LOST AND FOUND HUSBAND (7 page)

Apparently Eric was the only one who thought the difference was an issue. “I can’t imagine me taming you.”

Kaley chimed in. “It will probably be more like her pepping you up. I love you more than anyone, Dad. But sometimes you can be a downer.”

“Gee, thanks. Can we change the subject now?” He didn’t want to talk about what a downer he was.

Dana changed it. “Have you told your family?” she asked him.

“Kaley is my family. My parents are gone, and I was an only child. I don’t have any extended family to speak of.”

“Besides Ryan and Victoria,” Kaley said, reminding him of her birth parents.

“Yes,” he agreed. “They’ve become like a brother and sister to me. I’m going to ask Ryan to be my best man.” Just as Eric would be Ryan’s best man.

“Isn’t it crazy?” Kaley remarked. “That you’re getting married before them? Who ever thought that would happen?”

Not him, that was for sure.

“Are Ryan and Victoria planning to have more children?” Dana asked.

“Not for a while,” Eric replied. “Our baby is going to be the only baby for a few years, at least.”

“My first brother or sister.” Kaley smiled, then reached for a pen and paper. “Who else do you plan to invite to the wedding, Dad, besides Ryan and Victoria?”

“A few coworkers and some of my powwow and artist friends.” He didn’t socialize much these days. His list would be small. He also needed to hurry up and tell people that he was getting married before the invitations went out. Just one more thing to be nervous about, he thought.

He glanced at Dana. She didn’t seem nervous. She’d slipped easily into bride mode. The afternoon continued with further wedding discussion, then ended with Dana and Kaley hugging goodbye and promising to get back in touch to arrange a shopping day.

Eric did his part, offering to pay for everything associated with the ceremony, including the wardrobe and decorations. Dana thanked him with a smile.

When the time came, he returned the Beanie Baby to her and walked her out to her car.

“I adore your daughter,” she said, as they stood at the curb. “She’s amazing.”

“She obviously thinks you’re amazing, too.”

“It helps that I’m going to be the mother of her brother or sister.”

“Family is everything to her. But she would have been impressed with you, anyway. You’re easy to like.”

“So are you.”

“I used to be easier to like.” He couldn’t blame Kaley for calling him a downer, even if it hurt to hear it.

“I think you’re doing great, Eric.”

Not as great as she was. She was charming and optimistic and everything he wasn’t. “I’m not doing as well as you are.”

“You’re doing the best you can. That’s all that matters.”

Could she be any more understanding? “You’re going to be a hell of a wife, Dana.”

She flashed a dazzling smile and cocked both hands on her hips. “So I’m going to be more than just scattered and messy?”

“Yeah. A lot more.” She was already proving to be a good partner. He reached for the flower at her ear and gave it an affectionate tug.

Finally, he leaned forward and kissed her. But it was brief and chaste, considering that they were standing in front of his house in the middle of the day. Still, it felt good to taste what he’d been missing.

Making Eric long for her touch even after she was gone.

* * *

The following day, Eric called Ryan. After the usual exchange of greetings, he got right to the point. “I know this is going to come as a shock, but I’m getting married in a month and I wanted to ask you to be my best man.”

“Wow. Married? You’re right. That is a shock, but it’s wonderful, too. Of course I’ll be your best man. It would be my honor. Who’s the lucky lady you fell in love with?”

Eric replied with honesty, with the kind of blatancy that made his stomach tense. “I’m not in love with her, and she isn’t in love with me. She’s pregnant and we’re making a go of it for the baby.”

Stalled silence. Then, “Are you sure that’s the right thing to do?”

“I think so. It’s the best way for me to be in the baby’s life and provide the support Dana needs.”

“Dana? Is that your bride’s name?”

“Yes.” To make sure Ryan understood how important it was to her, he relayed her family history.

“I can see how that complicates things, but can’t you wait a while to be sure it’s what you should do?”

“She wants to have the ceremony before she starts showing. Besides, what difference will a few more months make? I offered to marry her before the baby comes, and that’s what I’m going to do. Kaley and Dana are already planning the wedding.”

“I guess it’s safe to assume that Dana and Kaley are friends.”

“They hit it off beautifully and they only met for the first time last night.”

“Damn. What a whirlwind.”

“It definitely is. Dana and I only had one date, one night together. We hardly know each other.” The more he revealed, the crazier it sounded. “She’s younger than me, too. I was leery of dating her because of the age difference.”

“And now you’re marrying her? You’re not stating a very strong case for yourself. Maybe you should postpone it.”

“I’m not backing out.” He could never do that to Dana or the baby. Nor did he want to. “Dana is going to make a really good wife and mother. I’m the one who needs to work on being prepared.”

“That’s just my point. My first marriage didn’t work, as you well know.”

Yes, Eric knew that Ryan was divorced, but it wasn’t the same scenario. “You didn’t marry her for the sake of a child.” Ryan didn’t have children with his ex.

“I married her because I loved her. But I didn’t love her enough for the marriage to thrive. Victoria was always there, taking up space in my heart.”

The way Corrine’s memory filled Eric’s heart. “I’m not a teenager like you were when Victoria got pregnant. I’m a grown man, and I’m fortunate enough to be able to marry the mother of my child.”

“A woman you don’t love.”

“She’s a wonderful person. Beautiful and smart and funny. So just wish me well and stop trying to persuade me to rethink my decision.”

“Of course I wish you well. I want the best for you and Dana and the baby. And for Kaley. I can only imagine how excited she is about being a big sister.”

“She’s over the moon. She thinks Dana and I are meant to be.”

“As they say, God works in mysterious ways. You and Corrine couldn’t conceive, and now a woman comes along who gets pregnant from one date. Maybe this
is
meant to be.”

“Now you sound like Kaley.”

“You just told me to be supportive.”

“You’re right, I did. I’m sorry if I’m not making any sense.” Eric shook his head at his own confusion. “It’s just weird. Me having a kid at this age.”

“You’re an incredible father to Kaley and you’ll be an incredible dad to this one.”

“I already have a picture of it. Dana gave me a copy of the ultrasound photo.”

“You can show it me to when Victoria and I come for the wedding. She’s going to be as surprised as I was to hear your news.”

“I’ll be in touch with the details. And thanks, Ryan, for agreeing to stand up for me. It’ll be good to have you there.”

“It’ll be good to be there. We’ll talk again soon. Give Kaley our love.”

“I always do.” They said goodbye and hung up, leaving Eric as anxious as ever.

Confiding in Ryan hadn’t been enough to calm his nerves. He needed to talk to Corrine, too.

Chapter Seven

E
ric drove to the florist located at the cemetery. He always got Corrine’s flowers at that same shop. It was easier since everyone else was also buying gifts for the dead. He didn’t have to explain what the occasion was or cross paths with anyone except mourners. Plus, by now, the shopkeeper knew him.

After he chose the bouquet he wanted, he walked to his wife’s grave, taking a long, tree-lined path, flanked by mounds of grass and rows of headstones.

He knelt in front of her marker and put the flowers in place. “I got you orchids,” he said. “The kind you carried on our wedding day.” The same type he’d given Dana on their first date. “You wouldn’t believe everything that’s been going on.”

This wasn’t like the conversation he’d had with Ryan. No one was on the other side, reacting to his words. But he’d been conversing with Corrine this way for a while now, and it had begun to seem natural.

“I have a lot to tell you,” he said. The last time he’d had this much to say was when Kaley had found her birth parents. But this was different. This was about Dana.

“Remember the waitress who gave me the rose that I brought to you? I’m going to marry her, Corrine. She asked me on a date and I spent the night with her and now she’s pregnant.”

He rearranged the orchids. “You probably think this is going to be good for me. Kaley thinks so, too. She doesn’t know about the discussion you and I had before you died, but she seems to know that you would approve, anyway. As soon as I told her about the baby, she insisted that I marry Dana. It’s important to Dana, too, because she comes from a line of unwed mothers and she wants our child to be legitimate. I wish I could say that I’m excited about getting married again, but I feel like a passenger on a runaway train. It’s all happening so fast, and I don’t know if I’m going to be any good at it.

“I talked to Ryan about it earlier and asked him to be my best man. After I told him how I felt, he tried to discourage me from getting married so soon. But I have to do what’s right for Dana and the baby, even if I’m nervous about it...” He paused, blew out his breath. “That makes sense, doesn’t it?”

Naturally, he didn’t get a response. There was nothing but a stone marker and his own rambling words.

“Kaley thinks it’s fate. She thinks it’s meant to be. She’s thrilled about the baby. She and Dana are getting along great, too. They’re planning the wedding together.”

Again, he was met with silence.

He kept talking. “I’m scared about becoming a new father. I was young and hopeful when we adopted Kaley. It’s not the same this time. We gave the baby a cute nickname, though.” He couldn’t help but smile. “Sweet Bean. Dana framed the ultrasound picture for me, and I put it on the mantel.” He stopped smiling. “It’s sitting there, next to our wedding photo. What am I supposed to do with that picture now, Corrine? I can’t leave it on the mantel after Dana and I get married. That wouldn’t be fair to her. But it’s going to feel strange to remove it. I’m so confused about how to have a new wife and a new child. Dana is handling everything much better than I am. But life hasn’t beaten her up the way it has with me. She’s never been in love or lost the person she loved.”

He plucked mindlessly at a blade of grass.

“The good thing, though, is that she understands what I had with you. I’ve been able to talk to her about it. She’s a pretty amazing girl, sweet and understanding.

“The problem is me. I’m concerned that I won’t be able to live up to my promise. I’m going to try to make her happy, but what if I fall short? What if I can’t pull it off?”

Eric glanced up at the heavens and noticed how closely the sky mirrored the color of Dana’s eyes. “How weird is that?” he said to Corrine. “Your eyes were blue, too, but today I see hers. Do you think that’s a good sign?” Surely, it must be. Dana was alive and Corrine was gone.

He stopped looking at the sky. Even if it was a positive omen, he was still worried about fulfilling his upcoming vows.

He stood up, preparing to go home. He couldn’t stay here forever. “I’ll see you next time,” he said. He would be back to visit Corrine, as always. But for now he needed to get a grip on becoming Dana’s husband.

* * *

The ceremony was officially two weeks away, and Dana was grateful for Kaley’s and Candy’s help.

Today they were shopping—again—for the dresses, hers included. They hadn’t found anything on their previous excursions, but they were going to more stores this time.

The wedding colors would be determined by the dresses that Kaley and Candy chose. Dana didn’t mind leaving it to chance. She trusted their judgment, whether they chose matching garments or two separate styles. It didn’t matter, as long as everyone felt good in what they were wearing.

By one in the afternoon, Candy found her prize: a turquoise-colored granny dress from the early 1970s, with an embroidered neckline.

That set Kaley in motion, looking for a seventies granny dress, too. She squealed when she uncovered a yellow one with a similar neckline that looked incredible on her.

There it was. The colors were turquoise and yellow, a super combination. Dana couldn’t have been more pleased. Her bridesmaids were going to be bright and beautiful.

“Your turn,” Candy said to Dana. “We have to find the perfect dress for you. This is going to be your day, after all.”

Her day. Her new life. “I’ll find the right one. I can feel it.”

Two stores later, she zeroed in on a long white cocktail dress from the same era as the bridesmaids’ dresses that could easily double as a wedding gown. She tried it on and sighed in delight. What she loved most were the tiny multicolored jewels sprinkled throughout the fabric to form daisy shapes. The gown had an ethereal quality, but at the same time, made a bold and free-spirited statement.

Candy and Kaley fussed over her, telling her how stunning she looked. She was definitely going to buy it. Not only did it fit her style, it was marvelously affordable.

“Are you going to wear a veil, a fancy comb, or a crown of flowers in your hair?” Eric’s daughter asked. “Any of it would work.”

“I don’t know.” The possibilities seemed endless.

“Let’s get some lunch,” Candy said. “Then we can go to bridal shops and check out the accessories.”

While they ate, they chatted excitedly about the wedding. Dana was determined to maintain her sunny disposition and be her usual exuberant self, to make the most of marrying Eric, even if he was cautious about marrying her. She understood how scary this was for him. But for her it was becoming an adventure.

Of course this was the party-planning stage. Why wouldn’t it be fun, especially with the bridesmaids sharing her enthusiasm?

After lunch, they continued shopping, hitting bridal shops, as Candy had suggested.

There were tons of lovely accessories. Dana tried on veils and headbands and an assortment of combs.

Then Kaley said, “Look over here,” drawing her attention to another display case.

Immediately Dana knew why. On the second shelf were jeweled hairpins, in the shape of daisies, in every color imaginable. They were small and delicate and oh so perfect.

Candy peered into the case, too. “Oh, Dana. Those look as if they were designed just for your dress.”

“I know. Can you believe it?”

“You could fix your hair so it’s half up and half down,” Kaley said. “And you could put those little pins all throughout, making them an intricate part of the design.”

“What a fabulous idea. I’ll get most of them in turquoise and yellow, so they’ll tie in with the wedding colors. But I’ll get some in other colors, too, like the daisies on my dress.” She felt like Cinderella in the making. But that was how a bride should feel.

After she’d made the purchase, they agreed to go the craft store to look for things to use to make the centerpieces for the tables.

“I already conned Dad into helping us make the decorations,” Kaley said.

“You did?” Dana hadn’t expected him to get involved.

“He tried to refuse, but I made a stink about how he’s an artist and how he should put his talent to use for us.”

“Good thinking,” Dana said. “We’ll just get a bunch of interesting stuff and let him figure out how to make it work.” She adored the thought of Eric’s participation.

She wanted her groom to start enjoying the wedding in any way he could.

* * *

On the day Eric, Dana and Kaley were going to make the centerpieces, Kaley called and said she was running late and to get started without her.

Eric sat at one of the work tables in his studio, with Dana by his side. She’d arrived on time, so for now it was just the two of them, sorting through the craft items she’d brought with her.

He took inventory: silk daisies, turquoise and yellow ribbon in various widths and textures, plastic jewels in an array of colors, long white ostrich plums, acrylic champagne glasses, shiny gold candles and an assortment of glittery baskets.

“What do you think?” Dana asked.

What he thought was that they’d bought way more stuff than was necessary, but he’d agreed to work on this project so he was going to use his imagination and make it fly.

He asked, “How many centerpieces do we need?”

“Four. But we figured that we could use anything that’s leftover to decorate the cake table.”

“Then how about this? We can make each centerpiece different—one that’s floral, another one showcasing the feathers, another one with the champagne glasses and the final one with the candles. That will give us the four we need, with plenty of items left over to create something for the cake table that uses all of the above.”

“That sounds great.” She flashed a feminine smile. “I thought about bringing over my dress so you could see it and use it for inspiration, but then I decided that it would be more exciting for you to see it the first time on our wedding day.” She smiled again. “With me in it.”

“I’m sure that you’re going to look beautiful.” He studied her, thinking how pretty she looked now, amid the shimmery craft decor. “You always do.”

“Thank you.”

“Before we get started, do you want to see your ring and try it on to make sure it fits? If not, we’ll have to get it resized. I already tried mine, and it was fine.”

“Yes, of course I want to try mine, too. I didn’t know you had them.”

“They came in yesterday.”

Eric left the studio and got her ring. He returned and handed her the velvet-lined box.

She opened it and slipped on the ring. “It’s a perfect fit.” She moved her hand around, making the gold catch the light.

It did fit well, but that didn’t change how plain and simple it was. She’d graciously agreed on an unadorned gold band to keep the cost down, but he still thought that she should have something fancier, especially now that he’d seen how lavishly she’d chosen to decorate for the wedding.

He glanced at the silk flowers. “What made you decide on daisies as part of the theme?”

“My dress has daisies on it.”

“Maybe I should have a jeweler engrave some daisies on your ring.” At least that would embellish it a bit.

Her eyes lit up. “Really? Oh, that would be wonderful. I’d like that.”

When she removed the ring and handed it to him, he thought about an aspect of the wedding they’d yet to discuss. “As long as we’re figuring things out, what do you want to do for the honeymoon?”

She seemed surprised. “We’re going to have a honeymoon?”

“We won’t be able to go away or anything like that. I can’t get the time off from work. But we can take a few days and do something locally.”

“How about the zoo?”

He didn’t know what he’d expected her to say, but that wasn’t it. “The zoo?”

She nodded. “It’s one of my favorite places.”

“Then we’ll go there for sure. We’ll walk around and eat ice cream and do what people do on those sorts of outings.”

She smiled. “My ice cream is going to be chocolate.”

He smiled, too. He knew what a chocolate freak she was. “Is there anything else that you want to do?”

“On our honeymoon? It would be nice for us to stay in a hotel.” She nibbled her bottom lip and the uncharacteristic gesture made her seem shy and old-fashioned. “You know, so it feels more romantic.”

His pulse started to pound. As strange as all of this was, there was no denying the chemistry between them. “Will you wear the cherry blossom perfume?”

“I’m wearing it right now.”

Should he move closer? Should he bury his face against her neck and inhale her skin? Or should he keep the temptation at bay?

He chose to abstain. It seemed sexier that way. “I’m not going to kiss you again until we’re married. I’m not going to do anything to you until then.”

She chewed her lip a little harder. “Now I really want to be together that night.”

So did he. But they didn’t talk any more about it. Kaley arrived, and they worked on the centerpieces.

Even if their honeymoon was becoming a much-thought about distraction.

* * *

Eric called around and found a local jeweler to engrave Dana’s ring. As he entered the store, a wave of anxiety swept through him. He hadn’t been in a jewelry store since he and Corrine had chosen their rings, and the memory hit him hard and deep. Suddenly he wasn’t comfortable doing this.

He didn’t like walking in here, presenting himself as a groom. He didn’t want to be congratulated. Nor did he want to answer sentimental questions about the wedding. He hoped the girl at the counter was indifferent to him and the daisies he would be requesting.

Unfortunately that wasn’t the case. The vivacious brunette commended him for having the ring engraved with what she called “the perfect little flower.”

“Did you know that daisies are the symbol of truth and innocence? They can mean pure of body, but they can also mean pure of mind, soul and heart. Maidens used to pick them to put them in their hair. Is your bride going to wear daisies in her hair?” she asked.

“I don’t know.” He found himself adding, “But she often wears flowers in her hair. She chose this type of flower for the wedding because her dress has daisies on it. I haven’t seen the dress, though.”