Page 32 of The Wedding Toast
“I’m so lucky,” said Becca.
“You are,” Callie agreed.“Although no, it’s not luck.You deserve it.All of it.”She swept her arm out as she turned in a circle, taking in the beautiful house, the terrace, the pool, the garage a little farther away, and the rolling vine-covered hills ahead of them.“If anyone deserves a wonderful life, you do, my friend.And I have to say, you have one here.And your Jacob’s great.”
“He is, isn’t he?”She squeezed her friend’s arm.“And you know, my life would be wonderful with him no matter what.I’m not ungrateful or anything.I love this place.I love the life that we have here.But I’d still love him, still think he’s as wonderful if he worked a regular job – you know, if he were a teacher at school or something.”
Callie laughed.“I’m sure you would, although that’s easy to say from where you’re sitting.”
Becca shook her head.“No, it’s true.If anything, him living here and being who he is – running the company and having the jet and everything – they were things I had to get past, even though I knew that I loved him.”
Callie looked more serious.“Yeah, sorry, I was only joking with you.I can see exactly what you mean.”
“You’d be the same,” Becca told her.
“Absolutely.Although to be honest, I’m not sure that I’d be able to get past it all.I’m not like these people.”
“You’re no less like them than I am,” said Becca.
Callie shrugged.“Nah, we may have come from the same place, but… you can do this.You’ve adapted.You have all your fancy new friends and…”
Becca frowned.“They’re not fancy.They’re no different from us.”
Callie made a face.“I’m sure they’re very nice.I’m not saying anything against them.I’m just saying that I can’t see myself fitting in the way that you have.”
Becca blew out a sigh.“Well, if you’d come over here more often, I could prove you wrong, couldn’t I?”
“Oh, I feel bad now.I do keep meaning to drive down here to see you, but…”
“No, you mustn’t feel bad.I could drive to see you just as easily.Or Jacob would send the jet if you could stand that.”
Callie dropped her gaze.“I thought the jet couldn’t fit into the airport near me.That’s why…”
Becca stopped walking.“That’s why Ollie came for you.It’s not that the jet can’t fit exactly, it’s just that it is a smaller runway there, shorter, I think.The jet could go, it’s just easier for it not to.That’s why Ollie came to get you.”She gave her friend a puzzled smile.“And we haven’t talked about that yet.How did it go?”
Callie lifted a shoulder.“It was fine.He was really nice.”
She spoke so quickly that Becca was a little concerned, but she waited.
Callie blew out a sigh.“Okay, so I’ll admit it.I wasn’t expecting him to be so hot.”
Becca laughed.“Oh, my goodness, I didn’t even think about that.So… you like him?”
“What’s not to like?”Callie asked.“Like I said, he’s hot and he was really nice too, really friendly.But then again, he works for the wine families.He’s not from a wine family, is he?”
“No, but…”
Callie waved a hand.“All I’m saying is that he was fun to talk to, and he’s hot.That’s all.Doesn’t need to mean anything more than that.Come on, this week’s all about you and your amazing wedding to your amazing guy.So, tell me what’s going on with you, how you feel, what I need to know to be able to help you in my role as bridesmaid.”
“Aww, thanks,” said Becca.She glanced back at the long driveway.“How much of a walk are you up for?Because one of the things I would like your help with is Ava.You know she’s going to be the flower girl?Well, one of the mean kids at school told her that only babies do that, so I was wondering if you wouldn’t mind having a chat with her.You know, build her up that the two of you are bridesmaids together.”
“Absolutely,” said Callie.“Am I allowed to teach her how to deal with the mean kids too?”
Becca laughed out loud.Callie had been her protector back in elementary school.Callie’s brothers were known as the tough kids, but they weren’t mean – they were fair.They only beat up on bullies, and Callie had learned from them.
“I’m not sure Grady and Hannah would appreciate you teaching her your ways.”
“I don’t need to teach her how to kick their butts, only how to stand her ground when they start being mean to her.”
“Okay then, that I think we can go for.”
