Page 175 of Her Wicker Guardian

He looks down at the repaired green willow. “Good.”

The word is so calm it almost makes me laugh.

Blair sets down her fork.

“I’ve already started the paperwork for an order of protection. Between the witnesses, the videos, and the messages you saved, nobody is going to have trouble understanding why you want him kept away from you.”

For a second, all I can do is nod.

“Okay,” I say. “Thank you.”

Blair gives me one short nod, then reaches for her legal pad. “Since we’re doing business now, I have the contact information from everyone who asked you to make something. Jose is helping figure out how those payments should be handled. We can sort out the rest later.”

She checks her notes. “Jose also set up the automatic household transfer Locke asked for.”

I turn toward Locke. “You did what?”

“I said I’d help with the household.”

“You certainly did.”

“Then why are you surprised?”

I open my mouth, then close it again. I don’t have a particularly good answer.

“When does it start?”

“Mara’s payment cleared yesterday. The transfer is already set up.”

He nods once. “Good.” After a pause, he asks, “Can I start the owls today?”

Tom gives him a skeptical look. “You rebuilt part of your chest yesterday. How about tomorrow?”

Locke looks down at himself. “I’m fine.”

“I know. Give it one day anyway.”

After a moment, Locke nods. “All right.”

Shannon points at him. “Look at that. Growth.”

Blair says, “Don’t make him regret agreeing with us.”

Locke grins.

Blair closes the legal pad. “And that concludes the business meeting.”

“Excellent meeting,” Shannon says.

“You contributed nothing.”

“I contributed morale.”

The conversation drifts back toward breakfast.

Eventually Blair tucks the legal pad under her arm and announces that she’s taking the names and numbers from Locke’s would-be customers with her. Shannon accuses her of stealing her client list all the way to the driveway.

Laura and Tom gather the empty cups and bags while Janet sets two pastries on the counter before she leaves. They’re the same kind I reached for twice.