OPERATION BABE-MAGNET / OPERATION BEAUTY

by Kristin Gabriel

  "But he's shy in a way, too," said another woman. "And sensitive. He just tries to hide it."

  "That's what makes him so adorable," chimed Bianca.

  "I can't believe he's finally ready to settle down," another woman said, looking curiously at Lauren. "What's your secret?"

  She shook her head. "I don't have a secret."

  "There must be something about you that Sam couldn't resist," teased Simone. "He always made it clear that he was a permanent bachelor."

  "Sam said Lauren is beautiful," Travis piped from the corner. "And smart and nice and a real hard worker."

  A blush warmed her cheeks as everyone turned to stare at her again. It was easy to see that she wasn't the only one bitten by the jealousy bug. But she found herself just as curious as the women openly studying her.

  What did Sam see in her? He'd deceived her by playing Philomena, but had he been telling the truth about his feelings for her? Had he really meant it when he'd said he loved her?

  The possibility made her feel slightly giddy. There was one way to find out. "Is Sam the kind of man who…" her voice trailed off, not certain she really wanted to know the answer.

  "Who what?" Bianca prodded.

  She squared her shoulders. "Who tells every woman he dates that he's falling in love with her."

  For a moment, no one said anything. Then Simone smiled. "Okay, I'll be the first one to admit it. As much as I wanted Sam to fall in love with me, he never once uttered those words. Or even hinted at it."

  "Same with me," Bianca said.

  "Me, too," added another room. Soon a chorus of Me, toos filled the room.

  "And you may certainly add my name to the list," said a very familiar voice from the doorway. Philomena's voice.

  Lauren whirled, her heart pounding in her chest. She couldn't believe Sam would have the audacity to appear in drag again. Only one look told her the woman standing in the open doorway wasn't Sam.

  "My name is Philomena Gallagher. So sorry I'm late for the party."

  Lauren stood up, more confused than ever. She was tired of playing games. Tired of trying to fight her feelings for Sam. "You're Philomena?"

  "That's right." The large woman bustled into the apartment, carrying an oversized briefcase in her hand. "I helped Travis arrange this little get-together."

  Travis grinned. "Mrs. Gallagher is my tutor. And Sam's tutor now, too."

  "Sam told me about his recent impersonation of me," Philomena said. "I can't say I approve of his charade, but Sam has a way about him…" She sighed. "And I know he has a good heart." She motioned around the room. "As you've heard from all the testimonials."

  "Everybody here thinks Sam is terrific," Travis told his tutor. "They think Lauren should fall in love with him."

  Philomena turned her shrewd green eyes on Lauren. "Nobody can tell us who to love, Travis. We have to figure that out for ourselves."

  Lauren shook her head. "I don't know what to think anymore."

  Philomena chuckled. "It's been my experience that Samuel T. Kane can have that affect on a young woman. The female grade point average at Jefferson High improved dramatically when he dropped out of school."

  The women behind her started to laugh and the tension broke. Several women began gathering their purchases and their coats.

  Lauren watched as the real Philomena Gallagher marched into the dining room and set her briefcase on the table. "Our lesson starts in ten minutes, Travis. I want your books on the table and a pencil in your hand."

  "Yes, ma'am," Travis said meekly, before hastening down the hallway to his bedroom.

  The party guests began to file out the door. "Be sure to send us a wedding invitation, Lauren," Bianca called out as she left the apartment.

  Lauren turned back to Mrs. Gallagher, who was methodically removing textbooks and notepaper from her briefcase. "So you helped Travis arrange this party. Is there a reason you wanted me to meet all of Sam's old girlfriends?"

  Philomena looked up. "I just wanted you to have all the necessary information to make a decision that could affect the rest of your life. And Sam's."

  "How much did he tell you about us?"

  "Not much." She leaned against the table and folded her arms across her ample chest. "Care to fill me in?"

  Lauren hesitated, wondering how she could possibly describe the ways Sam had changed her life. And the void he'd left behind. "It's a long story."

  "You may write it out for me if you wish," Philomena said. "Two pages, double-spaced. And I expect proper punctuation and correct spelling throughout."

  Despite her embarrassment, a smile tugged at her lips. "That sounds like something a teacher would say."

  "I'm retired now, but do enjoy tutoring students in my spare time." Then Mrs. Gallagher glanced at the watch pinned to the lapel of her jacket. "Where is that boy?"

  "What did Travis mean," Lauren said, still trying to digest the events of the last few minutes, "when he said that you were Sam's tutor?"

  Travis suddenly appeared behind her, his arms full of books. "Mrs. Gallagher is teaching Sam to read. You know, 'cause he has that dizzy stuff."

  "You mean dyslexia?" Lauren asked.

  "Yeah, that's the word." Travis dumped his books onto the table. "He's been trying really hard."

  "Sam can be very tenacious when he sets his mind to something," Mrs. Gallagher added. "Of course, Tenacious is his middle name."

  "I'm glad you're helping him."

  Mrs. Gallagher's eyes softened. "I wanted to help him years ago, but he was too stubborn then to admit he had a problem. Sam was one of my brightest students, but somehow he fell through the cracks of the system."

  Lauren looked up, surprised. "You knew he was dyslexic?"

  "Not at the time. But I did notice how he avoided doing any written work or reading aloud in class. Obviously, something was wrong, but Sam refused to discuss it. Until a few days ago."

  She swallowed. "What happened a few days ago?"

  "You broke his heart."

  Lauren sank down into a chair. "He lied to me."

  Philomena nodded. "Sam's spent a lifetime deceiving people. It was the only way he could protect himself. I think he's only now realizing what it's cost him." She opened her briefcase again. "Here, I want to show you something."

  "What is it?"

  "I've been meeting daily with Sam for intensive tutoring lessons in reading and writing. He's making tremendous progress. In fact, I believe he's only borderline dyslexic. When reading proved too difficult for him in his early elementary school years, he just gave up."

  "He thought he was dumb."

  "He's very smart," Philomena countered. "And very determined." She pulled a sheet of paper out of her briefcase. "But learning to write has proved more difficult for him than reading. So I told him to think of the most important message he wanted to send someone. It proved quite motivational."

  Lauren swallowed hard as the real Philomena Gallagher handed her the sheet of paper. Several erasure marks covered the surface. But the line of carefully penciled words was clear enough to read. It said simply: I love you, Lauren.

  Her throat tightened. "Sam wrote this?"

  "Yes. He's been working on it for a while. This is his latest draft."

  It was the most beautiful love note she'd ever read. She turned to Travis. "Do you know where Sam is now?"

  "He should be here any minute for our lesson," Travis said, then grinned. "Boy, will he be surprised to see you!"

  She wiped a lone tear off her cheek. "Don't tell him I was here, okay?"

  "Okay." Travis's smile faded. "But does this mean you're still mad at him?"

  "No, I'm not mad anymore." Then she impulsively leaned down and kissed Travis's cheek.

  He grimaced and wiped it off. "Yuck. Why do girls always have to kiss you?"

  Lauren laughed and heard Philomena smother a snort of amusement. "Sorry. Sometimes we can't help ourselves."

  "Well, next time, kiss Sam, okay?"

  "Ok
ay," Lauren promised. The she hastily packed her Ladybug Lingerie cases and flew out the door, hoping she wouldn't meet Sam on the way out. She needed time to gather her thoughts and her emotions. But one thing was certain.

  She wasn't going to run scared from love anymore.

  * * *

  18

  « ^ »

  Sam stepped out of the elevator and headed toward his apartment. His tutoring lesson with Mrs. Gallagher had gone well. She was as strict and demanding as she'd been in high school, but now he was old enough to appreciate her single-minded devotion to her students.

  Best of all, she'd approved the love note to Lauren. He'd labored over it and today she'd pronounced it perfect. He intended to take it to Lauren's apartment later and slip it under her door. Not that he had any reason to think she'd be ready to forgive him. She hadn't returned a single one of his many phone messages.

  But Sam loved her too much to give up hope.

  "It's about time you got home."

  Sam stumbled, startled to see Lauren leaning against his door. She wore a trench coat, her long legs bare and a pair of sandals on her feet. "What are you doing here?"

  "I came to answer the ad." She arched a brow. "Are you Prince Charming?"

  His heart beat double time in his chest. "I think you can answer that better than I can."

  Her tongue darted out to moisten her lips and he felt his whole body tighten. "Well, you're definitely charming. And according to all your old girlfriends, you're a prince as well."

  His brow furrowed. "My old girlfriends? When did you talk to them?"

  "It's a long story," she replied, took a step towards him. "I'd rather see how our story ends first."

  "I don't want it to end." Sam tried not to get his hopes up, but they were sky-high anyway. Maybe it had something to do with the glitter in her eyes. Or the playful smile on her lush lips. Or the overwhelming suspicion that she wasn't wearing anything under that trenchcoat.

  "Would you like to come inside?"

  Her smile widened. "How else are we going to see if the bra fits?"

  Sam fumbled with the door key, swearing softly under his breath as he struggled to open it. At last the dead bolt clicked and he swung the door open.

  Lauren walked inside, then turned around and slowly slid the trench coat off her shoulders. He'd been wrong. She wasn't naked underneath. She wore the same baby doll pajamas she'd had on the day he met her.

  His mouth grew dry. "You really know how to welcome a man home."

  "Well?" she asked, arching a brow. "Where's the bra? I want to make sure I'm the right woman for you."

  "I'm already sure." He moved toward her. "You fit perfectly into my life. I want to go to bed each night with you in my arms and wake you up with a kiss every morning. I want to cook for you and laugh with you and make love to you."

  Her eyes gleamed. "That sounds like a dream come true."

  "It can be real," he said, pulling her into his arms. His heart pounded in his chest. "If you'll marry me."

  She leaned up to kiss him. "Yes."

  His heart threatened to explode in his chest. "Really? Even after everything that's happened between us?"

  "I found out you're not perfect, which is a relief in a way. Because I'm not perfect either. I hate to dust and am a lousy cook."

  He grinned. "I noticed."

  "But the best thing is," she said wistfully, "I don't feel like I have to be perfect for you. Or worry that I'll disappoint you. Do you know how wonderful that makes me feel?"

  "Show me," he said huskily.

  She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him with more passion than he thought could possibly exist between two people. A fire burned between them. Not a few fleeting sparks, but a steady, growing flame that would be impossible to extinguish.

  He fanned it with his mouth and his hands until she was moaning in his embrace. Then Sam broke the kiss, then pulled her close, still unable to believe he held a woman as incredible as Lauren in his arms.

  Just like she held his heart.

  "I love you, Lauren," he breathed in her ear, his body trembling with desire and awe.

  "I know, Sam," she said, pure joy bubbling in her throat. "I know."

  * * *

  Epilogue

  « ^

  Amos Kane heard the grandfather clock in his office strike midnight. Twelve chimes. The game was over.

  He knew his grandsons wouldn't disappoint him. He'd sent them a summons requesting their presence. Dexter and Sam both had quit the game before a winner could be declared, but Amos wasn't disappointed.

  Just the opposite, in fact.

  The door to his private office opened and Sam and Dexter walked in, each with a woman on his arm. His two grandsons wore besotted expressions on their faces.

  "Gramps, this is Lauren McBride," Sam said, pride shining in his blue eyes. "My fiancée."

  Amos reached across the desk to shake her hand. "Nice to meet you, Lauren."

  "And this is Kylie," Dexter intoned, circling his arm around her waist. "My fiancée."

  Amos bit back a smile. His grandsons still hadn't lost that competitive edge between them. "The game is over, boys. And now it is time to declare a winner."

  Dexter stepped forward. He'd been working for the Kane Corporation for as long as Amos could remember. Emptying trash cans and delivering mail when he was a just a pimply teenager with more ambition than Amos had seen in grown men.

  "I want Sam to have the Kane Corporation," Dexter announced.

  Amos blinked. "What?"

  "Sam can have it," Dexter said.

  "I don't want it," Sam replied, pulling Lauren closer. "You can have it, Dex."

  "Wait a minute," Amos held up both hands. "Neither one of you want my company?"

  Dexter and Sam looked sheepishly at each other.

  "It's nothing personal, Gramps," Dexter assured him. "It's just that running a company as big as the Kane Corporation takes time. Lots of time. I want to spend that time with Kylie." A blush mottled his cheeks as he gazed down at his fiancée. "And with our future children."

  "And I want to go to college," Sam said. "Mrs. Gallagher told me I'm making great progress. I should be able to take my GED next summer. It's like a whole new world has opened up for me."

  "I see." Amos clasped his hands together. "Do you know what this means?"

  "We're disinherited?" Sam quipped.

  "Hardly," Amos said with a wide smile. "You've each exceeded my wildest expectations. I should have made your father play this game years ago. Then maybe his life would have turned out differently."

  "You're happy we quit the game?" Dexter asked, looking a little confused.

  "I'm happy that you discovered that sometimes you have to break the rules, Dexter. It took your love for Kylie to make you see it. You devoted so much of your life to the Kane Corporation. I think devoting the rest of it to the beautiful woman beside you is definitely a step in the right direction."

  Kylie smiled. "Thank you, Mr. Kane. I definitely agree."

  "And what about me?" Sam asked, arching a brow. "What did I discover, other than how to put on panty hose?"

  Lauren turned to him. "You discovered me. I was lost until you walked into my life with your wig and your water bra."

  His gaze softened on her. "I didn't have a life until I met you, Lauren. You gave me the courage to let my secret out at last."

  "Doesn't anyone care about my secret?" Amos asked, causing all four of them to turn and look at him.

  "I'm almost afraid to ask," Dexter said. "What secret?"

  "I've officially retired and divided my shares in the Kane Corporation equally between the two of you. So you can sell it, or hire someone to run it, or run it yourselves. It's totally up to you. In any event, you will each have a sizable asset to add to your financial portfolios. Enough to allow you to spend the rest of your lives in any way you wish."

  Sam grinned. "Does that include chartering the company jet?"

  "Absolutel
y," Amos replied. "Why? Are you planning a trip?"

  "I thought I might elope with Lauren before she changes her mind."

  His fiancée laughed. "It's too late for that, Sam Kane. You're doomed to be a married man."

  He swept her up in his arms. "And I couldn't be happier about it."

  "What do you think, Sam?" Dexter asked, picking Kylie up in his arms. "Should we marry our brides in Paris?"

  Sam nodded. "Sounds like a very wise executive decision."

  "Dexter," Kylie exclaimed, laughing as she circled her arms around his neck. "What do you think you're doing?"

  "Being impulsive." He kissed her, then grinned. "You should try it some time."

  Amos chuckled as his two grandsons carried their fiancées out of his office, the sound of their laughter ringing down the hallway. "And they call me crazy!"