“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, squi
nted 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.”
“Hi.” Anderson eyed Holly again. “Are we still on for dinner tonight?”
“You tell me.” She batted her lashes. “Who’s your friend?”
He glanced in Suzy’s direction and saw that she was waiting patiently. “She’s a client and senior partner at Dillman, Benson and Krieg,” he explained. “Nothing more.”
Holly took him at his word, not wanting to make a big deal out of the fact that his client was an attractive woman. He was entitled to have any clients he wanted without her getting jealous—especially since they hadn’t even had their first date yet.
Her lips curved into a smile. “I guess I’ll see you then at the Rooster Place.”
He smiled back. “I guess you will. Catch you later, and nice meeting you, Blythe.”
“You too,” she said. She waited till he walked away before turning toward Holly. “Are those sexual vibes I’m picking up between you and Mr. Good-Looking?”
Holly colored. “Right now it’s more like getting-to-know-you vibes.”
“So the interest is there?”
“Yes,” Holly admitted. “We’ll see where it goes.”
“I hope it goes all the way,” Blythe said. “Good men are so hard to find these days.”
“Tell me about it.” Holly hadn’t exactly been looking for men, good or bad, but knew there were some real jerks out there. So far that didn’t seem to be the case with Anderson, even if she had jumped the gun in assuming that he had simply found someone else to take on a lunch date that day. Obviously, the man had scruples and was truly interested in seeing if they could start something.
Chapter 4
Holly normally had no trouble deciding what to wear from her vast wardrobe, as she loved to buy new clothes. It was one of her weaknesses and passions. But, in this case, she didn’t want to overdress or underdress for her date with Anderson. She had never seen him in anything but an expensive suit and she knew that the attire at the Roost
er Place was a few notches above casual, so she chose a three-quarter sleeve paisley print dress and sandals. She brushed her hair into place, dabbed on a little perfume and was on her way.
I’ll just play it cool and see how things go, she thought during the drive. If this was meant to go somewhere, it would. If not, then she’d simply get back to her busy life and not worry about it.
She parked in the lot and went inside the restaurant. Anderson walked up to her, spotting her before she had seen him.
“Hi,” he said, offering her a handsome smile.
“Hello.” She gave him the once-over and liked what she saw. He wore a brown blazer over an orange twill shirt, dark slacks and loafers. He had an obviously fit and trim body, and she would bet that he’d look just as amazing in a T-shirt and athletic shorts.
“Right on time,” he said.
“Of course.”
“Shall we go in?”
Anderson allowed Holly to lead the way. As with the previous times he had seen her, she was flat-out gorgeous. He liked the dress, too, but imagined he would like it even better if she were wearing nothing at all.
They were seated and handed menus, then they both settled for the prime-rib special and red wine.
Now that he had her all to himself, Anderson wasn’t sure where to begin. Though he had gone on a few dates recently, he was admittedly out of practice when it came to being with someone who truly captured his attention. He wanted to do this right.
“Tell me about your family,” he said. It seemed a reasonable place to start to get beyond their airplane conversation. He assumed there was more to the family than a brother and nieces.
“Well, you know I have a brother. My dad lives in Houston. He’s retired, though sometimes it seems like he works even harder now. I lost my mother to a heart attack a few years ago. No other siblings.”
“Sorry to hear about your mother,” Anderson said.
“She was such a great lady,” Holly said. “I think about her every day.”
“I’m sure you do.”
She tasted her wine. “Are your parents here?”
His eyes lowered. “I was raised mostly by my mother before she died. Then I was shuffled back and forth between relatives. Never knew my father.”
Love is in the Air Page 3