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“Only if you want to,” Sadie said.

“I very much want to.”

Joan checked the sliding glass doors, all the windows, every room, looking and listening for anything suspicious. Everything was as she’d left it that morning, including the empty Chinese food containers and beer bottles sitting on the kitchen island from the weekend.

Sadie leaned against it. “This looks like the set for a sad heartbreak montage in a rom-com.”

“That’s basically what it was.”

She stretched forward to give Joan a soft kiss. “Not tonight.”

“Not tonight,” Joan repeated, mostly so she didn’t blurt outHopefully never again.

“Can I ask you something?” Sadie said.

“Anything.”

She looked in the direction of the living room. “Is all of that stolen? The paintings and expensive trinkets?”

Taking in a steadying breath, Joan said, “Some of it. A few things were gifts. I bought some things.”

“I don’t like the idea of the artists not getting paid.”

“I don’t, either. Everything was originally bought and paid for. I wouldn’t take anything from an artist. That’s shitty.”

“You should give the creators some money for their troubles,” Sadie said. “If they’re still alive. It can’t feel good to know your work got stolen.”

“You’re right. I should. I mean, I appreciate and enjoy it all.”

“That would be a nice gesture.”

The way Sadie looked at her—I like you, but do better—anyone would agree to whatever she wanted. “Okay. I’ll do that,” Joan said.

“Good.” Sadie released a huge yawn. “Whew. I’m exhausted.”

“Me, too. Generating as much fire as I did takes a lot out of me.”

“I can only imagine.” Toying with a button on Joan’s chambray-blue shirt, Sadie said, “How are you feeling about everything that went down? You had some old friends arrested. That couldn’t have been easy.”

“I don’t care,” Joan said. “They hurt you. They deserve everything they get. I’m more concerned about you.”

“I keep telling you I’m okay.”

They stared at each other, silently acknowledging neither was being all that forthcoming.

“We need to be more honest about how we’re feeling,” Sadie said.

Joan hesitated for a long beat. She wasn’t used tofeelingstalks. “I don’t think it’s sunk in yet. It probably will in a day or two.”

“I’ll be here for you when it does.”

“Thank you. I’ll have to process it with Mark. We’ve gone through everything together. I can’t process things without him.”

Sadie nodded.

“But I want you there,” Joan quickly added. “I didn’t mean for it to sound like?—”

“It didn’t, but thanks for clarifying.” Sadie stared down at her baggy T-shirt. “I haven’t processed what happened, either. It might be hard going back to work.”