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Lukas leaned forward and placed his palms on the table "If we don’t take risks, then what are we?"

"Safe," Glynnis said "We’re--"

"Unchallenged," Lukas interrupted "And being unchallenged, as Petra says, leads to underperfor?"

Nope We all leaned in Ifhat it cost to keep our jobs, so be it

"Okay," Lukas said, accepting our acquiescence "Okay, then We are more than up to the task All hands on deck for this one"

"No pairs?" Jackie said

"No," Lukas said "We’re in this together All of us"

Jackie and I shared a relieved glance Did thatso

Lukas steepled his fingers, a gesture that I now found al everyone’s work, and after we speak with Petra, one person will be free to seek other opportunities"

"That’s a yes," Rhiannon said

"But we’ve got new business," Jackie said "Landon will bring in a lot of -term financial viability That’s always a concern," Lukas intoned He wore an expression of such seriousness I wondered if he practiced it in theoff the unpleasantness of thinking about soy sessions start next week Plan on getting here early and staying late"

"It’s suret on her face

Lukas stood and adopted a stance that was vaguely presidential "It’s ga me your best"

"Petra Polly probably thinks he’s psychopathic," I said to Glynnis and Jackie as we strolled through the farhed "I wouldn’t be surprised if she filed a restraining order Do you really think she wants people like us to do her ad work?"

"I doubt she’ll even pay us any attention," Glynnis said "But I guess it doesn’tfired"

I heardfro us over I hadn’t seen her since she’d checked out my tomato plants, and I sirls?"

We filled Mykia in on the latest Lukas drauy needs to chill," she said after I was done

"He should hang out here more often," I said I had come to see the farh-stress world of Guh

Mykia grabbed a bunch of kale and handed it to ?" she said toyou back?"

It was Success was spotty--I’d planted soether, and thethe others out; I’d watered too heavily at ti when I didn’t have the ti, particularly the toreen and velvety, with plu color I took deep satisfaction in the process, fro in, to the plants figuring out a way to flourish

"I love it," I said, prorin from Mykia "I really do"