Up In The Air With You

Chapter 1

Carly pulled over onto the shoulder of the interstate and got out. Traffic was light; only an occasional eighteen-wheeler roared past. She took in the over-arching turquoise sky and the vast barren desert of New Mexico spread out around her. You could walk and walk, she thought, and never get to the end of it. She stretched her legs and arms, working out the stiffness that came from driving for hours on end. The cool October air filled her lungs and revived her fuzzy mind.

She opened the door of her old navy blue Explorer and rummaged through a box in the backseat until she located her dog-eared U.S. Road Atlas. She flipped through the pages to the New Mexico map and spread the atlas over the hood of her vehicle. She drew her index finger along alternate routes for the remainder of her journey to Taos.

A few minutes later, the crunch of car tires over gravel broke her concentration. She straightened up and turned her head. The pages of the atlas fluttered in the desert breeze, as she stood wide-eyed, staring at the sleek, shiny fire-engine red BMW convertible, top-down, coming to a halt behind her.

Rock-and-roll music boomed from the open top. She recognized Mick Jagger’s twangy vocals: It’s only rock-and-roll, but I like it! Yes, I do! Her lips twitched in spite of her apprehension. She adored the Rolling Stones.

The music ceased when the engine was turned off. Carly’s half-smile disappeared, and her eyes narrowed as a man emerged from the car. Her unease quickly abated when he took off his sunglasses. She met his steel gray eyes. She saw concern, and perhaps a touch of annoyance but not a hint of malice.

He was a little over six feet tall. His face was lightly tanned, smooth shaven, his mouth serious. He wore dark jeans, and a pale blue button down dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up and the top buttons open at his throat. A heavy watch, clearly expensive, encircled his left wrist. Fine streaks of grey mingled with his dark wavy hair at the temple.

Do you need help? Are you lost? It’s not safe for a woman to be alone all the way out here! The man strode toward her, sunglasses in one hand. The other hand attempted to shove a wayward shock of that wavy hair out of his eyes.

I just stopped to look at my map, Carly said. As for safe, she felt safer out here than she had in years of city-living where she had to make sure her doors were all locked and her burglar alarm set each night before going to bed.

I don’t need any help, she said more sharply than she had intended.

He flashed an impatient grin at her.

She noticed a small cleft in his chin.

I guess I’ve been dismissed. You must be one of those so called independent women, he said. He put his hands on his trim waist causing his shirt sleeves to tighten around his shoulders and biceps. He continued to talk, Well, I’m not buying it. There’s no woman out there who doesn’t want to be taken care of. I don’t care if she’s the President of the United States. Where are you headed?

Carly swallowed the irritation that rose up in her throat and calmly replied, Taos.

He was wrong. She didn’t need to be taken care of; nobody had taken care of her since she’d been an adult. On the contrary, as a nurse, she was the one who usually took care of others.

I’m headed back that way, too; from a meeting in Lubbock. Why don’t you follow me? I’ll make sure you get there safely. It’s only a few hours away now. That vehicle doesn’t look all that reliable.

He looked skeptically at her Explorer.

Carly affectionately thumped the hood. This old girl has seen me through thick and thin and I’m sure she won’t let me down this time, she replied, I don’t need to follow you. I’d rather go on my own. Didn’t he realize that not everyone could afford the latest model BMW?

Suit yourself, he said crisply, shrugging his shoulders. I assume you have a cell phone? he demanded, looking straight at her. His eyes were intelligent, but commanding.

Carly was now fully incensed. What right did he have to talk to her like a child!

Of course, in the glove box, she said, finding it difficult to keep her calm. But her years of practice in dealing with irate patients, families and physicians allowed her to maintain an unruffled exterior even when she was fuming inside.

I don’t like leaving you like this, but I can’t wait around all day for you to change your mind. Here’s my number if you need it.

He gave her a business card.

Thanks, I’ll keep it handy, said Carly. She promptly stuffed the card into the back pocket of her jeans without glancing at it. Of course, she had no intention of calling him even if her vehicle broke down. She’d rather walk all day to get help than call this guy!

Hey, I like the cowboy boots, he said, flashing his smile at her again. "Maybe I’ll see you around in Taos.

He slid his sunglasses back over his eyes as he paced back to his vehicle. He got in, slammed the door shut and cranked over the ignition. The Rolling Stones once more poured out of the open top and he sped off.

Carly allowed the scowl that was in her mind to express itself on her face. After a minute, her anger had receded a bit, but still there was enough remaining to make her feel like stomping her foot. And that’s exactly what she did. She stomped her boot hard onto the gravel. Then, to make herself feel even better, she kicked her tire good and hard. She had enough of men, especially flashy, wealthy men, with money to burn, who thought women should bow down to them; just follow them wherever they said to go. Their offers of help were just for show.

After fuming for a few more minutes, she told herself to calm down. She didn’t need to think about that man any more. She was off to her new life and that was that. She looked at the map for a little while longer until she was satisfied with her chosen route, got into her Explorer and took off.

Up ahead, Jack steered along the road, frowning. The music was deafening, but he didn’t hear it. His mind was on that woman back there. He glanced at his rearview mirror every few seconds looking for her and her crusty old vehicle. Christ, he realized, he didn’t even ask her name. She’d looked good in those jeans and the cowboy boots were charming. And her stubbornness, although exceedingly annoying, was attractive in its own way.

He didn’t like leaving her all alone with dubious means of transportation. But she was so damn obstinate; he had thrown off his instincts and left her there.

Why was it that women were like that? They were either so dependent they drove you crazy, or so independent that if you offered to help they thought you were stepping on their rights or something. Either way you ended up the loser.

But what if something happened to her; he didn’t want that. Maybe he should go back, he thought. Then he had an idea. He’d just slow down to give her a chance to catch up. He reduced his speed, although it pained him to drive so slowly. He felt as though he were crawling along; his BMW seemed to be chomping at the bit.

It’s ok, baby, he said. He patted the dash of the car as if to reassure his automobile that such a ridiculously sluggish speed was only a temporary measure.

Carly headed into the Sangre de Christo Mountains. The road began to narrow and twist. She wound down her window a few inches to allow in the pure air, so fresh and wonderful to breathe. She inhaled the clean, tangy scent of the dense Ponderosa pines. The temperature dropped as she climbed. The afternoon sun was receding and the conifers cast long shadows over the road.

She dug out a Rolling Stones CD and slid it into the player. Now, she was car dancing, moving her upper body, arms and head in rhythm to the music, singing along to Mick Jagger, breathing in the fresh air and taking in the scenery.

Every so often a clip of the guy who had stopped to help her popped up in her mind. He was good looking she admitted to herself. She was feeling so enthusiastic about her new life she didn’t mind that she considered him good looking. After all, his face was a nice image to behold. She might be off men for the moment; that didn’t mean she was a nun or anything. So what if she thought about him; it didn’t mean anything, she told herself.

As she drove around the next bend, she noticed up ahead on the straightaway, a car pulled over on the side of the road. It was the red BMW! She checked again; yes, it was the very same car! An angry cloud of steam poured out of the open hood. The very same man stood at the side of the car staring at his cell phone. Frustration was etched on his face.

She laughed out loud. He was perfectly adorable standing there looking so mad, although she would never have told him so.

She considered driving on and calling a tow truck for him when she got to Taos, but her conscience, and fascination, had her pulling to a stop behind him. She got out and strolled over.

There you are! he said. He’d been looking for her. Here she was safe and sound, he was relieved to know. Still, he couldn’t believe his car had broken down, and not hers. What bad luck! He’d have to have a serious word with his mechanic.

Carly grinned at him and prepared to take full advantage of the situation.

Do you need help? Are you lost? A man shouldn’t be all the way out here on his own. It isn’t safe. She couldn’t resist the dig.

Ha! Ha! he said. His lips curved into a smile for a millisecond, then receded back to a frown. Damn cell phone! Doesn’t work out here! he said holding the cell phone up in the air, futilely trying to get a signal.

She laughed again, amused at his aggravation.

Let me take a look, she said, I’ve been working on my own car for years. Probably why my old vehicle has lasted so long.

You know how to work on cars? He dropped his arm to his side and stared at her.

When you’re a single mom, you better learn how these things work or be prepared to be ripped off by every mechanic in town, she said.

Single mom? He didn’t say that out loud. He glanced inside her car. Nope, no children present and no car seat or toys or any other evidence of a child.

Carly had a bicycle attached to the back of her SUV, which she lugged off the rack before opening the hatch. She reached in and pulled out a toolbox and went to peer under his hood.

By now, the engine had stopped steaming and was merely issuing a small hissing noise.

As she bent over the engine he couldn’t help but notice the appealing curve of her hips. He crossed his arms over his chest, looking at her. He saw her luscious backside, long, blue-jean clad legs, her slender arms and hands. Looking at her, he thought maybe there was a silver lining to his predicament. Maybe he should thank his mechanic instead of chewing him out.

He continued to gaze at her while she grabbed a wrench and screwdriver from her toolbox. He heard clinks and clunks as she tinkered. She stood upright again. You’re going to have to have it towed. No way to rig it, she said wiping her hands on a rag she retrieved from her toolbox.

But he wasn’t thinking about his broken down car now. He was thinking about her. Her short sporty blonde hair perfectly accentuated her cheekbones. Her honey-hued eyes were soft as a newborn fawn, but those soft eyes also conveyed an inner strength.

He nodded, still gazing at her, I was trying to call a tow truck, but my damn cell phone won’t work, he said absently.

He smiled at her. She smiled back, reflexively. Then, he saw her expression neutralize, a wall going up. Her smile disappeared. The color of her eyes flattened.

Let me try mine, she said.

His smile was disquieting, Carly thought, as she dug her cell phone out of the glove compartment, and turned it on. And his eyes, those remarkable steel gray eyes. She’d never seen eyes so solid and determined.

She knew she had closed off to him, had felt her barricades go up, a self-protective response she had honed to deal with any chap, especially any over-friendly one who tried to make more than conversation with her. The new medical residents had been the worst. They assumed all nurses were looking for a roll in the hay with a handsome young doctor. And then there had been Lance. Her experience with him had led her to build her mental walls with far more reinforcements than ever before.

She stood staring at her cell phone, impatiently waiting for it to come to life. She detested her cell phone. Her daughters had persuaded her to get one, but she kept if off most of the time, and only had it in case of an emergency.

She waited a few seconds, but her phone had no signal either. Nope, no signal, she said, You’ll have to ride with me. She said it without thinking.

His steel gray eyes glared at her. You don’t know me. I hope you don’t always help strangers on the side of the road.

I already know you from a ways back. If you were going to hurt me, you already would have, she said logically.

Then her feelings rushed in; she wondered if she had made a mistake. She reconsidered offering to call a tow truck for him when she got to Taos. She would have never let a strange person ride with her back in Houston, especially a big man like this one before her whose arms appeared capable of throwing a jaw-cracking blow. She must be out of her mind.

I hate to leave her alone, he mused, I’m sure my baby will be ok if we leave her here.

Carly glanced at him quizzically. She looked in his car for a child or perhaps a dog. Seeing no such thing, Carly realized that he was talking about his car.

But he had obviously decided his car would be perfectly safe because he slammed down the hood, grabbed his briefcase and overnight bag from his trunk, slammed the trunk shut and clicked the remote on his keychain. The convertible top rose up and slipped into place. He ensured his car was locked shut before turning to her.

Let’s go then, he said, I really appreciate this. You can drop me off at my mechanic, and I’ll arrange for a tow truck and rental car. You want me to drive? he offered. He shoved his bags into Carly’s back seat before she could change her mind.

No thanks, she replied.

He put her tool box away and closed the back hatch, before placing her bicycle on the rack, and securing it.

Nice bike, he said, You like to cycle?

Yeah, said Carly, It’s a hobby of mine.

She moved the cooler, maps and papers from the front passenger seat to the back of the car and they got in.

They were about to drive off, when he said, You know, I don’t think I’ve properly introduced myself, and I don’t know your name either. I’m Jack Holden. He held out his hand to her.

I am becoming careless, picking up a person whose name I don’t even know, she said, chuckling, Carly Stapleton.

She gave her hand to him, and he took it in both of his, warmly embracing hers. His hands were large, safe hands. She was irritated with herself for noticing his left hand bore no ring. He smiled his engaging grin at her. His eyes held hers just as firmly as his hands, and she suddenly felt unbalanced, not her usual steady, no-nonsense self.

Nice to meet you, Carly Stapleton, he said.

She dragged her eyes to her keys, quickly took her hand from his, and started the ignition. Carly was glad she was driving because it gave her something to focus on and something to do with her hands.

Jack showed no sign whatsoever of any nervousness. His frustration about his broken-down car seemed to have dissipated. He shoved the front seat back as far as it would go to accommodate his long legs, which he stretched out in front of him crossing them at the ankle.

So, Carly said, steering out into the road, Are you from Taos? She could think of nothing more than a pat, cliché question to ask.

I grew up in Taos. I’ve traveled many places, but came back a little over fifteen years ago. I’d never want to live anywhere else again.

Well-traveled, thought Carly, with his beamer and fancy watch, he must be very well off, not that money impressed her. Usually, people with money only wanted more of it.

Where have you traveled? she asked, continuing the dialogue.

Mostly in the army. Germany and Japan. I went to many exciting places, all right, he laughed, Just like the recruiter said, be all you can be, right?

Carly pursed her lips, curious now. You don’t seem like the military type, she commented. She slowed down to take a curve in the road.

I joined up right out of high school. Thought I was going to show my father and the world how tough I was. My father said that I was too immature for college anyway and a few years in the army would do me some good. Looking back, he was probably right. Jack's voice had a tinge of bitterness in it. But that was all a very long time ago. What about you? He briefly touched her knee, prompting her to talk about herself.

She glanced over at him then looked back at the road.

I’m from Houston, born and bred, but I’m moving to Taos, said Carly.

A big city cow girl, huh? I guess that explains the boots. You’re not one of those rich debutantes from Houston, are you?

Me? Hardly! she said.

So why move to Taos?

It was a good time to make a change, Carly replied vaguely, My parents retired down to South Padre Island in South Texas. My daughters, Amy and Alison, are grown and onto their own careers, and I was ready to move on. Had enough of Houston, the heat and humidity, the traffic, big city living. Carly revealed only superficial reasons for her relocation to Taos, although underneath there were much deeper reasons.

Well, you won’t be disappointed. Taos is a phenomenal place. And so is New Mexico. You’ll have to let me introduce it to you, Jack said. He was surprised to hear she had two grown daughters. She was so youthful, her skin soft, at least it looked soft.

They arrived at the outskirts of Taos, and Jack spent the rest of the drive directing her to his auto mechanic. As she pulled to a stop at the mechanic’s, he asked, Where will you be living?

I’ll be at the Holiday Inn for a few days, until I find an apartment, she said.

It’s been a pleasure to meet you, Carly, He hesitated before continuing, Hey, can I take you to dinner tomorrow night to say thanks for the ride? he asked.

He reached for her hand, giving it a squeeze. She took back her hand and put it on the steering wheel. She turned her head to nod at him.

I’d like that. She hoped she wouldn’t regret saying yes. Her track record with men was awful, but it was just dinner. And he was handsome.

I’ll pick you up at seven, at the Holiday Inn. He leaned over and kissed her softly on the lips. The kiss was demure but it felt damn good.

Thanks again, he said, as he opened the passenger door, See you tomorrow.

She drove away realizing that she had just been asked out on a date. How about that, she thought. Her new life was off to a good start!

On a side street behind the mechanic’s, a battered pickup truck was idling, sputtering now and then as it struggled to keep going. The man in the driver’s seat stared intently at Carly and Jack.

He was a shell of his former self. It would have taken Carly a few moments to realize who he was if she had noticed him. His once agile, hard body was thin; his muscles soft and atrophied from lack of use, not bulked up from working out like before. His face was gaunt. He blamed the psych meds he had been forced to take, but in truth Scotch and hard drugs probably had the most to do with his decline.

His once sleek, well groomed hair had grown long and shaggy around his shoulders. His once manicured fingernails were raggedly cut. His fine, expensive clothing was disheveled and worn and hung loosely on his emaciated frame.

He’d tried to stay at a distance as he followed her on her journey from Houston. Apparently she hadn’t seen him. A part of him had wanted her to notice him; so he could explain; so they could be together again. He had wanted to cry out to her whenever he saw her come to a stop.

He was on the verge of calling out to her through his rolled down window but he stopped himself when he saw the man lean over and kiss her, on the lips no less, before he got out of her vehicle.

An abrupt rage overtook him. His yearning for her quickly turned to jealousy and hatred. His situation was all her fault! If it hadn’t been for her, he would still be an up and coming surgeon, respected and admired. Bitch, he thought taking a deep gasping breath, She’s already in the sack with someone else. He shook with fury. He reached for the pill bottle on the passenger seat and hastily downed two capsules, washing them down with a slurping gulp of cold coffee.

Chapter 2

The next day, Carly drove from apartment to apartment before deciding on acceptable lodgings. She was pleased with her choice, a freshly painted two-story, two-bedroom townhouse with a small kitchen. A wonderful rounded kiva-style fireplace occupied the corner of the living room. She looked forward to lighting it on cool evenings. There was also a small courtyard patio where she could sit outside and drink her morning coffee, and store her bicycle.

She didn’t want a big place. She was done with housekeeping. She was ecstatic she would be able to clean her place thoroughly in just an hour or so, and there was no yard to mow or maintain.

The townhouse was only a few miles away from the hospital, close enough for her to ride her bicycle to and from work, an agreeable change after her daily grind of commuting to and from Houston General on the freeways. No more slogging away on a stationary bike because there was too much traffic. Instead, she would cycle through the streets and mountain roads of Taos for her daily exercise. How perfect! And to top it all off, the landlord had said she could move in tomorrow since the place was already vacant.

She was already in love with Taos, just from driving around it. The adobe buildings were smooth and placid, as though they had been there forever, springing organically from the earth. Even her apartment building and the hospital exterior were constructed of adobe!

Now back at the Holiday Inn, she was getting ready for her date.

Ever since Lance and she had split up, she had reverted back to her old self as far