Sheri WhiteFeather - Lost and Found Husband

Sure enough, it made him smile. “You win.”

“I always do. You know what would be great? There’s a gallery opening tomorrow night that I really want to see. You can take me to it, if you’re free.”

He looked at her as if she’d flipped her lovely little lid. Her suggestion sounded suspiciously like a date. “You don’t need an older guy like me taking you anywhere.”

“You’re not old. You’re barely into your forties. Besides, you’re yummy.”

Yummy? His heart hit his chest. Bang. Bang. Bang. Like shots from a gun. His daughter wanted him to start dating again. But he doubted that she had someone like Dana in mind.

“Say yes, Eric.”

He didn’t utter a word. Instead he took a second bite, but the diversion didn’t work. The gooey sweetness made him want to tug her onto his lap and kiss her hard and fast. To curb his appetite, he swigged his coffee.

She persisted. “Come on. It’ll be fun. Besides, you’re an artist. You’ll be the perfect companion for a gallery opening.”

He downplayed his profession. “I’m an art teacher at a middle school.”

“You’re still an artist. How about this? I’ll give you my number, and you can call and let me know.”

She zoomed off to tend to other customers, and he ate the devil out of his pie.

A short while later she returned with his check and her number, written on a scrap of paper. Eric tucked it into his pocket. He had no idea what he was going to do, but at least he had a day to think about it.

“I hope I see you tomorrow,” she said, placing her hand on his shoulder.

He wished that she hadn’t touched him. The kiss he’d longed for came tumbling back. “I just don’t know.” He gazed at her mouth.

She moistened her lips. “You’ll figure it out.”

Would he? She was the first woman he’d desired since Corrine had died. He didn’t know what that said about his libido, considering Dana’s carefree attitude and age. “I’ve been out of the loop since my wife passed.”

“Ours will be just a casual date.”

“That doesn’t change the age difference between us.”

“It isn’t that big of a difference.”

It was to him. Even as attracted as he was to Dana, he’d never considered dating a twentysomething. “I’ll call you and let you know either way.”

“Okay. Thanks. I better get back to work now.” She touched his shoulder again, rubbing it a little this time.

His stomach flip-flopped.

After she was gone, he paid with cash and left her a generous tip. On his way to the door, he turned around and looked for her, seeking her attention from across the diner.

She caught his gaze and flashed a don’t-forget-to-call-me smile.

As if forgetting about her was actually possible.

* * *

After work Dana went home, excited about the possibility of going out with Eric. Even if he chose not to date her, she would still be proud of herself for putting it out there. She’d had a crush on him since she’d first met him, which was when she’d started working at the diner, almost a year ago. A year was a record for her. Not just to hold a crush for that long, but to stay at the same job. She liked to mix things up.

And boy had she done that today. She’d finally mustered the courage to ask Eric out. She’d been thinking about it for what seemed like forever and now that Valentine’s Day was around the corner, she figured this was the time to do it. Plus, when she’d heard about the gallery opening, she knew she’d found the perfect event to invite him to attend with her.

He was such an intriguing mystery, a man she wanted to get to know. She especially liked to see him smile. He had a great smile that he didn’t use nearly often enough.

She went into her bedroom to change. She lived in the most adorable guest house that she’d found on Craigslist. Her side of the yard, which had a white picket fence, hosted an English-style garden and a naked-cherub fountain. The cherub amused her because he was one of those mischievous little angels that appeared to be peeing in the water. Everything about the place was perfect. She even had an awesome landlord who owned the property and lived in the front house. In fact, she and Candy McCall were becoming the best of friends. Prior to living here, Dana had been in an apartment crowded with roommates.

She tossed her uniform on a chair and climbed into a ragged T-shirt and comfy jeans. She was anxious to talk to Candy about Eric.

Dana ventured outside. The weather was lovely on this February evening. As she passed the cherub, she smiled.

After crossing her flower-filled yard, she entered through the gate that led to Candy’s equally colorful residence.

She approached the back door and called out through the screen. “Hey, you! Can I pop in for a minute? I have some news.”

“Of course” was the reply. “Get your butt in here.”

Dana happily entered. Candy was in her cluttered kitchen, preparing what most people would assume were regular cookies, but Dana knew they were homemade dog treats that had just come out of the oven. Candy was a yoga instructor who also taught classes in doga: yoga for dogs. On top of that, she was a strikingly beautiful, long-legged brunette who ate a strict vegetarian diet, burned luscious-smelling candles and spoke evasively about her failed marriage.

“Where’s Yogi?” Dana asked, inquiring about Candy’s yellow lab and the queen of doga.

“Napping. So what’s your news?”

“I asked him to take me on a date.”

“Him? Your hottie customer?”

Dana nodded. “I even told him that he was yummy.” She relayed her conversation with Eric. “I’m going to plan my wardrobe for tomorrow night, just in case.”

“Good idea. Send it into the universe and make it happen.”

“The hippy-dippy way?”

“Yep.”

They laughed. Hippy-dippy was a phrase Dana’s mom used to describe her free-spirited lifestyle. Mom was much more conservative, aside from the wild one-nighter she’d had with Dana’s elusive dad.

Candy turned serious. “When did Eric’s wife pass away?”

“Seven years ago.”

“And he hasn’t dated since?”

“That’s the impression I got. He said he’s been out of the loop since then.”

“Does he have any kids?”

“A daughter. She’s a business major at UCLA, with a minor in women’s studies.”

“She sounds interesting. Have you ever met her?”

“No. He’s never brought her to the diner. He’s never even told me her name. But he speaks highly of her.”

“What else do you know about him?”

“Besides him being a widowed art teacher with an eighteen-year-old daughter? Nothing, except that I want to go out with him and make him smile.”

“This isn’t a fixer-upper project, is it?”

“What do you mean?”

“He sounds a bit broken, and you’re drawn to troubled people, Dana.”

“You’re not troubled.” She amended her statement. “Well, maybe you are, but that’s not why I’m friends with you.”

Naturally, Candy didn’t remark on her state of mind. They both knew that she’d yet to make peace with her divorce.

Instead she asked, “Did Eric ever tell you how his wife died?”

“She had cancer. But he never said what kind or how long her battle lasted. He only mentioned it briefly.”

“How badly do you think he misses her?”

“I don’t know, but I can tell that he’s still struggling to get over her loss.”

“Does that concern you?”

“Actually, I think it’s nice that he loved her so much. What kind of man would he be if he’d never loved his wife?”

“Not a very good one,” Candy replied, a tad too uncomfortably.

Dana studied her friend. Was that a reference to her ex? If it was, Candy wasn’t saying anything else. And Dana didn’t push her. Instead she said about Eric, “I really hope he agrees to go out with me.”