Page 111 of The Summer We Started Over

They talked some more, then ended the call, and Barrett still satonthe bench, gazing out at the harbor. White sails against blue water.Puffy white clouds floating in a pastel blue sky. A pretty young woman leaving Peter England’s clothing shop in a blue and white striped dress.

The thing was, Barrett thought, how amazing the timing had been with that phone call. As if the universe itself was encouraging her, supporting her. She was going to be interviewed! A photo of her shop would be in a magazine! She couldn’t wait to tell everyone, and she hoped that Dinah would be so excited she’d treat them all with another bottle of expensive champagne.

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Eddie was going crazy waiting for Barrett to come home, and finally, at nine-fifteen, she saw the headlights of Barrett’s Jeep flash across the drive.

Eddie raced out to meet her sister.

Barrett stepped out of the car. “I have so much to tell you!”

Eddie squealed, “I have so much toshowyou!” Taking Barrett’s hand, she led her toward the back of the house.

“Are you nuts?” Barrett asked.

“Sssh,” Eddie whispered.

“Where is Dove? Where is Bobby?”

“They’re in bed. Duh. It’s after nine. Now, you and I are going to calmly walk up the steps of the back porch.”

Barrett followed Eddie around to the back porch.

In the gentle light of the moon and the bolder porch light, their father and Dinah were sitting side by side on the wicker porch swing. They were holding hands.

“Get out of town,” Barrett said.

“I know, right?” Eddie agreed.

“Girls,” their father called. “We can hear you.”

“Come join us,” Dinah said.

Eddie and Barrett went up the steps and settled in the white wickerchairs across from William and Dinah. Duke, lying near the door, thumped his tail in greeting.

“You two are holding hands,” Eddie commented, as if reporting the weather.

Their father smiled. It had been years since they’d seen their father smile like that.

“We’re making plans,” their father said.

Dinah fluffed her hair and scooted closer to their father. “I hope this doesn’t upset you, Eddie, but I’ve bought a house.”

Eddie was speechless.

“Where have you bought a house?” Barrett asked.

“On the cliff,” Dinah told her.

Barrett almost fell off her chair. “On aNantucketcliff?”

Dinah laughed. “Yes, darling. I’ve become very fond of this island, and also very fond of Bill.”

“Bill?” Eddie echoed.

“William. Your father. I like to think of him as Bill.”

“No one ever calls our father Bill,” Barrett declared.

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