As Time Goes By (The Californians 2) by Lori Wick Page A
Authors: Lori Wick
Tags: Fiction, Historical fiction, General, Romance, Historical, Christian fiction, Religious, Christian, Frontier and Pioneer Life - California, INSPIRATIONAL ROMANCE
Ads: Link
was settled.
Bill stood still and watched Bobbie handle one of his toughest customers.-He stared in amazement when she actually wrung a smile from the old coot. A moment later he motioned Gil and Jeff, both of whom had again wit nessed the entire conversation, into his office.
"Does she ever stop moving?" Bill came right to the point and his sons smiled.
"'I think she took about five minutes to eat her lunch," Gil told his dad.
Bill nodded and was silent a moment. "I want you to keep an eye on her. Now, I don't mean for you to babysit her and ignore your own work, but if you see her lifting something she shouldn't, take it from her. If that's too distracting for you, then I'll talk with her again."
"Lay down the law, Dad, like you did today." There was a teasing glint in Jeff's eyes and Bill smiled.
'She's certainly a surprise,' Bill thought to himself, staying at his desk long after his sons exited. Bobbie wasn't a person that drew any attention to herself. If something needed doing, she did it in silent efficiency. Bill thought that might take a little getting used to.
He knew he had babied May over the years. When it came to some of the tougher jobs or customers, he had always dealt with them. When it came right down to it, May could have handled everything as easily as he did.
What he was feeling today might have stemmed from the fact that he kept forgetting Bobbie was there. She was
69
68 Lori Wick
so quiet and efficient that he was already taking her for granted. By enlisting the help of his sons, he hoped they would all be more aware of her.
The sight of Bobbie, looking at him through those glasses, confident and unwavering, came to mind. It would do them all a little good to have someone like her working around the office, and he would do whatever he had to do to keep her working therenthat is, until she completed her plans for marriage. Bill found himself thinking that the guy who snagged Bobbie Bradford was one lucky fellow.
re you going to work here all the time?" The ques tion came from Marcail who was standing beside Bobbie's desk in the shipping office. It was near closing time and Bobbie was filling out some papers and preparing to leave for the evening.
"Well," Bobbie said slowly, "for awhile."
"I'm not going to work here when I grow up. I'm going
to teach school like Katie."
"Katie is your sister?"
The little girl nodded. "Her real name is Kaitlin. She used to be Kaiflin Donovan but now she's Kaitlin Riggs because she married Rigg."
'nd she's a schoolteacher?"
"Right. She's my teacher and Sean's too. He's my brother. He's 14."
Listening to all of this in thoughtful silence, Bobbie did not want Marcail to know that none of this was news to her. She had of course known Marshall Riggs, or at least of him, for years. And when he had married the schoolteacher, her mother had written and told her all about it.
70
Marcail was at Bobbie's desk because Rigg was in the office with his father. They had come in a few minutes ago, and Marcail, who had already decided that Bobbie was very nice, had come straight to her desk to talk.
"How was school today?" Bobbie asked her young companion, who was regarding Bobbie's long finger nails with dark, serious eyes.
"It was fine. Katie's pretty tired. She says it's because
of the baby. Have you ever had a baby?" "No," Bobbie answered softly. "But you're an aunt?"
"Yes. My sister has five-year-old twins named Paige and Wesley."
"Twins!" Marcail's eyes grew very round. "Do you think Katie will have twins?"
A deep chuckle sounded behind them and both ladies turned to see Rigg listening.
"I'm not sure you should say that to your sister, Marc. She's so tired right now she can't think straight. Hello, Bobbie," Rigg continued. "You've grown up a little bit since I last saw you."
Bobbie smiled, almost mischievously. "You look the same, Rigg. A bit happier, perhaps, which I suspect has something to do with your recent marriage. Allow me to offer my
Bill stood still and watched Bobbie handle one of his toughest customers.-He stared in amazement when she actually wrung a smile from the old coot. A moment later he motioned Gil and Jeff, both of whom had again wit nessed the entire conversation, into his office.
"Does she ever stop moving?" Bill came right to the point and his sons smiled.
"'I think she took about five minutes to eat her lunch," Gil told his dad.
Bill nodded and was silent a moment. "I want you to keep an eye on her. Now, I don't mean for you to babysit her and ignore your own work, but if you see her lifting something she shouldn't, take it from her. If that's too distracting for you, then I'll talk with her again."
"Lay down the law, Dad, like you did today." There was a teasing glint in Jeff's eyes and Bill smiled.
'She's certainly a surprise,' Bill thought to himself, staying at his desk long after his sons exited. Bobbie wasn't a person that drew any attention to herself. If something needed doing, she did it in silent efficiency. Bill thought that might take a little getting used to.
He knew he had babied May over the years. When it came to some of the tougher jobs or customers, he had always dealt with them. When it came right down to it, May could have handled everything as easily as he did.
What he was feeling today might have stemmed from the fact that he kept forgetting Bobbie was there. She was
69
68 Lori Wick
so quiet and efficient that he was already taking her for granted. By enlisting the help of his sons, he hoped they would all be more aware of her.
The sight of Bobbie, looking at him through those glasses, confident and unwavering, came to mind. It would do them all a little good to have someone like her working around the office, and he would do whatever he had to do to keep her working therenthat is, until she completed her plans for marriage. Bill found himself thinking that the guy who snagged Bobbie Bradford was one lucky fellow.
re you going to work here all the time?" The ques tion came from Marcail who was standing beside Bobbie's desk in the shipping office. It was near closing time and Bobbie was filling out some papers and preparing to leave for the evening.
"Well," Bobbie said slowly, "for awhile."
"I'm not going to work here when I grow up. I'm going
to teach school like Katie."
"Katie is your sister?"
The little girl nodded. "Her real name is Kaitlin. She used to be Kaiflin Donovan but now she's Kaitlin Riggs because she married Rigg."
'nd she's a schoolteacher?"
"Right. She's my teacher and Sean's too. He's my brother. He's 14."
Listening to all of this in thoughtful silence, Bobbie did not want Marcail to know that none of this was news to her. She had of course known Marshall Riggs, or at least of him, for years. And when he had married the schoolteacher, her mother had written and told her all about it.
70
Marcail was at Bobbie's desk because Rigg was in the office with his father. They had come in a few minutes ago, and Marcail, who had already decided that Bobbie was very nice, had come straight to her desk to talk.
"How was school today?" Bobbie asked her young companion, who was regarding Bobbie's long finger nails with dark, serious eyes.
"It was fine. Katie's pretty tired. She says it's because
of the baby. Have you ever had a baby?" "No," Bobbie answered softly. "But you're an aunt?"
"Yes. My sister has five-year-old twins named Paige and Wesley."
"Twins!" Marcail's eyes grew very round. "Do you think Katie will have twins?"
A deep chuckle sounded behind them and both ladies turned to see Rigg listening.
"I'm not sure you should say that to your sister, Marc. She's so tired right now she can't think straight. Hello, Bobbie," Rigg continued. "You've grown up a little bit since I last saw you."
Bobbie smiled, almost mischievously. "You look the same, Rigg. A bit happier, perhaps, which I suspect has something to do with your recent marriage. Allow me to offer my
Similar Books
