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Authors: Stubborn Hearts
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needed to stop seeing her. But he couldn’t do it now. With most of the community attending the box social, breaking up just before the event would only give the gossipmongers more to talk about and Abigail had suffered enough from their sharp tongues.
No, their break-up would have to wait.
Feeling somewhat relieved the inevitable was postponed, Tom turned the conversation to something lighter. “I hear that Lewie Hanks will be at the social. I bet you’d enjoy sharing lunch with him.”
“Lewie Hanks. Isn’t he that bachelor who’s opposed to bath water?”
“Oh, he’s not opposed to it, so long as he’s not in it.”
She grinned, following his jovial lead. “And I hear that Miranda Parsons will be there. Maybe you’re hoping to bid on her lunch instead of mine.”
The thought of sharing lunch with that floozy nearly turned his stomach. And if Hanks did buy Abigail’s lunch — well, he just couldn’t let that happen. “You know what? I think we’d better cheat. Describe your lunch and give me details.”
“It will be large, and wrapped with pink and white polka dotted paper.”
“Pink and white dots. Got it.”
“And tied with — ”
“Yoo-hoo, Tom. You in here, Tom?” It was Davy.
Abigail immediately tensed.
“Sorry, Abby,” Tom whispered. He could see that she was displeased by the boy’s untimely appearance. “He comes nearly every day after school.”
“You in here, Tom?” Davy called again.
“In the back.”
Tom made the necessary introductions. “Abigail, this is Davy Patterson, youngest brother to the new schoolteacher. Davy, this is Mrs. Craig, a very good friend of mine.”
“Are you the Widow Craig who sews?”
Abigail forced a tight-lipped smile. Tom knew she hated being called that. “Yes, I am.”
“I’m a friend of Tom’s too.”
“Yes, Tom told me.” There was an undeniable coolness to her voice.
“Listen, Davy,” Tom said, “would you put some more coal in the forge? I’m talking with Mrs. Craig.”
But Abigail stood. “I’d better go. You have lots to do. See you Friday night?”
“I wish I could, but if I’m taking Saturday off, I’d better work late.”
She seemed disappointed. “I understand.”
• • •
The day of the social, Beth ticked off the items on her list as she filled the box. Satisfied that everything was packed, she wrote her name on a slip of paper, making certain to sign Patterson . She needn’t have worried. Accustomed to hearing herself called Miss Patterson at school all day, she seldom even thought of signing Parkerson now. Only once, when they had first moved to Whistle Creek, had she blundered, but quickly caught her mistake before anyone noticed. She merely changed the ‘rk’ in Parkerson to ‘tt’ in Patterson.
She set the paper carefully atop the packed food. Mindful to keep the box upright, she wrapped it and then stood back and eyed her lunch, pleased with the results. Once the box was opened, the buyer would pair up with her and they would enjoy the lunch together. She got butterflies just thinking about who he might be.
When Davy exited the boys’ bedroom, Beth’s heart warmed at the sight of him shining like a polished penny.
“Who are you?” she asked as she set the lunch aside.
He looked perplexed. “Davy.”
“No, you’re not. Davy has a rooster-tail poking straight up right here.” Beth tapped her finger gently on her brother’s head. “And let me see those fingernails. Ah ha! That proves it! The Davy I know always has dirty nails.”
Davy giggled at his sister’s teasing.
“There’s only one way to tell.” She poked him under his arm and in his ribs until he was laughing hysterically.
“Why, mercy, it is you, Davy! I never would have believed it! You look so spit polished.”
“So does Bill.”
“Does he?” she asked, eyes bright. That was a switch. Dressing up for Bill usually meant making certain his socks matched.
But Davy was right. When Bill came into the room,
No, their break-up would have to wait.
Feeling somewhat relieved the inevitable was postponed, Tom turned the conversation to something lighter. “I hear that Lewie Hanks will be at the social. I bet you’d enjoy sharing lunch with him.”
“Lewie Hanks. Isn’t he that bachelor who’s opposed to bath water?”
“Oh, he’s not opposed to it, so long as he’s not in it.”
She grinned, following his jovial lead. “And I hear that Miranda Parsons will be there. Maybe you’re hoping to bid on her lunch instead of mine.”
The thought of sharing lunch with that floozy nearly turned his stomach. And if Hanks did buy Abigail’s lunch — well, he just couldn’t let that happen. “You know what? I think we’d better cheat. Describe your lunch and give me details.”
“It will be large, and wrapped with pink and white polka dotted paper.”
“Pink and white dots. Got it.”
“And tied with — ”
“Yoo-hoo, Tom. You in here, Tom?” It was Davy.
Abigail immediately tensed.
“Sorry, Abby,” Tom whispered. He could see that she was displeased by the boy’s untimely appearance. “He comes nearly every day after school.”
“You in here, Tom?” Davy called again.
“In the back.”
Tom made the necessary introductions. “Abigail, this is Davy Patterson, youngest brother to the new schoolteacher. Davy, this is Mrs. Craig, a very good friend of mine.”
“Are you the Widow Craig who sews?”
Abigail forced a tight-lipped smile. Tom knew she hated being called that. “Yes, I am.”
“I’m a friend of Tom’s too.”
“Yes, Tom told me.” There was an undeniable coolness to her voice.
“Listen, Davy,” Tom said, “would you put some more coal in the forge? I’m talking with Mrs. Craig.”
But Abigail stood. “I’d better go. You have lots to do. See you Friday night?”
“I wish I could, but if I’m taking Saturday off, I’d better work late.”
She seemed disappointed. “I understand.”
• • •
The day of the social, Beth ticked off the items on her list as she filled the box. Satisfied that everything was packed, she wrote her name on a slip of paper, making certain to sign Patterson . She needn’t have worried. Accustomed to hearing herself called Miss Patterson at school all day, she seldom even thought of signing Parkerson now. Only once, when they had first moved to Whistle Creek, had she blundered, but quickly caught her mistake before anyone noticed. She merely changed the ‘rk’ in Parkerson to ‘tt’ in Patterson.
She set the paper carefully atop the packed food. Mindful to keep the box upright, she wrapped it and then stood back and eyed her lunch, pleased with the results. Once the box was opened, the buyer would pair up with her and they would enjoy the lunch together. She got butterflies just thinking about who he might be.
When Davy exited the boys’ bedroom, Beth’s heart warmed at the sight of him shining like a polished penny.
“Who are you?” she asked as she set the lunch aside.
He looked perplexed. “Davy.”
“No, you’re not. Davy has a rooster-tail poking straight up right here.” Beth tapped her finger gently on her brother’s head. “And let me see those fingernails. Ah ha! That proves it! The Davy I know always has dirty nails.”
Davy giggled at his sister’s teasing.
“There’s only one way to tell.” She poked him under his arm and in his ribs until he was laughing hysterically.
“Why, mercy, it is you, Davy! I never would have believed it! You look so spit polished.”
“So does Bill.”
“Does he?” she asked, eyes bright. That was a switch. Dressing up for Bill usually meant making certain his socks matched.
But Davy was right. When Bill came into the room,
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