Lost on Brier Island by Jo Ann Yhard

she knew the answer to that— more trouble between Mom and Dad.
    Anxiety surged through her. She thought about finding out what was wrong, but decided she didn’t want to know. Desperate to think of something else, Alex turned back to Eva and Gus.
    â€œGus named his boat after you!” she shouted.

Chapter Nineteen
    â€œWhat?” Eva’s mouth was shaped in an O and her eyebrows had jumped almost to the top of her head.
    â€œ Evania Rose —that’s what Gus named his new boat.”
    Gus slunk even lower on his stool. It looked like he was trying to melt into the floor. He shot Alex a hurt look.
    She felt like she’d kicked a puppy. He suddenly didn’t look the least bit like a ferocious lion. Why had she said anything? It was the same as at the park with the donair. Part of her wanted to ruin everything.
    â€œWhat?” Eva repeated. “You named your boat…after me?”
    Gus opened his mouth, but nothing came out.
    â€œAll these years, you never said a word.”
    â€œI—I, well, you were in mourning after Albert died…and—”
    â€œAlbert? He died ten years ago!”
    â€œYes, but ya love him—and miss him. I know that.”
    Eva was shaking her head. “You should have said something. All this time…”
    He took both her hands. “Eva, dear. I’m a grimy old bachelor. And still, I weed your flowers, plant your fancy herbs, take you shopping on the mainland…”
    â€œYes, I know that, but—oh. Oh!” Her eyes were round as saucers as she looked up at him.
    Gus smiled back down at her.
    Eva seemed to get embarrassed. She tugged her hands loose. “What do you mean, grimy? Indeed you’re not! You have the cleanest hands I’ve ever seen.”
    â€œThere’s a bit of a story behind that. Do you remember me coming in here one day after scrubbing down the boat? Must be five years ago now. I’d been working with bleach all day. My nails were cleaner than they ever were in my life. I was payin’ for my coffee and you said, ‘My, you have lovely hands, Gus. Why can’t all men keep their nails like you?’ Well, I been scrubbin’ like a demon ever since.”
    â€œYou bleach your hands? For me?”
    â€œI did. But I had to switch to lemon juice. Bleach is a little hard on the skin—even my tough old hide.”
    So that explained his hands. Alex had noticed his perfect white nails the first time he shook her hand.
    â€œCrazy old fool!” Eva blubbered. “I—I’ve got to get the dishes done here.”
    Gus’s face fell. He took a step towards Eva and stopped, his hands dropping to his sides.
    Just then, Aunt Sophie and Alex’s mom entered the café. They were walking slowly and whispering, their heads bent towards each other. Aunt Sophie’s arm was looped through her mom’s. They didn’t look anything alike, but when they were side by side, you could tell they were sisters. They walked exactly the same way.
    Her mom’s eyes were red and swollen, like she’d been crying again.
    â€œWhat’s the matter, Mom?”
    â€œNothing, Alex.” Her mom’s face quickly rearranged itself into a smile. “Just sister talk.”
    Sophie gave her mom another one of her long, stern looks before plucking the bouquet from the counter. She frowned into the blooms, then shrugged and tucked them into the crook of her arm. “Ready to go, kiddo?”
    Alex was grateful that neither her aunt nor her mom noticed the weird way Eva and Gus were behaving. Now they weren’t even looking at each other as Gus muttered awkward good nights to them. Eva simply waved from behind the counter, not turning around.
    It was dark when they went outside. The moon glittered on the rippling waves of the harbour and the ferry’s lights shone brightly as it sped across the passage. Alex was stuffed. She imagined Eva’s tea biscuits as