Chapter 15

October moved into November. The crisp days of autumn turned into the rainy days of winter. The few days of sunshine meant that all the residents of Hazel Island got outside, including Gwen.

Sometimes Jack joined her. Other times, he was working, or Gwen was working, too. But they found a rhythm to their friendship that they’d never experienced before.

They still hadn’t had sex. At least, not sex-sex, as Alex would’ve described it. Gwen had tried to bring it up, but Jack had always told her there wasn’t any hurry. Besides, their work schedules didn’t lend to them being with each other all that often. Sometimes an entire week would pass before they could find time to spend together.

It was on one of those misty, gray days that Hazel Island hosted its annual Cider Festival. Gwen had never understood why they didn’t hold it in September or October. Then again, there was something cozy about drinking hot cider on damp, cloudy days.

Given the crowd, Gwen couldn’t deny they were right. The festival was packed despite the depressing weather. The clouds overhead seemed to warn that a deluge could happen at any moment. But the locals knew that deluges of rain were rare. Instead, it was a steady drip of light rain or mist that permeated the island until springtime.

The festival featured booths serving all kinds of cider— such as apple, pear, and marionberry—with foods to match. Cider doughnuts, cider cookies, cider cotton candy. Displays and signs were covered in colorful apple graphics. A poor high school student who’d agreed to dress up as Cid the Cider Apple was constantly bumping into people due to the bulk of his costume.

“I want some doughnuts. Oh, wait, are those kolaches?” Alex handed her cup of cider to Felicity. “Do you guys want some?”

“Yes,” Gwen and Felicity said at the same time.

Alex pushed through the crowd, determination on her face. No one could come between Alex and doughnuts. Gwen had learned that a long time ago.

“How many do you think she’ll buy this time?” asked Felicity.

“If she comes back with fewer than a dozen, I’ll buy you a drink,” replied Gwen.

Felicity grinned. “Deal.”

Alex eventually returned with two dozen doughnuts, along with three kolaches. “They’d already run out of most of the kolaches. Sorry, guys.”

“How are we going to eat two dozen doughnuts?” Gwen shook her head at her friend.

“Oh, we can do it. I have faith in us,” said Alex before biting into one of the doughnuts.

Felicity leaned over to Gwen and murmured, “You owe me a drink.”

Despite the cold weather, Gwen felt warm and toasty as she and her two good friends enjoyed the festival. It helped that they didn’t skimp on spiking the cider.

But as she wandered down Main Street, Gwen stopped in her tracks when she saw a dark head of hair. Her heart in her throat, she wondered how she should react if Jack were to approach them.

The man turned out to be a stranger, though, and Gwen let out a relieved sigh. Although she’d confided in Felicity about her relationship with Jack, she’d yet to disclose anything to Alex.

“Gwen, are you listening?” said Alex.

“What? Sorry, did you say something?”

“Well, it’s too late now.” Alex shrugged. “Cid nearly knocked a kid over. It was hilarious.”

Felicity lightly elbowed Alex. “Alex, seriously.”

“What? The kid’s fine.” She took a big bite of her second doughnut.

The trio eventually found an open bench and began to people-watch while eating all their goodies. Gwen sat in the middle between Alex and Felicity. Felicity seemed to content merely to watch the passersby, while Alex chattered about everything and nothing.

“Did I tell you about the dude who came into the store and was upset that we didn’t have some random German book in stock?” said Alex. “He got super offended. I was like, dude, why would we have some book written in German that was published over fifty years ago? We can barely keep books in English that were released this year.”

“Did you order it for him?” said Gwen, only half-listening.

“I couldn’t. It wasn’t available.” Alex shrugged. “I think he might’ve cursed me and my descendants in German when he left.”

“Oh, look, people I know.” Jocelyn approached the trio, a cup of cider in her hand. “I didn’t know you were coming to this thing.”

Gwen felt a bite of guilt that she hadn’t invited Alex’s sister. It wasn’t that she didn’t like Jocelyn’s company. It was more that Jocelyn and Alex tended to get snippy with each other over the silliest things. They weren’t exactly the closest of sisters.

“We didn’t think you’d want to come,” said Alex.

Jocelyn took a sip of her cider. “Based on what, exactly?”

Alex shrugged. “You get all weird about food. Like you always have to make comments about it. Not everything has to be a Yelp review. It’s weird.”

Felicity was looking at her shoes. Gwen could feel the tension in the air already.

“You haven’t been to this festival, have you? How do you like the cider?” said Gwen, trying to keep the conversation from going off the rails.

“It’s good. At least the one I bought.” She held out her hand. “Can I have one?”

Alex had closed the box a moment before Jocelyn had approached. “They’re all gone. Sorry.”

Gwen knew there were at least three still in the box. She opened her mouth, but Alex reached over to pinch her—hard.

“You already ate them all? You’re going to get fat, you know.” Jocelyn reached down and pinched Alex’s cheek.

Gwen grimaced. Felicity looked like she was about to run for the hills. Alex, for her part, scowled and slapped her sister’s hand away.

“The menu for Monday looks great,” said Gwen hurriedly. “The crab cakes sound amazing.”

“Well, the Dungeness crab here is so good, I like to use it as often I can. It helps that that fisherman of yours is so good at catching them,” said Jocelyn.

Gwen’s cheeks flushed. “He doesn’t go crabbing much anymore,” she stammered.

“Oh, Jack Benson, he’s delicious.” Alex licked her fingers. “I’d eat him up if he’d let me.”

“I think he’s already taken,” said Jocelyn.

Jocelyn was looking at Gwen when she said that, and Gwen wished both of the Gray sisters were in the deepest parts of the Pacific Ocean.

“I always thought he was into you, Gwen. You should get on that horse and ride it,” said Alex.

“Pretty sure that horse has already been ridden,” was Jocelyn’s quiet murmur.

Gwen stood up, surprising Jocelyn and nearly causing her to spill her cider. “I don’t know what the hell you two are pissed at each other about, but I’m not going to be caught in the middle of it.”

“What did Jocelyn mean? About you and Jack?” demanded Alex.

Jocelyn was looking pale. “Shit, Gwen—”

“What are you not telling me?” said Alex.

“Jack and I are...” Gwen struggled to find the right words. “Having fun with each other.”

Now Alex looked pale, her eyes wide with shock. “And you told my sister before you told me?”

“I didn’t tell her, not exactly—”

Alex’s eyes filled with tears. She shoved the box of doughnuts into her sister’s hands. “Eat the stupid doughnuts. You guys suck.”

Gwen sighed. Felicity looked distraught, while Jocelyn just looked annoyed.

~This is the exact reason why I didn’t invite both sisters~, thought Gwen.

Jocelyn opened the box. She shut it without comment and set it back down on the bench.

“Is anyone going to go after her?” said Felicity softly. She’d already stood up, but Gwen stopped her from walking after Alex.

“I’ll do it,” said Gwen.

She found Alex sitting under a tree near one of the parks at the north end of town. Some people meandered here, but compared to the festival, it was nearly deserted.

Alex had her arms wrapped around her knees, her chin resting on top. She didn’t even notice Gwen coming up to her.

“Can I sit?” said Gwen quietly.

Alex just shrugged a shoulder.

Gwen fought against a sharp retort, knowing that it would only make Alex defensive. Sometimes it was hard to remember that Alex was five years her junior. But right now, Alex seemed painfully young to Gwen.

“Why didn’t you tell me about Jack?” said Alex.

Gwen had struggled to come up with a response as she’d followed after Alex. But now she was all out of patience for both sisters.

“Because I wasn’t sure you’d keep it to yourself,” said Gwen bluntly.

Alex flinched. “That’s not fair.”

“The last time I told you something in confidence, you ended up telling your cousin, if I remember correctly—”

“It was an accident! I’d had too much to drink!”

“And I believe another time you told multiple people about the time I got sick on that rollercoaster because you thought it was so hilarious. Even though I begged you not to say anything.”

Alex scowled. “That was a long time ago.”

“It was like a year ago!”

“Fine. But to tell Jocelyn instead? Are you guys friends now?” The disgust in Alex’s voice was obvious.

“Yeah, I think we are. But I didn’t tell her everything about Jack. It just happened.”

Alex didn’t say anything for a long moment. Gwen watched as Alex’s lower lip trembled; she swiped away a few stray tears.

“What is it with you and your sister, anyway?” Gwen asked.

“It’s complicated.”

“Everyone’s relationship with their sibling is complicated.”

“Ours is on another level.”

Gwen gently poked Alex in the shoulder. “You can tell me, you know.”

“Can I?” Alex sounded angry now. “Because you won’t trust me. Yeah, I’ve done some stupid things before. But to tell Jocelyn and not me, one of your best friends, because you can’t trust me... That’s shitty. Really shitty.”

“Why does it have to be a competition between you and Jocelyn? Can’t I be friends with the both of you?”

“No. Because my sister has always tried to take everything I’ve had.”

Gwen gaped at Alex. “Now you’re being overdramatic.”

“Really? You should ask Jocelyn about it. See if I’m being overdramatic. But there are things you don’t know about. Maybe consider that before you judge me.”

Gwen felt like the world had turned upside down. What in the world had Jocelyn done to make Alex this angry? It made no sense. Gwen had assumed their rivalry was some childish thing that they’d yet to shed upon reaching adulthood.

Now Gwen wondered. Alex was normally more than happy to give all the juicy details about her life. But to find out that she’d been hiding something like this from Gwen...

~Pot, meet kettle~, she thought sadly.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about Jack. I’ve just been so out of sorts with the whole thing that I haven’t been thinking clearly,” said Gwen.

“Does Felicity know?”

Gwen sighed. “Yeah.”

That just made Alex clench her jaw and look away from Gwen.

“I know I can be a pain in the ass sometimes,” whispered Alex. “But I want to be a good friend to you. I want you to feel like you can tell me things.”

“I know you do. And you have been a good friend.”

Alex wiped her nose on her sleeve. “Ugh, I’m a mess. I’m sorry for all of this. I guess I’m just a drama llama today.”

“I can’t disagree with that.”

Alex elbowed her. “Tell me about Jack. Are you guys doing the dirty or what?”

Gwen told Alex everything, although it took a second since Alex kept interrupting to ask questions. Gwen didn’t disclose everything about her marriage and anxiety about sex, though. That subject still felt too raw, and Gwen was half-afraid she’d start sobbing like a crazy person right here in the park.

By the end of Gwen’s story, Alex was looking at her like she didn’t recognize her.

“What a little slut you are now,” marveled Alex. “I’m so proud of you.”

“He’s only the second guy I’ve ever slept with,” replied Gwen wryly. “Well, mostly slept-with. We haven’t officially gone all the way.”

“I always thought he had a thing for you. What guy delivers you fish and gives you a discount for five years straight?”

Gwen stared at Alex. “Discount?”

“You didn’t know? I thought you did. Jocelyn mentioned it. She noticed that Jack always charged you something like 30% market value. I can’t remember the exact number. But it was a lot.”

Gwen felt her heart stutter. How had she not known this? Then again, she’d never thought to ask. She’d always assumed Jack was charging her what was fair.

“You didn’t know.” Alex blew out a breath. “Shit.”

“I think I might be falling for him,” whispered Gwen.

Alex took her hand and squeezed it. “You sound like that’s the worst thing ever.”

“It might be.”

“Nah. It’ll be all right. You’ll see. He’s totally crazy about you. Everybody on the island knows it.”

~Except me~, thought Gwen. ~Apparently I’ve been blind this entire time.~

Later that evening, Gwen went to her office to retrieve a handful of the receipts from Jack. She texted Jay, the owner of the fancy island restaurant Verity, asking him what he was charged for his local salmon.

~$15-17 per pound. Depends on the catch and the season. Why? Somebody cheating you? ~he replied an hour later.

Gwen glanced at the number on her receipt. ~$8 per pound. ~

Alex had been right. Jack had been giving her a significant discount. The question was: why? And how would she ever repay him?