“Since you’re feeling better, Ginny, I’m going to take off.” Matthew reached out toward Freddy. “See you later, sprout. Gavin, I’ll see you at the shop when you’re ready.”
Alanna flushed, not missing the way Matthew pulled his hand away from touching Freddy while she was holding him.
After Matthew left, she was aware of Gavin and Ginny staring at her curiously.
Ginny broke the uncomfortable silence. “Gavin, if you watch Freddy, I can take Alanna to teach her how to milk the goats and show her the rest of the houses that Matthew didn’t.”
Alanna relinquished Freddy to his mother’s hold.
“No problem. They don’t need me until three. Take your time.”
Attempting to get back on even footing by reminding herself that she couldn’t be friends with them, she had to tell herself that their diminished friendliness was a plus.
“I’m excited about learning how to milk a goat.”
Gavin gave her a mocking glance. “Have you been around goats before?”
“No, sadly. I’ve never had the opportunity to be around many animals.”
“Then buckle up. You’re in for a treat.”
Alanna frowned after Gavin when he left without another word, leaving her alone with Ginny.
Seeing she was staring after Gavin curiously, Ginny shrugged. “Gavin has had issues with the goats.”
She frowned. “What issues?”
Ginny grinned. “He’s a man.”
Chapter Twelve
Alanna took one look in the mirror when she arrived back in the trailer and burst into tears. The Benadryl she had been given hadn’t eased the swollen distortion of her eyes, nose, and lips. How had she not known she was allergic to some types of animal fur?
Everything had been going well when Ginny had taken her back to the paddock and Silas had brought the herd of goats. They were still chomping on the twigs that they had carried from the land they were clearing. Silas hadn’t stayed long.
One glance, and she had fallen in love with the smaller goats trotting behind their mothers. For the fifteen minutes Ginny had shown her how to separate a particular goat from the herd then load it into a protective chute, everything went well. It was only when they were loading the third goat into the chute that she had become aware of Ginny staring at her strangely.
“Alanna, I don’t want to alarm you, but I think you’re having an allergic reaction.”
She was reaching over her shoulder, scratching, when she turned to Ginny, who couldn’t hide her aghast expression.
“Get in the car while I release Nelly back into the pen. I’ll be right behind you.”
She started scratching the side of her jaw. “Where are we going?”
“To the ER.”
Ginny drove her to the ER with her on the phone with the sheriff, explaining why her ankle monitor was going off. The sheriff was waiting at the emergency room entrance when they arrived and stayed with her during the doctor’s treatment. Alanna stared fixedly ahead, sitting on the exam table each time a new orderly or nurse entered the cubicle. Even the sheriff had started snapping at them for the made-up excuses they gave for entering. If she hadn’t been aware of small-town gossip before, she was before being released.
By the time she was back in Ginny’s car, the tiny fraction of pride she had left was put in a dumpster and set on fire when Deputy Porter parked behind them before Ginny could pull out. Alanna hid her face and refused to roll the window down when Greer knocked on her window. Ginny got out the car, explaining to him that Alanna wasn’t feeling well. Despite another attempt to get her to roll the window down, the deputy gave up when the sheriff ordered him back to the office.
Once back at Silas’, Ginny had walked her back to the trailer and wanted to come in with her.
“Thank you, Ginny, but I’m just going to sleep this medicine off. I’ll be fine.”
“Let me stay. The doctor didn’t want you left alone,” she had argued. “I’ll be as quiet as a mouse and sit in the living room.”
“The swelling is starting to go down. I can feel my lips again.” Alanna hadn’t mentioned she just wanted to be left alone.