Total pages in book: 71
Estimated words: 68004 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 340(@200wpm)___ 272(@250wpm)___ 227(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 68004 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 340(@200wpm)___ 272(@250wpm)___ 227(@300wpm)
Taking a steadying breath, he made his way to Silas’ house. After pouring himself a cup of coffee, he unloaded the dishwasher that Fynn and Ezra had started last night. It would be one of the jobs which would be given to Alanna once she started work. The simple job was one that had become habit for all the brothers when they stopped by the house. They all pitched in to do the main house chores so Silas could come into a clean house. Their older brother did the majority of the work on the mountain, only pulling them off their pursuits when he needed their help.
Pouring another cup in a thermos, he started a new pot. Silas would start the first pot of the day when he woke up, normally around six. Throughout the day, several other pots would be made by whomever emptied the last.
His brothers and he all had their own coffee pots, but it was a habit to come by Silass’s—his tasted better. He didn’t know why, since they had the same coffee setup as Silas.
Glancing at the time on the coffeemaker, Matthew carried his coffee cup and the thermos outside, heading toward Jody’s trailer. From the smoke coming out of the workshop, Isaac was finishing up the order for an iron gate they were scheduled to set up on Monday.
His heart started pumping hard as he approached the trailer where Alanna was staying. Placing the extra thermos in the crook of his other arm, he ran his hand over hair. He had gotten a trim just the day before yesterday. Alanna preferred men with shorter hair.
Knocking on the door, he anxiously waited for her to answer. When she didn’t answer immediately, he frowned, knocking again. He was about to pull out his cell phone to call her when the door was jerked open to reveal a groggy Alanna holding a shoe in her hand.
“Sorry. I overslept.” Craning her neck to look over his shoulder, she held the edge of the door, as if ready to shut it in his face. “I hope your sister hasn’t been waiting for me.”
“Ginny is under the weather, so she called and asked me to show you around. She should be feeling better by the time we make it to her house.”
“Oh … okay. Just give me a second to put my shoe on.”
Matthew raised an eyebrow when she closed the door. What the fuck? Does she think I’m going to jump her if she lets me inside?
Moving off the steps, he waited for her to come out.
She’s just nervous, like I am, he thought to himself, giving her a reassuring smile when she came out.
“Sorry to keep you waiting, I had trouble sleeping. I kept hearing things moving around outside. I live in a high rise, so being out here in the wilderness will take some getting used to.”
She considers this the wilderness? Maybe it was, and he was so used to it that he was wrong.
“You’re good. We can get started at Silas’ home, and I can show you the chores there then move along to the rest of the places.”
“Okay.”
“I brought you some coffee.” He started to hand her the thermos.
“No, thank you. I don’t drink coffee.”
Since when?
Alanna reached out to take it from him. “I can carry it, though.”
“I can.”
So, she quit drinking coffee. He mentally shrugged. Why did he care? Because he had counted on knowing every one of her likes and dislikes to further getting her comfortable with him. He had waited so long for her. He had hoped being familiar with things she liked would be sort of a shortcut for him.
Silas had done him a favor by stopping him from walking her home. He could have fucked himself over by saying the wrong thing.
Seeking to put her at ease, he started talking. “The sounds you heard were probably raccoons or possums. They come out at night. Don’t worry; they are more afraid of you than you will be of them. Just bang a pot, and they take off.”
“Can they get inside the trailer?”
“No,” he assured her, seeing the worry in her gaze.
Reaching Silas’ house, he held the door open for her. Seeing her hesitation, he stepped back from the door so she wouldn’t have to brush past him. The woman was more skittish than a cat around a pack of dogs.
Going inside, he directed her to the kitchen, letting her go first, keeping a couple of steps behind her.
“Your sister cooked the huge meal we ate yesterday in this kitchen?”
Matthew frowned at her shocked expression. “Yes. Why?”
“Nothing. It’s just smaller than I expected,” she said, looking around the kitchen.
“Silas has been wanting to redo it, but he decided to wait and let who he marries do it the way she wants.”
Alanna gave him amused smile. “He’s dating someone?”