Page 9 of The Wedding Toast
“No need.It’s my fault – I should have been more subtle about it but …”
Grady chuckled.“I don’t see how you could have – I’ve been wondering for the last fifteen minutes or so how to suggest that we should leave the ladies to talk while we come down to the garage.How’s it going?”
The look on Slade’s face as he said, “It’s perfect,” made Jacob relax.Inside the garage was one detail of his wedding plan that Becca knew nothing about – and he wanted to keep it that way.
Bentley grinned at him.“It made me laugh that you refused to get rid of it all this time.But now I understand.”
Jacob laughed.“I can’t say that this was the plan all along, but I knew I had to keep him – and I knew that one day I’d find a good reason why I had.Now, I know.”
“It still makes me laugh that you call it a him,” said Grady.
Jacob shrugged.He wasn’t about to explain himself – he didn’t need to.In the beginning, he’d been surprised at himself for calling it a him, too.But that was how Becca referred to it, and he’d come to see it the same way.He couldn’t wait to see her face next weekend when she discovered what he’d done.Well, it was mostly what Slade had done at his request.
Just before they reached the garage, he stopped to pull his phone out of his pocket when it rang.He frowned when he saw Elena’s name on the display.Cold fingers of dread slid down his spine as he wondered why she was calling.Since Becca had moved in with him, Elena had started taking most weekends off.They didn’t need her to cook for them, and it gave her more time for her own life.He didn’t think she’d ever called on a Sunday before.
If she had a problem – if she was going to have to take time off over the next week … he inhaled sharply.If that were the case, he’d figure it out.He was depending on her, but if she had issues of her own that she needed to deal with …
“Are you going to take that?”Bentley asked, giving him a concerned look.
“I am.Sorry.I’ll catch up.You guys go ahead.”
“Hi, Elena?Are you all right?”
“Me?Of course I am.Are you?You sound terrible.”
He let out a short laugh.“I’m fine.Seeing your name pop up worried me, that’s all.What can I do for you?”
“Nothing.I’m okay.Sorry to worry you.It’s … I’m going to tell you, and you can make up your own mind.”
He pursed his lips as he waited for her to explain.He didn’t like the sound of this – whatever it was.
“Oh, Jacob.Relax.”He could hear the smile in her voice.“I don’t mean to worry you.It’s nothing bad.I think it might be something good.If I sound unsure it’s only because – well, because I am unsure.You might think me a foolish old woman.I’m calling about something you might love – but you might also think is stupid.I didn’t know if I should call you or not.I decided that if you think it’s stupid, the worst that happens is that I feel foolish.But if you love the idea, it could be something … special.”
Jacob rubbed his fingers over the crease he could feel forming on his forehead while she spoke.“Are you going to tell me so that we can decide which it is?”
“I am.You see, this morning at church, my friend Lupe was showing me photos of her niece’s wedding yesterday.It was beautiful.And there were flowers – lots of flowers.Not like all the cornflowers at the estate – nothing like that.It was only a small wedding but …” She blew out a sigh.“Forgive me if you think I’m foolish.You see, there was an arch all made from flowers, and it was so beautiful.It made me think that you and Becca need a cornflower arch.”
He frowned.The estate looked more like a cornflower farm than anything else lately.All the driveways were lined with them.The whole palette for the wedding colors had been designed around cornflower blue.
“I’m sending you the photos now.Lupe sent them to me.They’ll explain better than I could.If you want an arch like that, you’ll know – you’ll feel it as soon as you see them.Just like I did.If not, we can forget I called and disturbed your Sunday.”
He finally relaxed.“I don’t want to forget.You’re not disturbing me.You’re reaching out to suggest something I might like – something that might add to the wedding – and that means a lot, Elena.No matter what I think of your flower arch.”
His phone vibrated in his hand.
“Hold on, let me take a look, the photos just came in.”
The moment he opened the text, he inhaled sharply.
Elena laughed.“That’s exactly what I did when I saw it.It’s beautiful, no?”
“It is.I understand now why you had to call.Thank you.Who’s the … who made it?”He’d been about to ask who the artist was because the only way to describe the beautiful arch was as art.
“That’s the thing, Jacob.She’s not local.She’s only passing through.Apparently, she’s a young woman who’s on her way from San Diego to Oregon.She’s living in a camper van with her small daughter while she’s on the road, making her way north.Lupe said that she’s working her way up there – taking jobs where she can find them.I have her number if you want it.Her name is Alara.”
“Thanks.Can you text it to me when we’re done?”
“Of course.You’re going to call her then?I don’t know if she’ll be able to help.Lupe said that she’s in Napa for a little while, but she didn’t know how long – or if she has other work while she’s here.”
