Whatever Tomorrow Brings (The Californians 1) by Lori Wick Page B
Authors: Lori Wick
Tags: Fiction, General, Grief, Romance, tragedy, Christian fiction, Religious, Christian, San Francisco (Calif.), California - History - 1850-1950, Hawaii
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his eyes were intent on her face from his close position beside her. Kate didn't want to know what he meant by better, so she lowered the paper only to find the room empty.
"Where did everyone go?" Once again Kate's voice was breathless and she wanted to pinch herself.
"They're all in the kitchen; supper's almost ready."
"Oh, my!" Kaitlin exclaimed, "I should be helping." Kate quickly folded the paper and hurried to rise but Rigg caught her arm and kept her in her seat.
"Do you always do the proper thing?" He sounded amused.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Don't you?" There was still a smile lurking behind his eyes.
"Mr. Riggs, if you have something to say to me, I'd appreciate you simply coming out with it."
"I do have a capacity for making you furious, don't I Katie?" He had changed the subject in midstream and Kate was having a hard time keeping up with him. She decided not to try.
"If you'll excuse me, Mr. Riggs, I think I'll go into the kitchen to see if your mother needs help."
"She doesn't," Rigg said as Kate tried to rise and found he'd sat on her skirt. That he was equally aware of his position became clear as soon as Kaitlin turned her head to look at him. His look was almost angelic.
They sat looking at one another for a long moment. Kate could see that Rigg was enjoying himself and even though she was frustrated with him, she had to admit that he was the best looking man she'd ever seen.
Very softly, so Rigg had to lean to hear her, Kaitlin said, "You, Mr. Riggs, are a flirt."
Kate was very satisfied with the look of shock that registered on his face. In the next instant she had tugged her skirt free and was headed toward the kitchen.
"And heavenly Father, we thank you for the family that has come into our midst. Please bless them and take care of them, and use all of us to Your good pleasure. In Christ's name I pray, Amen."
Mr. Taylor's prayer worked wonders at calming Kaitlin's nerves. It was a classical farm kitchen, the kind she'd only read about, with a very large table and plenty of chairs. Her place was between Jeff and Sean and unfortunately, across the table was Rigg. He was very solicitous to Marcail who was beside him, holding the bowls of food and anything else she needed to serve herself. But even though his attention was centered on the youngest Donovan, he was more than able to make Kate feel self-conscious with his intense glances and warm smile.
That Rigg was the only one staring at Kate, was thanks to Bill Taylor. He had arrived at the house with Jeff and Gil not too long before Rigg, only to find Nate staring at Kate as though he'd never seen a woman before. That his older boys followed suit the moment they arrived, had been a source of great disturbance to him. Kaitlin, intent upon her reading, did not see the father of these young men signal them out of the room to inform each of them that they knew better and to please not do anything to make their guest uncomfortable.
Sean had been an unwilling observer to the whole episode and every time he looked at Kaitlin he wanted to cry. His heart ached for Hawaii where Katie was just Katie and not the object of every man's attention, or where Marcail was not shaken and bruised by some man who never saw her steal a thing.
Maybe he was too young to understand all the ways between men and women but he told himself he was not ever going to stare at a woman as though she had two heads, or blush and stutter when spoken to, no matter how pretty she might be. After all, a person's true beauty was beneath their skin. He might be only 14 but Sean Donovan believed that with all of his heart.
Rigg watched the emotions scoot across Sean's face and wondered what was tormenting his housemate. Surprised at how paternal he felt toward this young man, he hoped they'd have a chance to talk on the way home.
Rigg would have been really surprised to know that he was the only person Sean didn't mind looking at his sister.
After supper Kaitlin
"Where did everyone go?" Once again Kate's voice was breathless and she wanted to pinch herself.
"They're all in the kitchen; supper's almost ready."
"Oh, my!" Kaitlin exclaimed, "I should be helping." Kate quickly folded the paper and hurried to rise but Rigg caught her arm and kept her in her seat.
"Do you always do the proper thing?" He sounded amused.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Don't you?" There was still a smile lurking behind his eyes.
"Mr. Riggs, if you have something to say to me, I'd appreciate you simply coming out with it."
"I do have a capacity for making you furious, don't I Katie?" He had changed the subject in midstream and Kate was having a hard time keeping up with him. She decided not to try.
"If you'll excuse me, Mr. Riggs, I think I'll go into the kitchen to see if your mother needs help."
"She doesn't," Rigg said as Kate tried to rise and found he'd sat on her skirt. That he was equally aware of his position became clear as soon as Kaitlin turned her head to look at him. His look was almost angelic.
They sat looking at one another for a long moment. Kate could see that Rigg was enjoying himself and even though she was frustrated with him, she had to admit that he was the best looking man she'd ever seen.
Very softly, so Rigg had to lean to hear her, Kaitlin said, "You, Mr. Riggs, are a flirt."
Kate was very satisfied with the look of shock that registered on his face. In the next instant she had tugged her skirt free and was headed toward the kitchen.
"And heavenly Father, we thank you for the family that has come into our midst. Please bless them and take care of them, and use all of us to Your good pleasure. In Christ's name I pray, Amen."
Mr. Taylor's prayer worked wonders at calming Kaitlin's nerves. It was a classical farm kitchen, the kind she'd only read about, with a very large table and plenty of chairs. Her place was between Jeff and Sean and unfortunately, across the table was Rigg. He was very solicitous to Marcail who was beside him, holding the bowls of food and anything else she needed to serve herself. But even though his attention was centered on the youngest Donovan, he was more than able to make Kate feel self-conscious with his intense glances and warm smile.
That Rigg was the only one staring at Kate, was thanks to Bill Taylor. He had arrived at the house with Jeff and Gil not too long before Rigg, only to find Nate staring at Kate as though he'd never seen a woman before. That his older boys followed suit the moment they arrived, had been a source of great disturbance to him. Kaitlin, intent upon her reading, did not see the father of these young men signal them out of the room to inform each of them that they knew better and to please not do anything to make their guest uncomfortable.
Sean had been an unwilling observer to the whole episode and every time he looked at Kaitlin he wanted to cry. His heart ached for Hawaii where Katie was just Katie and not the object of every man's attention, or where Marcail was not shaken and bruised by some man who never saw her steal a thing.
Maybe he was too young to understand all the ways between men and women but he told himself he was not ever going to stare at a woman as though she had two heads, or blush and stutter when spoken to, no matter how pretty she might be. After all, a person's true beauty was beneath their skin. He might be only 14 but Sean Donovan believed that with all of his heart.
Rigg watched the emotions scoot across Sean's face and wondered what was tormenting his housemate. Surprised at how paternal he felt toward this young man, he hoped they'd have a chance to talk on the way home.
Rigg would have been really surprised to know that he was the only person Sean didn't mind looking at his sister.
After supper Kaitlin
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