Free Carol Ritten Smith by Stubborn Hearts Page B

eyebrows. Tom stood. “I’m going to get some coffee. Can I bring you anything to drink?”
    She glanced up, as if surprised he’d ask. “I can get my own, thank you.” When Tom gave her an exasperated look, she relented. “All right, some tea please. No sugar.”
    “I’ll have some coffee.” Davy piped up.
    Tom dropped his gaze to his pint-sized friend. “Listen, squirt, coffee can stunt your growth. Look what it did to me.” He glanced to see if his humor had any reaction on Beth, but he could see she was determined to snub him.
    He turned to her little brother instead. “Come with me. I’ll pour you some juice.”
    Tom returned just as Beth had everything ready to dish up. Davy followed with his glass filled to the brim, carefully placing one foot in front of the other like a tightrope walker.
    The blacksmith lowered his tall body into the front seat, sitting sideways so his back wouldn’t be turned to Beth.
    “This looks delicious, Miss Patterson.”
    “Beth’s been fussin’ over it all day!” For his comment, Davy received yet another scathing glare from his sister. “I helped her though.”
    Had it not been for the ongoing conversation between Tom and Davy, the meal would have been eaten in complete silence. Tom had given up on trying to engage Beth in conversation.
    While she daintily picked away at her food, Tom cleaned his plate and had seconds. Finished and thoroughly satisfied, he leaned back in the desk. “That was worth every penny. Thank you.”
    “I don’t suppose you saved any room for dessert?”
    “Let me guess! Vanilla cookies!”
    Beth felt her ears heat as if the extract dabbed behind them was burning through. “No, it’s rhubarb pie.”
    “Huh, could have sworn I smelled vanilla.” Tom held out his plate. “But that’s okay. I like rhubarb.”
    She cut him a generous portion and hoped he would bloat on it.
    “I’ve got room for pie, too, please.” Davy thrust his plate across the desktop and the rim caught the handle of Tom’s coffee cup, spilling freshly brewed coffee over the desktop and onto Tom’s lap.
    Stifling an oath, he jumped to his feet and held the steaming front of his pants away from his body. Davy, horrified by what he had done, ran from the school, while everyone looked on with concern.
    Beth, accustomed to many spills, automatically grabbed her napkin to soak up the liquid, then remembering where the coffee had spilled, thrust the napkin into Tom’s hand. He cleaned himself up as best he could and then looked around behind him.
    “Where’d Davy go?”
    “He ran out.”
    “I guess I’d better go get him.”
    Beth followed on his heels. In the cloakroom, he stopped short and turned around. She slammed straight into his chest.
    “Miss Patterson, I am quite capable of finding the boy. Go finish your meal. There’s no need for you to come.”
    “Well, I happen to think there is a need, the mood you’re in.”
    “I beg your pardon?”
    “You’re agitated.”
    “Because my trousers are soaked.”
    “I don’t want you taking your anger out on Davy.”
    Tom quietly closed the door between the classroom and the cloakroom. He deliberately kept his voice quiet and in control, but his clenched jaw revealed his mounting frustration. “Miss Patterson, what is your problem?”
    “You’re the one with the problem.”
    “Really. And what is that?”
    “Your temper. I’ve seen it, and it’s not pretty.”
    “When have you seen my temper?”
    “With Bill. I don’t want Davy to be subjected to your rage.”
    “Rage, huh? Yeah, I guess I raged a little. Bill doesn’t exactly bring out the best in me.” Tom raked his finger through his dark hair. “But you can’t honestly believe I would harm Davy. He’s a good kid. Some days, he chatters nonstop about you. He’s got you up on a pedestal, but in all honesty, I don’t know why.”
    Beth tried to step around him, but his arm shot out and blocked her exit. When she attempted to duck under, he