The Random Bride

Ch 10: Can I have her hand?

"Dad, this is Ramsey Blackwell."

"How do you do, sir?" Ramsey reached out with a hand and a pleasant smile on his face.

Jerome managed to get on his feet before Sarah reached to help him. He accepted Ramsey's handshake.

"I'm well."

Awkwardly, the handshake lingered longer than it should. Jerome lifted his chin and the look in his eyes got intense.

"Ramsey," Jerome mentioned in an I'm-happy-but-weary-tone.

Sarah noticed.

"Dad, Ramsey brought this for you." She pushed forward the bottle of wine in her hand.

Their attention shifted to her. Jerome finally broke off the handshake.

"Oh," he looked at the bottle in her hand. "That's a valuable wine."

Jerome looked at Ramsey. "Thank you. Please sit."

Sarah left the bottle on the center table and sat on the couch, next to her father.

The older man lightly tapped her leg. "It's okay dear, you can sit next to him. I think that'll make him more relaxed."

Sarah stared at her father, quite taken aback. Then, she glanced at Ramsey who wore a simple amused expression.

"I'm fine, sir. She can sit in whichever place she likes."

She felt conflicted. Her father does think they have a serious and in-love kind of relationship. Sarah worried he might become suspicious if she declined or if he noticed the slip-ups in their behaviours.

She stood on her feet and went to sit next to Ramsey. They exchanged a look. She was first to withdraw her gaze down to her hands on her lap.

"So, you want to marry my daughter." Jerome started, wearing a quick smile.

"Yes, sir."

"Um, I know my daughter is beautiful. I don't care what the rest of the world thinks. But, why her? I mean, I'm aware we're no match for your family's status. Why do you want to marry Sarah?"

Ramsey was silent. Longer than he should be, and Sarah worried that he didn't have anything to say. It was not much of a surprise to her. In a way, they were still strangers. She thought about saying something in his place.

"I love your daughter's tender heart. She's patient and selfless... Sometimes, I look at her and I want to become a better person. She deserves all the protection in the world, and I want to be the one to give her that. I think forever with her would be like an adventure."

Ramsey shifted his gaze to Sarah who had been staring at him through his speech.

"That's beautiful. What about your family? What would you do if they said no?"

"They don't. My father has given his consent."

He has? Sarah thought to herself.

"They want me to be happy."

Jerome's lips curved up into a smile.

"Do you love Sarah?"

Ramsey stalled.

Sarah worried. It frightened her more when she noticed the squeeze between her dad's brows and the slight head tilt. Once he becomes suspicious, it is game over for them. Without hesitation, she gently placed her hand under his arm and interlocked her fingers with his.

Sarah managed to muster a smile that seemed genuinely warm and real.

"We love each other." Then turned to meet a pair of his staring back at her. Her heart was almost in her hands. "Right?"