Read Operation Valentine for Free Online Page A

her iPad. She had finished her profile and was now scrolling through matches. ‘So these are the potentials? They don’t look half bad.’
    She forgot her initial reluctance to accept his help and glanced up hopefully. ‘Really?’
    â€˜No, I’m pulling your leg.’
    â€˜Be serious.’ She turned the iPad around. ‘What about this one? He’s an architect. He loves Thai food and windsurfing.’
    He shook his head at the cheesy photograph beside the profile. ‘Trying too hard.’
    â€˜And this one?’
    â€˜He’s a soldier.’
    â€˜Hence the great body,’ she said brightly.
    â€˜But he’ll be away a lot and could potentially die.’
    â€˜Okay, fussy. What about this Earnest Bentton?’
    â€˜Don’t like his name.’
    â€˜Sam Hardgrave?’
    â€˜Too old.’
    They argued over a few more until she finally said crossly, ‘Okay. Obviously you’re not going to approve of any of my choices, so you pick one.’
    He scrolled down. She had fifty-three matches. There had to be one decent guy in there somewhere, surely.
    â€˜Aha!’
    â€˜You found someone.’
    â€˜Tom Beresford. A thirty-year-old accountant from South Perth. Loves animals, hiking and old movies. Looking for a young, independent woman who knows what she wants.’
    â€˜Hmmm.’ Sarah glanced at his photo.
    â€˜Okay, so he’s not Brad Pitt, but he’s not ugly.’
    â€˜No,’ Sarah agreed reluctantly, ‘I guess he looks all right. His eyes are nice.’
    â€˜Forget his eyes,’ Owen scoffed, ‘this guy is the real deal.’
    â€˜You got all that from his three-sentence teaser profile?’
    â€˜Well, he’s thirty, so he’s done his dash with women. He’s played the field and he’s ready to settle down.’
    Her brow furrowed. ‘Hang on a minute, how old are you?’
    â€˜I’m thirty-five, but I’m not a good example.’
    She blew her fringe. ‘Tell me about it. All right, go on.’
    â€˜He’s an accountant. So he’s got money and probably has some savings – property or assets.’
    â€˜Money isn’t that big a draw card for me.’
    â€˜Really?’ His mouth twisted. ‘That’s refreshing. Anyway,’ he looked down at the page again, ‘he loves animals, so he’ll probably want kids some day, and the old movies thing, that’s shorthand for good, solid, traditional values.’
    She squinted. ‘Are you sure about this?’
    â€˜As sure as I can be without meeting the guy. Besides, doesn’t the last line just draw your attention? He wants a young, independent woman who knows what she wants.’
    She looked worried. ‘Do I know what I want?’
    He raised his eyebrows. ‘A date for Valentine’s Day?’
    She shook her head as though clearing cobwebs. ‘Oh yeah, of course. So you think I should contact Tom?’
    He took a breath and then, surprisingly, the question made him pause. He had picked this guy, so why was he hesitating? He didn’t want to date her himself, so why shouldn’t he pass her on? Suddenly the game wasn’t quite as fun now that it was real. Thankfully, he was saved from responding by another phone call. This time it was his own phone that was buzzing.
    â€˜One moment.’ He reached into his pocket and then pressed it to his ear.
    â€˜Dad!’
    â€˜Oh, hi, sweetie.’
    â€˜Where are you? I’m getting hungry. You said you were bringing home pizza tonight.’
    â€˜Yeah, yeah, of course.’ He glanced at his watch. ‘I’ll be right there.’
    When he got off the phone, Sarah was giggling. ‘Forget you had a date tonight, sweetie ?’
    Before thinking it through, he said defensively, ‘No, that was my daughter. She was expecting me home by now.’
    â€˜Get out of town!’ She grinned. ‘You have a