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“Good for you,” Holly said.
“You’ll get no argument from me there.”
Holly smiled, but she was still curious about the man. She suspected that his past life also involved a woman, probably a wife.
Sensing that she wanted more, Anderson decided to give it to her. “It cost me a good relationship.”
“I’m sorry,” she said softly.
“Yeah, so am I. But it happens and we move on.”
“Is it really that simple?”
“Sometimes it has to be,” he said. “We can’t go back. We can only deal with the aftermath and try to avoid past mistakes.”
“Yes, I suppose you’re right.” Holly thought about her own past mistakes where it concerned men. It mainly came down to expecting too much and often receiving too little, which made for a bad mix. She wondered if it might be different were she involved with someone like Anderson. Or was he still damaged goods that she would do well to avoid at all costs?
“So, is there a man waiting for you back in Houston?” Anderson asked, throwing caution to the wind. “Husband, boyfriend, or whatever?” He found it hard to imagine someone like her could be available, but it was worth a try.
“No husband or boyfriend,” Holly told him succinctly.
He lifted a brow in surprise. “Is there a story there or...”
“I’m not gay, if that’s what you’re asking.”
“I wasn’t,” he assured her.
“I’ve dated, of course,” she said. “And I know this sounds like a cliché, but I just haven’t found the right man.” She couldn’t believe she was opening up to this stranger about her love life. Or lack of. But, then again, why not? They would probably never see each other again after the flight. On the plane, though, the close proximity sort of bonded them temporarily.
“That’s too bad.” Not really, he thought. He didn’t doubt that such a man existed. She just needed to find him.
“Believe me, I’m not complaining,” Holly felt compelled to say. “I’m happy with my life. Besides, these days I’m too busy with work and doing things with my family and friends to be bothered.”
Anderson chuckled. “Bothered? Is it really such an imposition on your life to be involved with someone who cares for you?”
Her brows lowered. “I never said it was an imposition.”
“You might as well have.”
She sighed. “Look, there’s more to life than being defined by a relationship. That’s all I’m saying. If it happens, it happens. But I won’t spend my life looking for something that may never be there. Not when I have so much else to focus on.”
“I understand,” Anderson said.
“Do you?” Holly asked pointedly.
“Yeah, I do.”
She took his word for it, having been judged—or misjudged—all her life in one respect or another. In high school she had been considered too curvy to make the cheerleading squad, but she had made it her goal to prove them wrong. And in college she was thought to be a long shot to be class president. But she had showed them. Even as a journalist she was once thought to be too attractive to be taken seriously. So she had taken on a tough job as a foreign correspondent in Asia and earned her stripes, just to prove them all wrong.
If she ever did hook up with someone, he would have to be able to deal with her independence and career. Not all men could handle that. She wondered which cloth Anderson was cut from in that respect.
“Is there someone waiting for you in Houston?” she asked him. Might as well find out now, for better or worse. “Or are you still hung up on that relationship that fell flat?”
Anderson anticipated the last question. It was one that had dogged him for the past two years since his last serious relationship came to an end. Getting over her took time, but he managed to look ahead not behind.
“No, I’m not hung up on her,” he said, noticing that their shoulders were touching. “That’s water under the bridge, as far as clichés go. And in answer to your other question, no, there’s no one waiting for me in Houston.”
Holly tried to gauge if there was anything between the lines regarding his availability. Or was he, like her, just living his life while keeping his options open? “Is that by design? Or have you just not found anyone you want to be with?”
“Probably a little of both,” he answered honestly.
“Well, good luck either way,” she said, lifting her glass to his.
“Back at you.” He touched his glass to hers and tasted his drink.
No sooner had Anderson set down his glass than they hit a patch of turbulence that caused the airplane to drop sharply. Holly fell over onto his chest and grabbed hold of him for dear life. Instinctively, he held her in his arms, enjoying the feel of her soft, supple body. The sweet scent of her hair was pleasing to his nostrils. He imagined them together making love in all the wrong places. And even the right ones.
“It’s okay,” he told her tenderly. “We’re not going down.”
At that moment, the plane corrected itself and all seemed calm again. Holly, who had seen her life flash before her eyes, realized she was still clinging to Anderson and he seemed in no hurry to release his strong arms from around her.
She sucked in a deep breath, feeling embarrassed that she had let her guard down in a moment of panic. Apparently it was just a false alarm and she would live to see another day. Hopefully many more days.
“I think you can let go of me now,” she said.
“No problem.” Anderson reluctantly removed his arms. “Just didn’t want to do so till I was absolutely sure we were past the danger zone.”
Holly leaned back in her seat, wondering what had come over her. Had he been merely a convenient shoulder to lean on? Or was it more about the man himself that made her feel safe in his arms?
She refused to read more into it than it was. Especially since she suspected he was the type that was used to coming to the rescue of damsels in distress, even if he wasn’t currently involved with anyone.
“Didn’t mean to fall onto you like that,” she said self-consciously.
“It wasn’t your fault. When you get turbulence like that, none of us can control what happens. I promise not to hold it against you.”
“Thank you.” He was definitely a perfect gentleman in trying to comfort her, something she didn’t take lightly these days. “Guess we should be landing soon.”
“Looks like it.” In truth, Anderson hated to see the journey come to an end, rough patches and all. He hoped it didn’t mean their new acquaintanceship had to end, too.
* * *
The plane made a picture-perfect landing at George Bush Intercontinental Airport, and Holly breathed a sigh of relief. Once she stepped into the terminal, she was prepared to put the bumpy ride behind her. She suspected it wouldn’t be as easy to forget Anderson.
“I guess this is where we say our goodbyes,” he told her as she was about to retrieve her checked luggage.
“I guess it is,” she said, forcing herself to smile.
“Actually, it doesn’t have to be.” Anderson looked down at her. “Maybe we can get together sometime for dinner or whatever.”
Holly met his eyes. “You mean like a date?”
“Yeah, a date would be nice.” He grinned, hoping it would be enough to win her over for now.
She really had no good reason to say no, other than her normal caution whenever she met anyone new.
“I’m really pretty busy right now...” she began. “But maybe we can get together sometime. Do you have a business card?”
“Of course.” Anderson removed a card from his wallet and handed it to her, deciding against pressing his luck at this point. “It has my office and cell phone numbers, along with my email address.”
Holly glanced at it, spotting the name Anderson Gunn above his title. She loved the name—it was suave and fit the man. “Thank you.” She slipped her hand into her purse and pulled out one of her own business cards. Handing it to him, she said, “If I don’t pick up, feel free to leave a message.”
“I’ll do that,” he promised.
She smiled. “Well, I’d better let you get on your way. I’m sure we’ll see each other again.”
Anderson beamed. “Goodbye, then, Holly.”
“Goodbye, Anderson.” She watched him walk away and, strangely enough, was already beginning to miss his companionship.
* * *
On a sunny afternoon, Holly drove her Subaru Impreza down Interstate 45 toward her father’s house, wanting to stop in and say hello before heading to her place. She tried to check in on him as much as possible since her mother died. A proud man, he did his best to try to appear strong and unaffected by much, but she knew he was still hurting after losing his one and only true love.
Will I ever find that type of connection with anyone? she wondered. Or was that something too hard to come by today?
Her mind turned to Anderson. They had gotten off to a rocky start, but seemed to make a connection along the way. But could it go anywhere? Would he actually call her? Should she call him?
Holly turned onto South Wayside Drive and a little later made a right on Wildwood Way. A few houses down, she pulled into the driveway of the redbrick bungalow where she’d grown up. Her father was sitting in his favorite Adirondack chair on the porch, a beer can in his hand.
Robert Kendall was a semiretired dentist. He took part in the free outdoor dental-care clinics offered to low-income residents of the city several times a year. The rest of the time, he enjoyed sports, working on projects around the house and taking long walks.
Holly got out of the car and smiled. “Hey, Dad.”
“Hey.” His sable eyes crinkled as he smiled.
She stepped onto the porch and gave him a hug.
“How was your trip?”
“Good.” She was sure Stuart had already phoned and given him the scoop. “Not counting the turbulence, which was pretty bad a couple of times.”
“That’s just nature’s way of letting you know who’s boss.”
Holly chuckled. “That’s one way of putting it.”
“And how are my little granddaughters doing?” Robert asked.
“Full of energy,” Holly said. “Why don’t you come with me next time and you can see for yourself just how much they’ve grown.”
He took a swig of the beer and shook his head. “They’re welcome here anytime. Maybe you should remind your brother of that.”
She frowned. “He has a life there, Dad. He can’t just leave it behind anytime.”
“You seem to do that just fine.”
“Maybe I wouldn’t if I had to chase two seven-year-olds around all the time.”
“He never should’ve married that gal,” Robert said glumly. “She was never good enough for him. Abandoning her daughters like that is unforgivable.”
Holly agreed, but there was no point rehashing old news. “The important thing is that Stuart stepped up as a father. Now maybe you should, too, and go visit him and your granddaughters more often.”
“Point taken.” He drank more beer. “Can I get you something?”
“I’m fine.” She sat in the chair that her mother used to occupy and felt a little sad.
“Yeah, I miss her, too,” Robert said intuitively.
“I know you do,” she said sorrowfully. “It’s still hard to believe Momma’s gone.”
“Yep. Time can only do so much to heal the wounds.”
Holly had considered her mother to be her best friend and someone to whom she could talk about anything. Now she would never get to see what life had in store for her daughter.
“She’d want you to get more out of life,” Holly said.
“I’m getting plenty out of life,” he insisted.
“What about companionship?” She had not really gone down this path with him before. But, since he’d been a widower for five years, maybe it was time he looked for someone else to spend his time with.
“What about it?” he asked.
“Momma wouldn’t want you to be all alone.”
“Actually, your momma wouldn’t want you to be alone,” Robert said bluntly. “I’m sixty-three years old and past the stage where I need someone in that way. But you’re still young and still single. Maybe it’s time you let someone in.”
Holly thought that was pretty slick of him to turn the tables so it was all about her. She decided to take the bait. “I’m not afraid to do that.”
“Could’ve fooled me.”
“Yes, I’m picky, but if he comes along I’ll know it—and so will you.”
He chuckled coarsely. “Okay, just don’t keep me waiting too long. I won’t be around forever.”
“Don’t be too sure about that,” she countered. “I have a feeling you’ve got plenty of gas in the tank and will be there for as many grandchildren as you can handle.”
His eyes widened. “You mean there could be more?”
Holly immediately regretted saying that. Yes, she wanted kids, but had no way of knowing if that would ever happen for her. First she had to find a man she liked well enough to become a potential father to her children. Then he had to want kids, too.
Anderson Gunn popped into her head.
Chapter 3
Holly lived in a cul-de-sac in the River Oaks section of Houston, between the downtown and uptown districts. Her modern ranch-style home had hardwood floors, granite countertops, plenty of windows—everything she had wanted. She also had a home office and workout room, though she preferred to exercise outside, jogging and riding her bicycle.
After putting her things away and catching up on mail and email, she showered and dressed before heading out to meet her friend Madison Wagner for cocktails. The two had met a few weeks ago at a book fair and hit it off.
When Holly walked into the Blue Café, she immediately spotted Madison. She was hard to miss with her long, curly brown hair with blond highlights, gold-flecked brown eyes, beautiful caramel skin tone and an enviously slender frame that Holly would kill to have. As usual, Madison was smartly dressed in designer clothes.
“Hey,” Holly said as she approached her.
“Hey, girl.” Madison flashed a smile. “Thanks for coming.”
“Had to get your take on the hottest books,” Holly said. Madison was a successful book reviewer and was known for being brutally honest in her reviews.
“I’ll be happy to share. Let’s find a place to sit.”
Though the place was crowded, they found a table near the back and ordered drinks.
“So how’s that good-looking brother of yours doing?” Madison asked.
Though they had never met face-to-face, Madison and Stuart had video chatted one day.
“Busy as ever with work and playing daddy,” Holly told her.
“Good for him. Honestly, I’ve never been the mommy type, but I applaud any single parent who can balance everything in life as he seems to be doing.”
Holly had assumed that Madison was cool with children, but apparently not. So much for any possibility of Madison and Stuart getting together someday. Not that she could pass judgment, considering children were not exactly a priority in her own busy life these days. Though not having a man made the idea of being a mother that much harder to grasp.
“It can be very challenging at times,” Holly said. “But somehow he manages to get by.”
“Don’t we all, no matter our challenges.”
“True.”
A young couple who couldn’t seem to keep their hands off each other got up from the table beside theirs. Holly couldn’t help but notice the enormous wedding ring on the woman’s finger.
“Did you get a load of her ring?” she asked.
Madison smirked. “How could I not?”
Holly sensed that she had hit a sore spot. “What?”
“Two years ago I was engaged. Then my asshole fiancé called the wedding off a week before we were supposed to walk down the aisle.”
“You’re joking?” Holly asked, though it was evident by the anger in Madison’s face that she was anything but playing around.
“I wish I were. It was a terrible time in my life and it still hurts.”
“That’s awful. I’m sorry. You should’ve told me before now.”
“It’s not exactly the way I wanted to begin a new friendship, by sulking over my ex,” Madison said. “Especially when I’m trying to move on and forget him, hard as it has been to do.”
“I understand.” In truth, Holly couldn’t imagine falling for someone only to have the rug ripped out from beneath her because he got cold feet or whatever.
“Sorry about that,” Madison said. “I didn’t mean for tonight to be a downer.”
“If I’d known, I never would’ve gawked over that ring,” Holly told her, feeling a little guilty.
“Really, it’s fine,” Madison assured her. “Just because I was hurt by a jerk doesn’t mean you’re not entitled to picturing a man slipping a ring on your finger someday.”
Holly envisioned that for just a moment, but it still seemed so far away.
Besides, right now this was about Madison, not her.
“I hope you don’t let that jerk keep you from giving your heart to another man,” Holly said sympathetically.
“I don’t want to,” Madison said, lifting her drink. “But it is what it is. After putting everything I had into that relationship only to get burned, I’m not ready to get back into the dating game. Maybe someday.”
Holly figured this probably wasn’t the best time to talk about her own romantic prospects. Especially since she didn’t have too many prospects lately.
“Let’s talk about books,” she said, changing to a more agreeable subject. “I just finished a thriller by Zolton Elliot. It was pretty intense and I would definitely recommend the book, even though the protagonist was a little too perfect. What should I try next?”
Madison tossed back her hair, smiling. “I’m so glad you asked. I can recommend several books and you can pick which one sounds most enticing.”
Holly typed in the recommendations on her iPhone, hoping to read them all eventually. They ordered a second cocktail.
* * *
On Saturday morning, Anderson watched the large television screen above the elliptical machine as he worked out at the fitness center. Holly’s lovely face was on display as she delivered the news with the professionalism and anchor voice that showed she was in her true element. Since they had said their goodbyes five days ago, he hadn’t been able to get the lady out of his mind. Indeed, the only reason he hadn’t already called her was that he wanted to allow a few days to pass before asking her out. And maybe a small part of him wanted to give both of them some time to allow their initial meeting to settle in. After his workout, he showered and dressed. He headed outside, squinted in the sunlight and got out his cell phone, dialing Holly’s number. She picked up midway through the second ring.
“Hey there, this is Anderson,” he said.
“Hi,” she said softly.
“Saw you on the news this morning.”
“Did you?” She paused. “How did I do?”
“Need you ask?” he responded. “You were great.”
“So great that you thought I was on another station.”
Anderson chuckled. “And you won’t let me forget, will you?”
“Not a chance,” she said with a laugh.
“Maybe I can make it up to you,” he said. “What are you doing for lunch?”
“Hmm...actually, I already had other plans for lunch. Sorry.”
So was he. Might those plans include another man? Not that he would be scared off by a little competition, but if that were the case, he wanted to know up front.
“It’s cool,” he said.
“In case you’re wondering, I’m meeting with a female colleague to talk shop.”
Anderson grinned and felt foolish for being jealous without cause.
“Are you available for dinner?” he asked hopefully.
“Yes, I am,” she replied.
He preferred to pick her up, but suspected that might not be to her liking for a first date. “Do you know where the Rooster Place is?”
“Yes, I’ve been there before.”
“How about we meet there at seven?” he asked.
“Seven it is,” Holly told him.
“Great. See you then.”
After disconnecting, Anderson headed for his silver Mercedes in the parking lot. He was excited at the prospect of going out with Holly, and that was a feeling he hadn’t had for a woman in a long time. She had a lot of qualities he admired. He hoped to uncover the rest of her along the way.
* * *
Holly was glad to hear from Anderson. In fact, had he not called today, she would have taken the initiative and asked him out. Though she was used to being pursued, this was the twenty-first century and there was absolutely nothing wrong with a woman asking a man out—especially if that man was interesting and easy on the eyes.
Besides, it was nice to forget she was an anchorwoman and let her hair down. Anderson Gunn seemed like a man she could do that with. She looked forward to having dinner with him tonight and learning more about what made him tick, besides work and the sports section.
She drove to the Wine Factory, a trendy café on Uptown Park Boulevard, where she was meeting her friend and fellow anchor at a rival network, Blythe Cramer, for lunch.
They arrived at the same time and gave each other a hug.
“Great tan,” Holly said, knowing Blythe had just returned from Hawaii.
“Thanks.” She ran a hand through her short blond hair. “I probably spent way too much time in the sun and water in Maui, but what’s a girl to do while vacationing in paradise?”
“As long as you had a good time, what more could you ask for?”
“My sentiments exactly,” Blythe said. “Let’s go taste some wine.” A few minutes later they were sitting down, sipping chardonnay and listening to live music by a flamenco guitarist.
“This music is beautiful,” Holly said. She immediately found herself wondering what type of music Anderson enjoyed. She pictured him as a classic R&B or urban music lover.
“Yes, it is,” seconded Blythe. “But I still have Hawaiian music in my head. It will probably take a while to get past it.”
Holly had never been to Maui and was envious of anyone who had. But unlike Blythe, who was recently divorced and happy to venture there on her own, she preferred to take that type of romantic trip with a man. Maybe one day she would.
“I heard that Bill Togin is retiring when his contract runs out next month,” Blythe told her. “That means there will be an opening on the coveted evening news.”
“Are you going for it?” Holly asked.
“What do you think?”
“That would be a yes,” Holly said, smiling.
“You bet it is. I’ve waited long enough,” Blythe said.
“Good luck. I’m not against switching around if the opportunity presents itself, but for now I love working weekends and having the week to do other things I enjoy.”
“I’d love to do weekends only, if I could afford it,” Blythe said. “But with my mortgage and credit cards maxed, I need all the airtime I can muster.”
If Holly hadn’t known better, she would think that Blythe was holding it against her that she had been left a small inheritance by her grandparents a few years back, much of which she had invested. It allowed her the luxury of working part-time without falling into debt.
“Who is that hunk?” Blythe suddenly asked, getting Holly’s attention.
Holly turned and her eyes widened when she saw Anderson enter the room with a tall, gorgeous woman.
* * *
Anderson practically froze when he laid eyes on Holly. She was sitting with an attractive blonde and seemed less than pleased to see him there. Or was it more about who he was with? He looked at his client, Suzy Dillman, whom he had no romantic interest in whatsoever. He suspected Holly might have thought otherwise.
“Will you excuse me for a moment?” he asked Suzy.
“Sure,” she responded. “I’ll find a table.”
“Thanks.” Anderson made his way over to Holly, smiling as he walked toward her. “Hello.”
“Hey.” Holly tried to keep her voice even, though she was beginning to wonder if he was a player or what.
“Do you two know each other?” Blythe asked.
“Yes,” Holly said. “This is Anderson Gunn. We met on a plane the other day.”
Blythe grinned mischievously. “Well, hello. I’m Blythe Cramer.”