Free Dear Gabby by Mary Suzanne

her lined features.
    "It was a pleasure meeting you, Meredith," Gabby said, reaching across and shaking her hand.
    "Call me Aunt Meredith, since you'll soon be a part of the family." Meredith walked around the table and reached up to kiss Gabby’s cheek. "Take care of her, Cole, or you'll hear from me."
    "I will," he promised, kissing the powdered cheek offered to him by his aunt.
    After several goodbyes, they walked together to the driveway. Once settled in the car, Gabby glanced across at Cole. She saw a smile still lined his face over his aunt's words.
    "She certainly is straight forward," Gabby commented softly, but Cole heard her statement.
    "I'll have to agree with you on that deduction,” he chuckled. "Keep on the lookout for a convenience store along the highway.”
    As soon as the words were out of his mouth, Gabby saw one next to a service station. "There's one, Cole.”
    Cole swung the car around and pulled over next to it. He got out, walked over to the glass enclosed shelter, and stepped inside. Gabby watched him thumb through the thick pages of a phone book before closing it.
    When he got back in the car, he shrugged. "No luck so far, but, Aunt Meredith may have given us the wrong information to go by. I hope she was thinking more clearly today and got some of it straight."
    "We'll just have to drive to the next town, ” Gabby agreed, sitting back in her seat.
    They drove for several hours and still couldn't find any clues to the name Meredith had given them. "Let’s quit for the day and start early in the morning,” Cole told her.
    She nodded and prepared for the long drive back to their hotel. Even if they didn’t have any luck in finding Samantha, she was enjoying being with Cole and exploring the state of California. With so many sights to see, she kept her eyes glued to the scenery.
    When they drove into the parking garage, Gabby wondered how they were going to spend the rest of their evening. It was only six o'clock and still too early for bed. Her muscles felt cramped and sore from sitting all day in the car, and she needed a little exercise. Maybe a walk after dinner would help relieve the stiffness.
    T hey made their way toward their rooms. Cole stopped before she could enter hers. "I'll be over in about an hour.”
    "What for?" She gave him a curious look.
    "We're going out to eat tonight." He reached in his pocket for his room key, but turned and looked over his shoulder before entering. "Why don't you wear your black dress?"
    Shock that he remembered it filled her; she struggled briefly and then quickly regained her composure. She nodded in agreement. So, the dress had made an impression on him. Some men didn’t even notice what color of clothing a woman wore.
    She entered her room and walked straight to the bathroom to run her bath water. She hadn't been going to bring the dress with her, but at the last minute, Cole mentioned that they would be going out to dinner while staying at the hotel.
    She showered and wrapped a towel around her heading for her case on the bed. After pulling the dress on, she applied her makeup and brushed her hair just before a knock sounded on the door.

 
     
    Chapter Nine
     
    Cole ’s blue suit, white shirt, and dark tie brought out the bronze coloring of his skin. Handsome was the key word to his appearance. Gabby's breath caught in her throat. She had come to find that she had the same reaction every time she saw him. When she looked into his face, she saw a light filling his dark eyes.
    "You look beautiful ."
    "Thank you .” She glanced at the small box that he carried and opened, revealing a cluster of red roses arranged onto a wrist corsage. He took the delicate blooms from the bed of tissue and slipped the corsage on her wrist.
    She couldn’t help noticing red roses were his favorite flowers. She didn’t have any doubts now that he had been the one to send them to her at the office. “Thank you.”
    " You’re welcome,” he said, cupping her waist