“None of us consider ourselves normal. The boys and I prefer keeping to our mountain. We leave the globe-trotting to our sister, or at least she used to. Ginny’s pretty much settled down with her husband in their new home since they had little Freddy. Every now and then, they go on a short trip for Ginny’s work. Not so much since she found herself expecting again. That’s why I decided to hire someone. Ginny’s been doing the job I’m giving you, but the boys and I don’t want her to keep overtaxing herself. She’ll still help out,” he added, giving her a searching look, as if he was scaring her off. “Ginny won’t be able to stop herself. I’m just trying to give her a break from the heavier chores she shouldn’t be doing anyway.”

“That’s nice of you.” Alanna wondered which heavy chores Silas and his brothers didn’t want their sister to do anymore. “Just let me know which chores you don’t want her doing, and I’ll make sure I take care of them before she can.”

“I don’t expect you to take over the heavier chores. All I want you to do is text me when you see her lifting over five pounds or climbing anything that is over three inches off the floor.”

“I don’t have a cell phone,” she told him, embarrassed. Not wanting to share the details of how she had lost her phone, Alanna gave him a grateful glance when he just shrugged.

“We have short range radios. I also have a spare cell phone you can use.”

With every word he spoke, Alanna liked him more and more. She cautioned herself. Mr. Coleman couldn’t be as nice as he seemed, yet something about him was able to bypass the normal wariness which hindered her from making friends.

She slammed an imaginary foot down on mental brakes to put a stop to becoming friendly with him. He was her employer; letting a friendship develop between him or with any of his family could be detrimental to their health.

“Thank you. You can take the price of the phone and the cost of cell service out of my pay.”

“That won’t be necessary. It’s just been sitting in a drawer.”

“I insist.” Keeping interactions on a business level from the start would save them from possible heartbreak down the road. Kate and Owen would be looking for opportunities to keep her in their control.

As Silas drove, Alanna took the opportunity to stare out at the scenery. Movement from Silas had her turning her head to the side.

“Do you mind not rolling the window down?” she asked, seeing what he was doing.

Rolling the window back up, Silas gave her a surprised look.

“Sorry, allergies,” Alanna brusquely explained, averting her gaze back to the side window without further explanation.