Page 109 of The Summer We Started Over

“Let me catch my breath,” Jeff said.

Duke came hurrying into the barn, tail wagging, and even the horse swung her head around as far as it would go so that she could watch them.

“What am I?” Jeff asked. “Santa Claus?”

Eddie grinned. “Sometimes.”

Jeff sat on the big cracked leather chair and Bobby squeezed in next to him.

“Okay,” Jeff said. Unfastening his pack, he reached in and pulled out a leathery pig’s ear. Duke danced and whimpered with delight, gently grabbed the snack, and ran off to lie under a tree to gnaw on it.

Jeff took out an apple and handed it to Bobby. “Want to give this to the horse?”

“You’re in a good mood,” Eddie said as they watched Bobby and the horse.

“Max said to take the afternoon off. Brukacher, the silicon tsar, hasn’t paid his bills for the massive amount of work we’ve done building his house. He keeps changing his mind. Now he wants a bowling alley in his basement, but he owes us a pant load for work we’ve already done.”

“So, you dropped in with a bag full of apples and dog bones.”

“Oh, more than that. You’ll see.”

Bobby returned, wiping horse drool onto his shorts. “She licked me!”

“Well, Bobby, I’ve got a couple of things in here for you.” Jeff brought out a packet of Oreos. “Hang on, don’t open them yet. I’ve brought you something else. Something every boy should have.”

Carefully, Jeff lifted out a large, brightly colored box of Legos. He put his hand on Bobby’s shoulder. “Bobby, you’ll be living with Eddie and me now, in a house I’m building, and I’m a builder, and I’m going to teach you to how to build a house. Let’s go over to the table and build something.”

Bobby followed eagerly and they settled to play.

Eddie went to the stand to check her emails. It was all she could do not to throw herself on Jeff, telling him how wonderful he was to spend time with Bobby, to bring Legos to Bobby. She heard Jeff quietly explaining what to do, and she heard Bobby’s giggle when he’d made a tower. Duke lay beneath the tree, gnawing on his treat. The horse stood at the fence, leaning her head over, keeping an eye on the action.

It can happen,Eddie thought. Misfortune, craziness, and madness could happen. But so could kindness, optimism, and courage. On the spur of the moment, she called her sister.

“Hi, Barrett, just checking in. Are you okay?”

Barrett sounded happy. “I am. Paul is going to call later. We’re talking about other small sculptures he could make for the shop.”

“Cool. Tell him I said hello. I’ll talk to you later.”

After a while, Eddie went into the house to make lunch, and brought lemonade and sandwiches out to the porch. Even in the shadow, the heat and humidity of the day was oppressive. Duke slept under the tree, one paw on his pig’s ear. The horse had retreated to a shady spot and stood with her head stuck into the bushes.

“Eddie, can I go inside and watch television?” Bobby asked.

“Sure,” Eddie said. “Take your plate and glass in, please. Put them by the sink.” She watched Bobby make his way into the kitchen. “Jeff, is there anything else you want?”

Jeff looked at the window. He saw Bobby walking out of the kitchen toward the den.

“There’s a lot I want,” he said quietly. He angled his chair around so he could face Eddie. “I want to make a difference in that child’s life. I want you to believe we could have a happy child ourselves. I want you to stay on the island. I want us to be a family. I want to marry you. Soon.”

Eddie’s heart flipped like a kite in the wind. She put her hand on her chest. “I want that, too.”

Jeff looked solemn. “But?Do I hear a ‘but’ tagging along? But you don’t want to leave Dinah? But you aren’t sure you want to have children? But you don’t like the thought of living on the island year-round?”

He looked serious, and worried, as if he expected Eddie to run away again. She flung herself off her chair, landing on her knees on the floor, reaching up to take Jeff’s hands in hers.

“I want to be with you. I don’t want to leave you or the island or Bobby. I want to marry you and I’ll marry you as soon as you want.”

Jeff smiled. “I think I’m the one who should be on my knees. But this way will work, too.” Reaching into his pocket, he took out a small black velvet box and handed it to Eddie.

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