Early the next morning, the two men were working together to catch fish from one of the island's many fresh water streams. They liked to hunt before the sun rose too high and made activity impossible in the midday heat. The armband, which Tall still wore to keep things easy for Melanie, lay to one side as he exerted himself in the shimmering blue water. Even their own mother couldn't have told their bronzed muscular, shining bodies apart in the sun-dappled waters. Not without a second look, anyway.
They had been fishing together for an hour in stubborn silence when Sebastian broached the subject of Melanie with his big brother.
"I think I'm in love." He said quietly.
Alex didn't respond but continued waiting, intently focused on the approaching fish in the stream.
"Did you hear me? Sebastian said.
"I heard you."
"So what do you have to say?"
"How about you stop bullshitting her?"
Sebastian said nothing.
"And stop bullshitting me as well."
"I'm telling the truth, Alex. I really think she's the one, ever since I first saw her."
"What? Two weeks ago at Drummond Airlines check-in? Don't make me laugh shorty, because I'm not in the mood."
"You're just jealous because you can see she wants me and not you."
"Why the hell would that make me jealous? I've passed on a hundred girlfriends to you without a thought. I've never been jealous of you about anything because I've never needed to be."
"By passed on, you obviously mean that they've abandoned you for me and by never jealous, you mean never jealous for long."
"You're the one who's jealous. Anytime I get close to a woman, you come running like a hound to start playing around with her. When have I ever done that to you?"
"Never, because I've never been close to a woman."
"That's the first true thing you've said since we crashed on this island."
"Until Melanie."
Alex smashed his fist into the water.
"God damn it, you aren't even close to her. The only reason she talks to you is because she thinks you're me."
"You have no idea what happened between us before that plane went down."
Alex turned on his brother.
"You better tell me exactly what that means."
Sebastian smiled. He knew his brother inside and out. Maybe it was an identical twin thing, but he could read him. Even if he didn't move or say a word.
"Forget it." He said. "You wouldn't even believe me if I told you anyway. Let's just put it this way: maybe you'll finally know now what it feels like to come last in something."