“I’ll walk with you, if that’s okay.”
I shrugged, although I could make the way on my own.
Jasper waited until I was out of the house, shutting the door behind us before he stuffed his hands into his pockets and walked beside me.
“You know, you could try selling some of your baked goods at fairs around town. I bet they’d be a great hit.”
I tilted my head slightly. I hadn’t thought of that. But that would mean there were people, and I didn’t mix well with them.
“Dawn and I would both be happy to help you find a smaller one to start off with. To see how you liked it. Your treats are amazing; better than those fancy cookie places that are all over. Not to mention overpriced.”
True, I thought. I had tried a sugar cookie that came in a pink box, and I was disappointed by the price, and the flavor. It tasted mostly like flour and left a sour taste in my stomach for hours afterwards.
“It’s not something you have to do, but it’s an idea. It would be better than cleaning houses, at least.”
But I didn’t mind cleaning. I was good at it. But baking was easy, too.
“Hello Jasper. How are you?” Dawn asked, opening the back door.
How long had she been there waiting for me?
“Good evening,” he dipped his head.
Dawn opened the door, allowing us both inside. I went straight to the sink to wash my hands. The smell of the roast was strong enough to make my stomach growl again.
“Oh no thanks,” Jasper answered one of Dawn’s many questions. “Grams need to eat, so I’ll order some take out. Maybe it’ll entice her to eat more than a few bites.”
“That woman,” Dawn shook her head. “If she wants to keep living in that house, she has to eat. Maybe Koda can remind her to eat lunch tomorrow.”
“If he remembers to eat, too.”
I turned, shooting him a glare. A moment later, it registered that I was glaring at another male. Never before had I given anyone such a look, other than Dawn, who had the power to hurt me.
Deep down, I knew Jasper wouldn’t dare hurt me.
“Well,” Dawn said, trying and failing to hide the humor in my reaction. “I guess one of us will have to text him around lunch time to make sure they both eat.”
“Or, I can extend my lunch break and bring them food.”
I shook my head. There was no way anyone needed to take time out of their day just to make sure I ate. I wasn’t going to die by skipping a meal here and there anyways.
For once, I actually wanted to use my voice, to speak up against their planning. But nothing came out, even as I opened and closed my mouth a few times. My throat clogged up, making my voice unable to work.
Huffing, I grabbed the closest notebook, jotting down something that was close to my thoughts instead.
I’ll eat. Don’t have to bring food. Can take care of myself.
I had to nearly shove it into Dawn’s hand to get her to take it. When she read it, all she did was raise a brow.
“I know you can take care of yourself,” she said slowly, patiently. “And I know you skip meals more than you will confess. But if you want to keep cleaning for Mrs. Lee, then you have to take time out to eat.”
I almost always ate dinner and hadn’t once complained about not wanting to. Even when Dawn made a few new things that I wasn’t a huge fan of.
“I think Mrs. Lee would like to have company to eat lunch with. It’d help her. She gets lonely during the day.”
Was he really going to try to pull that card with me? She was an adult as much as I was. Well, I was almost eighteen, but close enough to being an adult anyways.
I huffed again, folding my arms across my chest. It didn’t appear like I was going to get away with not eating lunch while I cleaned Mrs. Les’s house.
