shot! I couldn't let that happen!" She burst into tears then, and he closed his eyes and held her close. Kat came running then, crying, too. He put one arm around her and simply held them.
"Is everyone all right?" Drake Bridges asked with quiet dignity, recovering his composure. He placed a hand on Molly's shoulder in silent comfort.
"Sir, everyone is fine," Michael answered. He managed to take Kat's cell phone from her hand, and punched in a few numbers. "Lloyd, I need you to come to the Bridges, Bridges, and Porter law firm. You know where it is? Good. Kat needs you. She is fine, but there was an incident, and she is shaken."
"Michael, don't you ever scare me like this again!" Kathleen hit his arm with her balled fist. "And don't you dare scold Molly! Lord, you two are meant for each other! Neither of you have enough common sense to avoid facing down a madman with a gun!" She sobbed. "Damn it, Molly, you are as bad as Michael. You nearly gave me a heart attack. I know I taught the dispatcher some new swear words!" she admitted, and for some reason her words made Molly giggle. Kathleen looked at her in exasperation and then she was giggling, too, and when they hugged each other Michael knew for a fact that things were indeed good between them and they would be fast friends for life.
Michael left Molly with Kat while he took care of loose ends on the scene. The few details that he was sketchy over, Drake Bridges was able to provide. It did not take long for Michael to find out why the man was so successful. He had an air about him that spoke of confidence, and Michael could see that the man was genuinely concerned about his employees, especially little Molly. And when the senior Bridges walked in with a concerned look on his face, Drake wasted no time in going to him and saying, "Dad, everyone is all right. Molly saved my life," he added, shaking his head. "And we are very lucky this police officer was here to take Molly to lunch."
"I think we need to cancel appointments for the afternoon, son. We all need to spend time with loved ones," he said with dignity.
"I agree, Dad," Drake nodded. "Liz, are you up to making the calls...? Just tell them we have had an interoffice emergency and we will call them tomorrow to reschedule."
"Yes, Mr. Bridges," Liz replied, clearly shaken.
"Liz, just show me where the appointments are listed and the telephone numbers. I'll make the calls," Senior Bridges said kindly, stepping behind her desk. "Have you called your Mom or Dad? No...? Well, do so, and ask them to come and drive you home. That goes for everyone. If anyone is too upset to drive, I want to know." He took charge even though he retired over five years earlier. Drake smiled proudly, knowing his father needed to work to calm his own fears.
"Molly, I don't want you going home to an empty apartment," he said. "You'll come home and stay with Rose and I."
"I am not living where I was, Mr. Bridges. I won't be alone."
"Molly is living with my parents and siblings, Mr. Bridges. And I will see to it that she has plenty of attention this afternoon," Michael added, giving the redhead a meaningful look.
"I wouldn't like it if my favorite employee was taken advantage of in any way," Drake said firmly, his deep blue eyes looking right through Michael.
Michael suddenly realized the man knew a lot more about his assistant's situation than she realized he did. He also suspected the concern was more paternal in nature than it was romantic, or even employer to employee. "I assure you that Molly is safe with me, Mr. Bridges. I want only the very best for her for always."
The man smiled then. "Good. Molly has needed someone like you in her life for a long time. Take her home and don't yell at her too much. I know it was foolish on her part to save my life, but I am very grateful she made that decision."
Yell at her? Molly heard Mr. Bridges' words and then she looked at Michael... really looked at him. He was upset with her! But Michael did
"Is everyone all right?" Drake Bridges asked with quiet dignity, recovering his composure. He placed a hand on Molly's shoulder in silent comfort.
"Sir, everyone is fine," Michael answered. He managed to take Kat's cell phone from her hand, and punched in a few numbers. "Lloyd, I need you to come to the Bridges, Bridges, and Porter law firm. You know where it is? Good. Kat needs you. She is fine, but there was an incident, and she is shaken."
"Michael, don't you ever scare me like this again!" Kathleen hit his arm with her balled fist. "And don't you dare scold Molly! Lord, you two are meant for each other! Neither of you have enough common sense to avoid facing down a madman with a gun!" She sobbed. "Damn it, Molly, you are as bad as Michael. You nearly gave me a heart attack. I know I taught the dispatcher some new swear words!" she admitted, and for some reason her words made Molly giggle. Kathleen looked at her in exasperation and then she was giggling, too, and when they hugged each other Michael knew for a fact that things were indeed good between them and they would be fast friends for life.
Michael left Molly with Kat while he took care of loose ends on the scene. The few details that he was sketchy over, Drake Bridges was able to provide. It did not take long for Michael to find out why the man was so successful. He had an air about him that spoke of confidence, and Michael could see that the man was genuinely concerned about his employees, especially little Molly. And when the senior Bridges walked in with a concerned look on his face, Drake wasted no time in going to him and saying, "Dad, everyone is all right. Molly saved my life," he added, shaking his head. "And we are very lucky this police officer was here to take Molly to lunch."
"I think we need to cancel appointments for the afternoon, son. We all need to spend time with loved ones," he said with dignity.
"I agree, Dad," Drake nodded. "Liz, are you up to making the calls...? Just tell them we have had an interoffice emergency and we will call them tomorrow to reschedule."
"Yes, Mr. Bridges," Liz replied, clearly shaken.
"Liz, just show me where the appointments are listed and the telephone numbers. I'll make the calls," Senior Bridges said kindly, stepping behind her desk. "Have you called your Mom or Dad? No...? Well, do so, and ask them to come and drive you home. That goes for everyone. If anyone is too upset to drive, I want to know." He took charge even though he retired over five years earlier. Drake smiled proudly, knowing his father needed to work to calm his own fears.
"Molly, I don't want you going home to an empty apartment," he said. "You'll come home and stay with Rose and I."
"I am not living where I was, Mr. Bridges. I won't be alone."
"Molly is living with my parents and siblings, Mr. Bridges. And I will see to it that she has plenty of attention this afternoon," Michael added, giving the redhead a meaningful look.
"I wouldn't like it if my favorite employee was taken advantage of in any way," Drake said firmly, his deep blue eyes looking right through Michael.
Michael suddenly realized the man knew a lot more about his assistant's situation than she realized he did. He also suspected the concern was more paternal in nature than it was romantic, or even employer to employee. "I assure you that Molly is safe with me, Mr. Bridges. I want only the very best for her for always."
The man smiled then. "Good. Molly has needed someone like you in her life for a long time. Take her home and don't yell at her too much. I know it was foolish on her part to save my life, but I am very grateful she made that decision."
Yell at her? Molly heard Mr. Bridges' words and then she looked at Michael... really looked at him. He was upset with her! But Michael did
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