Page 25 of The Birchwood House

He almost blurted after her, “You need to come to the mayor’s office!” but he held his tongue.

After all, maybe it would be better if he never had another interaction with Audrey Lowe ever again.

CHAPTER TWELVE

Michelle blinked down at the pages of the novel she was reading without processing any of the words. Her mind was elsewhere, turning over questions that she felt she didn’t have any answers to. She was sitting in the parlor with Elaine, who was crocheting a baby blanket for a baby that was due to arrive in Coral Sands in a couple of months. Michelle had been doing her best to focus her attention on the book in front of her, but she seemed to be unable to.

I should just give up,she decided finally.I’m not getting any reading done so what’s the point of staring down at this page?

She shut the book and exhaled, feeling restless. Across the room from her, Elaine glanced up from her crocheting.

“What is it, Michelle? Is something troubling you?”

Michelle forced a smile, not wanting her sweet grandmother to worry at all. “Oh, I’m fine.”

Elaine grinned at her gently. “Mm, I can tell that isn’t true. That was definitely the sigh of someone who has something on her mind. Something that she isn’t sure about the solution for.”

Michelle shrugged, staring into space. “The truth is that I’m not exactly sure what’s bothering me. I’m happy here but at the same time I feel restless. I think—well, I think I’m itching forsomething to do. I really hope Mom figures everything out with these permits for making our house a historical site. That would give me something to focus on. I think what I’m missing is some kind of task that will make me feel useful.”

Elaine chuckled. “Are you bored by Coral Sands already? I love it here, but I can’t deny that it is a very small town.”

“Oh, I’m not bored, that’s not it.”

“Are you sure? It’s okay if you are, I would understand.”

Michelle shook her head, smiling. “Don’t worry, Grandma, it’s not that. I really do love it here. I’m interested in what’s going on around me all the time, even this—just you and I sitting here together and doing our own things. But I’m used to feeling helpful, you know? I want to be able to do things with my time that make a difference for other people. That’s what I miss.”

Elaine nodded. “That’s a lovely thing to be missing, Michelle. If you really do want something to do that would be helpful, I have something you could do to help me out.”

“Yeah?” Michelle asked, interested.

“My car is still at the mechanics because they had to replace the tires,” Elaine said. She looked slightly gleeful, and Michelle felt confused by her grandmother’s expression. “I bet it’s done now, though. If you want, you can go over there and ask Theo if it’s ready.”

Michelle rolled her eyes immediately. “Theo? That guy is just as annoying as he was when we were kids.”

A mischievous light came into Elaine’s eyes and she chuckled. “That may be so, but you’re equal to him in wit. Besides, he’s pretty handsome now, isn’t he? He grew up into quite the dashing young man.”

Michelle rolled her eyes again, irritated with herself for realizing that she agreed with Elaine—Theo was pretty handsome.

“I think he’s a perfect troll,” she replied, deciding to keep her thoughts on Theo’s physical appearance to herself. “But I’ll go and get your car for you, Grandma. The exercise at least will be good for me. I’ll simply have to deal with Theo’s intolerable nature if I see him there.”

Elaine laughed lightly, a pleasant sound that reminded Michelle of bells. “Well, thank you sweetheart. I really appreciate you looking out for me like that.”

“Sure thing.” Michelle smiled warmly. “Thanks for giving me something to do—even if it does involve that pea-brained, ill-mannered boor.”

Elaine laughed again, seeming to be aware that Michelle’s nasty names for Theo were meant as a joke. Even so, Michelle felt a twinge of trepidation as she left the house and strolled toward the mechanic shop.

Why am I nervous?she wondered.Just because he was an annoying little kid doesn’t mean I have to let him ruffle my feathers now.

She arrived at the auto shop a few minutes later, and tugged open the front door, which had been painted a bright blue. She was met immediately with the strong scents of car tires and grease and oil, and she wrinkled her nose in distaste.

There was no one at the front desk, so she wandered through the open doorway that led into the garage. The smells of grease and gasoline were even stronger here. She looked around and didn’t see a living soul, which confused her. How could someone operate a business without having anyone there during the day? Were they all taking a break at the same time? Hardly seemed professional. She was just about to turn around and leave, when a voice spoke.

“Thought you would have moved on by now.”

She whirled around, wondering where the voice had come from. A moment later she saw a pair of legs dressed in bluejeans sticking out from underneath a car. Then she recognized the car as her grandmother’s, even though she’d only seen it in passing when they were touring the garage on her first day at the mansion. So far, she and her mother and grandmother had walked most places together.

“Theo?” she asked, her tone disgruntled.