Page 97 of The Wedding Toast
Jacob deliberately made eye contact with every one of Becca’s siblings.CJ grinned.Danny gave him the thumbs-up.Dawn surprised him with a warm smile.Even Dean gave him a nod.There’d be time to get to know them better, and the rest of his life to do it.
Scanning the rest of the crowd, he grinned when he saw the pilots all sitting together: Trick and Elliott, who’d worked for the family for years, and Ollie and Reaves, who’d been part of his circle of friends since elementary school.
He chuckled when he saw little Zia sitting on Reaves’s lap, and her mom, Alara, with Charles St.James right there with them.He turned to Bentley, about to ask if he knew what was going on between Reaves and Alara, but the sound of a single note played by the cello made his breath catch in his chest.
This was it.It was about to begin.
~ ~ ~
Becca twisted her hands together nervously.It was almost time; she and her dad were waiting just inside the doors that led out to the formal lawn.Hannah and Grady had just gone to take their places, and Ava was clinging to Callie's hand.She'd gotten so anxious about it that Callie had asked Becca how she felt about her walking with Ava instead of following her.
Of course, she was fine with that.
She loved her dad even more when he went and squatted down beside Ava."I know you're nervous, but you're going to be okay."
Ava nodded and gave him what was obviously a forced smile.
"Want to know a secret?"her dad asked.Ava looked a little more interested at that.Her dad looked at both Becca and Callie before winking at Ava and continuing."If you want to know the truth, Grandpa Chuck's nervous about walking out there in front of all them people too."
Ava's eyebrows lifted."You are?"
He nodded vigorously."I am.But do you want to know what I do when I'm nervous?"
"Yes," said Ava.
He reached in his pocket, and Becca had to laugh when he pulled out one of his mints and said, "I suck on one of these."
Becca exchanged a glance with Callie.Her dad had always carried mints, ever since the two of them were small – he used to give them out like rewards.She'd never heard him say that he ate them to calm his nerves before.Whether it was true or not didn't really matter.What counted was that Ava took the one that he offered with a smile and then looked up at Becca to ask, "Is it okay if I—"
"Of course it is, sweetie.I'd ask for one too, but I'd probably choke on it while I'm trying to say my vows," she added with a laugh.
"Don't say that," said Callie."Nobody's going to choke."
Becca bit down on her lip.The last thing she wanted was Ava worrying about choking on her mint.To her relief, Ava smiled up at her."I'll be careful, I promise.But I think Grandpa Chuck's mint might help," she said as she popped it into her mouth.
Callie picked up the basket full of freeze-dried petals that Ava was going to scatter on their way down the aisle.Becca hadn't been sure about the pink petals at first, but now with so much blue everywhere, she knew they were going to be perfect.
When Callie handed her the bouquet, Becca gave her friend's hand a squeeze."I'll see you up at the front, then."
Callie squeezed back."You bet.I'll be there waiting.Just remember what I said.Relax and enjoy every moment, okay?"
"You should listen to her," said her dad."She's right."He smiled at Callie."And thanks.I needed the reminder too."
Becca caught her breath when a single note played on the cello sounded."Oh, my goodness.This is it," she exclaimed."You're going to do great, Ava."
Ava nodded and took hold of Callie's hand."So are you," she said with a smile.
Becca pressed her lips together as she and her dad watched Callie and Ava start their slow walk down the steps and between the rows of chairs.The music floating over the scene – the sweet, familiar melody about trees of green and skies of blue – matched the day perfectly just like she'd hoped it would.
Her dad chuckled."I love that you chose this song, Louis Armstrong would be proud."
She pressed a kiss to his cheek."I always remember it from when we were kids.It used to make you smile.And Jacob said his dad loved it, too."
Her dad blinked a few times before he said, "It's sure as hell making me smile right now.But it'll probably bring a tear to my eye every time I hear it in the future."
"Aww, Dad."
He chuckled."Aww, Becs.But come on, we need to pay attention.It'll be our turn in a minute."
