“Where’s Sadie?” he asked finally.
I looked out toward the greenhouses, watching the glass catch the last of the fading light.
“Dead,” I said simply.
Lock’s brow furrowed.
“Dead like…?”
“Dead. But also—we broke up a few years ago.”
He exhaled slowly.
“Shit, man.”
His voice dropped half a register.
“I’m sorry.”
I shrugged.
“It’s all good.”
Not exactly true, but not something I was getting into now, sitting on this porch at the end of the world with a brother I hadn’t spoken to in years.
Lock nodded once.
His eyes flicked toward the cabin door where Sloane had disappeared, then back to me.
“You and the fairy a thing?”
I barked a laugh.
“Fairy?”
He shrugged.
“Red hair. Tiny. Looks like she should be floating around sprinkling magic dust on things.”
“Jesus, don’t let her hear you call her small; she will fight you, and my money is on her.” I chuckled.
But I thought about the question, let it settle instead of deflecting the way I would have a month ago.
I watched the treeline sway in the breeze fora long second.
“Yeah,” I said finally.
Lock raised an eyebrow.
“Yeah?”
“Yeah, she’s mine. Just do not tell her that.” I chuckled.
“Honestly,” I added, rubbing the back of my neck, “she hit me like a sucker punch.”
“How’s that?”
“Worked with her for years. Same building, same job, same stupid arguments every day.”