A/N Since posting Chapter Two, I have come to realize I failed to clarify that Nick didn't let his children look away when being spoken to IF THEY WERE IN TROUBLE. I never meant to make it sound as if he expected that all the time.
A/N Just a warning, there will be implied spanking of a minor in this story. If that bothers you, simply stop reading.
Chapter Three
The bank was filled from wall to wall with customers, or so it felt like it, as Jarrod walked into the bank with Mr. and Mrs. Bowman and their daughter; he'd told Mr. Bowman he'd show him to Jordon Parker's office; Hyrum was to be Mr. Bowman's boss. The new bank was larger than the original one, which meant there was plenty of room to move around in…when it wasn't filled to capacity. "The accounting office is over there in the corner." Jarrod pointed towards the corner office and looked at Mr. Bowman. "Jordon Packer is a balding gentleman pushing fifty. If he's not there, his assistant-William Barnes-will be."
"Thank you," Mr. Bowman headed towards the office, while his wife said she'd open a savings account for both of them. Vivian also wished to set up an account for herself. This being the case, she found herself sitting in brown chair next to a large green potted plant of some sort. She also found herself in a position to hear one of the bank patrons talking to Jarrod. Not that she had a habit of eavesdropping, she didn't. Only it was hard not to hear what was being said when the red headed gentlemen was only three or four feet away…and the man talking to Jarrod didn't exactly have low volume when it came to his voice.
"My sister just adores that little girl. Two weeks into school and she's already proving to be smart as a whip. Sure do miss her parents," The gentleman quickly added, "As I'm sure your family does."
The words made Vivian sigh inwardly and once again chastise herself for her previous reaction to hearing Hope refer to Jarrod as 'Pappy'. If the young child's parents had passed on, no wonder the young child used that term when it came to her uncle. For a quick moment she wished she had not made the poor choices she had in her past. As it was, she was still single and living with her parents because of those poor choices. A part of her wished it wouldn't be considered rude to ask the two gentlemen to take their conversation elsewhere as she felt as if she was eavesdropping even if she wasn't trying to, but where they chose to talk was up to them not her.
"We do, but after five years you come to terms with it. I'm glad to hear Hope is doing well at school. I know she loves your sister and the majority of the other students." Jarrod didn't see any reason to tell the red headed Richard Owens which students Hope could care less for…especially since one of them happened to be Mr. Owens's son.
"Yes, as I know, time and life marches on and waits for no man. Guess there's nothing we can do to stop that one." The gentleman excused himself only to stop after taking only a few steps. Having lost his own wife a year after the Barkleys had lost Mark and Audra the newest Stockton resident had caught his eye.
For her part, Vivian automatically stiffened. While she was sure the medium sized gentleman who appeared to be around five feet seven inches was a nice enough man, she had no interest in getting involved with anyone and, by the look in this man's eyes, she was sure that's what the man was thinking about. She figured she was proven correct, when Richard tipped his hat and introduced himself, and then asked if she was new in Stockton.
"My parents and I have just moved here." She answered politely, but kept her voice cool. Oh, not so cool that she would come off sounding arrogant or anything, just enough to-hopefully-send the message she wasn't interested.
Alas, Mr. Owens wasn't exactly known for the ability to catch subtle messages. He smiled and started to try to make some light conversation-being more than a bit overbearing as he went about doing it- only to have Jarrod step up to him. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but didn't you tell me you had an appointment today?" Jarrod looked at a nearby clock as he asked the question. Jarrod, who had quickly caught on to the subtle messages-both the sound in Vivian's voice and the non verbal messages –like the way she'd stiffened ever so slightly as Mr. Owens started talking-she was sending, he figured needed to distract Mr. Owens. The ploy might not have worked, only Mr. Owens was more than fanatical about being to appointments on time. That being the case, even though he had a good twenty minutes to get to an appointment that would was only ten minutes from where they were at, the gentleman's eyes widened and he hurriedly excused himself.
"Thank you!" Vivian very visibly let out a breath of relief. She had struggling with how to politely tell the man she wasn't interested and was more than grateful that Jarrod had stepped in. "I didn't really feel like talking with him, only I didn't want to cause a scene in public."
Jarrod chuckled. "Don't worry about it. Now, I think I best leave before I'm the one who is late." He smiled and walked away.
Vivian, who caught herself watching Jarrod as he walked away, quickly took her eyes off the gentleman. She couldn't help but sigh. He was such a gentleman, but she was sure that someone with her past had no chance with a man like Jarrod Barkley. She told herself she needed to push him out of her mind. She then turned her attention to the room her parents had disappeared into. She hoped they won't be too much longer. She wanted to get to the house her father had bought so she could start unpacking. The sooner she got that chore started, the sooner she could get it done. Then she could start looking for work. She just hoped her father, who had told her that with his new job he'd have no problem providing for both her mother and her, would understand her need to help provide as much as she could for herself.
