Deacon and Angel left The Turning Page just after the evening rush began, letting Mouse take over with the quiet confidence of someone who had finally found her place. They didn’t say much on the drive home, content in the shared silence that came after a long day’s work. When they pulled onto their property, the soft wash of headlights lit the gravel driveway that curled up to the wide, columned front of the mansion they called home.
Inside, Rose was already waiting. The longtime housekeeper, steady and serene, had a knack for knowing exactly when they’d return. She stood at the front door, a warm light behind her, and smiled as they came inside.
“Long day?” she asked, taking Deacon’s coat as he shrugged it off.
“Long, but good,” he said. “Mouse did great.”
Angel was already kicking o
