The Living Room Read Online Free PDF Page B

directions, car rental locations at the airport, and hotel recommendations in Canterbury. His arrival in London was scheduled to be early in the morning, with plenty of time to select appropriate lodging.
    It was all happening too fast, but everyone involved in the bookings recognized that Daniel was in a state of action. He didn’t want to spend another day waiting. The equity markets were unpredictable, as always. Any major swings or negative economic news could be enough of a motive for him to talk himself out of the trip. He fled the office before his lights were the last remaining in the view from the street. Change was in the works.
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    Packing for such a trip wouldn’t normally be that hard for a person. A small suitcase for business travel, usually limited to overnight stays in a nearby state, was the only luggage that took space in the back of his closet. With just a few hours before his departure and only suits and one or two outfits for the gym, he packed light and would pick up the necessary items and clothing once he arrived.
    The trip to the airport was uneventful. Traffic was appalling, as always. The cab driver weaved in and out of lanes like a stock car racer, no doubt trying to impress his passenger for a gratuity. Daniel didn’t mind and rather enjoyed it. At least he could handle speed on the ground.
    At the checkin gate near tragedy almost struck. There was a seat mix-up and he was sure it wasn’t Nancy’s fault. He always sat in a window seat. The ability to see what was going on outside helped calm his fear of flying. He became more accepting of the fact that his fear had more to do with his lack of control than heights or claustrophobia. He was thankful to switch seats with an attractive woman who relinquished the window seat to him and took the one beside it.
    After thanking her repeatedly, he smiled nervously in her direction, and she smiled back. Looking out the window avoided a conversation. He was a polite, courteous, and well-mannered person, but his social skills, while polished in a work environment, were profoundly deficient when conversing with the opposite sex. Most women mistook his silent nature for cockiness, given his pleasant, second-glance appearance.
    In reality, he was a nervous wreck in the presence of women. The ability to appear laid-back, humorous, and charming was all within him; however, he always froze in certain moments. This characteristic was long overdue for a change.
    Hours passed. They soon neared the end of the long flight. His nerves were calm at this point, assisted by a few drinks and opportunities to discuss scenes from the in-flight movie they had enjoyed. The two spoke comfortably now; his jokes about airplane food, and the irony of supplied sick-bags, seemed to score with every shot.
    “So, are you on business or pleasure?” she asked.
    “Actually, for me, business is pleasure, but I’m traveling to England to sell a home. How about yourself?”
    “Oh, I’m going to meet my family.”
    She surprised him with the revelation. He hoped that, by family, she was referring to parents, siblings, or anyone else she might have grown up around. A glance at her ring-less finger showed promise, until she noticed the direction of his eyes.
    “Oh, I take it off when I fly,” she said, wiggling her hand and digits. “My finger swells up and starts to hurt after a while.”
    She saw the disappointment on his face, although there was never a ploy to deceive him at any point. The conversation was just welcomed. It was a long flight, and he was an attractive man who had started the exchange late in the journey. She hadn’t flirted and had no way of knowing that he had spent the first few hours of the flight working up the nerve to break the ice.
    How could she have known? He had watched the entire movie like a surgeon trying to dissect the storyline and extrapolate the most interesting points worthy of conversation afterward. Depending on her interests, opinions,