Page 12 of The Summer We Started Over

“You do?” Barrett burst into tears. “Sorry, sorry to be so emotional, it’s just that I’m so happy you like it.”

“It’s a clever idea, such a range of blues in such a range of items. There’s no other shop like it here. I think you’ll make a fortune. Please. Enough with the tears. Let’s take a coffee break.”

“Oh! I don’t have a way to make coffee here—”

“Great! Now I know what to buy you for a shop-warming present.”

Barrett said, “Oh, Ed, you don’t have to buy me a present! I mean, I can afford to buy a Keurig. I just hadn’t thought about it.”

“Well, too late. I’m on the case now.” Eddie took Barrett’s arm. “Let’s go to Born & Bread.”

Barrett forced herself to take a few deep breaths as she went aroundher shop, checking that any electric appliances were off. She locked the door and they set off walking through town to the coffee shop. It was busy, but not crowded. The season hadn’t started quite yet. They chose chocolate croissants and coffee and settled at a table by the window.

“Have you seen Dad yet?” Barrett asked.

“I did. On the bright side, he was dressed. On the worrisome side, the first thing he did when he saw me was to ask where to find a biography of Charles Lamb.”

Barrett squinched up her face. “Oh, Eddie!”

“It’s all right. He suddenly realized who I was. It doesn’t seem like things have changed much with him. He’s still obsessed with the book he’s writing.”

“I know.” Barrett dipped her head for a moment. “He doesn’t play tennis or work out at a gym, although in the off-season he sometimes takes Duke for a walk on the beach.”

“He used to be so active. Maybe he needs anti-depressants.”

“I don’t know, Eddie. Dad’s lost his son, his wife, and his job.”

“Hechoseto leave the college,” Eddie pointed out.

“Still. It’s a lot. He does email his old friends, but he needs to make new friends.”

Eddie reached over and held Barrett’s hand. “Don’t worry. I’m here. I’ll help deal with it somehow. But let’s not talk about that. Tell me, who are you seeing? Anyone special?”

Barrett almost cried anyway, because Eddie held her hand and tried to cheer her up. Eddie was one of God’scan docreatures who hated being sentimental, so she must be seriously upset about their father.

Barrett shrugged her shoulders. “No one special since our last phone call. It’s okay. I see friends I used to work with, but I had to finish some online business courses, and with the house, and getting the shop ready, I haven’t had time.”

“No one special for me, either. I go out a lot, with Dinah. She’salways got mobs of beautiful people around, but in the city, it seems everyone is too busy climbing some kind of career ladder to really get involved. I’ve had dinner with a few men, gone to an art exhibition or cocktail party. You know. I’ve told you everything. But I’m not looking to settle down. Are you?”

“Good grief, no!” Barrett answered. “But, Eddie, I’m only twenty-six. You’re twenty-eight. You’re almost thirty!”

Eddie dabbed her napkin to a bit of chocolate on the side of her mouth. “Guess who drove me home from the ferry.”

Barrett’s eyes lit up. “No.”

“Yes. He had brought his grandmother to the Hy-Line. He offered to drive me home, so…I said sure.”

“How is he?” Immediately, Barrett imagined her sister married to Jeff, pregnant, living on the island where Barrett could see her every day.

“Good.” Eddie changed the subject. “I’d rather talk about you.”

Barrett said, “What a great idea! Hey, listen, I’m truly grateful you’re home for a while. I want this shop to be a success. I plan to be there every day, all day, starting during Memorial Day weekend. I can’t continue as Dad’s maid, chef, and chauffeur, and his book hoarding is out of control—”

“I know. I’m sorry I haven’t been back more often,” Eddie said. “Maybe I can convince him to clear out some of the books. I’ll do the grocery runs and all the cooking while you’re running your shop. When I go back to New York, I’ll hire a part-time cleaning company for the farmhouse.”

Barrett turned her spoon over and back, hesitating.

“What?” Eddie demanded.

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