Read Reflecting Love's Charms (Bellingwood Book 14) for Free Online Page B

girl?" Polly asked. "It's good to see you. I’m coming in, just give us a minute."
    Han and Obiwan had caught up to her and were pacing back and forth in front of the gate, waiting to be let in. Polly opened the latch and stepped in behind them, then walked toward the barn. She grinned as she found herself surrounded by equines. The donkeys paced with her, Tom pushing her with his hips. Demi trotted over, followed closely by Daisy.
    "Eliseo?" she called. "Are you here?"
    The door to Demi's stall was open and Polly approached it, then called his name again. "Eliseo?"
    "Right here, Polly." He came out of Daisy's stall. "What are you doing down here this afternoon?"
    "Rebecca needed time with Andrew, not me. He lets her be all emotional and I tell her to stop it and face reality. She'd had enough of me."
    "That's really bad news about Stephanie. I hope she's able to find a safe place from whatever spooked her."
    "We think it's her father. It sounds like he might have gotten out of jail."
    "They never get very far," Eliseo said. "The police in Ohio will find him."
    "I hope so, but whatever he said scared her bad enough to run with everything she had. It's like she doesn't intend to ever come back to Bellingwood now that he knows where she’s been living."
    Eliseo stepped up to Nan and leaned on her, resting his head against her shoulder. "That would be too bad. She's made good friends here." He smiled. "How are you feeling? Any aches and pains after your tumble this morning?"
    "I'd forgotten all about that," Polly said. "I'm okay now, but that might be different tomorrow morning when I get out of bed."
    "I'm sure it will." He chuckled. "We have some good liniment down here. Just stop in and see us and we'll fix you right up." He walked over to the donkeys, who were still surrounding Polly. "You two go on back out and play. Leave her alone. She doesn't have anything for you."
    When they didn't respond, he ducked back into the stall and took out their red ball. Giving it a toss, he whistled and everyone went running. Before long, Tom was pushing it with his nose while Huck chased him.
    "Sam and I were thinking we’d bring Nan and Nat over to your new place one of these days with the cart. They'll help with the heavy work and we can haul the debris away after we're finished."
    She sat down on one of the benches he'd placed under the roof so they could watch the horses. "It amazes me that you have them so well trained."
    "They love to work," he said. "We put sweet corn in the field across the creek last week. If all goes well, we're going to have a great crop. We're planting more in another couple of weeks so we have plenty for Bellingwood Days. It's going to be a great summer and I want to be prepared."
    "I'm going to have to get us all bonnets and hats, long dresses and breeches, aren't I?" Polly asked with a laugh. "I've never done a centennial celebration, but I saw pictures and everybody dresses up."
    "Our horses will fit right in," he said. "Sam, Ralph, and I are talking about how we can show them off with some farming implements. They're already trained to do the work. We just need to have everything in place."
    Polly shook her head. "I've been so focused on Bell House that I haven't given the centennial week much thought. I want it to be ready for the celebration, but I don't know what I want it to look like."
    "You'll figure it out. You always do."
    "Jason's got a girlfriend. Jason's got a girlfriend!" Scar Vasquez ran through the barn and skidded to a stop in front of Polly. "Oh hi, Ms. Giller. I didn't know you were here today."
    Jason and their other friend, Kent Ivers, came barreling in behind Scar. "What's going on? Why are you here?" Jason asked Polly.
    "Just out walking the dogs and thought I'd stop by to see the big kids. What's all this?"
    Scar, short for Oscar, backed away from them. "It was nothing. Sorry, Jason."
    Eliseo put his hand on Scar's shoulder and with a laugh, stopped him from ducking back into the