Dear Gabby (5 page)

"I'm sorry again for causing your family so many problems.
When I read her letter, my heart went out to her. She sounded so lonely and desperate, without anyone to turn to."

"You're right, you know,"
he finally admitted, in a soft tone. "She is feeling very desperate and alone and needs a loving hand to guide her. I hope we can find her and bring her back."

Cole replaced his cup on the tray and stood.
"I think it's about time I left for home. I have to be at work early in the morning, even though it's Saturday." He turned and looked at her while shrugging into his jacket.

"I'll see you later
.”

"You'll be seeing me next Friday evening
. I'll call you sometime during the week and let you know what plane reservations I've made for us."  He leaned toward her and his lips brushed hers with a fleeting kiss.

“See you then.”  Closing the door, she leaned back against it
, a heavy sigh leaving her body.

He was the sexiest man she'd ever met in her life and she would have to be on guard next weekend with him. She didn't try to make anything more out of the situation other than Cole wanting her help in finding Samantha. He probably had all the women he'd ever need, pursuing him. She knew she didn't measure up to his society friends, but she could still have hopes, couldn't she?

All that night,
dreams interrupted her sleep with visions of a dark pirate sweeping her off her feet into a blissful region of romance. The warmth of the kiss they had shared aroused her out of a deep sleep and she awoke feeling the perspiration coating her brow.

She was going to have to control her emotions. The Cole Powers of the world weren’t even in her league.
No way would she ever fit into his world, so why bother dreaming? His only purpose for her was to help him find his sister.

Gabby finished cleaning her apartment early Saturday and drove to the supermarket to pick up a few things. While standing at the checkout, she picked up a copy of the paper Cole owned. She had this need to find out more about the elusive pirate that had kissed her so passionately the night before.

Flipping through the pages, she came to the society section and her heart did a flip-flop.
There, staring back at her was a picture of Cole with a beautiful blonde-haired woman on his arm walking into the entrance of a restaurant.

So much for
thinking Cole might feel attracted to her. He had too many women to choose from to settle for her. Cole was way out of her reach and she knew it. She had only just met the man, but she felt the stirring in her heart every time she thought of him. She silently wondered if it was an attraction, or something more that could be tugging at her heartstrings.

Chapter Five

Monday morning
, Gabby arrived at work a half hour early. She headed to Joe’s office before he had a chance to leave for a meeting. Although the door was open, she still tapped lightly to get his attention. Joe raised his head and a smile lined his features. "Come in, Gabby," he invited as he stood.

"Do you have a few minutes to spare this morning?
I need to talk to you about something.”

"Sure, what’s on your mind?”

"First, I want to tell you that Cole Powers will be dropping the lawsuit against us." She hurried into her explanation noticing his raised brows.

"How did you manage that little feat?”
His expression showed his surprise. “I thought he couldn’t be reasoned with."

"
I gave Cole the letter Samantha had written to me and any other information I could think of. He read the letter and looked through my folder finding clues to where she might be hiding. He seemed very pleased with the outcome."

"And this made him ch
ange his mind about the suit?"

"Partially
.” She remembered how Cole had explained his change of heart. "He also said he had never sued anyone in his life, and he regretted it the moment he gave his lawyer the green light."

"So, Cole has a conscience after all."
A smile tugged the corners of Joe's mouth. "It wouldn't have had anything to do with meeting you, would it?"

"I wouldn't say I influenced his decision in not suing
. He did tell me that he respected you and didn't want to put any hardship on the newspaper."

"No matter what his reason
is, I'm happy he dropped it.”

"So am I
. There's one other thing.”

"What is it?"

"Cole wants me to fly to California with him on Friday evening to help search for Samantha. If he should find her, he thinks she'll listen to me more than she would to him. I don't know if it’s true, but I told him I'd go." She shrugged her shoulders slightly.

"He may be right about his sister
. She trusted you when you answered her letter, and you might be just the person she needs to talk to about her problem. We'll keep your plans private, if that's all right with you. I don't feel as if Emma or Marty needs to know, since they're not involved."

“Thanks, Joe, that’s what I was hoping you’d say.” She hadn’t felt like going into a long explanation to Marty.

“If Emma or Marty asks, I’m going to tell them that I sent you on a story. That should satisfy their curiosity.”

“I've taken up enough of your time, so I'll let you get back to your work
.”  She turned toward the doorway.

Before she could leave, he stopped her.
"Gabby.”

"Yes
.”

"If you have to stay longer than the weekend, take next week off
. I’m sure Emma can cover your column until you return."

"Thanks again, Joe
. If there are any problems about staying longer, I'll call you."

She walked out into the hallway and almost bumped into Marty near his office.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't see you coming around the corner."

Marty gave her a strained smile.
Gabby knew instinctively that he remembered her words from the other night on the phone. She had told him he should find someone else to date and figured she had hurt his feelings. She hoped their friendship wasn't going to suffer over telling him the truth about their relationship.

"I didn't see you, either
. I’ll talk to you later, Gabby. Joe gave me an assignment this morning and if I don't hurry, I won't make it by press time." He turned away abruptly before she could answer him.

"I won't keep you
__” Her words trailed off into silence as she watched him walk away.

She made her way toward her office, suddenly feeling sad at the tenseness Marty felt around her.
Gabby had a feeling her words hurt him. As long as he hadn't known what her feelings were toward him, she figured this gave him hope that someday she may care for him. Shrugging her shoulders, she entered her office.

Emma followed close behind her, all bubbly and talkative over what she
had done over the weekend. "I see by your smile, you've fixed everything with Cole Powers,” she said, watching Gabby's features.

"Yes, he's dropping the lawsuit, so that's a load off my mind.
”

"Did he make a pass at you after dinner?"
She grinned mischievously. "The evening wouldn't be complete if that handsome devil didn't try something."

Gabby didn't know what to say to the inquisitive Emma.
She didn't feel like going into her personal affairs with her, but she hated to lie to her. She quickly decided one white lie wouldn't hurt anyone. "No, we had a pleasant evening and he took me home."

"What a shame he wasted an entire night,” she clucked.
“If I had been in your place, I'd have made the first pass." She chuckled and Gabby couldn't help laughing along with her.

"I believe you would have, too
.”

The
phone rang on Emma's desk, ending her third degree on Gabby's weekend. Gabby sighed softly and picked up her mail that needed answering by that evening. As she sorted through each letter, her thoughts drifted to Cole, wondering what he was doing.  Shaking her head to rid it of thoughts of Cole, she concentrated on the answers for her column that day.

***

Right after lunch, she returned to the office and the first thing she saw were flowers propped up on her desk. Gabby walked over and lifted a card from the green tissue paper surrounding the long stemmed red roses. The only thing on the card was a vague note stating the blooms were for someone special.

She wondered if Marty had sent them, but on his budget, the possibility wasn't likely.
Cole might have, but what would his reason be?

She sat at her desk, with the card still clutched in her hand.
Looking at it again, she made sure it was her name on the front of the card. They had put her entire name on the small, white envelope, instead of addressing it to Gabby.

Emma walked through the door and caught the confused expression lining Gabby's face.
"Who are those from?" Leaning down, she breathed in the sweet smell of the petals.

"I don't really know."
Gabby lifted her shoulders with a slight shrug.

"What does the card say?"
Emma reached for the card. "They're certainly for you, and it looks as if someone thinks you're really special. Do you have any idea what a dozen red roses sell for at the florist? A pretty penny these days."

"I know Marty couldn't afford them on his budget, so that leaves me in the dark over the sender.
”

"It could be Cole Powers
. There isn’t anyone else in the city that you know.”

Gabby knew in her heart that Emma had to be right.
She didn't know anyone in the city, besides the people she worked with at the office. In fact, she didn't even know her next-door neighbor and she had been living near the elderly woman for six months. She must have made some kind of impression on him if he had taken the time to order such a lovely bouquet.

"Oh, well, whoever it was, I'm sure not going to find out today.
”

Gabby pulled open the bottom drawer of her
desk, removed a vase, and filled it with water. She arranged the sweet scented blooms before deciding she had to get busy with her work.

"Before I forget, Emma, I may have to be off next week.
”

"Oh, what's up?"
Emma glanced across at Gabby curiously.

"I'm going on a special assignment for Joe and it may require a few extra days
. He said you could handle my column until I get back."

"What sort of assignment?"
Gabby expected Emma's next question before she asked it. Emma always felt she needed to know everything happening at the newspaper.

"Joe wants to keep this assignment hush-hush," she explained, dropping her gaze to the papers in front of her, feeling guilty at having to lie to Emma.

"Well, it must be an important one,” she said frowning, with a look of disappointment covering her features over not being let in on it.

"It is," she answered, dropping the subject and getting back to her work.

***

Later that evening, Gabby phoned her mother and asked how she was feeling.
After her mother reassuring her that she was fine and didn't need anything, Gabby explained she would be out of town the following weekend and possibly the next week.

"Be careful, dear
. You know how I worry about you living alone in that big city and now you have to make a trip. There are so many things that could happen to a young woman."

"I'm always careful, Mom, so you don't have to worry
. I’ll drive home to visit in about two or three weeks."

"I can't wait to see you
. Call me when you get back from your trip. I want to make sure you made it safe. Oh, by the way, where are you going?"

"I’m flying to California to help Joe out,"
Gabby didn’t go into any further explanation. “I’ll be sure and call you later in the week.” Gabby gently replaced the receiver.

She
headed for the shower and after finishing, she slipped on her pajamas and walked into the living room. She picked up a magazine to read and heard the doorbell ring
.
Padding across the room in her bare feet, she couldn’t believe who was on her doorstep.

"Cole?
I didn't expect anyone to stop by tonight." She glanced down at her frilly pajamas that made her look like a little girl.  Gabby realized he was still standing in the hallway gazing in at her.

"Come in
.” She quickly moved backward across the hall. "I'll be back as soon as I get my robe."

Before she could put any distance between them, he placed his hand on her arm, stopping her. "You don't have to do that for me
.”  His glance took in every inch of the silky nightwear.