Page 63 of Acadia Falls

She nodded. “Everybody on the island knows everything, remember?”

I shrugged. Was Jack really upset about us?

Alex was still inspecting me. “And the sex is incredible, right?”

I nodded, my chin wobbling a little.

“You’re about to cry. And I don’t think you’re crying over just the sex.” Alex blinked at me. “You never cried over Tim, did you?”

I shook my head no.

“Oh boy.” Alex poured us each an iced coffee. “You’ve got it bad.”

“I’m fine.”

She arched an eyebrow. “No, you’re not. When I got home, I found you eating a box of Oreos and listening to sad country music about broken hearts and trucks. You are so not fine!”

I took a deep breath, so my voice wouldn’t waver. “I have to let it go. There’s no future for us—not that it was ever about that. I’m going back to New York, and his life is on the island. It’s okay for me to have a summer fling, right?”

Alex watched me carefully. “Are you asking me for permission? Or are you asking yourself?”

“I’ve never been someone who just hooks up with a guy.” I shrugged. “I don’t know why I feel so funny about having a fling. I’m a grown woman.”

“You can’t help the way you feel. Maybe a fling’s not really your thing.” Alex looked past me to the front of the house. “Oh boy—Jack’s here. I’m gonna leave you two alone.”

“What?”

“He just pulled up.” She put a lid on her iced coffee, grabbed her bag, and air-kissed me. “Just remember, you’re the total package. Don’t take any shit from anybody, you hear me?” The screen door slammed behind her.

I crept closer, watching as Alex sashayed down the front steps and stopped at Jack’s truck. I couldn’t hear what she said, but my superior lip-reading skills indicated it was something akin to be nice, or I’m going to fuck your shit up.

Alex really was my best friend.

Once she’d headed down the street, Jack hopped out of his truck. He wore shorts and a zip-up hoodie. His multicolored beard glistened in the fading sun. He was so handsome it almost hurt to look at him, so I turned away.

What was he doing here?

“Maran?” He knocked on the door, even though we could see each other through the screen. “Can I come in for a minute?”

“I’ll come out.” Maybe if we sat on the porch, in semi-public, I wouldn’t do something stupid like cry.

“What’s up?” I eyed him warily as I sank down onto one of the chairs.

He sat across from me. “I had a meeting with my family tonight about the manganese offer. I wanted to talk to you about it.”

“Okay…?” I wasn’t sure if he meant he wanted to talk to me as a lawyer or as a friend.

“The thing is, we had to give Everly Reyes an answer.” He played with the zipper on his sweatshirt. “Her lawyer’s been calling nonstop.”

I nodded, waiting for him to continue.

“We decided as a family that we’re going to do it. We’re going to sell.”

“What?” I shook my head, hoping to clear it. I must’ve heard him wrong. “You’re going to what?”

“We’re going to sell the rights.” Jack squinted at me. He seemed surprised by my surprise.

“Why?”