As Time Goes By (The Californians 2) (9 page)

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Bobbie's features washed relief; he understood. He had also come close enough for her to see him. After watching her search his face with anxious eyes, he finally understood that he needed to draw nearer.

"Thank you." Bobbie smiled into his face, now so near her own, thinking he was the nicest guy on earth. "If you'll take me first to your dad's office, I'll explain."

"It's all right. He knows all about it." Bobbie need not know that Bill had learned much from his vantage point in the doorway.

Once out in the front office, Gil left Bobbie standing by the desk while he collected her coat. She heard conversation behind her but was again examining her glasses and paid no attention. When Bobbie's coat was dropped onto her shoulders she slipped into it and felt her arm taken as she was guided out the door. When they had gone about ten steps on the street Bobbie came to a halt.

"I need to tell you something, Gilbert. You need to be a step in front of me and let me take your arm. That way if you move I can feel it. If you come to a step, you'll need to say something or slow way down.'"

"I'll do just that, and by the way, I'm Jeff."

They had maneuvered into position, and Bobbie alst

tripped when she heard who was escorting her. "Where's Gilbert?" Bobbie asked in a small voice.

"He stayed at the office. I need to pick something up at Rigg's and I told him I would take you."

For some reason this was embarrassing to Bobbie. She felt that Gil was aware and concerned about her plight. Not that Jeff was being unkind, but she wasn't sure he really understood. She didn't really care to explain all over again about needing help, but in the next few minutes she wished she had swallowed her pride and explained.

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"I take it you can find your way from here, Bobbie," Jeff said as he stopped before the mercantile. The shipping office was on a busier street than the mercantile and Jeff honestly believed Bobbie would have no trouble the rest of the way. He was gone before she could say a word. Bobbie found she was more frightened than she had ever been in her life.

Five minutes passed while she tried to calm herself. She did know exactly where she was, but had never been in this situation before. Maybe she could make it home.

Bobbie tried to think of where the boardwalk ended, if it was right at the corner of the mercantile or a little before. She held the broken spectacles up before her, thankful that the glass was intact. Moving slowly, Bobbie was able to get her hand on the side of the building. Afraid she would drop her glasses and never find them, they went into the pocket of her coat.

It was a chilly day and having to move slowly did nothing to warm her. Bobbie was almost to the steps when Rigg and Jeff noticed her from inside the store. They exited the building together and Bobbie was just about to step off into midair when Rigg's hand stopped her.

"Oh, thank you. Who's there?" Bobbie looked up at

the blurry features.

"It's Rigg."

"Oh." Bobbie wanted to cry with relief. "I know you're terribly busy, Rigg, but I'm in a jam. I didn't explain to Jeff that I needed help getting all the way home, and now he's left. Troy is working at the livery, so maybe you could let him know I need help. I know you're busy." She finished in quiet embarrassment and Rigg led her to the bench in front of his store.

"Just sit here a minute, Bobbie. Jeff is still here."

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Rigg wondered how long Jeff would have stood staring at Bobbie if he hadn't given him a shake. He seemed to be transfixed by the sight of Bobbie struggling along. Standing about ten feet away from her, he hurried forward after Rigg touched him.

"Here, Bobbie, let me help you."

Bobbie came to her feet and moved down the street with Jeff, wishing as she went that Gilbert had simply taken her home.

twelve

Bobbie was shivering uncontrollably by the time they reached the house. She stood just inside her front door and tried to calm down. Jeff had come a little farther into the living room and found himself staring at her once again.

In truth, Jeff was horrified over what he had just done. He asked himself how he could possibly have left her at the mercantile after witnessing the fact that she hadn't even recognized him in the storeroom, and again as they walked down the street she had thought he was Gilbert.

Something inside him had nearly torn in two as he had felt her arm trembling on his own on the walk home.

"I'm sorr) Bobble. I feel ashamed I wasn't more sensitive to your needs."

"It's all right, Jeff. I should have explained. I need to talk with your father. It never occurred to me that your family didn't realize the problem I have with my vision." Bobbie's voice was soft, almost resigned.

"It's not going to change your status on the job, Bobie. I can promise you that."

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Bobbie only shrugged, clearly not believing him, and began to move across the room. That it was familiar to her was obvious, but Jeff was still pretty disturbed, and so he spoke up.

"Bobbie, if you'll just tell me what you need, I can get it."

"That's all right, Jeff. You don't need to stay. I'll come back as soon as I repair my glasses."

Jeff ignored her and deliberately moved to block her path. She stopped and stared up at him, noticing ab sently that she was feeling warmer.

Jeff brought his face down to what he believed to be

very close. "Can you see me?"

"Pretty much."

Jeff moved again, this time until his nose was no more

than an inch from hers. "Now?" "Yes."

"I want you to tell me what you need. I really can be of much more use than I was here in the last hour. So if you'll just tell me what you want, I'll get it."

Bobbie could see that he was determined. "I need to go into the kitchen."

Jeff turned his back to her. "Grab hold of the back of my coat." Bobbie grabbed on and was led into the kitchen.

"Now," she said, "over in the pantry there's a basket with odds and ends in it." She was quiet while Jeff retrieved it.

"What I need is a small tool that repairs the tiny hinges in these frames." Bobbie reached into her pocket for the glasses, and Jeff seated them both at the table.

Jeff nearly pressed the tool into her hand but instead picked up the glasses she had laid on the table. Bobbie

didn't object, but leaned very close in an effort to see him work. He worked with careful precision, no easy task with Bobbie's nose almost touching his cheek. He no ticed how nice her hair smelled and nearly told her so,

but just then the back door opened and in walked Troy. "Is that you, Dad?"

"What happened to your glasses?" Bobbie's question about who he was told him instantly, before he had even looked at her, that she couldn't see. Never was Troy more protective than when his sister couldn't see. Even as a child he could become almost violent if Bobbie were

threatened when she was without her glasses. "They broke at work." 're you all right?"

"Yes," Bobbie answered, but would have scowled at her brother had she seen the measured look he was giving Jeff. Although aware of Troy's scrutiny, Jeff felt it was best to ignore it.

"Got it!" Jeff said with great satisfaction. He meticu lously wiped the fingerprints from the lenses before handing them back to Bobbie.

"Thanks, Jeff," Bobble said with a relieved smile when she could see again. She then looked at her brother. "How come you're home?"

Troy shrugged. A family friend had come into the livery to say he thought he had seen Bobbie in front of the mercantile. Troy had been unable to concentrate after that so he took off to find out if it had been her. There had been no sign of her in the shipping office and Troy had nearly run home in a state of panic to find her. She had been out of their life for so long and it had scared him to think that something could happen to her when they had just gotten her back.

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Troy never answered her, but for the moment Bobbie

didn't seem to notice his quiet behavior.

"I need to get back to work."

"I'll go with you," Jeff said, and trailed silently after her. Troy's gaze had warmed slightly, and Jeff, not in clined to take things personally, figured Troy had been worried about his sister.

The walk back to the shipping office was equally as quiet as the exit from the house. Wasting no time once she was back inside, Bobbie went straight to Bill's office. She entered when he called "come in" and Jeff walked into the storage room to find Gil.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Taylor, I really am. It never occurred to me that you didn't know. I do have an extra pair of glasses that I'll bring in so I won't be completely out of commission if this happens again."

Bill listened in patient silence. She had apologized at least six times, and even though he had assured her that everything was fine, he could see that this had really shaken her up. She wasn't anywhere near this upset when she left, and Bill couldn't help but wonder what had happened while she had been gone with Jeff.

They continued to talk, and in time Bill could see that he was finally getting through to her, making her under stand he wasn't at all upset and that she still had the job for as long as she needed.

But as they finished, Bill wondered if he should ques tion Jeff. Maybe he could shed some light on why this very efficient young woman had been totally rattled over her glasses breaking.

"I should have explained to you," Gil said quietly.

"I should have seen with my own eyes that she needed help." Jeff was still reprimanding himself as he and Gilbert talked in the back room.

"Well, I'm glad you spotted her at the mercantile when you did and Rigg was able to grab her. Don't look so down, Jeff. You said you apologized."

"I know." But Jeff didn't look the least bit consoled. He left the storeroom to help two customers, and by the time Bobbie came out of Bill's office, he had formulated a plan.

"Bobbie," Jeff approached her immediately. "I was wondering if you'd let me take you to lunch today?"

"That's very nice of you, Jeff, but you don't have to do that." Bobbie was in no way fooled by this sudden invitation. Jeff was still feeling badly about the morning and Bobbie admitted to herself that it had been very upsetting, but it was nothing to feel guilty about for the remainder of the day.

"I know I don't have to. I want to."

Bobbie smiled at him, but didn't answer. He was dif ferent now than when she had known him before, very different. In fact, it was like getting to know a complete stranger. She knew his treatment of her that morning had not been out of rudeness and Bobbie wished she knew him well enough to know what was going on inside his head.

Jeff had no idea how handsome he looked to Bobbie at that moment, as he looked at her in silent entreaty. 'He really is wonderful to look at,' she told herself, still wishing she knew him better.

"I brought my lunch." Bobbie tried another tactic after a moment of silence.

"Then take it home with you." Jeff was not to be dissuaded.

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Bobbie cocked her head to one side. "Has anyone ever called you pushy?"

"I think you just did," Jeff answered, and deliberately mimicked Bobbie's movement with his head.

Bobbie put her head to the other side and Jeff did the same. She told herself not to smile. After all, she rea soned, it would only encourage him.

"You're trying not to smile," Jeff said knowingly, and

it was too much for Bobbie. Her grin nearly split her face. "Will you go?" "Yes."

Jeff's grin was triumphant and Bobbie shook her head in mock disapproval as she headed into the back room.

thirteen

The next hour saw a buzz of activity in the front of the shipping office. Gil and Bobbie worked steadily in the back, with an occasional trip out front to help Jeff and Bill.

The inventory would have been done long before lunch if Bobbie hadn't needed to leave. It was nearing 1:00 when Jeff looked up to see Sylvia walking in the door.

"I figured something like this must have happened. I can see you've been very busy, so I'll forgive you if you come to lunch right now, like you were
supposed
to an hour ago."

Jeff caught himself just before he began to babble. How in the world could he have forgotten that Sylvia asked him to lunch at her sister's? Now what was he going to do?

Sylvia, who had been smiling at him and was obvi ously in good humor, was beginning to frown over the way Jeff stood and stared at her in mute indecision.

"I'll be right with you," Jeff finally said, then rushed into the back room, leaving Sylvia. alone.

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"We're almost finished. Are you ready to leave?" Bobie spoke as Jeff approached.

"Not exactly." Jeff said the words carefully, mentally measuring how he was going to explain.