DASHED DREAMS by Susan Worley-Bean Read Free Book Online Page A

taking a swallow of his drink.
    “Who is she and where’d you meet her?” Gary asked.
    “She’s the girl I met in Seattle.”
    “She’s coming all the way from Seattle?”
    “No, she’s lives about sixty miles southeast of the Lake. Her name’s Jillian James.”
    “Oh… she’s the one. Well, I know she didn’t spend the night with you. You complained she chose her friends over you and that bothered you.”
    “Gary, I think she’s different . . . ”
    “Yeah, she’s different. She didn’t fall into your arms with your smile.”
    “No, really.” RJ didn’t finish his sentence, thinking about Jillian James.
    “You haven’t had the best luck with relationships, have you?” Gary questioned his boss. “You know, Monica would’ve stayed around if you hadn’t been such a jerk.”
    “ME a JERK!! She was more interested in fame, fortune, and using me as a stepping-stone.”
    “What about Charlotte?”
    “Hey, let’s not dredge up the past. I feel Jillian James is different.”
    Gary shook his head, knowing how quickly his boss “fell in love.”
    “When we get to Tahoe, I’m going to call her and set a dinner date. I’m really anxious to get to know her.”
    “Come on, the guys are waiting for us downstairs.”
    “Gary, since we finished the album ahead of schedule, I think I’m going to go in to Tahoe a few days early. Just take some R&R time. I’ve been thinking about buying a house there. I’d like to take a look around and see what’s available. I called a realtor and they’re looking.”
    Gary shook his head in the affirmative, and they started down the stairs to the basement. When they opened the doors to the studio, the sounds of country music resounded.

 
Chapter 9
    Monday morning Joy came into Jillian’s office. “You have a call on line two.” Jillian had been busy with her office and surgical schedule, since returning from the Seattle trip.
    “Thanks.” She punched two on her telephone, “Dr. James.”
    “Jillian, this is RJ. I’m in Tahoe. When shall we have dinner? How does your schedule look?”
    Jillian thought to herself: These days have sure passed quickly. She’d almost put his telephone call out of her mind. She looked at her surgery schedule for the rest of the week, “Well, I have surgery on Thursday and I’m on call Friday, so, I have a couple days open.”
    “How about tonight?”
    Jillian thought for a second. “Sure, why not? I could be up to the lake at about seven this evening. Where shall I go?”
    “Hold on for a sec. What’s your address there in Yerington?”
    Jillian told him. A silence followed.
    “Okay, got it. A car will arrive for you about five, if that’s okay.”
    “You do know Yerington’s about 100 miles away?”
    “Affirmative! I have it under control. I know right where you live, I looked Yerington up on a map. I’m here at Tucker’s and I’ll see you at about seven. I thought we’d catch a show, if you’d like.”
    “Robert, thank you. See you then.”
    “It’s RJ. I look forward to seeing you again.”
    “Me, too.”
    Jillian left the hospital at about three-thirty and went straight home. She’d been telling herself all day that she was not going to be excited or impressed. But as she unlocked her front door, she definitely found herself excited. The telephone was ringing. She tossed her keys onto the entrance table, dropped her purse and briefcase onto the floor, and grabbed the phone.
    “Hello.”
    “Hi, it’s me. Just checking to see if you were home. I’m coming right over.” The phone went dead. Jillian didn’t have a chance to say, No, don’t come over. I’m busy.
    “Where are you?” Emma yelled as she opened the back door.
    “I’m upstairs.”
    In a second she appeared in the doorway of Jillian’s bedroom. She looked in to see what looked like a whirlwind in the clothes closet. The mirror in the walk-in closet revealed Jillian’s image holding up a dress, shaking her head and then choosing