jacket.
Edgar Brailsford brought his hands together in a soft clap. “We’re all here now,” he said jovially, then turned to Bud. “What will you drink?”
“Do you have anything on tap?” Bud asked the waitress.
“Wait, Daddy,” Carolina said, placing one hand on her father’s sleeve. “Let’s order champagne.”
Brailsford’s gaze shot to his wife. He quickly collected himself. “Are we celebrating tonight?”
Carolina was smiling, but her eyes were blazing, imploring her father not to embarrass her. This wasn’t the way Bud hadwanted to lay out his hand tonight, but these were Carolina’s parents and it was her play.
“Well, I wanted to do this with a champagne toast, but why wait? Bud and I have some wonderful news.” She stuck out her hand, revealing a modest diamond. “We’re getting married!”
There was an awkward pause while Brailsford sat immobile and his smile hardened on his face. Beside him, Bud could have sworn he heard Allison Brailsford’s sharp intake of breath. She released a soft, “Oh, my….”
Bud felt the heat of the fire on his back and looked to Carolina for his cue. She looked momentarily lost.
Bud cleared his throat. “We’d like your blessing, sir.”
Brailsford leaned back in his chair. He clearly was not a man who appreciated surprises. He turned to face Bud. “Well, sir, in my day we asked the father for his permission before his blessing.”
“I understand that, sir. But the lady already said yes.”
“Daddy, don’t be old-fashioned,” Carolina quickly interjected, striving for levity. “Bud and I love each other and are getting married. That’s all there is to it.”
“Then my blessing isn’t really necessary, is it? Not if you’re going to do it whether I approve or not.”
“Oh, Edgar, be happy for them. Our baby is getting married!” Allison Brailsford exclaimed. Her icy composure had melted like a spring thaw at the prospect of a wedding. Bud saw that Carolina got her dreamy, idealistic side from her mother.
Edgar Brailsford leaned toward his daughter, showing Bud his back, and placed his hand over hers. Carolina leaned toward him and they huddled close, their gazes locked.
“Do you love him, baby?”
“I do, Daddy. With all my heart.”
Resignation flooded Brailsford’s features as his shoulders lowered. Gently patting Carolina’s hand, he said softly, “You know I just want you to be happy.”
“Thank you, Daddy.”
Then he turned toward Bud. His face was inscrutable. “Bud, is it?”
“It’s short for William,” Allison interjected.
“It’s a damnable thing to learn the name of your future son-in-law the night you meet him.”
“Daddy, that’s no one’s fault but your own. I’ve been in McClellanville for six months and you haven’t been to visit once.” Carolina’s tone was gently scolding. Bud could see she had her father wrapped around her finger.
Brailsford put out his hand. “Congratulations.”
Bud took the hand and once again felt a firm warning in the grip. “Thank you, sir. I’ll take good care of her.”
“You’d better.”
Champagne was poured, and the rest of the meal was an exercise in submission and respect. Carolina gave a colorful description of how she and Bud had met and fallen in love, and Allison was clearly swept up in the romance of her only daughter’s joy.
Edgar Brailsford, however, took every opportunity tolet Bud know that this was Brailsford’s club, his people, his wife, his daughter. He made sure Bud clearly understood that this was the lifestyle that he’d provided for his family and to which his daughter was accustomed. He set aside the menu and announced that they’d all be having the prime rib because it was the best in town. While ordering the wine, he took pains to educate Bud as to the grape and the vineyard, making certain he slipped in the price of the bottle, and then ordered two.
While the two women huddled on the other side of the table in a giddy
Edgar Brailsford brought his hands together in a soft clap. “We’re all here now,” he said jovially, then turned to Bud. “What will you drink?”
“Do you have anything on tap?” Bud asked the waitress.
“Wait, Daddy,” Carolina said, placing one hand on her father’s sleeve. “Let’s order champagne.”
Brailsford’s gaze shot to his wife. He quickly collected himself. “Are we celebrating tonight?”
Carolina was smiling, but her eyes were blazing, imploring her father not to embarrass her. This wasn’t the way Bud hadwanted to lay out his hand tonight, but these were Carolina’s parents and it was her play.
“Well, I wanted to do this with a champagne toast, but why wait? Bud and I have some wonderful news.” She stuck out her hand, revealing a modest diamond. “We’re getting married!”
There was an awkward pause while Brailsford sat immobile and his smile hardened on his face. Beside him, Bud could have sworn he heard Allison Brailsford’s sharp intake of breath. She released a soft, “Oh, my….”
Bud felt the heat of the fire on his back and looked to Carolina for his cue. She looked momentarily lost.
Bud cleared his throat. “We’d like your blessing, sir.”
Brailsford leaned back in his chair. He clearly was not a man who appreciated surprises. He turned to face Bud. “Well, sir, in my day we asked the father for his permission before his blessing.”
“I understand that, sir. But the lady already said yes.”
“Daddy, don’t be old-fashioned,” Carolina quickly interjected, striving for levity. “Bud and I love each other and are getting married. That’s all there is to it.”
“Then my blessing isn’t really necessary, is it? Not if you’re going to do it whether I approve or not.”
“Oh, Edgar, be happy for them. Our baby is getting married!” Allison Brailsford exclaimed. Her icy composure had melted like a spring thaw at the prospect of a wedding. Bud saw that Carolina got her dreamy, idealistic side from her mother.
Edgar Brailsford leaned toward his daughter, showing Bud his back, and placed his hand over hers. Carolina leaned toward him and they huddled close, their gazes locked.
“Do you love him, baby?”
“I do, Daddy. With all my heart.”
Resignation flooded Brailsford’s features as his shoulders lowered. Gently patting Carolina’s hand, he said softly, “You know I just want you to be happy.”
“Thank you, Daddy.”
Then he turned toward Bud. His face was inscrutable. “Bud, is it?”
“It’s short for William,” Allison interjected.
“It’s a damnable thing to learn the name of your future son-in-law the night you meet him.”
“Daddy, that’s no one’s fault but your own. I’ve been in McClellanville for six months and you haven’t been to visit once.” Carolina’s tone was gently scolding. Bud could see she had her father wrapped around her finger.
Brailsford put out his hand. “Congratulations.”
Bud took the hand and once again felt a firm warning in the grip. “Thank you, sir. I’ll take good care of her.”
“You’d better.”
Champagne was poured, and the rest of the meal was an exercise in submission and respect. Carolina gave a colorful description of how she and Bud had met and fallen in love, and Allison was clearly swept up in the romance of her only daughter’s joy.
Edgar Brailsford, however, took every opportunity tolet Bud know that this was Brailsford’s club, his people, his wife, his daughter. He made sure Bud clearly understood that this was the lifestyle that he’d provided for his family and to which his daughter was accustomed. He set aside the menu and announced that they’d all be having the prime rib because it was the best in town. While ordering the wine, he took pains to educate Bud as to the grape and the vineyard, making certain he slipped in the price of the bottle, and then ordered two.
While the two women huddled on the other side of the table in a giddy
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