Page 105 of The Summer We Started Over

“Seriously, Drew? I think you’ve got some kind of mental problems. But anyway, I don’t want to see you again.”

Drew shook his head. “You don’t know what you’re missing out on.”

“Oh, I think I do.” Barrett stood up. “Goodbye, Drew.”

Drew reached across the table, snatched up her glass, and tossed the last of the red wine down his throat, as if winning an argument, taking what he wanted.

Barrett didn’t bother to speak. She walked away from the table, and she was almost giddy with relief.

—

Barrett drove home, thinking about her talk with Drew. She was glad that it was over. She felt her emotions clearing up like the clouds drifting away from the summer sky. She wasn’t sad at all. She feltfree.

At home, she found Eddie in the kitchen, tearing romaine for a salad.

Barrett asked, “Where’s Bobby?”

“He’s eaten. Now he’s watching television. Dove’s still sleeping.”

Barrett held up her phone and snapped some photos.

“Hey!” Eddie said.

“I want some shots of you all mom-ish in an apron,” Barrett said. “Wow, something smells good.”

“I made lasagna.” She looked over her shoulder. “I’ve invited Jeff to join us for dinner.”

“Cool. I’ll call Paul.”

“How did your talk with Drew go?”

“Actually, it was easy. But he’s so arrogant, it’s going to take him a while to believe I dropped him.”

Barrett ran upstairs to call Paul. She left a message on his voicemail, took a long hot shower, and pulled on dry clothes. She peeked in on sleeping Dove and went downstairs and began to set the table. Paul called back to say he’d be there soon.

The front door opened and Dinah and William walked in.

Eddie hurried in from the kitchen.

“Everything okay?” Barrett asked.

“Everything’s fine.” Dinah beamed up at William. “We drove him and his box of books to the airport. He’s on his way home.”

“So that was your stalker, Dinah,” Eddie said.

Dinah smiled like a cat with a bowl of cream. “Yes, and here is my hero.” She leaned against their father and put her arm around his waist.

Eddie and Barrett locked eyes.He was her hero?

Once more, the front door opened. Jeff and Paul came in, carrying a blueberry pie from Bartlett’s and a carton of vanilla ice cream.

Barrett set more plates at the table, lit a candle, and carried in the salad as Eddie was serving the lasagna. They sat at the table talking about this amazing day, and no food had ever tasted better.

When dinner was over, Barrett, William, and Dinah helped clear and do the dishes. Paul and Barrett walked out to lean on the fence,sweet-talking Duchess. Eddie and Jeff went into the den and found Bobby asleep on the couch in front ofThe Loud House. Eddie turned off the television and watched as Jeff gently lifted the little boy into his arms and carried him upstairs to bed. Eddie followed, and watched as Jeff laid Bobby next to his sleeping mother.

They turned off the light and pulled the door almost, but not quite shut, so if the child woke, he wouldn’t be in complete darkness.

Eddie sat on the top step, her feet on the step below. She patted the space next to her.

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