“We?” August interrupted. “We did this? C’mon, man.” He looked to Zoe and Ericka on either side of him. “We didn’t take a vote and all decide to build a pot farm in the basement.” Zoe put a hand on his elbow and gave him a pleading look.

There was silence while Micah and August locked eyes. Sero suddenly felt cold and wrapped her arms around herself. Micah turned away, and when he spoke again, his voice was calm and slow. “After dinner, we will begin our offerings to the Sanctuary, including our beautiful Music Salon. You guys are in for a real treat tonight. Daphne is a wicked guitar player.” He placed a hand on her shoulder and she beamed at him.

August pushed back his chair, the legs scraping loudly against the patio stones, and he walked toward the swimming pool. Zoe stood to follow him, but Micah held up one palm. “Let him go, Zo. Give him his space.”

Slowly, Zoe sank back down in her chair.

“Cheers!” Micah held up his champagne glass and took a long sip, and everyone followed suit. After the toast, Micah asked Serotina to lead the group into the basement, where she explained the Greenfields operation, and Micah and Rufus rolled a few joints to take back upstairs. The group sat on the patio together, passing the joints and drinking champagne, watching the sun set on the horizon. Sero faked her turns at the joint, the way she’d learned to do at parties in high school. Down on the pool deck, August sat in a lounge chair, his back to them, the glow of a lit cigarette dangling from his fingers.

Cerise leaned over to her. “Sero, it’s so amazing what you’re doing down there. I’m totally blown away.” Her words were slightly slurred. “I’m going to ask Micah if I can work with you guys. I bet he’ll let me.” She smiled and tried to raise an eyebrow but was too impaired and bent over laughing instead. Daphne was dancing by herself on the lawn; Jasmine and Rufus were slow dancing seductively together.

After the sun dipped below the horizon, everyone went inside to help Chef Guy prepare their five-course feast. The air was suffused with the scent of marijuana. Sero watched Micah enter the kitchen, his arm around Zoe’s shoulders. Sero stood up, walked down to the pool deck and sat on the lounge chair next to August. He took a long draw on his cigarette and blew the smoke out the other side of his mouth. From behind them came the sound of the amplifiers starting up in the house, followed by a few twangy notes on electric guitar. August winced at the screech. “Jesus,” he muttered.

“Hey, you want to talk?” Sero said gently.

August shook his head. “Why, Micah send you to check on me?”

Sero flinched. “No, I . . . ,” she stammered. “I was actually just going down to check on Buddy.” She put her hands on her knees as if she was ready to go. She had left her shoes inside but didn’t want to retrieve them now. “See you at dinner?”