As Time Goes By (The Californians 2)

by Lori Wick

  When Bobbie felt a wall behind her, she leaned against it. In order to hide their trembling, she locked her hands together behind her back. Jeff still had her glasses, so until he leaned, with his forearm on the wall above her head, his face nose-to-nose with her own, she could not see him clearly.

  "Will you kiss me again, Bobble?" The question was whisper-soft and Bobbie searched Jeff's eyes for why he would be teasing her in this way.

  "Why?" It was the only word that would come. "Don't you want to?"

  "You know I do." Bobbie's heart was in her eyes, and she did nothing to hide how wonderful it was to have Jeff so near. But it wasn't right. "Please don't torment me, Jeff. It's not like you to be cruel."

  "I'm not doing a very good job with this, am I?" He said the words almost to himself, and Bobbie was more confused than ever.

  "May I have my glasses?"

  '9,re you going to run away?"

  "Then no, you may not," he stated without moving. 'Tknd by the way, Sylvia left town this morning. She's headed home to stay."

  Bobbie was silent, digesting this newest information. "Now will you kiss me?"

  "You want me to kiss you because Sylvia left town?" Bobbie felt like her world was spinning.

  "No," Jeff said with great patience. "I want you to kiss me because you're going to be kissing me every day for the rest of our lives and we need the practice."

  Bobbie's hands came up and grabbed frantically at the front of Jeff's shirt. "Please give me my glasses, Jeff."

  He complied this time, and Bobbie searched Jeff's face from behind her lenses. 'This is why God told you to trust Him,' Bobbie said to herself as she clearly saw the love in Jeff's eyes.

  "Why, Bobbie--why has it taken us so long to see what everyone else has seen for weeks?"

  ''I don't know," Bobbie answered, and truly she didn't. "Do you still want that kiss?"

  Jeff's eyes narrowed with emotional fervor, and that was enough answer for Bobbie. Her hands framed either side of his face and she kissed him tenderly on the lips. Bobble would have broken the kiss after a brief moment, but Jeff's arms had come around her, causing her own to slide without prompting around his neck. She returned his kiss with every drop of longing she had ever felt.

  Bobbie was still a little dazed when Jeff stepped away from her with his hands on her shoulders.

  "Don't kiss me like that again until after we're mar ried."

  Bobbie smiled. 'Tknd when will that be?"

  269grinning.

  267

  266 Lori Wick

  "How's this evening?" The look on Jeff's face was so comical that Bobbie giggled. That laugh got her kissed again, and Gilbert, in the outer room, smiled at the silence.

  "Why is the storeroom door shut?" Bill wanted to know as he exited the office.

  "Jeff and Bob are in there."

  'kre they talking?"

  "Some of the time," Gil answered with a grin.

  Bill looked at the closed portal and then back at his son. The two grinned at each other and Gilbert watched his father sigh with relief.

  "It's about time, isn't it, Gilbert?"

  The younger man's smile widened. "Yes, Dad, you're right. More than enough time."

  forty-three

  The hours after lunch evaporated in a dreamy haze for Bobbie. Jeff had a few errands to run and Bobbie made an effort to keep her mind on the job, but Gilbert repeated questions twice before she heard and she forgot the names of two customers. After the second such cus tomer went out the door, Bobbie looked up to see Bill grinning at her. He had been uptown and had just come in.

  "Jeff tells me you're staying." Father and son had run into each other outside the office and Jeff told his father of his plans.

  "I did quit," Bobbie said almost hesitantly. "Did you hire someone else?"

  Bill had no chance to answer because May shot in the door as if she had been chased by hounds.

  "Oh Bobbie, Bobbie! I can't believe it. I just talked to Jeff and he told me. I didn't think he'd ever come to his senses!" Bobbie was enfolded in May's loving embrace, and over her shoulder Bobbie could see that Bill was still

  270 268 Lori Wick As Time Goes By 269

  "Bill!" May suddenly turned on her husband. "'Why haven't you given this girl the day off? Why, she hasn't even had a chance to tell her family!"

  "Well, I---" Bill started, but May cut him off.

  "Now you just run along home, Bobbie; I'll fill in here. I can't think how Bill could have overlooked this."

  Bobbie looked hesitant again, and May rushed on to assure her. "I'll tell Jeff you've gone home and I'm sure he'll be along shortly. We'll be fine for the rest of the day. Oh, here's Jeff now. Walk Bobbie home, dear, and then bring her to supper tonight. Ask Jake and Maryanne too."

  "Can you believe this, Bill? First nothing, now two daughters-in-law and a grandchild..." May's words were cut off as she pushed the young couple out the front door and closed it behind them.

  Bobbie and Jeff looked at each other and burst out laughing. "Your mother is wonderful."

  "That she is. Did you really want to go home?" "It wasn't my idea."

  "Well, then, I'll have to thank my mother for the chance to have you all to myself."

  They walked hand in hand toward the Bradfords', their conversation as relaxed as ever, but now with a certain intimacy that was both mysterious and exciting.

  "The first question we're going to be asked tonight is when," Jeff told Bobbie.

  "You mean, what date have we set?"

  "That's it."

  "Oh." Bobbie walked a few steps in silence. "What do we tell them?"

  "Why, October fifth, of course!"

  Bobbie came to a complete stop just before they walked into her yard. "You've already consulted a calendar?"

  Jeff's look was adorably mischievous. "I've known for some time now that you were the one. Women aren't the only ones to plan and dream, you know. I didn't know when God would bring us together like He did today, but while I waited, I thought about our future constantly."

  "I think I'm ready for you to tell me everything, like when you knew and all that."

  "Well, I think I was pretty unsettled from the very beginning, since I was jealous of Gilbert when he ate

  lunch with you and I had to go to Sylvia's."

  "Gilbert! Are you serious?"

  "I'm afraid so, but that wasn't really the start. The start was when you came to the house to visit me after

  the accident. Remember when we played checkers?" ''i remember."

  "I wanted to kiss your neck in the worst way."

  "Jeff," Bobbie said softly, her cheeks heating just slightly, "that was weeks ago."

  "I know, and all I can say is, God is a strong provider. You see, that was back when I still thought you might marry Cleve, and I knew I had no business feeling as I did, but God somehow moderated my feelings through that time.

  "The moderation began to fade on the camping trip and evaporated completely when I felt your lips on mine."

  Bobbie stared at him in amazement. ''i knew some thing took place on the camping trip, but Jeff, the rest of what you said happened right after I came back to town."

  "Yes, I know." Jeff smiled tenderly and bent to kiss her.

  "I wondered when you two would get around to that," Troy interrupted the kissing couple. "I do hope this means you're going to marry her." Troy directed this

  271

  270 Lori Wick

  question to Jeff, doing his best to look like an enraged father while a grin split his face.

  "How does October fifth sound?"

  "Great!" Troy exclaimed, and hugged his sister before shaking Jeff's hand. The three walked into the house and told Maryanne, who promptly erupted into tears. She couldn't speak for some moments.

  "Oh Bobbie," she finally said, not caring that both Jeff and Troy were listening. "Please tell me it's love this time."

  Bobbie looked to the tall brown-haired man who quite literally held her heart
in his grasp. Maryanne watched her daughter's eyes light with love, a love that matched the tender light in Jeff Taylor's eyes as he returned Bobbie's gaze.

  "Never mind, Bobbie," she stopped her before she could speak. "You just put every fear to rest."

  fo four

  October 5, 1872

  Bobble Taylor was helpless with laughter or she would have tried to reason with her captor.

  "Now, Bobbie, just come along quietly," Rigg said in a voice as smooth as honey. "Let me tell you how much better you have it than my wife did. She was stuck in a cubicle at the church."

  Rigg stopped before a bedroom on the upper floor at the Walcotts' and opened the door with confidence. Bobie was amazed to see Gilbert inside.

  'a, ll right, Gil, here she is. I'll head back down and you see that she doesn't escape."

  Rigg bent low and kissed his new sister-in-law's cheek. "Welcome to the family." Bobbie watched in silence as Rigg sailed back out the door. She turned on Gil as soon as the door shut.

  "Gilbert Taylor! I can't believe you're a part of this!" "I had to, Bobbie," he told her with a helpless smile.

  274 272 Lori Wick As Time Goes By 273

  "Rigg said if I didn't help I would never find my bride on my wedding day."

  Bobbie truly sympathized with him and couldn't hold her laughter. "Where are you going?" She stopped when she saw Gilbert head for the door.

  "I'm supposed to stand guard in the hallway."

  Bobbie looked a little uncertain, and he stopped short of leaving the room.

  "It's all right, Bobbie. I'll be right outside the door. Just make yourself comfortable."

  Bobbie tried to do as she was told, but all she did was pace. They had chosen the room well, since the door Gilbert guarded was the only exit--unless she wanted to escape out a second-story window. She also noticed that the windows were all closed tight. Not that she would have shouted out one of them, but if Jeff began to look for her it would have been nice to wave at him from above.

  Resigning herself to the circumstances, Bobbie finally did as Gil instructed. She sat in a chair and put her feet on a low stool. Within the space of a few minutes, she was sound asleep.

  "I've never seen a dress as beautiful as Bobbie's," Mrs. Walcott informed Jake. "But then I've never known a seamstress like your wife either."

  "She has a real gift. And you, Mrs. Walcott, have a gift for generosity with your home. This is twice in the same year you've let us invade, and we thank you."

  "Oh Jake," she said with a shake of her head, "you must know the pleasure's all mine. I'm a lonely old woman, and your Maryanne--well, let's just say this is a small thing in light of all she does for me."

  They were joined by others, each complimenting Mrs. Walcott on her house and garden. Even though it was well into the fall, her yard was faithfully tended and still a showplace.

  Jake listened with half an ear as Mrs. Walcott con versed. Having seen Rigg take Bobbie into the house and return without her, he had a keen premonition that Rigg was having one on the bridegroom. The thought made him smile, and at the same time he told himself he was not going to get involved, but he was going to keep his eyes open so not to miss any of the action.

  Rigg couldn't have asked for a better lead-in if he had planned it. He was holding Gretchen, looking to all the world as innocent as could be, when he joined his par ents, Jeff, Maryanne, Troy, Carla, and his brother Nate. He. listened to their conversation in silence until Bill asked where Bobbie had gone.

  "I haven't seen her lately," Troy answered.

  "I think she might have gone inside for something. Didn't I see her with you, Rigg?" The conversation went on so swiftly that no one immediately noticed that Rigg hadn't answered Maryanne's question.

  Jeff was about to turn away from the group to look for his bride when he caught the slightest of smiles in his brother's eyes. Halting abruptly, Jeff leveled him with a stare.

  "Rigg?" Jeff's voice was deep and serious.

  "Yes, Jeffrey?" Rigg questioned him with a raise of his brow, and in that instant Jeff's suspicions stepped from doubt onto solid ground.

  "Where is she?" Jeff asked, and tried not to smile. He noticed that Jake had suddenly joined the group, and his

  275 274 Lori Wick As Time Goes By 275

  gaze swung to his new father-in-law, but Jake's look told Jeff he was not an accomplice.

  "Where is Bobbie? You're not having trouble keep ing track of your wife already, are you, Jeff?" Rigg was shocked. "Married these few hours and already apart? That's not a good start, Jeff old man, not good at all."

  Rigg's words so closely echoed those of Jeff's at Rigg's wedding that the groom shouted with laughter.

  "There's just one difference, Rigg," Jeff said through his chuckles. "If I know you, Bobbie is not going to escape from wherever you put her, as Kate did."

  Rigg's grin was unrepentant, and Jeff had to do a good deal of negotiating, as well as put up with plenty of laughter and leg-pulling, to get Rigg to tell. When he finally had his answer, he started toward the house.

  Rigg called after him, "Don't blame Gil; I threatened him into helping."

  Rigg's words made complete sense to Jeff as soon as he hit the upstairs hallway. Gilbert was leaning calmly against the wall as though he was expecting Jeff, and he smiled as he approached. No words were exchanged as Gilbert took himself off to the party and Jeff let himself quietly into the bedroom.

  Bobbie awoke when Jeff's lips touched her own. "Is that how boring you find our wedding day?"

  Bobbie smiled drowsily, and Jeff scooped her into his arms, took her chair, and settled his new wife in his lap. Bobbie cuddled against him and Jeff stole another kiss.

  "Do you know how long I've wanted to hold you like this?"

  "I think so," Bobbie answered, and rested her head on Jeff's shoulder before she spoke again in a whisper.

  "Have I been worth the wait?"

  Jeff kissed her long and hard. "Does that answer your question?"

  "Will you do that again?"

  The groom smiled. "Well, I guess that answers mine." Gilbert, who had come back upstairs to tell the newly weds they were wanted in the garden, hesitated before knocking on the door of the silent room. A space of a few heartbeats passed and Gil shook his head in the empty corridor and started back downstairs. Bill met him on the landing.

  "Did you talk to Jeff?"

  "No, the door is shut and things are pretty quiet."

  Bill remembered in a moment how much he had wanted to be alone with his wife after their wedding.

  "I'm sure they'll come down soon. If not, Rigg can go up, since it's his fault Bobbie's up there in the first place."

  Gilbert had no arguments with that line of reasoning and made a beeline for the food table. Bill, on the other hand, joined his wife, who asked where Jeff and Bobbie were.

  "Newlyweds," was all Bill had to say as they walked arm in arm back to the party.

  276

  epilogue

  Christmas Day 1872

  The Taylor house was filled to the brim with family and friends. Bill, May, and sons were joined by ]ake and Maryanne Bradford, Mr. Parker and Joey, the Marshall Riggs family, including Sean and Marcail Donovan, the Stuart Townsend family, Jeff and Bobbie Taylor, and Troy and Carla Bradford.

  Bobbie was settled on the sofa with her niece Gretchen on her lap and her niece Paige at her side. When Marcail joined them, Bobble laughed in delight at the smile that broke over Gretchen's face upon spotting her Aunt Mar-cail.

  "Did you want to take her?"

  "No, you can keep her. I get to hold her all the time. Will you have your own baby someday, Bobbie?"

  "I hope so," Bobbie said with a smile that widened when her sister-in-law Carla stepped into the room. Bobbie simply could not picture her brother as a father, but it was going to happen in early spring.

  As Time Goes By 277

  Gretchen fussed a little and Bobble transferred her onto her shoulder. With her tiny face cuddl
ed into her aunt's neck, she soon fell asleep. The girls deserted Bobie a few minutes later, and when Jeff saw the couch open next to his wife, he claimed the spot.

  After quickly ducking his head so he could look beneath Bobbie's chin at his niece, Jeff kissed his wife's cheek.

  "What was that for?"

  "Do I need a reason to kiss my wife?"

  "'Definitely not," Bobbie answered, and this time offered her lips for his attention. They talked a few minutes before Sean joined them.

  Bobbie smiled at the sight of him, since he was wearing the shirt that she and Jeff had given him for his sixteenth birthday, just a few weeks past.

  "Are you up for a game of checkers, Jeff?" Sean looked desperate for a distraction of some type, and Jeff was compassionate.

  "'Sure," he answered easily. "Let's go into the kitchen." Sean kissed his niece's tiny head as he left the sofa. Watching them leave, Bobbie thought that Gretchen was probably the only person Sean Donovan was tender with at this time in his life. This was Sean's second Christmas without his father, and from the little Jeff had told her, she knew that he missed him desperately.

  Bobbie had never experienced the troubled teen years that Sean was in the midst of, but also realized she had made the right choices. She prayed right on the spot that Sean would make wise choices, choices based on the good advice she knew he was getting from Rigg and Kaitlin.

  He had worked all summer at the livery and that had basically kept him out of trouble, but he was running

  278

  with a bad crowd again and wanted to quit school. Rigg had put his foot down, but Bobbie wondered when the top would blow sky-high.

  Her thoughts were interrupted when Joey joined her and wanted to hold Gretchen. The transition woke her, but she didn't seem to mind. Bobbie and Joey both watched in fascination as she stretched and yawned, tiny fingers grasping in midair as her arms reached over her head.

  "Isn't she cute?"

  "She certainly is, Joey."

  're you going to have a baby?"

  'Twice in one hour,' Bobbie thought wryly, but answered nonetheless, "I'd like to."

  "You'll have one if God wants you to, right?" "Right." Bobbie answered with pleasure over Joey's insight. The time this young boy took each day to pray for his father's salvation was giving him a new perspective as to the way God deals with His children.