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)
“Careful. The door is heavy.”
He expected her to give him a wary look at how close he was standing next to her, but she seemed unconcerned, keeping her gaze on the intricately carved door.
“You do beautiful work.”
“Thank you.”
“You and Isaac made this?”
“Yes. We have a catalog of ironwork we can produce.”
“Do you only work with iron?”
“No, it depends on what the customers want.”
Matthew showed her around the shop, the different metal they worked with, then some of the finished products, which were stored there, waiting to be installed.
“Jody and Jacob normally install and deliver our products, while Isaac and I work here.”
“That’s cool that you get to work with your brothers. You all seem to get along very well.”
“We have our moments. Moses prefers to work alone, which is why he trains dogs.”
“And Ezra?”
“He builds furniture. Sometimes, he works with Silas.”
“Managing your mountain?”
Matthew raised an eyebrow at her. “Silas didn’t tell you what he does for a living?”
“No.”
“Silas likes to enter competitions, or he used to. Lately, we’ve been keeping him busy helping us out. He’s the one who taught Ezra woodworking, so if Ezra gets a big order, he’ll pitch in to get the order out. They just completed a large bedroom set.”
“I envy your family’s talents. I don’t have a talented bone in my body.”
“What are your interests?”
“I’m afraid I don’t have any. I’m the most boring person you’ll ever meet.”
“What do you do in your free time? Watch television, read books, play video games?”
“No. I hadn’t read a book in years until I went to jail. That’s all there was to do there.”
“So, what do you do in your free time? I don’t believe you just sit and watch the walls.”
“No. I usually don’t have a lot of free time. When I’m not working, I babysit for a couple of mothers in my neighborhood who work the evening shifts, and when I’m not doing that, I online tutor children who are behind math and reading.”
“Children are your interest.”
“I guess. It isn’t much to brag about, though.”
“I bet it is to the mothers you help out. If you like working with children, why didn’t you become a teacher?”
“I have a degree in Education, but I moved to Ohio and wasn’t licensed there. I had already racked up enough in loans, and I didn’t want to add more to it by taking more classes to get licensed in Ohio. In case you didn’t know, teaching isn’t a very lucrative career. Real estate pays much better.”
“Does it make you feel as good?”
“No, it doesn’t.” She shrugged. “Unfortunately, my bills need to be paid. Eventually, I’ll go back and get the classes I need when I pay my loans down some more.”
“Sounds like a good plan.”
Checking that the fire was out and the two side windows were closed, Matthew went to the cooler to grab a drink.
“What are your plans for the rest of the day?”
Alanna raised her hand with a wry twist of her lips. “Nothing. Silas and Ginny refuse to let me do anything until Monday.”
“Then I have a suggestion.”
“What?”
“Depends,” he teased, reaching for his shirt on a peg on the wall.
“On what?”
“Are you allergic to fish?”
Chapter Fifteen
“Can you put another worm on the hook for me?”
“You’re losing a lot of worms and have no fish to show for it.” Matthew gave her a broad grin when she showed him the empty hook.
Alanna shot him a harassed look. “The fish are against me.”
Matthew reached into the plastic cup beside him to pull out another fat worm. Scooting over on the blanket he had brought, he took her fishing pole to put the worm on the hook.
“You’re good to go,” he said, handing the pole back. Remaining seated where he was, Matthew laughed at her grossed-out expression. “It doesn’t hurt them.”
“Who told you that? I bet it wasn’t a worm.”
Matthew laughed. “My dad, and I’d bet his told him the same thing.”
“There has to be a more humane way to fish.”
“There is, but fresh bait is always best. I could look for some crickets when we run out of worms.”
Alanna gave him a withering stare. “I meant something that doesn’t involve killing another living creature.”
Matthew cocked his head sideways. “You do know I plan to clean and fry the fish we catch, right?”
“I’ll worry about that when we catch one.”
“Ye of little faith,” he mocked.
“Pretty sure you saying that is sacrilegious,” she chastised.
Matthew released a low whistle of appreciation. “Look at you sounding like a Kentucky girl. Next thing I know, you’ll be sneaking off to go to church with Greer.”
Alanna lowered her eyes to half-mast. “Do you have a death wish?” she asked sweetly.
He raised a cocky eyebrow at her. “Who would you get to kill me? You can’t stand to hurt a worm.”
“You mention Deputy Porter again, I’ll make an exception.”