CHAPTER 5
“You’ve been pretty quiet lately. Is everything OK?” Doreen attempted a casual tone as she and Alonzo tidied the dining room and kitchen after dinner Friday night.
She closely watched her fiancé of more than three months. This wasn’t the first time she’d asked him about his sudden and uncharacteristic brooding. He probably wouldn’t be any more forthcoming today than he’d been the other four times. Still it was worth a try.
“Everything’s fine.” Alonzo’s faint smile wasn’t reflected in his coffee eyes. “I’m just tired.”
Doreen swallowed a sigh. Men. Why was it they always thought they had to deal with their problems alone? She changed the subject. “I bought my wedding dress today.”
“That’s nice.”
A bit more enthusiasm wouldn’t have been unseemly. She led him from the kitchen to the family room where she?
??d laid out her lists, pamphlets, and schedule for their wedding plans. “Have you rented your tuxedo?”
“Not yet.”
Her tension began to build. Doreen took a deep, cleansing breath. “When do you think you’ll get to that?”
“Soon.”
“That’s what you said last week.” Doreen settled onto the sofa. Alonzo sat beside her. “I’m confused. I thought you wanted to get married in June. That’s just under three months from now and all we’ve done is send out save-the-date cards.”
“I’m sorry. I’ll look for a tux tomorrow.” He sounded contrite, but Doreen was still suspicious. She’d heard it all before. Is he having cold feet?
Doreen shook off the irrational fear and handed Alonzo the estimated wedding budget. “I’ve contacted companies and put together this estimate for our wedding. It includes the church, hall, catering, decorations, everything.”
Alonzo took the sheet from her. His reaction came more quickly than she’d anticipated. “Why does it cost so much?”
“Because it does.” Doreen shifted on the sofa to face him. “Are you ready to elope?”
Alonzo scowled as he gave back the sheet. “I admit it’s a lot of money, but I can afford it.”
“Is there anything you’d like to add—”
“No. That’s plenty.” Alonzo rubbed the back of his neck. “But I do have one request.”
“What is it?”
“I’d like to make our wedding different from yours and Paul’s.”
Doreen nodded. Her voice was gentle. “I understand. Do you have any ideas?”
“No.”
That’s not especially helpful. “We don’t have a lot of time, Alonzo.”
“I know.”
“I’d welcome any and all suggestions you might have.”
“All right.”
“Because if you don’t have any suggestions for the wedding you wanted to have in three months, then I’m going to suggest that we postpone it.”
“I want you to move in with me.”
Doreen frowned. She hadn’t been expecting that. Where had it come from? “I meant suggestions for our wedding.”