Free Chances Are by Donna Hill Page B

for the girls and their kids because of that. The last thing she wanted to have to do was tell them they had to start making preparations to leave.
    Her intercom buzzed.
    â€œYes, Bren?”
    â€œIt’s Mr. Lawrence for you,” she said in a ha, ha tone.
    Dione frowned. “Thanks.” She pressed the yellow button. “Mr. Lawrence.”
    â€œHi. I’m sure you’re busy, but I’m hoping you’re not.”
    She laughed. “Really. Why is that?”
    â€œIt just so happens that I’m free for the rest of the afternoon and I was hoping I could tear you away from what you were doing. You could come by the studio—work out the details of the PSA and then we could go to dinner.”
    Her eyes widened. This was beginning to sound more like a date than a business meeting by the minute. Did she really want that? What would they have to talk about?
    What in the world was he doing? He wasn’t quite sure where the idea had come from. He’d been thinking about her all morning and anticipating seeing her later. That much he knew. Then all of a sudden he was dialing her number and asking her to cut her day short and spend the time with him. Now listening to the nothingness that separated them, he was beginning to feel like a real dope. And what must she be thinking?
    â€œSounds great. I need to get out of here. Maybe a change of environment would be just the thing I need.” There, she’d said it. She’d stuck her big toe across the invisible line.
    The cobra-like grip that had wrapped around his insides from the moment he’d put his finger on the telephone buttons, seemed to begin to unwind, release him, letting him take a deep breath.
    â€œWhenever you’re ready, I’ll be here.” Did he sound like he was grinning?
    â€œI’ll see you in about an hour.”
    â€œSee you then.” Slowly he hung up the phone and immediately wondered what he’d done.
    Dione stared at the phone, her stomach doing tiny somersaults. You know good and well that you have enough work to keep you busy until after the new year. And the last thing she needed to do was spend any unnecessary time with Garrett Lawrence. What she needed to use now was her head, not relying on the suddenness of emotions that he’d somehow stirred up inside her, which seemed to be leading her down a path she spent most of her time avoiding.
    Garrett Lawrence was not different from the rest. She’d already seen as much. But there was that something else she’d seen as well. Something that he kept buried beneath his attitude, leather jacket and baseball cap. That was the flame that drew her.
    She didn’t want to get burned.
    For a moment she shut her eyes, then she opened her desk drawer, took out her purse and went upstairs.
    â€œI’m going to be out of the office for the rest of the afternoon, Brenda,” Dione said reaching for her coat. “I’ll call in for messages.”
    Brenda watched Dione do anything she could not to look her right in the eye. “Everything okay?”
    â€œYes. I’m going to the studio—and then from there, dinner.” Oh, God she felt so silly. It was infantile to feel this truckload of guilt. But she’d felt that way for years. Guilty for ever wanting anything for herself. Even if it was just sometimes.
    â€œEnjoy yourself.”
    Dione looked at Brenda who gave her a soft smile of encouragement.
    â€œThanks. Page me if you need me.”
    â€œLet’s hope I don’t. I’m sure we can handle whatever comes up.”
    â€œOkay, then. But you know you can if you have to. See you in the morning.” Dione slipped on her coat and turned to leave.
    â€œDee—”
    â€œHmm?”
    â€œForget about this place. At least for a little while.”
    Dione gave a half smile and walked out.
    On the entire twenty-minute drive over to the studio, Dione vacillated between heading back, and meeting