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Silas tilted his head to the side. “What do you mean?”
“People start to dislike me once they get to know me.”
“Are you sure it isn’t the vibe you’re putting off—that you don’t want to be friends?”
She took a marshmallow out then picked out a long stick. “Matthew is mad at me, and I hurt Ginny’s feelings.”
“Why is Matthew mad at you?” Silas took the thin stick away from her to give her a thicker one.
“He scared me, and I told him to take his filthy hands off me.” Alanna bit down on her bottom lip then grimaced when pain shot through.
“Yeah, I wouldn’t do that. The swelling hasn’t gone down.” His gentle gaze made her start to tear up. “Why did you say that to him?”
“He grabbed me to keep me from falling off that cliff, but I didn’t know that. He startled me.”
“Hmm … Did you tell him that?”
“I started to. Then I figured it might be better if he stayed mad at me. He’s better off not having me as a friend.”
“What happened with Ginny?”
“I asked her last name so I didn’t have to use her first name. She wouldn’t tell me, so I asked the sheriff.”
“For the same reason? Because you make a terrible friend?”
Alanna leaned forward in her seat to put the marshmallow into the flames. “I like your family, you seem to be really nice people, but I shouldn’t have taken the job.”
“Why not?”
Alanna moved her gaze away from the flames. “I don’t want any of you to be hurt. I couldn’t live with myself if anything happened.”
“Who would hurt us?”
“Two people who would have no hesitation of hurting anyone, not even Freddy, to get back at me.”
“I see,” he mused. “It’s done.”
“What is?” She stared at him blankly.
“Your marshmallow.”
“Oh …” She grinned. “It’s a good thing I like them crispy.” Alanna blew on it to cool it down.
“As far as Mathew is concerned, he’ll get over his anger. He gets hot, but he cools down eventually. Ginny forgot her hurt feelings within seconds. It’ll just make her more determined to become friends with you.”
“I’m getting that vibe from her.”
They both started laughing.
Alanna continued roasting marshmallows as Silas pulled the steaks off the grill then put more on.
“You must go through a ton of meat.”
“There’s a farm over the state line that I go to; buy from it in bulk. When I go, you can come with me, if you want.”
“The sheriff won’t let me go across the state line.”
Silas shrugged. “Won’t hurt to ask.”
