Chapter 782: Bobbi-Lee's Cottage

Wednesday, March 29th, Morning

One last turn, and she could start her cool-down walk. This was her near-daily routine, and now that the weather began to break, she could run her routine instead of on the treadmill at work. It felt good; the sidewalk under her feet and running pants hugged her skin closely. The steady beat of her ponytail against her back felt good.

The heaviness in her legs seemed to lighten up as the corner got closer. Bobbi-Lee Burke dug down and searched for the extra gear. It was good for her to run and purge the bad mojo from her body. Since her trip to Arizona, she has used this method to find her center, along with yoga.

With one last push, she turned the corner, and what she saw jammed her gears. Instead of a steady slow down to a walk, it was as if the brakes were slammed on. Bobbi-Lee shuddered, stepped to a walk, and stared agape at the tractor-trailer in front of Mrs. Ivanova's old house. It wasn't there when she started her run.

Removing her sunglasses, Bobbi-Lee saw several movers taking boxes off the truck and going over the box with a dark-haired man. Bobbi-Lee shrugged and kept walking towards her cottage. A dark-haired teenager came out of Mrs. Ivanova's old cottage, which wasn't there when she started her run.

For a moment, Bobbi-Lee thought the eyes of her dad and daughter fell upon her. The daughter seemed to laugh, which caused her dad to shake his head. The daughter laughed again, and suddenly, she ran off towards the house. Bobbi-Lee noted that the girl had the grace of an athlete.

By the time Bobbi-Lee got to her cottage, she could hear the noise of the movers. Slipping her sunglasses back on, she walked down her front walk. It was a day she would typically work from home, but she couldn't work with all the noise. So, she'll have to head into Beaulieu Manor to finish her work today.

Bursting through her front door, she saw that it startled Custis. The cat popped his head up and even thought about moving for a minute. Shaking her head, Bobbi-Lee went upstairs. She jumped to the top of the stairs as a small black flash darted past her and hid.

"Damnit, Rob, you scared me," Bobbi-Lee said to her youngest and smallest cat.

"Meow," was Rob's response from where he was hiding.

Bobbi-Lee shook her head and went into her bedroom. Collecting a few things, she stripped out of her running clothes and went to her en-suite bathroom to shower. Once she dried off and wrapped in a towel, she returned to her bedroom.

Since she decided to go into the office, she dressed adequately. Looking at herself in the mirror, she nodded and added a simple gold necklace. Carrying her shoes, she went to her Loft Office and packed her work. The final thing she did at her drawing board was slip her shoes on. She went downstairs and looked at the couch.

"Be good, boys; I'm going into the office," Bobbi-Lee said to her cats, grabbed her work coat, briefcase, and portfolio, and left.

Casually, she walked to her, waiting for the blue Lexus LC500. She bent over at the waist to put her stuff in the car without paying attention. Halfway through this action, Bobbi-Lee realized she was giving the neighbor and the movers a show. Her skirt was body-hugging.

Standing right up, she shrugged slightly and slipped on her sunglasses. Behind the dark lenses, Bobbi-Lee noticed she transfixed the dark-haired man, and his daughter shook her head at him. Bobbi-Lee didn't like being objectified, but it was nice every so often to be admired.

Getting behind the wheel, she drove off. She sighed and fiddled with the radio.

"Well, Bobbi, you're going to have to work late because of all that noise the neighbors are generating," she said to herself.

After driving off the short distance to Beaulieu Manor, she pulled into the West Wing parking lot. She smiled as she pulled into her parking space and looked over the "castle" her boss built here.

Getting out of the car, she collected her stuff and headed inside. Bobbi-Lee saw a few heads turn as she walked by. This wasn't one of Bobbi-Lee's normal office days, so they were surprised to see her.

Bobbi-Lee took an elevator to the second floor and entered the designer's office. She was greeted by her boss' assistant, Sam Walker.

"Bobbi, we didn't expect to see you today," Sam said.

"Sam, I do have an office here," Bobbi-Lee said.

"Yes, but you like being the Cloistered Nun," Sam replied.

Bobbi-Lee smirked, "I get more work done that way," she said.

"How much of it is hands-on?" Sam asked.

Bobbi-Lee chuckled, "Good one, I'll be in my office. Could you please let Brooke know I'm in," she said, "Just in case she needs me."

"Sure, Bobbi," Sam said, rolled her eyes, and walked away.

Bobbi-Lee entered her office, turned on the light, and put her stuff down. After taking a quick breath, she set up for work, which started with taking her laptop out.

As the computer started to boot up, she began to get her sketches out and placed the one she was working on onto the drawing board. After a quick sigh, she walked over to the shelf, grabbed her coffee mug, and got a cup.

Bobbi-Lee noted several people in the office whispering when she walked by. Other office people ducked into their workstations as she walked by. She returned to her office and started working.

There was a knock on the door. Bobbi-Lee looked up and saw an average-height woman whose brunette hair had slight gray streaks.

"You can come in, Brooke," Bobbi-Lee said.

Brooke Davis walked into the office. "The office is in an uproar; they didn't expect to see you today," Brooke said, "What do we owe the pleasure of your company?"

"Someone is moving in next door and causing all sorts of noise," Bobbi-Lee said.

"I'm glad to see you, and I got a preview of some of your designs, too," Brooke said.

"Sure, you're the boss," Bobbi-Lee said, moving her portfolio to where Brooke could look at them. Brooke picked up a red pencil and then put it down.

"Want to make notes?" Bobbi-Lee asked.

"Habit," Brooke said.

Bobbi-Lee nodded, "I understand," she said and started to look over the sketch on her board.

"So, tell me about your new neighbor," Brooke said.

"Not much to tell; I've not met him yet," Bobbi-Lee said.

"A him, so tell me more," Brooke said.

Bobbi-Lee laughed, "As I've said, I've not yet met him," she said.

"So, tell me what you have observed?" Brooke asked.

Bobbi-Lee shrugged, "He seems to be about six feet tall and has black hair. Also, it looks like he has a teenage daughter," she said.

"Wife? Girlfriend? Boyfriend? Husband?" Brooke asked.

"I don't know, Brooke," Bobbi-Lee said, "What's with all the gossip?"

"I miss it," Brooke said, "It's tough to get when you're looking after two of your grandkids."

"You need to get out more," Bobbi-Lee said.

"Well, so do you," Brooke replied.

"Low blow," Bobbi-Lee said and laughed.

"So, what will you wear and bring when you introduce yourself to him?" Brooke asked.

Bobbi-Lee shook her head, "Nothing," she said.

"That's a bit forward and presumptuous, maybe even illegal," Brooke said.

Bobbi-Lee shook her head, "I didn't mean it that way; I meant I wasn't going to go over and greet them," she said.

Brooke looked at Bobbi-Lee in shock. "What? You should. In fact, you have to imagine being alone in a new city and no one befriends you," Brooke said.

Bobbi-Lee sighed, "What do you suggest I bring over?" she asked. She knew that feeling when she moved into that tiny apartment in Brooklyn all those years ago when she first started working for Brooke.

Brooke smiled, "It needs to be practical, not presumptuous, but welcoming. What says Bobbi-Lee?" she said.

"Okay?" Bobbi-Lee asked.

"Get back to work, and I'll work this out," Brooke said, leaving.

"Gee, Thanks, Brooke," Bobbi-Lee said.