detail she didn’t think Jacob would ever have cared about before he met her, he’d gotten just as involved in flower care as they were over the last few weeks.
Her mom chuckled.“You go and do your thing,” she told him.“If I know these two…” She jerked her head toward Becca and Callie.“They’ll be busy chattering and catching up.”
Jacob held her gaze as he stepped away from the table.“Are you guys going to go out for a walk?”he asked.
Becca glanced at Callie.“I was thinking we could,” she said.
Callie nodded her agreement.“I probably need to walk off some of this dinner.”
Jacob nodded slowly, looking slightly uncomfortable.
“Is everything okay?”she asked.
“Yeah, it’s fine.It’s…” He still looked uncomfortable, but her mom spoke over him.
“Don’t you worry about a thing,” she said.“These girls won’t go far.Becca wanted to show Callie the grapes anyway, didn’t you?”
Becca gave her a puzzled look.She’d had no intention of doing anything of the kind, but the meaningful look her mom shot her had her agreeing.She didn’t know enough about the grapes to give even an informal tour, and doubted that Callie would even want to know, but whatever her mom was up to it was better to go along with it.
She could tell by Jacob’s puzzled smile that he was just as surprised as she was, and her feeling that her mom was up to something was confirmed when her dad spoke up too.
“If the two of you want to walk, you should head up the hill.Make it a bit of a workout instead of just strolling around down here.”
“Okay.”Whatever they were up to, Becca wasn’t about to argue.She had a feeling there were a couple of secrets floating around the house this week, and she didn’t want to tread on anyone’s toes.She knew full well that if people were trying to hide things from her, they would only be surprises as part of the wedding – and she didn’t want to spoil anything.
As she and Callie headed away from the house a few minutes later, her old friend slipped her arm through Becca’s and asked with a laugh, “What do you think they’re hiding from you?”
Becca shrugged happily.“I have no idea, but since they’re working so hard to keep it secret, I’m going to do my best not to stumble into anything and spoil things.”
“Aww,” said Callie, “you’re so good about it.”
