Page 61 of Handsome
My mother showed her a few dresses. Sarah pointed, and my mother nodded as she said, “Well, take your time and have fun. Parvis and I will enjoy being grandparents.”
“You’re sweet, Roxanne,” Sarah said.
My heart swelled. My Sarah belonged here, with all of us. Hopefully she knew it too.
I stepped back to let them talk more.
And I changed my outfit to match hers, since she was wearing white.
Hopefully dancing and some romance would help her trust me enough to realize it was safe to love me back.
An hour later I checked on her again and she was ready.
My heart thundered as I stared at her.
She was different.
Calmer. Smiling. I offered my arm, and we walked down the stairs as I said, “I hope you don’t mind my mother too much.”
She brightened as she said, “Are you joking? I wish my mom was half as supportive.”
“Let’s get going,” I said and held the door for her.
Today, Miami. Tomorrow, maybe she would accept my heart.
37
Sarah
The drive to the airport was short, and security merely saluted Cyrus while we stepped onto the tarmac and walked to the plane, when I realized none of this was normal.
Staff waited for us like we were important, perhaps even presidential. As I climbed the first step, he rested his hand on my back like he intended to protect me from falling.
The hostess offered us flutes of champagne. I quickly thanked her and accepted, and then, when we entered the seating area, I was stunned. There was a dining table, a galley area, seats grouped together like a living room, and a desk area off to the side.
Then I spotted a second room where I saw the edge of a bed. I looked up to meet his eyes and said, “This is a flying penthouse suite.”
He suggested I sit on one of the couches. I took a small sip of champagne and then curled into the black leather seat. He joined me and said, “We have businesses throughout the world, so if we need to be somewhere in a hurry, we can be.”
I smiled and watched out the window while we taxied out of the spot and out on the runway.
I was really flying. I tensed as we went faster, and Cyrus took my hand. I squeezed my eyes shut as we lifted, and my heart pounded wildly.
The when the plane finally settled into smooth progress, I finally dared to look out. We were in the air!
I whooshed out the breath I'd been holding and glanced at Cyrus. He clinked glasses with me like everything was normal and said, “We’ll have some late lunch and then go find our dance instructor.”
“You hired someone?” I asked, and then realized that not only was the seat I was in sinfully comfortable, but somehow, I was completely fine. My shoulders release the tension while I sipped my champagne.
His smile brightened, and he said, “We have a practice, and then a competition I found.”
I reminded myself to keep breathing. I hadn’t expected a professional instructor. I squeezed his hand and nodded. Even if I fell on my face, he’d be happy showing off. So I asked, “So we’re really doing this?”
“It’s all in fun,” he said and gently clinked his champagne flute against mine.
I let out a sigh. For a second, I imagined myself with Cyrus after twenty years together, winning some seniors’ competition. Life would be amazing if he loved me long enough to grow old together like that. I giggled at the idea and relaxed against his side as I asked, “Are all your brothers as romantic as you are?”
He laughed and shook his head, “I’m not romantic. Roman usually is the over-the-top one, and I’m the most stoic, to be honest.”
