Page 156 of When Love Takes Root

Skye lifted her paper bag. “Did you fix the fire wall?”

Celeste moved quickly. “No fire wall.”

I smiled. “I fixed the unsafe outlets.”

Skye nodded. “Safety first.”

“That’s right.”

Zuri stepped closer and squinted at my tool belt. “Do you get electrocuted a lot?”

A chuckle pushed against the back of my throat, but I held it because her little face was serious enough to sign paperwork.

“No.”

Skye gasped. “Have you ever?”

“Enough to respect electricity.”

Zuri pointed toward my braids. “Did your hair stand up?”

“Not today.”

Skye leaned closer and lowered her voice. “Do you glow?”

The smile got away from me. “Only when the invoice gets paid.”

Celeste gave me a look. “Josiah.”

I lifted both hands. “She asked.”

Skye nodded hard. “I did.”

JJ extended his hand. “JJ Coleman.”

I shook it. “Good to meet you.”

JJ’s eyes moved toward the back row. “You too. Mama said dedicated circuits?”

“You know electrical?”

“Engineering major.”

“That explains the question.”

JJ looked toward the panel. “Can I see?”

Celeste glanced between us. “Here we go.”

I nodded toward the back. “Come on.”

JJ followed me with the curiosity of somebody who wanted the answer beneath the answer. I showed him the panel, the labeled breakers, the separated dryer load, and the old outlet we had removed. He listened well, asked better questions than most grown men, and nodded when I explained how a setup could function for years and be unsafe the whole time.

Kayden lingered near the edge of the conversation.

Not involved.

Not absent.