Captivation

Captivation Part 51

When Caitlin returned to the waiting room, having changed into jeans, sweatshirt and flat shoes, all she heard was laughter. "What's funny?" She asked, a smile in her eyes and on her lips as she watched her father and Jared chuckling away as if they were friends of long standing.

Jacinto beamed, "I was just telling Jared about that time you and Georgia tricked Elias..."

"Dad!" Caitlin remonstrated. Secretly she was pleased to see the two men appeared to be getting on. Caitlin sat beside her father. She put the bag with her evening dress on the floor, and placed her handbag beside it. She smiled across at Jared. He seemed a touch more relaxed.

"What? He needs to know what he's getting when he gets involved with our family." Jacinto replied with a broad grin.

"You want to scare him off?" Caitlin asked, as she braced her elbows on her knees and leaned forward so that she could see Jared's reaction to the lighthearted teasing.

"He's made of sterner stuff." Jacinto concluded.

"You won't ever scare me off." Jared replied at the same time as her father spoke. Jacinto chuckled.

Jared decided that as they were all here now, and they had time, and given the room had no one other then the three of them, this was as good an opportunity as ever to make his intentions clear. "The thing is, Mr Fonseca." Jared took a breath. Who knew that asking for permission when it really wasn't needed would make him this nervous! "I'd like your blessing to marry Caitlin."

Jacinto blinked. Well, this was fast work. He assumed Jared and Caitlin intended to date. But if Jared was talking about marriage then things had moved fast! Jacinto wasn't sure that was a good thing, he'd rather Caitlin took her time and was sure this man was who she wanted to spend her life with.

"Marry?" Jacinto looked over at Caitlin, his eyes conveyed speculation and an open question. "Marry?" He repeated. Jacinto assumed Jared's statement at the Easter dance about marrying Caitlin was nothing more than a statement made in the heat of the moment. Jacinto thought it was an attempt to persuade Jacinto that Jared was serious about his daughter. He knew that Jared and Caitlin had been out just the once, and even that was down to Candy and Nigel manipulating the situation. Tonight Caitlin and Jared had an opportunity to talk, again a situation manipulated by another. Jacinto. So either Jared moved fast, or there was more going on, that Jacinto did not know about. Not that any father wanted those sorts of details. But still, surely they should have dated, consistently in this day and age, before even thinking about getting married.

Caitlin nodded and smiled happily. Jared held his breath, hoping her father had not changed his mind from a few moments ago.

"Aren't you both rushing into things?" Jacinto asked quietly. Jared felt his shoulders tense. Caitlin frowned at her father. She and her sister were used to her father's direct approach, but obviously Jared wasn't. Jacinto glanced from Jared to Caitlin and shrugged his shoulders when he read her silent reprimand. "I mean you've only been out, once? Right?" Jacinto reminded pointedly. He was going to make sure his daughter was sure that Jared was the man for her. "Shouldn't you take a bit of time?" Jacinto suggested, and glanced back at Jared, given Caitlin was all but scowling at him now. He hoped Jared and Caitlin would date. He wanted them to take their time and get to know each other's foibles.

Jared went very still. And braced for a rejection. Maybe Jacinto Fonseca, despite his earlier statements still had reservations about Caitlin getting involved with Jared. Caitlin could see Jared's reaction to her father's questions. It was clear that Jared thought her father was having doubts because of Jared's background. She saw the anxiety and hurting in Jared's eyes.