LOST AND FOUND HUSBAND by Sheri Whitefeather

life.

Chapter Six
    E ric felt as if he were having an out-of-body experience, holding the woman he was going to marry and feeling her heart beating against his.
    When they separated, a stream of silence engulfed them, the moment turning intimately quiet. They stared at each other, the gravity of their engagement bouncing between them.
    Because he didn’t know how to cope with the tender feelings she incited, he steered the conversation in a practical direction. “At least now we don’t have to worry about the medical stuff. Once we’re married, I can put you on my health insurance.”
    “That’s good.” She seemed relieved that he’d broken the ice. “It will save me the trouble of looking for another policy.” She fussed with the scarf/belt thing she was wearing, twisting the ends of the printed fabric. “It will probably save you money, too, from having to pay more than necessary.”
    He nodded, grateful that they both were making an effort to talk. It was certainly better than standing here in silence. Keeping the discussion going, he said, “When should we set the date?”
    “If it’s all right with you, I’d like to get married as soon as we can arrange it. It will make me too nervous to drag it out. But mostly I don’t want to be showing when we take the plunge.”
    “What about the rings? Should we shop for those soon?” He glanced at his left hand where his ring used to be. He’d removed it soon after Corrine had died. It had been easier than strangers thinking he was still married. He returned his gaze to Dana. “I’d prefer to have a plain band. That’s what I wore last time. But I can get you something fancy if you want.” He’d given Corrine a diamond and it didn’t seem fair not to give Dana one, too.
    “Fancy rings are expensive, Eric.”
    “I can make payments on it.”
    “I don’t think you should do that. Not with everything else we have going on. A plain gold band is fine for me, too. We can even shop online for a good deal.”
    The internet barely existed the first time he’d gotten married. He remembered walking into a jewelry store to buy the rings he and Corrine had chosen. It had been a major part of the engagement process.
    She said, “We should probably keep the wedding itself simple, too. Of course there is a lot to consider. Where we should have it, who we should invite, the type of food we should serve, the cake, our wardrobe. I’ve already been thinking about a dress. Something just a little wild.” She smiled. “The bohemian bride. Remember when you called me that?”
    He smiled, too. He definitely remembered. “You can go as plain or wild as you want. Not just with your ring or your dress, but with everything. You can arrange the entire thing.”
    She tilted her head. “You’re not going to be part of the planning?”
    “I’d just cramp your style.” He preferred for it to be her vision. Besides, he was too overwhelmed to tackle the details.
    “It’s going to be a lot of work on my own.”
    Was she trying to coax him into being part of it? Or was she just concerned about getting everything done in time? Either way, he thought of a solution. “I can ask Kaley if she can come over to meet you, maybe sometime next weekend. Then while she’s here, she can help you plan it.”
    “That’s a great idea. I’d love to have her help.”
    “I’m sure she’ll make herself available whenever you need her.”
    “What are you going to do while your daughter and I are figuring out the arrangements?”
    “I’ll sit off to the sidelines and listen.” And try to keep from floating into space.
    “I’ll do some wedding-planning research ahead of time so I’m prepared when I meet Kaley. What a first meeting, huh?”
    “You won’t be at a loss for things to talk about.” He knew how much work went into a wedding.
    “No doubt we’ll be jabbering away.”
    “That’s what girls usually do.” And his daughter and his future bride were close enough in age to