Free Unexpected Riches (Bellingwood Book 13) by Diane Greenwood Muir

of it. It isn't like I'm naive about being in junior high. I was there once, myself."
    "Yeah, but that was decades ago," Rebecca said.
    Polly started to protest and realized that at least two decades had passed. "Thanks. Now I feel really old."
    "I'm getting cold."
    "Obiwan! Han!" Polly called. "You do know that if we move into the Bell House, we'll have a fenced in back yard and can just let them go outside without watching them."
    "That would be awesome," Rebecca said. "Obiwan! Han! Come here!"
    The two dogs sauntered toward them, Doug's dogs not far behind. Big Jack ran up and nipped at Han's neck, barked and ran away. The two chased off toward the driveway.
    "Hey!" Polly yelled.
    Rebecca put her hands over her ears. "That was loud."
    "Oops. Sorry." Polly stepped away from her out of the garage. "Han. Jack. Come." She clicked her teeth and Han stopped in his tracks. "Come," she said again. Han turned to the bigger dog and walked toward her.
    "Sorry about that," Doug said. "I didn't mean to leave you. The phone rang."
    "Anybody interesting?" Polly asked. She put her hand down to pat Han's head. "Good boy."
    "Nah." He opened the door that led up to his apartment and his dogs shook themselves before going inside.
    "You're not telling me what I want to know," Polly said with a grin. She opened the door to Sycamore House and Rebecca stepped inside, waiting for their dogs to follow.
    Doug turned around and gave Polly an evil smile. "I guess I'm not."
    He stepped inside his doorway and she put her hand out to catch him. "That's not fair," she said.
    "Life's not fair." He laughed out loud and pulled the door shut.
    Polly shut the garage door and then stepped into the main building. "He's a rotten, horrible person."
    "Because you want to know something?"
    "Yes. If you ever do that to me, I'll do cruel and despicable things back to you," Polly threatened.
    Rebecca opened the door up to their apartment and the dogs ran up in front of them. "Oh I know. I know."
    Henry and Heath were in the media room with the television on when they got upstairs.
    "You took long enough," Henry said. "We almost had ice cream without you."
    "That would have been a dreadful mistake," Polly said. "Heath, any homework?"
    He shook his head. "Nothing. I did it all at school." When she looked at him, he put his hands up. "I swear. I did it all."
    "Okay. Ice cream for you?"
    "Yes please."
    She looked at the kitchen. "Thanks for cleaning up, guys."
    "We set up the bowls. All you have to do is scoop," Henry said.
    Sure enough, four bowls were prepared with cake already in them.
    "What are we watching?" Polly asked.
    " Shannara Chronicles is just about on," Heath replied.
    Polly grinned. She'd made such a big deal about watching the show when it started in January that they'd all sat down with her. When Heath expressed interest, she took the first book in Terry Brooks' series off the shelf and handed it to him. He found the next books on his own.

 
    CHAPTER SEVEN

     
    Living near a coffee shop was dangerous, but Polly could hardly keep herself away. What made it even worse was that it was just down the street from the elementary school. Dropping Rebecca off on cold days led to temptation and she generally caved in to it.
    When she walked in, Polly was surprised to see Lydia at a table by herself.
    "Good morning, dear," Lydia said.
    "Good morning to you," Polly replied. "What are you doing here so early?"
    "We have an emergency."
    Polly chuckled. "An emergency that requires coffee?"
    Lydia looked back toward the bakery. "No. Muffins. I'm waiting for the next batch to come out."
    "What's the emergency?" Polly waved at Camille behind the counter. She and a new employee were waiting on several customers. Polly was in no hurry.
    "Beryl called in a complete panic an hour ago," Lydia said. "I didn't have time to bake, so Sylvie is taking care of us."
    "What's wrong with Beryl?"
    Lydia smiled. "Her brothers are at her house." She looked at her watch. "Just about