“Yeah.” Disappointment settles in my chest. “Yeah, that makes the most sense. It’s just… What are the chances that she ended up here by accident? I don’t want to squander this. Maybe this is my chance to find some closure so that I can move on.”
“Closure,” Seth repeats. “I don’t know if that’s even possible. Mom’s always saying time heals all wounds, but to expect scars. What if ripping it open makes it uglier? And she’s so guarded now—you can’t just dump that conversation on her and expect honesty.”
I consider this. Even if she did get comfortable enough to have a conversation like this, she wasn’t particularly honest before. When we fought as teenagers, we fought hard. She intentionally chose retorts that would get a rise out of me, and I would punish her with the meanest insults I could think of. Or break up with her. God, we were a nightmare. In hindsight, our relationship was toxic and unhealthy, but at the time, it had felt exciting. Powerful.
“So she may need time,” I say instead. “Let’s offer her a job at our company and find a place for her to live so she can raise some money to pay for her van. That’ll take a while. We were just talking about hiring more people to help out.”
“Especially with you going rogue at work.” He gives me a stern look.
“What? You know I’m right. The Blackstone Legacy Concert and Poetry Reading is a great event idea.”
He shakes his head. “You gotta knock it off. We all workwell together. Stop trying to fuck it up.”
I hold my hands up in surrender. “I will.”
“So you want to ask Sierra to stay?” he asks.
Excitement rushes through me at his words. Sierra staying in Sagebrush. It feels right. Like my feet planting on solid ground after rappelling, or the key smoothly sliding into the lock of my front door. Like the moment she leaned toward me, her beautiful face tilted up, eyes closed and lips soft. Or how her face shone with pride and happiness for me after I told her about the Blackstone find.
I miss that. I’ve missed her. The way she used to look at me always made me feel alive, like I was her bright, powerful hero, and she couldn’t wait for the rest of the world to discover me too.
“Logan.” The pity in Seth’s voice snaps me out of it. “Just for closure, though, right?”
I rub the back of my neck. “That’s… I’m not… I’ll just be helping her out and reconnecting. As a friend.”
“You forgot it’s scientifically proven that twins can read each other’s minds.”
“No, it isn’t.” At least not scientifically proven. It is unnerving sometimes how well Seth and I can read each other, even as adults.
Seth waits.
“What do you want me to admit here? Why do you care?”
“I don’t want you to get hurt. She’s not gonna stay long-term.”
It’s a low blow. “Closure is the main goal, of course.”
“Maingoal? Logan. She’s not staying. She laughed when I asked her earlier. You’ll get hurt if it turns romantic again.”
“I know.”
“Maybe this is a bad idea—”
“No, it’s a great idea. Much better than the ‘sexiest mine in the Southwest.’”
“Hey!” Seth looks offended. “I thought you liked that idea!”
“Night, bro!” I escape before Seth can respond.
All night I toss and turn, hyperaware of Sierra’s presence in the spare bedroom, just next to mine.
Seven
Logan
The next morning, Sierra sits in the living room, the black trash bags holding her stuff at her feet. A sick jolt shoots through me at the evidence of her leaving again.
“I wish you had better news for me too, Sam.” Her phone is clutched to her ear, her hand against her forehead in a universal pose of defeat.
