“The royals aren’t hoity-toity,” Rosy tells her.
They both look at each other and scoff.
“Who’s hoity-toity?” Harrison asks as he, Libby, and Clara come down the steps toward us. Clara’s dressed in an adorable sundress and her curly, wild hair is up in a ponytail that makes it look like she’s got a mop growing out of her head.
“What is a hoity-toity?” Clara asks.
“An uppity rich person who thinks they’re better than us regular folks,” Rosy tells her.
Oh God! They have to teach her a new wordnow? At this moment?! “Nobody is hoity-toity!” I say, then I gesture urgently for the family to huddle up. Lowering my voice, I say, “The cameras are about to turn on so we need to be careful about what we say.”
Emma taps the side of her nose. “Showtime. Got it.”
“Also, whatever you do, don’t look directly at them,” I say.
“Who? Your future in-laws?” Emma asks.
“The cameras,” I say, rolling my eyes.
Clara turns to the film crew and starts to do a four-year-old version of an untrained tap dance, complete with jazz hands while the rest of us look on. I smile down at her, suddenly realizing that with three kids involved, the pressure will be off Arabella and me big time. Kids are natural performers, and they’ll keep everyone so busy, we won’t have time to get to hate each other.
Jake, the wedding crew director, gives me the signal that they’re starting to roll. Clara decides she’s had enough of dancing and wants her dad to pick her up. With nothing to entertain us, we all stand awkwardly facing the long road that leads to the highway.
Emma clears her throat. “Lovely weather we’re having, yes?”
“Oh, yes,” Harrison says. “Not too hot.”
There’s a long, uncomfortable pause, then Rosy adds, “Did anyone catchSurvivorlast night?”
“No,” I tell her. Libby and Harrison shake their heads to the negative as well.
“Was it a good episode then?” Libby asks.
Shaking her head, Rosy says, “I didn’t see it either.”
“Right,” I say.
Oh, kill me now…
My phone buzzes and I pull it out to see a text from Arabella:
We’re almost at the resort, sweetie! I cannot wait to jump into your arms. Xoxo
P.S. Please don’t obsess over your most-appropriate emotional display. We’re behind you all the way. I personally find it rather endearing. Your obvious love for your family is one of the things that caused me to fall for you in the first place, so you needn't be ashamed.
Urgh…
Chapter 20
Nervous Burps, Commoners, and Hoity-Toities…
Arabella
“Dad, just try to look relaxed,”I tell him, gripping his shoulder and gently shaking it to see if I can get him to loosen up.
He slumps a little in the seat, looking like someone has taped his chin to his chest. “How’s this?”
“Terrible,” I say. “How do you not know how to be casual?”
