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.
