Gideon’s mouth fell open. “Damn.”
Sera sighed. “Listen, I came here to tell you what happened so you would hear it from me. As a gesture. I’m… I want to handle this differently going forward. You and me. We act like we’re alone in the world, but we’re family.” He was quiet, allowing her the floor so she could continue her thoughts. She meant every word. She hoped that admitting it to him might compel her to actually follow through on her promise to improve. “I was thinking, does your offer to visit still stand? At your house and maybe not during work hours?”
“Of course,” he said.
“Then, why don’t we make it a habit. Pick a day and time, and I’ll come over each week and we can have dinner. It’ll be nice sharing decent food together for once, maybe go a long way to repairing old memories.”
He paused, scrunching his features like he was deep in thought. Like he needed consider if dinner with his only sister would fit into his schedule of trysts and unending dedication to work.
Minutes ticked by and her patience grew thin. If she knew her brother, there was only one thing aside from work that took up his time and that was filling his nights with pleasurable company.
Sera crossed her arms. “Or, you know, maybe we can just forget the whole thing.”
“What?” His focus returned to her. “I was just thinking—”
“About squeezing me in between one-night stands?”
Now,hislips pursed. “It sounds really crass when you say it like that. Not to mention gross.”
“It is gross, you asshole.”
“Like you’re one to judge,” he shot back, incredulous. “At least you don’t have to hear about my conquests from your damn subordinates.”
Sera scoffed, setting a hand on her chest with a bit more drama than she might use with any other person. “Listen, every one of those liaisons was an act of purest connection and understanding. I wanted more, it’s not my fault they all turned out to be trash.”
“Liar,” he argued, though neither of them sounded truly angry. “You’re a fucking hypocrite.”
“You’re ugly,” she snapped, grinning at the very pointed hit to his ego.
Fire blazed in his eyes. “You didnotjust call me ugly,Stilts.”
Sera’s teeth clenched. The abhorrent nickname she’d earned for the exactlyonesummer where her growing legs had outpaced the rest of her—and likely hadn’t grown since, if her height was any indication, but she had otherwise evened out and definitely beside the point.
Facing away from each other, they huffed for a moment, their argument losing steam. It felt like before their mother died, back when they used to spend a lot of time together and would inevitably end up arguing in the way siblings often do. She preferred this sort of argument over the ones they’d had as adults. Where genuine hurt had made everything messy.
“Not that it matters,” she added, nonchalant and only the barest glance to see if he was listening, “but I got a job. A real one. A government job.”
He shrugged, arms still crossed. “Good for you.”
“Thank you.”
“Welcome.”
They both let out a breath at exactly the same time, her posture an identical mirror of Gideon. Once Sera noticed she hastened to correct the unintentional mimicry. “Well. Then I guess I’ll be going.” She turned on her heel, chin in the air.
“Friday. Five.”
Sera threw open his office door. “Fine. See you then.”
“Fine.” He marched forward and slammed it after her.
What a jackass.
Sera was smiling by the time she reached the street.
Sera returned in good spirits, it seemed. The talk with her brother must have gone well. Kieran had barely resisted the urge to pace while she went off alone, again, so soon after her life had nearly been claimed at least three times. He was losing track.
Seth had settled on the bench, but Kieran attempted to watch for her through the opaque window. He had registered little more than shapes and movement. Thankfully, Seth had not attempted small talk.
