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“You sit down now. Come on, you sit.” Cleo pulled her to a counter stool. “I heard her laughing. This was one of her nasty tricks.”

“It looked so real. I slammed the door, and I heard it inside. It looked so real.”

“Nothing there now.” Trey took over for Cleo, drew Sonya against him, stroked her hair. “You don’t have any rats or rodents in the house. No sign of them anywhere. We’ve been all through it, remember?”

“I know, I know, but… God. God.” Then she pushed away, color flooding back into her face. “Goddamn it! I screamed. She made me scream, and she laughed. I fell for it.”

“If I open a door and see a rat, I’ll probably make some noise.”

Owen’s comment got a look of approval from Cleo.

“You shut the door,” Trey pointed out. “You didn’t run.”

“More from being frozen in place than anything else. It was big, really big, and solid black. Red eyes, pointy little teeth. When I slammed the door on it, I could hear it, like it was trying to claw its way out.”

“I’ll get you some water.”

“No, Cleo, I’m okay now. I really am. I’m just pissed she made me scream.”

“Then I’ll give that dumbwaiter a good scrubbing out.”

“I got it. No, I’ve got it,” Owen insisted. “Maybe somebody could finish making those sandwiches. We’ll take one to go if everything’s settled back down. If Cleo wants her boat before next season, I’ve got work—and Trey’s working with me.”

Sensing Trey about to object, Sonya squeezed his hand. “That’s fine. I’m fine. Nothing’s going to screw up this very good day.”

“If you come back about seven, I’m going to grill some chicken.”

As he filled a bucket with hot, soapy water, Owen glanced back. “You know how to grill?”

“I can figure it out. Sit, Son. I’ll finish these sandwiches.”

“We’ll be back by seven,” Trey promised. “Sooner if you need.”

“We’re fine,” Sonya said again. “Cleo and I are going to take our sandwiches out to the deck and admire our work, and yours. She hates that, so she sent me a rat. She hates we’ve added color and light and scent. Hates we’re putting our mark on the manor. We’re going to keep doing just that, and she can send a swarm of her fake rats.”

“Let’s not go there,” Cleo said, and finished making sandwiches.

They ate on the deck with the cat and all three dogs. Then, vowing to be wise gardeners, mixed up the deer spray. When the animals deserted them, they agreed the smell would keep anything with a nose from munching on the garden.

Cleo spent the rest of the afternoon painting while Sonya worked on the cards for the open house dishes.

When the men came back, Cleo proved she could grill. They ate on the deck, and lingered to watch the sun go red behind the trees.

And to Sonya’s delight, watched the solar lights twinkle on.

“You were right.” Trey stretched out his long legs. “Worth it.”

“I want to see the tree. Let’s go see the tree!”

When they did, Sonya felt that happiness brim over again. “It’s perfect. It’s exactly how I imagined.”

“I hate to say it.” Owen scanned the tree, then gestured. “You’ve got enough left to do that giant rhodo on the other side of the house. Nice counterpoint.”

Trey shot him a look. “I’m not getting that damn ladder. It’s dark. Tomorrow,” he said to Sonya. “We’ll take a look at it tomorrow.”

The week passed quick and, thankfully, quiet. Even through another meeting with Bree where they went over logistics, took another tour of the house, the grounds.

RSVPs poured in, with barely a regret. They ordered flowers for delivery the day before, rented stanchions to block off the third floor.