Free Unexpected Chances by Carly Phillips Page A

“You’re the best. Thank you.”
    “You’re welcome.”
    “Okay, now that the gifts are over, where’s the man?” Growing serious, she glanced around the room, obviously looking for Dylan.
    “He’s in L.A. Or should I say on his way back to L.A.”
    Nicole frowned. “That snake. I thought you had more time together.”
    “Something came up.”
    “You seem okay with it?” Nicole tipped her head to the side, questioning.
    “It’s not like I have a choice. Look, he lives in L.A. His career is there. His life is there. Mine is here. It’s not like we could make a relationship work anyway. Assuming he even wanted something serious.”
    “Does he?”
    “I don’t know.”
    “Do you?”
    Holly stood and arranged the blanket over one end of the couch. The colors complemented the room beautifully, and she smiled. “This is gorgeous.”
    “And you’re avoiding my question.”
    Holly laughed. “That’s my prerogative, isn’t it?”
    Nicole rolled her eyes. “You’re going to have to figure things out eventually or you’ll make yourself crazy. I need to get going.” She rose and started for the door, and Holly followed. “What are you doing for dinner?”
    “No real Christmas plans. Want to come back here and we’ll have girls’ night?”
    “Now that’s the best offer I’ve had in a long time.” Nicole hugged her tight. “What about this afternoon?”
    “I need to see John.”
    Nicole sighed in understanding. “I don’t envy you.”
    “I owe him answers.” And she owed herself a lot more.
    It was time to face her fears once and for all.
    *     *     *
    Later that day, Holly drove to John’s and knocked on his door.
    He greeted her warmly, looked into her eyes and said, “Why do I have the distinct feeling you aren’t here with the news I was hoping for?”
    She studied him with a fresh, new perspective. His gorgeous green gaze and handsome face would have a smarter woman than her swooning. God, she wished she were smarter because then her life would be so much less complicated.
    “Can we talk?” she asked.
    He gestured inside with a sweep of his arm, and once they were seated on the leather couch in his spacious den, Holly mustered her courage. “You’re such a good man,” she said softly.
    “But you don’t love me.”
    She shook her head. “Not the way you deserve.” And the signs had been there all along. She had never given to him physically or emotionally the way she gave herself to Dylan. Oh, she had tried hard to convince herself she could love John, but the truth is she didn’t. She couldn’t.
    She loved Dylan, and no other man would do. “I’m just so sorry it took me so long to—”
    “Don’t say you’re sorry.” He cut her off. “I’m not sorry for the time we had, and I know I learned a lot about myself. Especially about my patience level. It’s too damn high,” he said with a self-deprecating laugh.
    Holly laughed with him before covering his hand with hers. “There’s something you need to know though. While we were together, I never consciously thought we couldn’t have a future because of Dylan.”
    “I knew that or else I would have given you an ultimatum much sooner. I take it you two are back together?”
    “I don’t know what we are.” She grimaced, unsure how to explain. “He went back to L.A.,” she said, deciding that since he was asking, she’d talk to John. Old habits, she mused. They had been close, and she’d always confided in him.
    “I caught the morning’s news,” he said, the implication clear.
    Besides, Holly knew they watched the same channel. “Interesting stuff, huh?” She ducked her head in embarrassment.
    “Is it true?” John touched her shoulder, forcing her to look up, then pinned her with his steady gaze.
    “No.” She shook her head. “No, it’s not.”
    “You trust Dylan enough to say that with such certainty?”
    She nodded, no hesitation in her heart.
    “Then why are you in such a bad mood?”