As Ava and Zach settled into a wary, wine-fueled truce, the staff mobilized like a covert ops team.
"All right, people," Adelle whispered into her spoon-radio. "We are greenlit for Operation Nudge the Idiots Closer."
Chef Marie flicked the fuse box with the precision of a demolition expert.
Inside the sunroom, the lights flickered once… twice… then died with a final dramatic sizzle.
Ava froze mid-sip.
Zach blinked at his glass like it had personally offended him.
"...Did you pay the electric bill?" Ava asked suspiciously.
Zach gave her a look. "I live here. I don't even know where the bills are."
Outside, Charles slipped a crackly old Bluetooth speaker under the door and hit play.
Cue: Soft romantic jazz.
Inside, Ava visibly recoiled. "Oh my God," she whispered, horror dawning. "They're trying to set the mood."
