Chapter Six #2
Ollie smiled, but it seemed to Callie that he was uncomfortable. She wouldn't have guessed that he didn't like kids — it didn't seem that way. Just that he didn't know what to say.
Alara smiled as she watched her daughter examine Ollie closely for any sign of his wings. Callie had thought she looked tired on Sunday at the brunch after the wedding, but she'd put that down to Alara having worked so hard on building the cornflower arch all week.
She pushed to her feet. "Is it okay if I put some of the things in the fridge?" she asked.
Alara started to get up, looking guilty, but Callie said, "It's okay, I can do it if you don't mind."
Alara nodded reluctantly. "Thanks. I really appreciate it. I'm just a bit wiped out, I think."
"Is your head any better?" Callie asked.
She said yes, but Callie wasn't inclined to believe her. She wanted to ask more questions but knew there was no point. From the few times they'd chatted, she already knew that Alara was as proud as she was. She wouldn't admit weakness — whether it was health-wise or financially.
She went to the fridge and put away the milk and yogurts — the yogurts she'd noticed Zia enjoyed in the kitchen with Elena at the big house during the week. She put a pack of protein shakes in there for Alara as well, then held up a bottle of orange juice.
She didn't ask but caught Alara's eye. When she nodded, Zia called, "Yes please! I'd love some orange juice."
Alara laughed. "You can't get a thing by her, you know."
Callie chuckled. "I already discovered that, didn't I, little miss?"
"You sure did, Lady Sunshine," said Zia as she gave Ollie's shoulders one last poke. "I just cannot find them," she said on a sigh before plopping down beside him, her little legs swinging from the edge of the seat. "Are they secret?" she asked.
Ollie chuckled. "I guess they are."
Alara smiled at Callie, and they both watched Zia study Ollie closely.
"You're Prince Daddy's best friend," she said, looking thoughtful, "and you're one of the Flying Ones," she added slowly. She slipped down and walked around him to study him from the other side.
Callie had a feeling she knew where this was going. She'd witnessed Zia naming people a few times. Her favorite had been the look on Walt the groundskeeper's face when Zia had proclaimed that he was Sir Growly Green, also known as Wally Boots.
Now the little girl rested her hands on Ollie's knees and looked up into his eyes. Ollie chuckled and leaned down until his forehead was resting against Zia's. She laughed too.
"I've watched you give everyone else names, young lady, but I think you just can't figure me out, can you?"
Callie's hand came up to cover her heart as she watched Zia shake her head in a no while still keeping her forehead pressed against Ollie's.
"I couldn't," Zia said slowly. "I wanted to give you a name, but I didn't know what it might be. I hope you weren't sad that you didn't get one."
"I was a little," Ollie admitted.
Callie and Alara smiled at each other when Zia climbed up onto Ollie's lap and said, "I'm very sorry that I made you sad. But it's okay because I have your name now." She placed her hands on his shoulders. "You, sir, are the Secret King."
Ollie sputtered and glanced at both her and Alara before asking Zia, "What makes you say that?"
Zia patted his shoulder. "Because that’s what you are, and I see it now — the Secret King, and I'm glad you came to see us." She turned to Callie. "Thank you for bringing him, Lady Sunshine. You like him too, don't you?"
Callie could only laugh. "I do. He's a good guy."
Zia nodded solemnly. "He's a very good Secret King."
~ ~ ~
By the time they were ready to leave, Ollie was maybe more concerned about Alara than he had been when they arrived.
As Callie had said, she did look pale, but what bothered him more was that Zia seemed to think it was normal.
She talked about Mommy's headaches and how Mommy needed to take a nap sometimes — not as though those things were an issue, but they just naturally came up when she said that she made her sparkly postcards while Mommy was sleeping.
He was hoping to get Callie's read on the situation before he flew home later. He was going to have to call Reaves. He'd already texted him to put him out of his misery, letting him know that they'd found Alara and Zia and that they were okay and he’d report in more detail later on.
But if Ollie had to guess, he'd say that Alara needed to see a doctor. And the other guys might tease him sometimes that he came from so much privilege that he was clueless, but even he understood that she likely wouldn't agree to see a doctor until she'd started this job — the one with benefits.
Little Zia hopped up beside him and tapped the end of his nose. "You're thinking hard. Are you lost in your secrets?"
His stomach dropped. How the hell had the kid known to call him that?
He winked at her and made himself smile, which wasn't hard to do as the little imp grinned at him. He patted his shoulder, hoping that maybe she’d named him because of the mysterious wings she couldn’t find.
He didn’t like to mislead her — he could tell her that the wings were on the plane not on him, but he liked the idea of disappointing her even less. "Some things have to stay secret."
She crossed her eyes at him. "One day I'll figure you out. I need to know what you're made of, too."
He raised his eyebrows. "What I'm made of?"
She gave an indignant huff. "You know what I mean. You have to be made of something different because you're a Flying One. The sky stretches you out. That's what Lady Darling said. She said all the Flying Ones are tall because the sky stretches you out."
Ollie had to laugh. He could just picture Becca's mom, Darlene, telling Zia that.
"Well, that one's a secret even to me," he said, "but if I figure it out, I'll let you know."
Zia's arms dangled at her sides as she stared at him. The kid was a trip, and Ollie could totally see why Reaves had fallen so hard for her.
"Do you know my Grandpa Grape?" she asked.
"I do." Ollie had no idea how her little mind had jumped there. He was just grateful that he was able to keep up, so far.
"He's going to call and read me bedtime stories over the phone. Isn't that wonderful? Isn't that kind of him?"
"It is," Ollie agreed. "Your Grandpa Grape is a very kind gentleman."
"Oh, I know," said Zia. She glanced at Alara. "You like him too, don't you, Mom?"
"I do. I like everyone we met at the Jacobs estate."
"I know, but you liked Prince Daddy and Grandpa Grape the most, didn't you?" Zia insisted.
Ollie happily noted that Alara looked a little embarrassed. He'd be glad to report that back to Reaves.
Zia tapped on his knee. "You came to Grandpa Grape's castle, didn't you, when I went there and met the sunflowers?"
"I did," he agreed. "You already know that Reaves is my—" He corrected himself on her behalf. "That Prince Daddy is my best friend. I go over to see them quite a lot."
Zia let out a big sigh — a sigh so dramatic that her shoulders rose and fell. "You're so lucky. I wish I could go and see them whenever I like."
Ollie glanced at Alara, feeling bad for her. Whether Zia was saying it to make a point that she didn't want to leave Napa, or simply because she genuinely wished she could see more of Reaves and his dad Charles, he didn't know. But either way, he didn't want Alara to feel bad.
He touched the tip of Zia's nose. "At least you'll be able to see them on the phone, when Grandpa Grape reads you stories."
"I will," Zia agreed grudgingly. "Maybe you'll be there sometimes too, and you can wave to me."
"I will." He wouldn't normally give his word without couching it in a maybe, but it seemed important to her. So he did.
Her little eyes lit up. "Thank you! And you'll bring Lady Sunshine with you, won't you, so that I can wave to her too?"
He shot Callie a glance. He'd be more than happy if she wanted to join him.
Zia turned to her. "Say you will, Miss Callie Clay. Say you will, please."
Callie smiled at Ollie before looking back at the girl. "I think we can probably arrange that," she said. "You see, your Grandpa Grape wants to buy some of my sunflower glazes." She met Ollie's gaze. "He's going to ask Ollie about helping to deliver them."
Ollie grinned; it was the first he’d heard about it, but it certainly wasn’t a problem; he was happy to roll with it. "Then maybe when I come to pick them up, I can bring you back with me to deliver them, and we can all be at Grandpa Grape's castle to say hi to Zia when he reads her bedtime story."
He held Callie's gaze for a moment longer, and Zia let out a happy little squeal.
It was only when he checked on Alara again that he noticed her eyes were drooping.
Callie followed his gaze. "We should probably get out of here and let you get some rest," she said.
Alara startled. "Sorry, I guess I didn't get all the sleep I needed. I'm so glad you guys came. It was so good to see you again."
Zia surprised Ollie by climbing onto his lap and then reaching up to press a sweet little kiss to his cheek. "I'm so glad I got to see you again, Secret King," she told him in a low voice. "I was sad that you didn't have a name, too."
After they'd said their goodbyes and were back in Callie's truck, he could tell that she was as agitated about the situation as he was.
"Do you think she's okay?" she asked. "Alara, I mean."
He blew out a sigh. "I'm not sure that I do, no. I don't feel like I can tell Reaves honestly that she's just fine."
"No. But what can we do?" Callie asked.
He shrugged. "I'm not sure there's anything we can do. She's a grown woman who knows her own mind."
Callie sighed. "On the one hand, I'm glad to hear you say that — it's good to know that's how you see it. On the other, I wish you were wrong."