Noble was so startled by the question that his eyes widened. But Daff was a working woman, which meant that she could be alone with people, and — just because this was more alone than they'd been in years that didn't mean it was odd. Nothing was going to happen between them, because nothing could. (He wanted something to happen.)

"Sure," Noble said. He put his hands in his pockets. "Can I come around the back?"

He didn't want anything reflecting on his sisters, after all — or on Daff. But he desperately wanted to see the inside.

---