Page 57 of Acadia Falls

The chainsaw was buzzing when I pulled up. Tommy had taken down another tree and was cutting it into smaller pieces. I had a gulp of coffee before I approached, getting into his line of vision so he’d know I was there.

Tommy scowled when he saw me.

“Hey,” I said.

He reluctantly turned the saw off. “Nice of you to show up.”

“You’re the one who told me to go off-island to help her!”

“I know.” Tommy’s shoulders slumped. “I’m just mad, is all. I hate missing out on fishing.”

“I get it.” We fished every day, no matter what. Being on the island at this hour of the morning was a strange feeling. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d been on dry land at nine a.m. It felt like a dream, or maybe like we were trespassing.

“It’s the high season—we can’t get these days back,” Tommy continued. “And you know Trey and Cuddy are out there.”

“Yep, I know. I hate missing our morning run, too.” I gripped my mug tighter. “It’s shaping up to be one of those days, huh? Mom said she wanted us home for dinner tonight. She wants to talk about Everly Reyes.”

“I heard.” Tommy didn’t look happy about it.

The day stretched out before us, miserable and purposeless. “You still want to go fishing?”

“Maybe. It’s pretty late, though.” My brother shrugged, then turned back to the lot. It was only half-cleared, a testament to our continued neglect. “I feel like Dad would want us to actually do something with this land. Don’t you?”

“Yep.” He’d said as much before he died. Something like, When are you fools going to finally settle down and start families? Your mother and I aren’t getting any younger.

Tommy stared at the trees. “So… What happened with Blondie?”

I scratched my head. “I think I broke up with her.”

“You think?” Tommy sighed. “Either you did, or you didn’t.”

“I did.” I nodded. “I’m not going to see her anymore.”

“How come?”

I shrugged. “She’s only here for the summer.”

He arched an eyebrow. “She’s going back to New York, not Mars.”

“Might as well be.” I had a gulp of coffee. “No use getting attached.”

“So you were getting attached.”

“I didn’t say that.”

“Yeah, you did.” Sometimes Tommy sounded like the nagging twelve-year-old he used to be.

“I miss the days when I could punch you to get you to shut the hell up.”

He shook his head. “When’re you going to grow up, huh?”

“When’re you?”

He turned back to me, his expression softening. “I’m not trying to be a jerk. It’s just that… She seems like a nice girl. There’s nothing wrong with having a nice girlfriend, you know? Someone’s gotta have a reason to clear one of these lots.”

“Well, maybe M.B. will wake up one of these days and make an honest man out of you.”

He frowned. “If she hasn’t yet, it doesn’t look good. I’m thinking about getting on one of those dating apps. Or letting Aunt Evie fix me up.”