LOST AND FOUND HUSBAND (8 page)

“Oh, I like that. You’re sticking to tradition.”

Eric couldn’t believe that he was having this conversation with a stranger, doing exactly what he didn’t want to do.

The salesgirl smiled big and wide. “Did you get her an engagement ring to go with the band?”

“No. We’re keeping it simple.”

“In case you want to shake things up, we actually have a ring that would go perfectly with—”

“No, that’s okay.”

“It’s an Edwardian daisy cluster ring. We deal in antique jewelry, too.”

Eric’s curiosity was piqued. Dana loved vintage things. But he wasn’t here to add another ring to the mix. Still, it made him stop and think. He’d wanted to get her something nicer from the beginning.

The brunette persisted. “It’s already priced lower than most pieces from that era, but I’m sure I can get you an even better price if you’re interested. It’s lovely, I swear.”

“Sure. Why not? I’d like to see it.”

She darted over to another case and came back with the ring, which featured a series of natural cut diamonds in the shape of a single daisy.

Eric had to agree, it
was
lovely, bright and delicate. He noticed that it had a few flaws. But that didn’t seem to matter. There was something uniquely charming about it, just the way it was.

“Wouldn’t it look smashing with the gold band you’re having engraved? What a creative bridal set they would make.” To prove her point, she placed both of them on a velvet-covered ring display, showing him how beautifully they fit. “They could easily be soldered together. A lot of bridal sets are done that way.”

He nodded. Corrine had done that with hers after they’d gotten married. But doing it beforehand made sense with this set since he would be placing both rings on Dana’s finger at the ceremony.

Both rings? He hadn’t committed to buy the Edwardian piece. He was only looking at it. But now that he’d seen it, he couldn’t imagine walking out of the store without buying it. It just didn’t seem right not to give Dana a bridal set that shined as brightly as her personality.

He studied the daisy. The perfect flower. For the imperfect marriage. The comparison made him frown.

“You don’t like it?” the girl asked.

“No, I do. Very much.”

“Is it the price? I meant what I said about getting you an even better deal.”

He couldn’t tell her what was wrong. “Everything is fine. I’d like to negotiate on it.”

She called the owner over, and they agreed on an acceptable price. The owner promised to engrave the gold band, size the antique ring and solder them together in plenty of time for the wedding. He decided that he was going to keep it a secret from Dana, surprising her with it on that day.

And although he was feeling good about his purchase, the feeling didn’t last. He went home, a soon-to-be groom, nervous once again.

Chapter Eight

T
his was it. The big day. The wedding.

Dana stood in front of a full-length mirror in her bedroom, with her mother and grandmother by her side. Kaley and Candy were there, too.

“You make a stunning bride,” Grandma said, tears welling in her eyes. Mom was teary-eyed, as well.

They’d arrived two days ago and were staying with Dana in her little house. But tonight that was going to change. After the wedding, Dana would be honeymooning in a hotel with her new husband, then moving into his house to make a life with him.

She gazed at Mom and Grandma in the mirror, where their reflections shimmered next to hers. Mom was in a silvery blue dress, and Grandma wore shades of pink. Grandma’s hair was white, and Mom’s was blond, with slight threads of gray. Although she was only fifty, she looked and seemed much older. Dana couldn’t remember a time when Mom seemed or acted young. Of course there had been that one reckless night when Dana had been conceived, proof that Mom had been young once.

She smiled at both women in the mirror. Thankfully she was making them happy by marrying the father of her child.

In the silence that followed, she touched her still-flat stomach. Soon she would reach the twelve-week mark, which she heard was the magic number that would most likely end her morning sickness. She was definitely looking forward to that.

“We better take our seats,” Grandma said. “And let you girls prepare to walk down the aisle.”

Mom took Dana’s hand and squeezed it. “Before we go, I want to tell you how much I like Eric.”

“He likes you, too.” He’d already told Dana how nice and kind her family was.

“I made him promise to take good care of you.”

“Oh, Mom.” Could she be any more archaic? “I don’t need anyone to take care of me.”

“I think you do. So I wanted him to make that promise. And he did. Very sincerely, I might add.”

Because Eric was archaic, too. Otherwise he wouldn’t be forcing himself to marry her. Dana knew how difficult it was for him, certainly harder for him than it was for her. She was approaching their marriage with gusto. If she didn’t, she would worry her fool head off, and she was determined to remain strong and happy, no matter what.

Her mom said, “He did seem a bit nervous, waiting around for the ceremony to happen, but most grooms are. I can’t fault him for that.”

And neither could Dana. Eric was a good man with good intentions.

Mom and Grandma went outside, and Dana turned to Kaley and Candy. Her bridesmaids were as beautiful as she knew they would be. They thought she was beautiful, too.

“You look like a princess,” Kaley said to her. “With flowers, lace and shiny jewels.”

“I agree.” Candy handed Dana the bridal bouquet, which was a glorious ensemble of white daisies, wrapped in turquoise and yellow ribbon.

Then Kaley said, “I’m so glad that you’re going to be part of my family.”

“So am I.” She embraced Eric’s daughter and held tight. “Have you seen your dad today?”

“Yes, and he’s more nervous than I’ve ever seen him. He didn’t tell me he was, but I can tell.”

“My mom mentioned that he seemed nervous. I’m a little nervous, too.”

“Don’t be. You’re the most beautiful bride ever.”

Dana blew out the breath in her lungs. Her heart was pounding. “I just want to be a good wife.”

“You will be.”

“It’s almost time,” Candy interjected. She opened the door, listening for the “Wedding March” to begin.

Dana’s heart pounded even more.

As soon as the music started, the bridesmaids grabbed their bouquets, told her how beautiful she was one last time and left together. Dana waited by herself. She didn’t have a father, or anyone equivalent, available to take her arm and walk her down the aisle.

The moment came, and she stepped into the garden, where the makeshift aisle and altar had been created. As she made her way down the floral-lined path, she caught sight of her groom, standing tall and straight. He’d already turned to face her.

He looked incredible, clothed in a classic black tuxedo, with the sun shining behind him. She could tell that he approved of the way she looked, too. Their attraction to each other was palpable.

As she continued her approach, she noticed the guests, eclectic group that they were, watching her. She suspected that Mom and Grandma were crying.

Once Dana reached the altar, she met Eric’s gaze. Overwhelmed by his masculine beauty, by the wedding itself, she smiled at him. Although he returned her smile, it didn’t register in his eyes. She wanted to make him smile for real. Even if their marriage didn’t last, she wanted to make Eric happy, for as long as possible.

The bride wanted to fix the groom? That wasn’t supposed to be part of the deal. But deep down, she knew it was. She couldn’t be married to a broken man without trying to repair him.

The justice of the peace they hired to officiate was a white-haired man with a twinkle in the corners of his eyes. He reminded Dana of the old wizard who ruled Oz. He conducted the ceremony with pride, obviously enjoying his role in the wedding.

It went as planned until the rings were exchanged. The gold band that Eric put on her finger wasn’t the one she’d been expecting. It was a bridal set, with a magnificent diamond daisy attached.

She gasped, then glanced up at him. His lips curved into a genuine smile. He was happy that he’d surprised her. It didn’t necessarily mean they’d have lifelong happiness, but it was a wondrous start.

Tears rushed to Dana’s eyes. She was anxious for the part in the ceremony where they were supposed to kiss.

The vows were short and to the point, maybe even a little choppy. Eric was no longer smiling. She reminded herself of how nervous he was.

Soon the kiss happened, but it seemed rushed, too. But only because it felt so good to have his lips pressed softly against hers. It made her want more. She even thought about the honeymoon and imagined how glorious it was going to be.

After that, Eric and Dana were pronounced husband and wife by the wizard who’d married them.

In the next breathless moment, Dana gazed at her groom. He was looking at her, too. Then they turned and faced their guests, who applauded them with cheer. Dana felt very much like a bride and she loved the feeling. Even Eric was smiling again.

During the reception, she paid special attention to Kaley’s birth parents—as they were the guests who mattered most to Eric.

Ryan and Victoria made a stunning couple. Both in their mid-thirties, they embodied love and commitment. They exchanged tender glances. They exuded strength and confidence in their relationship. Clearly, they were meant to be together.

Ryan possessed dark hair, dark eyes and a country-boy smile. Victoria was fair-skinned with sleek red hair and ladylike warmth. Kaley had inherited their best qualities.

Dana couldn’t help but envy them. She was certain that their life together would be flawless.

She glanced over at Eric. He was mingling with her family, being the proper groom. But he had little choice, she supposed. Mom and Grandma hadn’t quit fussing over him. He’d even promised Grandma a dance. But first he would be dancing with Dana.

The playlist ranged from Tony Bennett to the Beatles to Beyoncé, and just about everything you could think of in between.

The first song, however, was Louis Armstrong’s “What a Wonderful World.” Dana had chosen it because she wanted everything in the world she and Eric would be creating to be wonderful.

The groom took her in his arms, and they danced. He was an exceptional dancer, and he looked the part, too. Classy. Debonair. Dana wondered what it would be like to fall in love with him.

Oh, no,
she thought. She shouldn’t be fantasizing about—

About what? Falling in love with the man she’d just married? Of course she should. It would be ludicrous
not
to have those types of fantasies. He was hot as sin, and she was having his baby. That was a damned good combination.

“I like what you did with your hair,” he said, as they swayed to the song.

“Thank you. The style was Kaley’s idea.”

“Will you let me take it down tonight and remove all of those little pins?”

Her skin tingled. Tonight. At the hotel. “Yes, of course.”

“The girl who sold me your ring told me that maidens used to pick daisies and wear them in their hair. She said that they’re considered the perfect little flower.”

“I love my ring. Thank you so much for giving it to me. It’s more than I could ever ask for, and I love how you made a bridal set out of it.”

“That was the salesgirl’s suggestion. The engagement ring is from the Edwardian era. It seemed right for you, given how you’re into vintage things.”

“It was wonderful of you to think of me.” Wonderful. Like the song she’d picked. Wonderful. The way life should be.

“I don’t like that everyone else is watching us,” he said.

“You’re doing fine, Eric. You’re getting through it.”

“So are you. But in a perfect world, you would’ve married a man you love. Not some broken-down guy like me.”

Even he was calling himself broken. “I married you because I’m having your baby.” Besides, she’d already been engrossed in bridal fantasies about falling in love with him. Surely that counted for something.

“How has Sweet Bean been treating you?”

“Fine. Except for the morning sickness.”

He made a sorry face. “Bad baby. Making its mommy toss her cookies.”

She laughed. “Now that’s a romantic visual.”

Much to her delight, he laughed, too, and she adored the way it transformed him.

When the song ended, he said, “You’re wearing the cherry perfume blossom perfume like I wanted you to.”

“I wasn’t sure if you noticed.”

“I definitely did.”

She got another case of the tingles. Slow and sweet and sexy. “Our cake has cherry filling.”

“It does? Damn.”

“I ordered it just for you,” she teased him. “I’ll feed you some later, the way I’m supposed to.”

“With everyone watching? Can’t we save the cake for the honeymoon? To go along with the cherry treat I arranged?”

“You arranged a cherry treat?”

“For when we’re alone.”

She assumed it had something to with the honeymoon. The slow, sweet and sexy feeling quickened.

They danced to a few more songs, then separated and danced with other people. But she watched him from the corner of her eye. This man she’d just married. He was dancing with her grandmother, as promised, and Grandma looked young and refreshed in his arms.

After that, he danced with his daughter. That prompted Ryan to ask Dana to dance, which felt a little weird at first. Was Kaley’s birth father sizing her up? Deciding if she was right for Eric?

“Kaley is crazy about you,” he said.

She relaxed. “I’m crazy about her, too.”

They both glanced in her direction. She was still dancing with Eric.

Dana said, “She helped me organize the wedding. I couldn’t have done this without her and Candy.”

“It’s a very nice wedding. You all did a remarkable job.”

“Thank you. It’s been great to meet you and Victoria.”

“Did Eric tell you that I was jealous of him when we first met?”

“No. He never mentioned that.”

“I manifested this whole ridiculous scenario in my mind that he was going to be the man in Victoria’s life instead of me. That they would fall in love and I would never have her. But they were just friends. There was never anything between them.”

Dana appreciated his candor and the way he was opening up to her. “Thank you for sharing that with me. I still don’t know that much about Eric.”

“You’ll learn as you go.”

She kept quiet. She didn’t have the courage to admit that she’d been wondering what loving Eric would be like. She wasn’t going to tell anyone about those fantasies, except maybe Candy.

Finally she said, “He’s still hurting over Corrine.”

“He went through a lot with her. The way her sickness lingered. The hope that she would survive. The despair when she didn’t.”

“Do you know where she’s buried?”

“No. But I know that Eric visits her grave as often as he can. Kaley goes there, too, but not as much as he does.”

“Eric has never said anything about how Corrine’s passing affected Kaley. She’s never discussed it with me, either.”

“She talked to me and Victoria about it when we all first spent time together. It affected her as terribly as it affected Eric, but she’s gotten stronger as time has gone on. I guess kids really are more resilient. I lost my mom when I was young, too.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Mostly I was too young to remember her, but not having a mom was tough. My dad raised me by himself. He died a few years back. We had a strained relationship, but I loved him.”

“I’ve never met my dad. I didn’t know anything about him, except his first name. But Eric probably already told you my family history.”

“Yes, he did. And I understand. Fathers can sometimes be elusive. I certainly was.” He frowned. “What I did to Victoria when Kaley was born was wrong.”

“I’m glad it worked out for all of you.”

“So am I.”

She pondered what he’d said about himself. “It’s interesting that you used the word
elusive
. That’s exactly how I think of my father. Only he didn’t do anything wrong because he doesn’t know I exist. Of course if he did, he might have walked away. It’s impossible to know how it would have turned out.”

“Your baby is going to have a good father.” He smiled. “And a good mother, too.”

Touched by his words, she smiled, as well. “Thank you.”

They parted ways, with what appeared to be friendship brewing between them. Dana was going to make a point of trying to get to know Victoria on a deeper level, too. Maybe not here and now, but when the moment presented itself.

The festivities continued, with an announcement that it was time to cut the cake. Dana shot Eric a come-hither look. He shook his head and approached the cake table with her.

“Behave,” he whispered.

“Me?” she whispered back. “I’m as innocent as the night you made me pregnant.”