Page 66 of The Wedding Toast
"No, I'm not.I'm looking forward to it.I don't know if Becca’s told you, but we promised each other when we were seven that if we ever got married, we'd be each other's bridesmaids."
"Oh, I love that," said Hannah."So, you were best friends when you were small?"
"That's right, we were close all the way through high school, but..."She paused as she thought about it."It's not that we lost touch or anything, not that we weren't as close, just..."She shrugged."For the last few years, we've both been busy living our own lives."
Hannah nodded."I know how that goes.I feel the same way with Delaney.Not that I knew her when we were kids or anything, but we were close when I was in LA."
Callie pursed her lips.
Hannah laughed when she saw her expression."Don't worry, I'm not talking about work or anything.It's entirely up to you what you do or don't do.And even though Delaney might come across as a bit...assertive, I promise you if you tell her that you're not interested, she'll never mention it again."
"Good," said Callie.
Hannah raised her eyebrows.
"I haven't decided yet," said Callie."It might not be a bad idea.But I don't even want to think about it this weekend.This weekend isn't about me; it's about Becca and Jacob."
"Mom, Mom!"Ava called as she came running toward them."Uncle Walt's here."
Callie was surprised to hear Ava call him that.She'd already had a few chats with Walt.She really liked the guy.But she hadn't expected Ava to call him Uncle.Then again, maybe that was just her being a bit judgy about them.
Zia and Scooter arrived back at the patio just behind Ava.Zia looked around for Becca, then came to Callie.
"Are you okay, missy?"Callie asked."Would you like a drink or anything?"
Zia shook her head."No thank you.Did Ava tell you that Wally Boots is here?"
Callie had to laugh."Wally Boots?I thought you'd named him Growly Green."
Zia shrugged."Only when he's grumpy."
Hannah got to her feet when Walt appeared around the side of the house."Come on in," she greeted him with a smile."Can I get you a drink or anything?What do you need?"
"I'm good, thanks, Hannah Bean.I just wanted to see if the little girl" – he jerked his chin toward Zia – "was here with you.There are all kinds of people wandering around right now and I didn't know where she was."
Zia went to him and looked up into his eyes."I'm here.I'm safe."
He chuckled and ruffled her hair."Good to know.We need to keep our little princess safe while there are strangers in the land, right?"
Callie loved the way he interacted with the girl and was surprised to see Zia frown."I'm safe," she said again, glancing over at Ava, "butI'mnot the princess of the land."Walt frowned and Zia pointed."Ava is the true princess."
Callie's heart felt as though it melted a little bit.The way she named people showed just how insightful Zia was.But pointing out that Ava was the true princess, that was something else.It seemed to Callie that Zia wasn't just noting that Ava lived here while she didn't.She was deferring to her new friend, giving her the title that she could tell Ava wouldn't claim for herself.
Ava went to stand beside Zia."You can be a princess too."
Zia nodded matter-of-factly."I will be one day when I live in a castle."
Callie exchanged a look with Walt and they both laughed."I reckon if you say you're going to live in a castle one day, little miss, then you will."
"I will," said Zia."It's true."She patted Scooter, who’d come to sniff at her pockets."And when I live in a castle, I'll have a cool doggo, too."
She smiled at Ava."You have Sir Spots-a-Lot, true friend to the true princess."
"What kind of dog do you think you'd like?"Hannah asked her.
Callie really felt for the girl when she shrugged and said simply, "One who loves me."
After Walt had gone, Callie was a little surprised to find herself left sitting outside with Zia, while Becca and Hannah went inside to figure out some detail with Ava's dress.She didn't mind; she was developing a real soft spot for the kid.
