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

another.
    “What’s up? Where are you going?”
    “You wouldn’t believe it if I told you!”
    “I believe everything you say. Give me a try.”
    She glanced over to the clock to check the time; the display read: 3:45. She sighed and started another round of searching.
    “Well, I got a call from Robert Montgomery today.”
    “NO WAY! What’d he want? Tell me everything.”
    “He asked me to dinner tonight.”
    “What did you say?”
    “I guess I’m going to dinner with him.”
    “NO WAY! He’s coming to Yerington? You don’t sound very excited.”
    “No, I’m going to Tahoe. He’s appearing the end of the week at Tucker’s for a charity appearance and playing in the celebrity golf tourney at Edgewood. Em, I’m a nervous wreck. This man and I have nothing in common. The only thing I really know about him is what I‘ve heard and read in the news. Why me?”
    “Jillie, you’re the most unafraid person I know. Girl, you’re a professional woman. You deal with life and death problems daily. You can handle an old country star.” Both girls laughed.
    “Let me French braid your hair”
    Jillian told Emma about the phone call. “He’s sending a car for me!” They decided on the gray tweed dress, the one she’d purchased in Seattle, and a pair of black heels. As Jillian dressed Emma said, “I can’t believe it… Robert John Montgomery.”
    The old grandfather clock struck six times, as the girls were coming downstairs. Both Jillian and Emma held their breath. Jillian grabbed Emma’s hand and said, “Come with me. I’ll put the car on hold. You run across and change.”
    “Jillian, I can’t. You know that.”
    Jillian was loading her black evening purse, when the doorbell rang. Jillian answered the door and found Joanna standing in the doorway holding a plate of cookies.
    “Wow, don’t you look nice! I was baking for the girls at the club and had some extras.”
    Behind Joanna on the front porch, a gentleman in a dark suit came up the walk. “Dr. Jillian James?”
    “Yes.”
    “My name’s Lionel, and I’ll be your driver for tonight. I’ll be at the car whenever you’re ready,” he motioned towards the street.
    “Oh, dear,” Joanna said, seeing the black stretch limousine sitting in front of her house. Emma stepped onto the front porch with Jillian’s purse and coat, handed them to her and said, “I’ll put these cookies in the cookie jar and lock up for you.” She hugged Jillian and she whispered in her ear. “You’re going to have a great time. I love you. If you need me, call.”
    “You, too.”
    As Lionel opened the door for Jillian, Lynda came around the corner to see her friend getting into a limo. She honked her horn and waved with a questioning look on her face. She saw Emma and Joanna standing on Jillian’s front porch. Emma was still holding the plate. Lynda parked her car at her house and ran over.
    “What’s going on?”
    “Joanna and I are going down to Dini’s for dinner. If you go to dinner with us, I’ll give you all the details,” Emma said to Lynda.
    “Let’s go. I can’t wait.”
    Jillian made herself comfortable on the butter-soft leather seat. Lionel leaned in and said, “The controls above your head are for climate, light, radio, and TV. The cabinets to your right are fully stocked, and please help yourself. The button on this console is the speaker button to speak to me. This button raises and lowers the partition between us. Do you wish to keep it down?” Jillian nodded.
    “Please make yourself comfortable. We’ll be over to the Lake in about an hour and a half.”
    “Thank you.”
    As the door closed, she looked at her friends standing and waving toward the limo. For a second she had misgivings and wished she was staying home. But curiosity took over.
    As the car drove down Main Street, people stopped to watch; it’s not often that a stretch limousine is seen in Yerington. Jillian adjusted the air and looked around the inside of the