1. That's What Friends Are For by Annette Broadrick Read Free Book Online

two men apart. After all, it would be for only a few days, then Brad would be out of their lives once again.
    When she returned downstairs Gregory was waiting alone in the living room.
    She looked at him in surprise. "Where is everybody?"
    ''I convinced your parents to go to their dinner engagement earlier. If something had happened, I told them I'd get in touch."
    Once again Penny felt guilty at her unusual and irresponsible behavior. How could she explain what she didn't understand herself?
    ''I really am sorry for making you wait," she said.
    Gregory took her arm and escorted her outside. "Let's forget it, shall we?" he said, helping her into the car. "I managed to get our reservations changed, so there's no harm done."
    Gregory was quiet on the way to the restaurant and Penny searched for something to say. Finally she asked, "Did Brad tell you we went to the park?"
    He glanced at her with an enigmatic expression. "He did mention that, yes."
    "It was so beautiful there. I'd forgotten how much I enjoyed being out of doors." She wondered when she had lost touch with nature. Her schedule didn't seem to include outdoor activities. Impulsively she turned to Gregory and said, "I wish you'd been with us."
    Penny tried to picture Gregory hiking and wading but it was difficult. She couldn't see him laughing about his shoes getting wet or muddy. Gregory would have been out of place. She and Brad had been reliving their childhood, falling back into a familiar pattern, one in which Gregory did not fit.
    "From the description that Crawford gave, I don't think I would have enjoyed the afternoon very much," Gregory said.
    Even though Penny had just reached the same conclusion she was surprised to hear Gregory echo her thoughts. "Why not?"
    "I generally get my exercise playing racquetball or tennis."
    "Oh." Funny, they'd never discussed hobbies that much. Gregory had been so busy with his law practice since she had met him that she assumed he didn't have time for many activities. Every time she felt that she knew him, Gregory revealed another facet of his personality. She wondered if he felt the same way about her.
    Was it ever possible to find out everything about a person before you married? It wasn't that anyone deliberately omitted telling the other some things. There was just so much to learn about another person. Gregory had spent thirty-nine years doing things she knew nothing about. She'd spent twenty-five. How could you possibly catch up on everything? And how did you decide what was important to know before the wedding, rather than learning about it in the years after?
    They had a quiet dinner at one of the nicer restaurants located near the interstate highway. Penny asked intelligent questions about some of Gregory's cases, drawing him out so that she could feel closer to him somehow.
    One of the things that she admired most about him was his dignity in all situations. He always handled himself well. Tonight he could have justifiably shown anger and spoiled their time together. Instead, he seemed to have forgotten the less than auspicious beginning of their evening, relegating it to its rightful place of unimportance in their life.
    Their life together would be one of consideration and understanding, of communication. There would be no arguments, such as she had with Brad. She and Gregory would calmly discuss then decide what needed to be faced in their shared existence. There would be no sudden bursts of emotion. Instead, they would share a sense of calmness and serenity.
    After dinner Gregory suggested they move into the lounge for after-dinner drinks. A small combo played quiet music and Gregory asked her to dance. Penny willingly agreed. Gregory was an excellent dancer. Penny felt relaxed and totally at ease when they returned to their table after dancing a medley of slow numbers.
    Gregory took her hand in his. He seemed to study it for some time before he looked up at her, his gray eyes serious.
    "Why have you never