Page 148 of When Love Takes Root

She tipped her head toward the break room. “Come eat.”

“I need to check the panel one more time.”

“Josiah.”

“Yes, ma’am?”

Celeste lifted her brows. “Food. Now.”

I leaned down slightly so only she could hear me. “You bossy when you care.”

Her eyes warmed. “No. You listen because you’re scared of me. And you listen when I use your whole name.”

Celeste turned away with that pretty little victory sitting at the corner of her mouth.

I watched her walk away and felt my mouth pull into a grin before I could stop it.

Juice appeared beside me like foolishness had received a personal invitation. “You are gone.”

“Move.”

“You heard what I said?”

“I heard you breathing too loud.”

“That woman told you food, now, and your whole spirit almost saluted.”

“I respect instructions.”

“You respect hips.” I looked at him. Juice held up both hands. “And leadership. I was clearly about to say leadership.”

“You better.”

He laughed and walked away, pleased with himself.

I checked the panel again because if I stood there watching Celeste too long, everybody in the salon was going to know I’d lost my mind before I was ready to make any official announcement.

The inspector arrived twenty minutes after we ate, a short woman named Ms. Kinley, who looked like she’d been unimpressed since birth and had no intention of retiring from it. I liked her immediately. She checked the permit, the panel, the new outlets, the dryer load, the wire gauge, and the labeling. She asked three questions with no wasted breath, watched me answer them without guessing, then glanced toward the front where Celeste was pretending not to hover.

Ms. Kinley asked, “This your company?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Solid work.”

“Thank you.”

She signed the final line and handed me the inspection sheet. “Owner’s been stressed.”

“She had reason to be.”

“She can stop now.”

I looked toward Celeste, who was standing near the desk with her hands clasped so tightly I could see the tension from across the room. “I’ll let her know.”

Ms. Kinley gave me a look that said she had seen more than electrical work, then left without another word.

I carried the paperwork to the front desk, and Celeste stood so fast her chair rolled backward and tapped the wall.