As Good as Finished

The door was open when she arrived, but Tobias wasn’t bent over his desk as usual. Her breath lodged in her throat at the sight of his prone figure on the floor. Her eyes traveled from his clay encrusted boots, skimmed over his legs and jumped to his face—one arm covered his eyes. The rise and fall of his own chest started her breathing again. 

The slight rustle of her skirts as she knelt by his side was a whisper compared to the cacophony of the work site, but he must have heard her. A quirk of a smile pulled at his lips. “Come to gloat?”

“Never,” she said. “I only wish you’d listen. Give yourself more time.”

“I don’t have time for . . . time.” 

She humphed loud enough to make sure he knew how much she disagreed with him. 

He reached an arm toward her—not the one slung over his eyes. His hand found her knee beside him and he rested it there. He had never done that before. “They told me what you tried to do. To Dr. Farley.”

“And did they tell you what he did to me? Hauled me out and barred the door. Bloodletting is a barbaric practice and I won’t stand for it. Not for anyone, and especially not—” Hannah slammed her mouth shut. Someone I love. Had she really almost said that out loud? 

“What’s that?” he asked.

“And especially not for you.” 

“Hm.” He flipped his hand palm up on her knee. 

Gingerly she placed her hand in his. The warmth of his hand sent tingles up her arm.

“I heard the commotion before I passed out again. Sounded like a wildcat fighting a . . . Oh, a big furry whale. You didn’t stand a chance.”

“If I have anything to say about it, Dr. Farley will soon be looking for a new position.”

“Good luck. He’s delivered most of the babies in this town. He might be older than our teamster, Kevin.”

“How old is Kevin?”

“Ancient.” 

Looking at her hand in his threatened to douse the fire she wanted to throw at Dr. Farley. 

“Thank you,” he said. “If it’s any consolation, it didn’t work. You were right. Head still feels like it’s being jackhammered.”

“You need rest. Rest and fluids and anything else you can do to let your body heal. You lost enough blood when the horse threw you.”

He squeezed her hand. “You mean when you threw a snake in front of my horse?”

“Yes, that. How was I to know you were on a pansy horse?” 

“You’re in the habit of tossing snakes in front of visitors?”

“I still don’t know how I didn’t hear your arrival. Most visitors announce themselves when they reach the yard. However, the practice could come in handy. I was wondering when I’d ever have a chance to practice sewing people up. Though keeping snakes in the house isn’t ideal, hence the throwing it out.” 

Tobias made a small noise, but Hannah couldn’t interpret. Could have been a grunt of disagreement, or a courtesy laugh. 

“Tobias, I’m so sorry . . . You lay there practically lifeless, the blood pouring from the side of your head. I had a time of it keeping it in. Then the audacity of that man to bleed cups of it out through the back of your head not even a week later? The medieval logic astounds me. If he was concerned about brain swelling he should have punctured a hole through your skull, which could kill you, or leave you a drooling fool the rest of your life! Dr. Farley is an idiot. My father could do it, but he’s the only one I’d trust. Have I told you the time he removed the tumor from behind a man’s eye? The gentleman was up walking the very next day. Everyone was astounded, but not me. My father’s skill as a surgeon is unparalleled.”

Tobias lay still. She would have thought him asleep if not for the grip his hand had on hers.

“Who knew a little garter snake could cause so much trouble,” she whispered. “Can you call it a day? You’re in too much pain to be here.” 

His thumb moved across her knuckles, almost as if he was consoling her. The obstinate man. The simple touch of his hand was distracting. With his eyes covered, it gave her leave to study him. But for the most part, she found herself wondering what he would do if she were to lean forward and press her lips against his. 

 “Just a trifling pain,” he said, interrupting her daydreams. “Nothing I can’t handle. I was taking a short rest before you interrupted. Isn’t that what you ordered? As soon as I finish the books I’ll be done.” 

“A ‘trifling’ pain wouldn’t have you on the floor. The books can wait.”

“But the men can’t. They need their pay and with Williams out for a week . . . rotten timing to have another baby if you ask me.”

“Nobody asked you.”

He adjusted his arm and peered at her from the shadow. “Pull the curtain, will you? The light.”

She darkened the room by closing the door and adjusting the window curtain before settling back next to him on the floor. Rays of light still speared through the edge of the window, a bright pin highlighted the keyhole, and a bar of light flooded under the door. It was dark enough to be improper; pretending it wasn’t already improper to be sitting on the floor with him with the door shut. Dark enough that nobody would be doing the books. But enough light once her eyes adjusted, she could see him clearly. He’d removed his arm from his eyes, but they were still closed. Her hand wanted his again, but he’d crossed his arms over his chest. Impulsively, she brushed her fingers across his forehead. 

He sucked in a breath and she froze. “Sorry.”

“Do that again. It helps.” 

She traced a path with her fingers and watched the tension around his closed eyes relax with each breath. With both hands she gently massaged his scalp, running her fingers through his hair and trailing circles around his temples, careful to avoid the stitches she’d put along the side of his head. A few minutes later she noticed his eyes were open, watching her. 

He took her hands in his. “Why are you here?”

“The same as you.”

He smiled. “You’re ensuring the men receive their pay by Friday?”

“Something like that.” She tried to pull free from his grasp while avoiding his eyes. 

He tightened his hold a moment before releasing her. “Go home.” 

“How often are you on the floor?” 

“Only as often as you come to check on me. It’s a ruse to coerce you into making more of those cookies. Is it working?” He sat up, mostly hiding the wince of pain. “See? Off with you. I'm fine.”

Loving him wasn’t something she’d be coerced into. But turning his heart toward her—maybe another batch of those cookies wouldn’t hurt. “Tobias, how old are you?”

He raised an eyebrow. “Is this another test? I’m twenty-four. William Evarts is Secretary of State, appointed by President Hayes, and our minister to Sweden is John Leav—”

“Shush. I know your faculties are in order, there’s no call to show off. You’re twenty-four years old. Running an entire company by yourself.”

“Not by myself. There are more than a dozen men working for me.”

“I said, ‘Shush.’ They work for you. They get paid when you pay them. Stop interrupting. You’re running Franklin Brickworks by yourself.”

“My foreman, Willia—”

“Just had his seventh baby. His wife was feeling poorly the entire last month; you said so yourself just last week. Now will you be quiet? You’ve been working diligently for years. You took over when your father died and you were how old?”

He raised his eyebrows and cocked his head just a smidgen.

“You were nineteen? Twenty?” 

He feigned surprise and mouthed: You want me to talk now? 

“Just answer the questions.”

“I was nineteen, what’s your point?” 

“You were a baby!”

“Was not. Woman, I don’t have the energy to spar with you right now.”

“You took over a company of three employees and in five years turned it into a full-fledged thriving business that keeps fifteen men full-time with more during peak season.”

“And now those men need paid, so if you don’t mind. I’m going to finish adding up their accounts.” 

“You can’t possibly.” 

“Watch me.”

“Tobias! You can’t even open your eyes without the curtains pulled shut. How do you expect to finish this today? The point I’m trying to make is that you’ve handled everything very well, but it’s time you put some things in place that will allow you to take a break. You can’t be everywhere and do everything. You don’t have to be the one in control of everything.”

When he smiled at her like that it melted her from the inside out. She swallowed hard. 

“Are you asking to be hired on as my new secretary?” He dragged himself to his feet then reached for her hand. Once they were both standing he didn’t let loose her hand. Instead he twined his fingers into hers in a way that released a whole passel of butterflies in her stomach. He pulled her closer and she went willingly. “Hannah.”

“Mm-hm?” 

“Come here.” He released her hand and wrapped her into an embrace. She brought her arms around his waist, hooking her hands behind his back. 

The door burst open, letting in a blast of sunlight. Tobias hissed and released her, burying his head in the crook of his arm. “Geez, Kevin, don’t you ever knock?”

“Sorry, Boss. Um. Good’ay Miss Benton. Didn’t know you was here.” The man’s eyes darted between the two of them. He looked uncomfortable, hand on the doorknob, shifting from one foot to the other. Tobias had found his chair and collapsed into it. He waved at Kevin. “In or out, man. Just shut the door.” Tobias grabbed the waste bin just in time before emptying his lunch into it. 

Kevin’s wrinkled eyes stretched wide, only deepening the lines across his forehead. He quickly stepped inside and pulled the door shut, casting them all in shadows again. “Is he going to be okay?” he asked Hannah. “Should I fetch the doctor?”

“No!” Hannah and Tobias said together. Hannah wet her handkerchief from the canteen and laid it over the back of his neck. “He’ll be fine. It’s just the pain from the concussion.”

“What did you need, Kevin?” Tobias asked, not moving from his position. Elbows on knees, head in hands. 

“Oh, right. Um. Johanson is here from the bank. Said you asked him to come a day a week to run the books.”

Hannah gasped and slapped Tobias’s back. 

“Ow!” he said, but he said it with a laugh. 

“You goose,” Hannah said, “Letting me go on and on. Why didn’t you just tell me?” 

Tobias sat up and reached for her hand again. “I told you I didn’t want to fight today.” 

“So it was easier to just let me talk?”

Kevin cleared his throat. “I should bring him over then? Roy’s giving him a tour.”

Tobias sighed. “Yes. Bring him in.” 

Kevin turned to leave, but hesitated at the door. “Um. I’m going to open the door again.” 

“Yep,” Tobias said. “Oh, wait. Here. Take this with you.” He lifted the waste bin to Kevin who grimaced, but didn’t argue. 

They were alone in the dimly lit office again. Tobias swiped her handkerchief from the back of his neck and pressed it to his forehead and eyes before looking at it. “Oh, this isn’t mine.”

“Keep it for now, I’ve got more.” 

“I’ll ruin it, this dainty thing. What’s it good for, being this small?” 

Hannah smiled. “It’s good enough to cool the back of your neck and bring a moment’s relief.” 

He grunted and sighed again. The man must really be hurting. It wasn’t like him to give up the last word. 

“Can I bring you dinner tonight?” Hannah asked. 

“I don’t—I wonder if we—” he let out a breath. 

“I’ll make more cookies.”

He chuckled, and then winced. “Alright.”

Before she could do anything too impulsive, like kneel in front of his chair and kiss him senseless, she spun toward the door. 

“Hannah.”

Hand on the doorknob, she turned back. 

“Thank you,” Tobias said, “For looking out for me. I’m not used to it. Having someone else see to my needs. And I—well. I don’t hate it.”

“I’ll see you tonight.” Hannah kept a straight face. Her feet remained on the ground and she suppressed a giggle by sheer willpower. It wasn’t exactly a confession of his undying love, but it was a start. And with a man like Tobias Franklin, a start was as good as finished.