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Alanna nodded. “I’ll make sure I get here early, then.”
“You can set your own schedule. Ginny does. We’ll let you start the meal. We hate that chore. The only difference would be whether to set it on low or high, depending what time you get here.”
Matthew pointed at a white plastic maker board hanging on the pantry door. Days of the week had been written out with the meals underneath.
“Tonight is chili. All you have to do is”—Matthew opened a drawer under the Crock-Pot to take out a three-ring notebook—“flip to chili and follow the directions.”
Matthew expected her to come closer to look at the notebook. When she didn’t, he stepped away to give her space.
“The seasoning packets and can ingredients are in the pantry.” Taking two steps to the side, he opened the large pantry, which held a deep freezer. When she didn’t come inside, he gathered the ingredients himself and carried them to the counter, making sure to give her enough space. He then put the ingredients into the crockpot. Hitting the button, he turned to see she was standing by the doorway. Disposing of the trash and recycling the cans, he turned toward her.
“We’re done here… We’ll go on to Isaac’s trailer.”
Alanna frowned at him. “I don’t need to do something else before I leave?”
“Nope, that’s pretty much all. Silas takes the trash out in the morning, and Fynn does his breakfast dishes and puts them away.”
She was out of the front door before he could make it through the dining room.
What the fuck is going on with her?
Determined to be upbeat, he tried to draw her into a conversation. He pointed out where Isaac and he worked, only to be told Silas had already told her. Each time he tried to talk to her, she would lag behind him until he felt he was talking to himself.
In Isaac’s house, there wasn’t much to show her. He must have done a deep clean in preparation of Alanna coming.
“Isaac will leave a note if he needs a chore done. Looks like all he needed today was a couple of steaks brought from the main freezer. I can bring them on my way back to my place.”
Alanna stared around the house that Isaac and he had bought online and built together.
She left the kitchen and explored the rest of the house, coming back with a frown. “He didn’t even leave me the bed to make.”
“We’re used to being self-proficient.”
Leaving Isaac’s, he took to Jacob’s.
“All they need is for you to put the clothes in the dryer and get laundry detergent from the storeroom. I’ll drop it off.”
Coming out of Jacob’s second-hand trailer, he led her through a heavily wooded area.
As they neared the end, he stopped and reached out to take her arm. She had been following him with her head down and seen he had stopped. At his touch, she jerked her arm away, lifting frightened eyes to his.
“I was just trying …” he began when she rushed forward.
“Alanna, stop!” Running, he barely managed to catch her around her waist.
“Don’t touch me!” she screamed, hitting him on the hand looped around her waist. “Don’t ever put your filthy hands on me!”
Containing her struggles, he walked backward with her then turned again so she could get a better view.
“Look.” Shaking her to get her to stop fighting him, he got a firm hold on her with one hand before jerking her head down. “You would have fallen if I hadn’t stopped you.”
Chapter Ten
Forcing herself to look, Alanna saw she would have gone over the edge of a steep hill. Below were a house, paddock, and two metal buildings.
“I’m sorry. Thank you. I reacted badly …” she managed to choke out, feeling his hands drop away from her.
“It’s okay. I should have warned you that we were coming to a drop-off.”
