stared at each other. Her eyes were wide and unblinking, and startled.
“I didn’t mean that exactly the way it sounded,” he said, worried that he might have tossed out a challenge that didn’t seem very gentlemanly.
“That’s too bad,” she said. “There for a moment, I thought you might be the man of my dreams.”
Chapter Five
Well, Holly was mistaken, Bandera thought irritably. He would never be the man of any woman’s dreams.
“I’m going to nap,” he said, aware that his tone was surly. “Follow the map, and try not to engage in any mishaps. Tell me when we get where we’re going.”
“Maybe we should go back the way we came.”
He hesitated. “That doesn’t sound right. One should never go backward. Only forward. I want to go forward to find Mason. You want to go forward to find yourself.”
“No,” Holly said, “I don’t need to find myself. I already know who and what I am. Don’t confuse me with my almost-marriage. I nearly married a man who didn’t know who he was, though he saved me by skipping out on me.”
Bandera grunted. “I see nothing heroic in your ex’s actions.”
“Well, that’s you. I’m merely grateful. I am an optimist.”
That was clear to see. The woman had optimistic written all over her. “I shouldn’t ask this, but why do you not see me as the man of your dreams anymore?”
“Oh. You obviously haven’t figured yourself out yet. I need someone stable.” She smiled at him kindly, as if she were speaking to a less intelligent being. “Two stable people make a stable life together. You see how much trouble Mimi and Mason are having. One of them isn’t stable.”
“Mason,” he said with a growl. “Though we always thought it was Mimi.”
Holly nodded wisely. “I suspect instability of some nature runs in your family.”
“It doesn’t!” he protested—then drew a deep breath. Of course it did. He and his brothers were a manic table of numbers that couldn’t be graphed. Random elements preferring the unknown.
“Even if we do have some moments—like every normal family—that aren’t quite stable, it doesn’t mean we’re not a good family.”
“Of course not. It just means one or more of you don’t know who you are.”
This girl was really starting to bug him. “Yeah, well.” Bandera took a swig of his beer. “A little instability, indecisiveness and unexplained randomness is good for you.”
“You’re worried, aren’t you?”
“About what?” He looked at her from under his hat, trying to disguise the fact that he admired the way she was handling the truck.
“You’re worried you’re going to end up like your brother Mason. Caught in a weird life.”
“No,” he lied.
“I think I am ‘the weird’ for you. You kissed me first, you know. But I want you to know you don’t have anything to worry about. I’m not looking for a man.”
Bandera turned his face to the window. “You should. You’re a nice girl. You have lots of spunk. I like spunk in a woman.”
“I wouldn’t have guessed that.” She reached over and patted his hand. “But it’s okay. You’ve been very kind to give me a ride. And I like you thinking you’re going to show me another side of life.”
“Did I say that?”
“Yes. You said you would expose me to randomness and some other nonsense, which you apparently feel I need. I’m willing.” She smiled at him. “What girl wouldn’t want to ride with a sexy cowboy? I should be at home with my parents, and yet here I am with you. I have a lot in common with Mason, riding away from my obligations.”
Bandera sat up. “You’re making me nervous.”
She laughed.
“Look, if we’re going to be traveling buddies, you have to not do that.”
“Do what?” she asked.
“Talk in circles. You have to settle down. A man can take only so much of that stuff.”
She removed her hand from his, smiling. “You’re all right, for an anal-retentive cowboy. Tough on the outside, pillowy soft around
“I didn’t mean that exactly the way it sounded,” he said, worried that he might have tossed out a challenge that didn’t seem very gentlemanly.
“That’s too bad,” she said. “There for a moment, I thought you might be the man of my dreams.”
Chapter Five
Well, Holly was mistaken, Bandera thought irritably. He would never be the man of any woman’s dreams.
“I’m going to nap,” he said, aware that his tone was surly. “Follow the map, and try not to engage in any mishaps. Tell me when we get where we’re going.”
“Maybe we should go back the way we came.”
He hesitated. “That doesn’t sound right. One should never go backward. Only forward. I want to go forward to find Mason. You want to go forward to find yourself.”
“No,” Holly said, “I don’t need to find myself. I already know who and what I am. Don’t confuse me with my almost-marriage. I nearly married a man who didn’t know who he was, though he saved me by skipping out on me.”
Bandera grunted. “I see nothing heroic in your ex’s actions.”
“Well, that’s you. I’m merely grateful. I am an optimist.”
That was clear to see. The woman had optimistic written all over her. “I shouldn’t ask this, but why do you not see me as the man of your dreams anymore?”
“Oh. You obviously haven’t figured yourself out yet. I need someone stable.” She smiled at him kindly, as if she were speaking to a less intelligent being. “Two stable people make a stable life together. You see how much trouble Mimi and Mason are having. One of them isn’t stable.”
“Mason,” he said with a growl. “Though we always thought it was Mimi.”
Holly nodded wisely. “I suspect instability of some nature runs in your family.”
“It doesn’t!” he protested—then drew a deep breath. Of course it did. He and his brothers were a manic table of numbers that couldn’t be graphed. Random elements preferring the unknown.
“Even if we do have some moments—like every normal family—that aren’t quite stable, it doesn’t mean we’re not a good family.”
“Of course not. It just means one or more of you don’t know who you are.”
This girl was really starting to bug him. “Yeah, well.” Bandera took a swig of his beer. “A little instability, indecisiveness and unexplained randomness is good for you.”
“You’re worried, aren’t you?”
“About what?” He looked at her from under his hat, trying to disguise the fact that he admired the way she was handling the truck.
“You’re worried you’re going to end up like your brother Mason. Caught in a weird life.”
“No,” he lied.
“I think I am ‘the weird’ for you. You kissed me first, you know. But I want you to know you don’t have anything to worry about. I’m not looking for a man.”
Bandera turned his face to the window. “You should. You’re a nice girl. You have lots of spunk. I like spunk in a woman.”
“I wouldn’t have guessed that.” She reached over and patted his hand. “But it’s okay. You’ve been very kind to give me a ride. And I like you thinking you’re going to show me another side of life.”
“Did I say that?”
“Yes. You said you would expose me to randomness and some other nonsense, which you apparently feel I need. I’m willing.” She smiled at him. “What girl wouldn’t want to ride with a sexy cowboy? I should be at home with my parents, and yet here I am with you. I have a lot in common with Mason, riding away from my obligations.”
Bandera sat up. “You’re making me nervous.”
She laughed.
“Look, if we’re going to be traveling buddies, you have to not do that.”
“Do what?” she asked.
“Talk in circles. You have to settle down. A man can take only so much of that stuff.”
She removed her hand from his, smiling. “You’re all right, for an anal-retentive cowboy. Tough on the outside, pillowy soft around
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