Matthew started propelling her through the woods. “Isaac gets a little irritated when he’s tired.”
“How long have you guys been out here?”
“For a couple of hours.”
“I should go back and get another roll of sausage. I can make breakfast for everyone since they’re all up.”
“Let’s not.” Matthew hastened their steps so they were moving through the wooded section fast.
When they reached Silas’ house, she started for the kitchen to get cooking as Matthew placed his bow next to the door and quickly followed on her heel.
“About breakfast…”
Alanna turned with the sausage and waffles in her arms.
“Silas and all of us go to Waffle House to celebrate birthday mornings.”
“That would have been nice to know.”
Matthew glanced down at her ankle monitor. “We would have told you, but we didn’t want you to feel bad when we couldn’t invite you.”
“That’s okay.” Alanna went to the freezer and placed the sausage and the waffles inside.
“How about you go ahead and cook? I’m sure Fynn—”
“My breakfast is no comparison to Waffle House,” Alanna cut him off, smiling to show him that she wasn’t offended. “I don’t want to spoil Fynn’s birthday tradition.” Covering her mouth, she started to yawn, debating on getting started on Silas’ chores or returning to her trailer.
“Why don’t you take a nap?”
“I was thinking the same thing. I was just deciding whether to go back to the trailer or do the chores and sleep later.”
Matthew frowned. “Why not just take a nap here instead of going back and forth?”
“I couldn’t do that.”
“I don’t know why not,” he said firmly, taking her hand and leading her down a hallway to a door that was always closed when she was here. Matthew opened it then stepped aside to watch her reaction.
“Is the bed really hanging from the ceiling?”
He grinned. “Yes. Dad made it for Ginny and Leah to lie on so they could watch the stars at night.” The room was surrounded with curtained windows.
“You miss her very much, don’t you?” Alanna tightened her hold on his hand at the painfully sad look in his eyes.
“There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t think of her. She was a beautiful child who had the most loving heart of any person I ever met. Until you.”
Blushing at the way he looked at her, she embarrassedly lowered her gaze to take in the outfit he was wearing. Not even ugly green camouflage could make him look bad. In fact, the tight green T-shirt emphasized his muscular chest.
Becoming aware that Matthew was giving her a knowing grin, she hastily tried to turn the heated atmosphere down a few degrees by giving him a threatening glare.
“Were you out there trying to kill Bambi’s mom?”
“Me?” Matthew put a hand to his chest in innocence. “No, I was watching my brothers trying to bag Bambi’s dad.”
“That’s just mean.”
“That’s just life.” He casually closed the door to lean back against it.
Alanna raised an eyebrow at his obvious ploy to keep them closed off if any of his brothers came.