Staged Harmony

Stella noticed nothing odd in their responses, so she let it go.

Before leaving, she gently reminded them, "If Ewan ever does something out of line, please let me know immediately. Give him a chance, and we'll work through it together."

Both Cole and Declan nodded with a simple, noncommittal acknowledgment. Then Stella returned to Ewan and relayed the whole exchange.

With a relaxed smile, she said