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her purse and coat from the coatrack and headed upstairs.
    She peeked in the door of the main office. “I’m going to the meeting with Mr. Lawrence,” she said to Brenda.
    â€œI can go with you if you want.”
    Dione smiled. “No. Thanks. I’ll deal with it. See you in the morning.” She turned to leave.
    â€œKeep an open mind, Dee,” Brenda called out.
    â€œYeah, yeah. I will.”
    Â 
    â€œWhy did she decide to come here?” Jason asked.
    â€œThat’s the way she wanted it and I wasn’t going to debate the point.”
    They walked side by side through the facility checking each of the rooms, wanting to make a good impression, then returned to the front office.
    â€œI’d like you to sit in on the meeting, Jason. Fill in anything I might overlook.”
    â€œNo problem.”
    Garrett checked his watch. “She should be here in a few minutes. We have anybody to cover the phones while we meet?”
    â€œI’ll get Najashi or Tom. Whoever’s not busy.”
    The front door buzzed.
    Jason looked at the security monitor mounted on the office wall. “Mmm, if this is her, we’re in luck buddy.” He buzzed her in.
    Garrett just shook his head, knowing that Jason thought any woman with a grain of looks was fair game, even though he was solidly married. So his assessment could often leave a lot to be desired.
    They could hear her heels click down the hall.
    Garrett stepped out of the office into the corridor to meet her.
    â€œYou’re on,” Jason whispered.
    Garrett stopped, watching her approach and was immediately reminded of those sleek Ebony Fashion Fair models strutting down a runway.
    She wore a full-length cream-colored cashmere coat that she’d left open to showcase a body-hugging jersey knit turtleneck dress. Her auburn hair barely brushed her shoulders and was swept away from her face. Dark glasses shielded her eyes and when she removed them, startling hazel eyes zeroed in on him, set against a rich tan complexion devoid of any noticeable makeup, save for a hint of cinnamon-colored lipstick.
    His stomach seesawed. He wasn’t sure what he’d been expecting, but it wasn’t this vision. Somewhere in his subconscious he’d convinced himself that anyone who ran a home for girls was a short nondescript plain-Jane, who couldn’t get a man, even if they did have a great voice on the phone.
    He swallowed and a sudden heat swept through him when the sexiest smile he’d seen in far too long slowly slid across her mouth.
    And then she was right in front of him, her hand outstretched.
    â€œI’m Dione Williams. I’m here to see—”
    â€œMe. I’m Garrett Lawrence.” He took her hand and had the overwhelming urge to caress it instead of shake it. Get it together, brother. “Good to finally meet you, Ms. Williams. Come in. I’d like to introduce you to my business partner.” He released her hand and Dione inexplicably felt adrift.
    While she was walking down the corridor and had seen him standing there, her first thought was that he was an actor, or something, here to do a taping. Never in her wildest dreams did she associate this delicious-looking man with the voice on the phone. Garrett Lawrence was a work of art in motion.
    The tight black sweater outlined the breadth of his shoulders and defined the hard contours of his upper body. The pale blue jeans he wore—well, they set her imagination into high gear.
    She couldn’t remember the last time simply meeting a man had this kind of powerful effect on her. There had to be something wrong with him. And then he turned and smiled, flashing the deep dimple in his right cheek and the sexy gap in his front teeth.
    It was hot. Too hot. She needed to get out of her coat.
    â€œMs. Williams, this is my business partner Jason Burrell.”
    Jason stood and extended his hand. “Nice to meet you, Ms. Williams.”
    Dione