Chapter Nineteen
Callie grinned when she pulled up to the gate at the Jacobs estate on Thursday morning and Slade stepped out of the gatehouse.
The morning air was cool and smelled of earth and ripening grapes.
As soon as she put her window down, he greeted her with, "Greetings, Lady Sunshine.
It's good to see you back at the Cornflower Kingdom. "
She laughed. "Greetings, Sir Growly Dragon. It's good to be here. How are you?"
Slade nodded happily. "I'm great, thanks. Everything's good around here. Jacob and Becca are back and settled in." He chuckled. "You should see her face every time I call her Mrs. Jacobs."
Callie laughed with him. "Oh, I bet she loves that."
"She does, but she said it's going to take some getting used to, so I'm trying to help her along."
"Thanks."
He shrugged. "She's been good for this place. Good for Jacob, of course, but good for everyone else as well. It's like she's brought the place back to life."
"She's awesome," said Callie. "I'm looking forward to seeing her."
"I know she's excited to see you, too. I should let you get on up to the house. Oh, but before you go — Willow asked me to tell you that we're all going out to Muse on Saturday night and she wants you to come."
"That's kind of her, but I'm only here for the day."
"Shit, I didn't know that," said Slade. "How come?"
She shrugged. "It's just a visit. I just wanted to catch up with Becca now that she's back."
"Yeah, but everyone else is going to want to see you while you're here. You can't fit everyone into just one day."
She chuckled. "I'm sure I'll have to come back soon for something or another."
He raised his eyebrows. "You mean something like Ollie?"
Heat crept up her cheeks. "How do you know about that?"
"Hey, sorry, I didn't mean to stick my nose in.
It's not like he's been talking or anything, but Willow talked to him and Reaves — they’re flying her somewhere today — and you know what she's like.
She probably interrogated him. When she got home, she was saying she's excited to see how things might pan out between the two of you. "
Callie nodded, not sure what to say.
Slade winked. "I probably really shouldn't say this, but she also mentioned that she's keeping the bouquet from the wedding safe for you."
Callie let out a short laugh. "Well, you can tell her she can hang on to it for a while. We've been on one real date, and it's not my fault I caught the bouquet. I was trying my best not to."
He gave her a knowing smile. "Maybe that should tell you something.
Some things are inevitable, no matter how much you try to avoid them.
But anyway, you'd best get up to the house.
I know Becca's waiting for you. But think about Saturday night, would you?
Everyone's going to be out. It'd be good if you could come.
I think we both know that Ollie would love it. "
She shrugged. "I'll see what I can do."
"Okay. If I don't catch you later, we'll hopefully see you soon."
She drove slowly up the long drive, the vineyards stretching out on either side, rows of vines heavy with fruit.
The big house rose ahead of her, golden in the morning light.
It wasn’t like she hadn’t been here before, but it still caught her off guard — the scale of it, the beauty.
And now she was connected to this world, whether she'd planned to be or not.
She parked behind the kitchen and didn't even have the chance to get out before Becca came running down the steps from the back door.
"Finally!"
Callie greeted her with a hug. "What do you mean, finally? I'm earlier than I said I would be."
"I know, but I've been dying to see you." Becca made a face. "And I was really hoping that you would have been able to come yesterday."
"Sorry. I would have, but—"
"I know, I know. I'm not complaining. I'm so glad that you and Ollie got to go on your date. You have to tell me all about it. But come inside. Elena and Walt are both waiting to see you, and you'll have to chat with them before I can get you to myself."
"Okay, but hang on." She opened the back passenger door and took out a box.
"Ooh," said Becca. "What's in there?"
"Nothing for you this time — don't get too excited. These are mugs for Walt and Elena and a couple of other people who asked."
Becca grinned. "So, you're finally seeing sense. You've started selling them?"
Callie rolled her eyes. "I already sell them, you know this. I sell them on my Etsy store and at the markets. And no, these are gifts."
Becca huffed out a sigh. "Okay, so that's one more thing we need to talk about. You seriously need to start making and selling things around here. And have you talked to Delaney?"
Callie made a face. "No, I really haven't had the time."
"Well, you should."
Callie shrugged. "We can get to all of that. Let's go see Walt and Elena."
The kitchen was warm, something sweet baking in the oven, and Elena was already smiling as they came through the door. She greeted Callie with a hug, and Walt grinned and nodded. "It's good to see you again."
"And you. And I brought your mugs."
Elena clasped her hands together. "Thank you so much. I can't wait till you go big time and I'll be able to say that I have an original Callie Clay."
Callie laughed. "That's only what Zia calls me, you know. My name's Claiborne."
Elena waved a hand. "I know, but if you're going to do the branding thing — if you're going to let Delaney brand you — then maybe you should use the name Callie Clay."
Becca nodded enthusiastically, and Callie made a face at Walt, who shrugged.
"You know me. I don't know anything about all that stuff.
All I know is I like my mug. Thanks." He raised it to her — the deep green glaze catching the light.
She'd shaped the handle to fit a large hand.
It looked right there, in his grip. Like it belonged.
"And if you don't mind, I'll be off back to the greenhouse to fill it. "
Callie couldn't resist leaning in to kiss his cheek before he left. "It's good to see you again, Walt."
He gave her a bashful smile. "It's good to see you again," he said gruffly before he left.
Elena chuckled. "He was excited to get his mug, you know."
"Aw," said Callie. "I'm so glad. I didn't know if he really cared."
"He doesn't normally, about that kind of thing. But your mugs—" Elena held hers up. "They're something special. And even Walt knows it."
She turned to Becca. "I know the two of you are going to want to catch up. I can take myself off."
Becca touched her arm. "Please don't do that. We're not going to invade your kitchen. We're going to hang out in Jacob's study. We won't disturb you at all."
Elena chuckled and turned to Callie. "I keep telling her she needs to get the hang of how things work. She's Mrs. Jacobs now. It's not a case of her getting in my way — it's a case of me getting in hers."
"I don't like your chances of changing who she is, Elena."
"No, on second thought, I should just be grateful, shouldn't I?" She leaned in and kissed Becca's cheek. "You're wonderful just the way you are. I wouldn’t want you to change. Do you want me to bring you coffee and cookies in a little while?"
"That'd be great, thanks," said Becca. "But we can come get them."
Elena waved a hand. "Go. Catch up and enjoy yourselves."
Callie leaned in to give her a hug. "It's good to see you again."
"It's good to see you, too. I hope we'll be seeing more of you now."
Callie just nodded. She was guessing that Elena was only talking about her coming to visit Becca more. But at the same time, she wondered if everyone around here already knew about her and Ollie.
Inside Jacob's study, Becca closed the door after them and pulled Callie down onto the sofa with her.
It was a far cry from Becca's cramped bedroom back in Kansas, where they used to sprawl across the bed and talk for hours.
Or Callie's parents' kitchen table, where they'd spent so many evenings with mugs of coffee and nowhere to be.
But Becca was still Becca, and some things didn't change.
"You have to tell me all about it. What's happening between you and Ollie?"
Callie rolled her eyes. "Slow your roll, lady. You're the one who just came back from your honeymoon. I want to hear all your news first."
Becca clasped her hands together and held them against her chest. "Oh, Callie, it was fabulous.
It was the best time ever. We stayed in this villa on its own beach, and the water was so blue, and the sand was so white, and it was just unbelievable.
And Jacob—" She sighed. "I love that man so much. I can't believe he's my husband now."
Callie laughed. "It's awesome to see you so happy."
"I am. I don't think I've ever been this happy in my life. And this is just the beginning, you know?"
"Yeah, I know. It suits you. And Jacob's such a good guy."
Becca laughed. "That's not what you thought in the beginning, though, is it? You thought he might be some creepy rich guy who was after me because I was an innocent little chickie."
The words landed differently now. Ollie had used that exact phrase about himself just yesterday on the beach. Half-joking, but with real worry underneath.
Callie laughed out loud. "I wouldn't exactly put it that way."
Becca raised her eyebrows, and she had to admit, "But yeah, I was kind of thinking something like that."
"But you get it now, don't you?" Becca asked.
"I totally get it. That man loves you more than life itself. It's awesome to see the way he is with you."
Becca nodded happily. "And I hope you've gotten over the thing about rich guys. I mean, Ollie's richer than the rest of them put together, you know?"
She inhaled sharply.
"What?" Becca asked innocently. "He is. You must know that by now."