Chapter Ten
"I've got the address of Teri Cane and a phone number
." Cole fished in his pocket for a pen. Gabby noticed how his hand shook removing a small, black book to write the information in. "According to what the man at the service station told me, we're only a few blocks away.” After writing down the address and phone number, he glanced at Gabby. “I want to thank you for helping me."
"We haven’t found her yet.
”
She didn't want to make light of his good thoughts concerning his sister, but Samantha could be anywhere.
His aunt could have gotten the message jumbled because she hadn’t sounded that reliable. This may not be the right Teri Cane.
"We’ll find her,"
he answered, with a confident sound. "I believe this Teri is the one we’re looking for."
"If it is, have you thought over what you're going to say t
o Samantha once you find her?"
She knew it was going to take a lot of understanding on Cole's part when he approached the distraught Samantha.
Someone needed to listen to her problems and not condemn her for running away.
"I haven’t had the time to think about what I want to say to her
.” His gaze focused on the street signs trying to find where they were. “I’m going to be reasonable when the time comes."
"Please be kind to her
.” She spoke her thoughts without thinking how she must sound to him. Once she uttered the words, she wished she could take them back. Here she was giving him advice, when she was the one who had caused the entire mess.
"I've always been kind to Samantha."
He gave her an odd look.
"She needs your support and love and not a lecture on what she's done,
” she continued more gently trying to soften her words of moments ago.
Gabby knew she may be going to cause problems between her and Cole, but she had to voice her opinions no matter of the outcome.
No one had really listened to the young woman with her problems and that was the reason she would run so quickly.
"I'll make things right with her when I see her
.” A hint of impatience layered his voice. He gave her another quick glance before returning his attention to the street signs.
Gabby realized he didn’t think much of the advice
she had given him on how he should run his life, but somehow she had to help solve Samantha’s troubles.
She looked up and saw several exclusive apartment buildings along the street
. Cole pulled over to the curb and parked. When they reached the entrance of the building, Cole spotted the door attendant.
Gabby thought the place looked like some type of safe house, and the
doorman-acted interference for the people he thought didn't belong there. She could tell by the shrewd look that he gave Cole that he was trying to decide whether to allow him to enter. Cole explained everything to the man and eventually he nodded his head in the direction of the elevator.
On the ride to the tenth floor, Gabby could feel the electric tension radiating from Cole
. He stood silently next to her. She walked with him along the hallway checking the apartment numbers on the doors. Eventually, he spotted the number he had written on the piece of paper at the service station. He raised his hand and tapped lightly on the door.
Minutes passed before a tall brunette answered his knock
. "Yes, can I help you?"
"I'm Cole Powers and I'm looking for my sister Samantha.”
He came right to the point explaining why he was there, before she could ask any questions.
Gabby could tell by the other woman's expression that they had found the right Teri Cane.
Her face was an open book, giving every one of her thoughts away. "Why are you looking for Samantha?"
Gabby realized
this woman wasn’t going to tell them anything further until she got a full explanation from Cole. "Samantha is pregnant and needs to be with the people who love her." Cole again came straight to the point, not bothering with small talk. "She's frightened and I want to help her."
Teri listened quietly to what he had to say before offering her opinion.
"She doesn't want to marry her fiancé," Teri said also coming straight to the point. "Are you here to take her back for that purpose, or to help her?"
Listening to her, Gabby knew this was a true friend of Samantha's.
She was trying to protect her even if she had to go against Cole's wishes.
"I'm not here to take her home to get married."
Cole gave an exasperated sigh continuing to meet the other woman's unflinching stare. "All I want to do is help Samantha. Is she here, Ms Cane?"
The woman remained silent for several seconds as if deciding whether she could trust Cole.
Gabby watched the war of emotions dancing swiftly across her face as she continued to study Cole.
"I'm afraid you missed her by a couple of hours," she finally relented, after what seemed an eternity to Gabby.
"She said she was going back to her aunt's home for a long visit."
Cole reached out unexpectedly and shook her hand.
"I want to thank you for your help. I also want to assure you that my main purpose is to help Samantha."
"Be gentle with her
." Teri Cane almost matched Gabby’s earlier words. "She feels confused and upset."
"I will and thank you again
.” With one last shake, he released her hand.
Gabby glanced one last time at the woman standing in the open doorway, and lifted her hand in a wave.
A friendly smile suddenly appeared across the brown-haired woman’s lips. She knew Gabby was trying to help Samantha, too.
Reaching the car
parked in front of the building, Cole was in a more upbeat mood. He laughed and joked with Gabby driving through the city toward the interstate.
"Do you think you can stay until Tuesday morning?
My aunt's home has plenty of bedrooms and she'll enjoy the company."
"I'll have to call Joe and let him know my plans
. I'm sure it will be all right with him." Gabby figured her time was running out with Cole, and one more day was like a reprieve to her. She knew her future held a lifetime of loneliness without him.
"We'll swing by the hotel and pick up our luggage on the way to Aunt Meredith's,
” He told her, already making plans for the next two days. “This will make it easier, instead of coming back tomorrow.”
It
did not take long to reach the hotel and check out. After loading their luggage in the rental car, they traveled toward the interstate again. The last of their journey, Gabby thought silently. She watched the landscape changing to the country scenery with trees and hilly terrains, leaving the busy city behind.
The miles sped past too quickly to suit her.
Before, it took much longer for Cole to reach his aunt’s home, but now, they were covering the distance swiftly.
Cole
eventually pulled onto the long drive at his aunt's home and turned off the engine. She got out and walked with Cole to the door, doing her best to compose herself. He rang the bell and stood waiting impatiently for an answer. The door eventually swung open, and a woman with dark hair looked out at them.
Gabby knew without anyone telling her that this had to be Samantha.
She looked so much like Cole, with the black eyes and dark hair; she could have passed for his twin.
"Cole?"
Samantha uttered his name in a shocked whisper. "What are you doing here, and how did you find me?" Tears brightened her dark eyes and she blinked rapidly to stop their flow.
Cole reached out and gathered her slender body
against his. Gabby watched Samantha place her head against his chest. Heavy sobs rocked her body and he reached up and patted her head gently.
When her tears began to subside, he held her away from him and removed his handkerchief.
He tenderly wiped the moisture away and smoothed away a stray lock of her hair that had fallen across her forehead.
"Samantha, you've had me so worried," he
began soothingly. "I thought something had happened to you."
"I'm all right,"
she reassured him. "I just needed a little time to think things over about my life and come to some decisions, but what happened to your eye."
“Just a little accident at work
.” He dismissed the patch and her concern with a wave of his hand. “The covering will be coming off in a couple of weeks.”
Meredith appeared behind them.
"What are you all doing standing on the porch? Come in and we'll have some tea.”
Gabby hid a smile over Cole's aunt suggesting tea again.
That must be her remedy for everything. Gabby followed the other three out to the patio. When everyone sat, Samantha gave Gabby a curious look.
“She came along to help me find you. Samantha, this is Gabby Fallon.”
A silence fell over the group as Samantha dropped her long lashes in embarrassment. When she glanced up again, a tight smile lined her lips. "I didn't expect you to have to look for me, Ms Fallon."
"Call me Gabby, Samantha
. After talking to Cole, I wanted to help him and make sure everything was all right with you. Please believe me when I say I'm not trying to butt into your personal life."
Gabby purposely omitted that Cole had threatened her with a lawsuit if she didn't help him.
Nothing good would come out of telling the distraught Samantha of her brother’s devious methods in finding her. This bit of information didn't seem important now.
"Oh, I know you aren't,
but I feel so embarrassed over how things are turning out. You were such a wonderful help to me when I needed you and I'll always be grateful."
“Thank you,
“Gabby sensed part of the burden lifting from her.
The sound of cups and a teapot jingled noisily on a tray
Meredith carried out to the patio. "I see that you've all straightened everything out," Meredith clucked, setting out to pour the tea. "You'll be staying tonight, won't you, Cole?"
"Yes,
I would like to talk to Samantha alone,” he told Meredith, before looking at his sister.
Gabby didn't like the way Cole was making his plans clear to Samantha.
He might want to get her alone to try to persuade his sister to go back to New York and marry Michael. He had told Teri Cane not to worry, because this wasn't his intention. Judging by the determined look on his face, Gabby felt almost certain he had the idea planted in his mind.
"I'll go tell Katherine to set more places at the dinner table," Meredith said,
walking off toward the hallway.
"Why don't you let me show you to your room, Gabby?"
Cole asked. "This will give you time to shower before dinner."
She had no choice but to follow him up the winding staircase to the second floor. Before leaving, Gabby had given Samantha an encouraging smile, hoping this would help the young woman in putting up a defense against her determined brother.
W
hen Cole opened the door, Gabby stepped into a bedroom decorated in an early American theme. Oak furniture looked shiny and lustrous, with variegated shades of braided rugs covering the hardwood floors.
"This is lovely, Cole," Gabby said, turning to him in the doorway.
"Be sure and mention to your aunt how I appreciate her hospitality.”
"I’ll let you tell her over dinner
. Katherine, the cook, usually serves at six, so I'll meet you in the living room at five-thirty.” He reached over to brush her lips softly with his. "I'll see you in a little while."
Gabby watched him walk away before closing her door.
She glanced at the clock on the dresser, noticing that it was only four o'clock. The curtains were open so she walked over to the window and gazed down into the yard.
Gabby
turned from the window and made her way into the bathroom to shower. By five, she dressed and reapplied her make up. It was nearing five-thirty when she walked down the curving staircase.
Reaching the lower level of the house, she could hear voices coming from the patio.
One of the voices she recognized as Cole's. Soon she heard Samantha's rise in protest. Things didn’t sound like they were going too smoothly.
She made her way out to the front of the house, keeping a safe distance from the patio.
Walking through the flower, strewn yard, she purposely took her time to give Cole and Samantha privacy.
S
he made her way inside and she couldn’t hear the voices anymore. Apparently, their discussion was over and they were in the living room waiting for her. Approaching the doorway, she looked inside.
Cole, Samantha
, and Meredith sat on the couch talking in subdued tones. Looking at Cole's features, Gabby felt certain he hadn't succeeded in forcing his will on Samantha. Good for her, she thought silently, realizing that his sister had ideas of her own and it looked like she was going to stand by them.