She leaps up and begins pacing. Sleepy Jean bleats when she gets close to the cuddle puddle, and Gretchen pauses to smile at the kid, who just keeps getting cuter and cuter, in her opinion. “Yes. Maybe. I mean, notmarryingmarrying him, just... taking his name in an official capacity so that I’m technically a Waybill and can stay at Gilded Creek, freeing him to leave and pursue something else. There wouldn’t need to be anything to the relationship except a piece of paper. Which should still be enough to satisfy the curse’s criteria, right?”
“Gretchen, that’s... that’s...” He throws himself onto the hay bale she vacated, again moving too briskly and winding up partly inside it.
“Ridiculous? Shortsighted?”
“Brilliant,” he says. But it sounds doleful, and his eyes focus on the straw covering the floor, devoid of their usual spark.
“What’s wrong? You don’t wanna hang out with me for the rest of my natural life?” She forces a small chuckle.
Everett’s head shoots up then. “I do. I do want that.”
The vehemence in his voice takes her by surprise and fills her with a lovely warmth. “Okay. So what’s the problem?”
“For starters, Charlie will never go for it. He’ll never let you sacrifice yourself.”
“That’s just it. It isn’t a sacrifice,” Gretchen says. “I actually like living here. And he really, really doesn’t want me going back to doing the spirit medium thing. Neither do I, to be honest. I’m tired of having to lie all of the time, having to constantly worry about slipping up and ruining my own life. Charlie appreciates my honesty above everything, so if I just tell him that this is truly what I want, I think I can convince him that it’s more like he’s doingmea favor.”
“And how are you going to run this place on your own?”
“I wouldn’t be on my own, not really. Lori would still take care of the cheesemaking, and once we start making enough money, I can hire someone to take the lead on operations so I can focus primarily on the business side of things. Maybe we could bring in a few more part-time people. Find some real interns.” Gretchen notices Everett’s expression falling further and further as she talks. “What? Just tell me. Why are you so against this?”
He hangs his head. “I just never expected this to happen when I asked for your help. I don’t want you to be... to be unhappy because of me.”
“Oh,nowyou have an attack of guilt. A little late for that, babe,” she says teasingly as she sits back down beside him, getting close enough to feel his chill. “I appreciate that you care, Ev. It’s been really nice to have someone around who I know will be there no matter what. And not only because you literally cannot leave.”
She expects a laugh or at least a smile, but it never comes. Instead, he stares at her, more serious than she’s ever seen him. “You’re a special person, Gretchen. I don’t deserve your friendship.”
“Probably not, but you have it anyway.”
Everett’s mouth finally curves ever so slightly at the corner. They sit there in silence for a moment, until Everett asks, “Do you love him?”
Gretchen considers the question for a long time. What she feels for Charlie is a strange, selfless thing. There’s lust, of course, but there is also a fierce affection crossed with the profound need to do anything in her power to ensure and support his happiness, even if it does mean making herselfunhappy in the process. Is that love? “Does it matter?” she responds at last, dodging having to answer both Everett and herself.
“It might. What if you told him how you feel? What if it made him want to stay too? Then you wouldn’t need to marry, you could still leave if things were to change... He probably feels the same way, you know. Or will. Charlie doesn’t generally get involved with someone if he doesn’t think it could turn into something serious.”
Hope blooms in her heart, and she quickly tramples it. She doesn’t want to know how Charlie feels, because what if it doesn’t change anything? That’s the last thing she needs—yet another person who supposedly loves her but will still wind up leaving. Best to send him on his way now, before either of them mistakes this practical solution as anything more.
She shakes her head. “I’m doing this because I don’t want it to be his burden anymore. He didn’t ask for it, he doesn’t deserve it. This farm has become an albatross around his neck. It doesn’t bring him joy to be here anymore. There’s no point to this if he starts feeling an obligation to stay for any reason—including me or my feelings.”
“Gretch, I just don’t want you to be...”Unhappy, she assumes he’ll say again. Everett throws off his cap in a burst of emotion. It immediately reappears on his head.
“Why are you so against this? You’re the one who came up with this plan, remember?” Gretchen throws her hands up in frustration and stands again, resuming her pacing. Two of the kids think she’s playing and run past her, stumbling over a resting Waluigi, who lets out an indignant bleat.
“I’m not,” he says. “I’m not against it. But things are different now. I care about you. And I just think you’re being a little hasty here, wanting to sacrifice yourself for a guy you didn’t even really like a few weeks ago.”
“Well, I didn’t really like you a few weeks ago either, and lookat us now!” she shouts and throws her arms out, accidentally flinging one through Everett’s body. Gretchen folds into herself for a moment, trying to ease the resulting frigidness.Serves me right.Everett frowns at her, expressing the same thought. She sighs. “Look. I was taught to listen to my instincts. My instincts tell me this is my best option for saving Charlie. And if you’re worried I’m being completely selfless here, I promise you I am not. I’m getting plenty out of it too.” Her hands come to her hips. “If there’s a reason I shouldn’t go to Charlie with this idea, something I’m not seeing, tell me now.”
“Or forever hold my peace, huh?” He stares at her a long while, then back at the ground. “There isn’t any reason.”
“Okay. Great! Good.” Gretchen nods. “All right. I’m going to go... well, propose to Charlie, then.”
“Okay. Good luck.”
“Thanks. Do you want to come with?”
Everett shakes his head. “I’ll give you your privacy.”
As she leaves the outbuilding, Gretchen tries to figure out what about that whole conversation with Everett felt so off. The wrongness of it was all vibes, nothing concrete she could put her finger on. Is it possible thatEverettis in love with her? No way.He thinks of me as a hot sister.Besides, a marriage of convenience that results in Charlie leaving Gilded Creek wouldn’t exactly be a problem in that situation. No competition for her attention then.
