As Time Goes By (The Californians 2) Read Online Free Page B
Author: Lori Wick
Tags: Fiction, Historical fiction, General, Romance, Historical, Christian fiction, Religious, Christian, Frontier and Pioneer Life - California, INSPIRATIONAL ROMANCE
thinking.
''i think you're right. I do put too much stock on good looks. If I hurt you just then, I'm sorry."
38 As Time Goes By 37
"Oh, don't apologize Jeff, or feel bad." Bobbie's voice grew dry, but her eyes were sparkling. "You're just a teenage boy and they usually don't know any better."
Jeff looked shocked again, and then let his head fall back against the tree and laughed--a deep-down laugh that came from the pit of his stomach and nearly made it ache.
They talked undisturbed for the next half-hour. Jeff couldn't believe what a good time he was having. Roerta Bradford was a lot of fun. He had even managed to forget Sylvia, until he looked up to see her and Richard headed their way.
"My, but there's a lot of laughter going on over here."
Sylvia's mouth was smiling but her eyes weren't. "Yeah, Jeff, how's the long straw?"
Jeff leveled Richard with a look that was almost dangerous. The other boy knew he had overstepped his bounds and immediately shut his mouth. Sylvia wasn't so tactful.
"Oh, come now, Jeff. Don't get so mad. I'm sure Bobie understands that you wouldn't have brought her if you'd had a choice."
Once again Jeff's furious eyes were directed at Richard, now knowing that he had told Sylvia what they had done in the barn. Jeff then looked to the young woman with whom he believed himself to be in love. She had never had Jeff angry with her before, and it was almost frightening. When Richard pulled on her hand she left the other couple willingly. No one noticed that Bobbie's face had lost all color.
"What did Richard mean, Jeff?" Bobbie asked softly. "It's nothing, Bobbie. Forget it."
"That's not true, Jeff, or you'd be looking me in the eye."
Jeff didn't answer, and Bobbie heard Richard's words again in her mind: "The long straw."
"You drew straws to see who would ask me, didn't you, Jeff?" Two other couples were close now, and when Jeff still wouldn't look at her, Bobbie's eyes traveled to the others.
;They all know,' she realized in an instant as their eyes regarded her with embarrassment and pity.
"I'm not feeling very well, Jeff. I'd really like it if you'd take me home."
"We haven't gone boating yet," Jeff said almost desperately, seeing how quickly the afternoon was about to be ruined. "See, all the boats are stacked over there waiting. All the families will be arriving in about a half-hour."
"You're welcome to come back and go boating, Jeff, but the truth is, I'm not feeling so well. I want to go home."
When Jeff made no move to comply, Bobbie turned and walked away from him. It took a moment before he could see she was going to walk home. He ran and stopped her with a hand on her arm.
"Bobbie, do you really want to leave?"
"Did you really draw straws or am I jumping to conclusions?"
"We drew straws." The words were fraught with shame.
"For all the girls or just me?"
Jeff swallowed convulsively. "Just you."
"Please take me home."
Jeff nodded. "'Wait here while I hitch the horses." Bobbie stood stock-still as Jeff went to get the wagon and to tell Pastor they were leaving. She didn't even acknowledge Angie when she called to her. She climbed
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38 Lori Wick
into the wagon as soon as Jeff stopped beside her, even before he could help her.
On the ride home the silence became oppressive. Jeff didn't know what to say. Sorry wasn't enough. He found himself begging God to turn back the hands of time and let him live the last three weeks over; he promised he would do better.
There was no one home at the Bradfords. Bobbie told Jeff goodbye and went inside. Jeff sat in the wagon for a time, not sure whether to head home or to the lagoon. He finally opted for home. He knew he was going to be in more trouble than he had ever been in his life. But even if he was waiting to kill him, Jeff Taylor had to see his father.
Jeff, how could you?" The question came from his mother and her faced mirrored the torment within. "Maryanne Bradford bought dress material with money she didn't have to
''i think you're right. I do put too much stock on good looks. If I hurt you just then, I'm sorry."
38 As Time Goes By 37
"Oh, don't apologize Jeff, or feel bad." Bobbie's voice grew dry, but her eyes were sparkling. "You're just a teenage boy and they usually don't know any better."
Jeff looked shocked again, and then let his head fall back against the tree and laughed--a deep-down laugh that came from the pit of his stomach and nearly made it ache.
They talked undisturbed for the next half-hour. Jeff couldn't believe what a good time he was having. Roerta Bradford was a lot of fun. He had even managed to forget Sylvia, until he looked up to see her and Richard headed their way.
"My, but there's a lot of laughter going on over here."
Sylvia's mouth was smiling but her eyes weren't. "Yeah, Jeff, how's the long straw?"
Jeff leveled Richard with a look that was almost dangerous. The other boy knew he had overstepped his bounds and immediately shut his mouth. Sylvia wasn't so tactful.
"Oh, come now, Jeff. Don't get so mad. I'm sure Bobie understands that you wouldn't have brought her if you'd had a choice."
Once again Jeff's furious eyes were directed at Richard, now knowing that he had told Sylvia what they had done in the barn. Jeff then looked to the young woman with whom he believed himself to be in love. She had never had Jeff angry with her before, and it was almost frightening. When Richard pulled on her hand she left the other couple willingly. No one noticed that Bobbie's face had lost all color.
"What did Richard mean, Jeff?" Bobbie asked softly. "It's nothing, Bobbie. Forget it."
"That's not true, Jeff, or you'd be looking me in the eye."
Jeff didn't answer, and Bobbie heard Richard's words again in her mind: "The long straw."
"You drew straws to see who would ask me, didn't you, Jeff?" Two other couples were close now, and when Jeff still wouldn't look at her, Bobbie's eyes traveled to the others.
;They all know,' she realized in an instant as their eyes regarded her with embarrassment and pity.
"I'm not feeling very well, Jeff. I'd really like it if you'd take me home."
"We haven't gone boating yet," Jeff said almost desperately, seeing how quickly the afternoon was about to be ruined. "See, all the boats are stacked over there waiting. All the families will be arriving in about a half-hour."
"You're welcome to come back and go boating, Jeff, but the truth is, I'm not feeling so well. I want to go home."
When Jeff made no move to comply, Bobbie turned and walked away from him. It took a moment before he could see she was going to walk home. He ran and stopped her with a hand on her arm.
"Bobbie, do you really want to leave?"
"Did you really draw straws or am I jumping to conclusions?"
"We drew straws." The words were fraught with shame.
"For all the girls or just me?"
Jeff swallowed convulsively. "Just you."
"Please take me home."
Jeff nodded. "'Wait here while I hitch the horses." Bobbie stood stock-still as Jeff went to get the wagon and to tell Pastor they were leaving. She didn't even acknowledge Angie when she called to her. She climbed
39
38 Lori Wick
into the wagon as soon as Jeff stopped beside her, even before he could help her.
On the ride home the silence became oppressive. Jeff didn't know what to say. Sorry wasn't enough. He found himself begging God to turn back the hands of time and let him live the last three weeks over; he promised he would do better.
There was no one home at the Bradfords. Bobbie told Jeff goodbye and went inside. Jeff sat in the wagon for a time, not sure whether to head home or to the lagoon. He finally opted for home. He knew he was going to be in more trouble than he had ever been in his life. But even if he was waiting to kill him, Jeff Taylor had to see his father.
Jeff, how could you?" The question came from his mother and her faced mirrored the torment within. "Maryanne Bradford bought dress material with money she didn't have to
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