Out of the Shadows (Bellingwood Book 12) by Diane Greenwood Muir Page B

have a car."
    "Oh Heath," Polly said. "This is Bellingwood. You can practically walk everywhere in town. But if her Mom says she can't date, that kills that. What about school dances and things like that?"
    "No car. Remember? Would you let me borrow your truck?"
    "If it was special I would. But why don't you ask her to help with the Halloween things at Sycamore House and see if her mother will let her come to the party next Saturday." Polly paused. "Unless of course you don't want to ask her out."
    They had arrived at the point she usually turned around, in front of the winery. She turned him toward the hotel. They could make it home faster by taking the sidewalk along the highway.
    "I dunno."
    "Ask. For all the communication options you kids have these days, no one talks to each other. Don't text or email or Facebook her. Ask her in school tomorrow. Face to face. We need tons more help with the Haunted House. Both of you could be doing things there."
    "We'll see."
    Polly put her hand on his forearm. "How much do you hate working down at the barn?"
    "I don't hate it," he said.
    "Okay, how much would you give to not work there ever again?"
    "Just about anything. The horses are okay, but it's all gross down there. Everything I do is gross. And I don't think Jason likes me. Who could blame him? It's not his fault. I was a jerk. Eliseo's cool, though. I don't mind working for him."
    "That's funny, though," Polly said. "Eliseo is introducing more and more horse-powered equipment. There isn't much down there that uses a motor or engine."
    He shook his head. "Nothing at all."
    "You should have talked to me about this," she said.
    "Hayden says I can do anything for a couple of years and I owe you guys big-time. You didn't have to take me in. And I need to make money so I can buy a car. Even if I could find a place to put an old beater together. I could make it nice."
    They crossed the highway and approached the front door of Sycamore House.
    "You have to start talking to us," Polly said. "I'm totally serious. You don't have to put up with a job that you hate because you feel like you owe me. Find something you enjoy. Life doesn't have to be a struggle and you certainly don't have to be a martyr to live in it. You can have some fun, too."
    "It's a lot better than it was. I don't want to complain. At least you guys aren't screaming at me all the time."
    "We try not to do a lot of screaming around here. Sometimes I freak out, but I try to keep that to a minimum."
    Heath opened the front door and waited as she and the dogs went in. "Thanks," he said.
    "For what?"
    "For letting me explain and not jumping to the conclusion that I was getting into trouble again. I figured that's what you assumed."
    "Honestly, I was only mad that you didn't call first. The whole getting into trouble assumption would have come if you hadn't shown up for dinner."
    He smiled at her. "Well, thanks."

 
    CHAPTER EIGHT

     
    It surprised Polly to see Alistair Greyson walk past her window. She caught up with him outside the main office door. "Good morning," she said. "What are you doing here?"
    He gave her a slight bow of the head. "The sweetest of mornings to you, Miss Polly. It is good to see you." Grey gestured to the side door. "Master Denis and I will spend two hours in the great outdoors. Your beautiful backyard, the sun shining on our faces and friendly conversation is a perfect antidote for a young man confined to a wheel chair." He smiled. "It has the added benefit of offering a moment of relief to Mrs. Morrow, a woman of great generosity of spirit."
    "Do you have a minute for me?" she asked.
    "Oh, my dear. I have more than mere minutes for you. How might I be of assistance?"
    They walked into the lounge and she pointed to a chair, then sat down in another next to him. "First of all, do you need any help at the inn? Heath isn’t cut out to work in a barn and he's miserable."
    Grey smiled at her. "I believe you are making things too easy on the boy. He's