Page 3 of The Summer We Started Over

“I’d like to go to dinner tonight,” she told him. “I get off work at six.”

“Good,” Jeff said. “That will give me time to show you some of the island.”

—

At six o’clock exactly, Eddie stepped out from the bookshop onto the sidewalk. The sky was still light, the trees lush with new green leaves, the window boxes spilling over with flowers.

“Hi.” Jeff was right in front of the shop, leaning against his truck. “Ready to go?”

“Absolutely!”

Jeff held the door open for her and she slipped inside. He got into the driver’s side, and the cab was filled with his wide shoulders, long arms, handsome face. Being that close to him was exhilarating.Is it too soon,Eddie thought,for me to throw myself on him?

“Have you spent any time at Madaket?” Jeff asked as he backed out onto the cobblestone street.

“No. We’ve been to Surfside Beach a few times, but we’ve been too busy getting settled to see all of the island.”

“Good. I’m taking you to Madaket. It’s the western end of the island.”

“Sounds good,” Eddie said. She was insanely attracted to him in an urgent, visceral way. Madaket. The moon? She would go anywhere with him.

“Why are you named Eddie?”

Eddie laughed. “I’m Edna, actually. My father named his children after his favorite poets.”

“Edna St. Vincent Millay,” Jeff said.

He knows about poets. She said, “That’s impressive! Do you live here year-round?”

“Absolutely. I was born here. I grew up here. I went away to college, and I worked in Boston for a few years. But I missed the island, so Ireturned. I can’t decide if that’s a sign of strength or weakness.” He kept his eyes on the road.

“Strength or weakness?” Eddie thought about it. “I suppose that’s the way men would put it. I guess I would say that I have to choose between being responsible and being…free.”

“You must be the oldest child,” Jeff said.

Eddie glanced over at him. “How can you tell?”

“The oldest child feels responsible. The younger child feels he has to measure up to the powerful older child, especially if he’s male.”

“Ah. You must have a brother.”

“I do. And I’ll never measure up to him.”

Eddie joked, “What is he? A Navy Seal?”

“Actually, he’s an Army Ranger,” Jeff said.

“What? Really? Wow. You’re right. You neverwilllive up to him. Do you have a younger sibling?”

“Nope. And thanks for that vote of confidence.”

They laughed together.

“The truth is,” Jeff continued, “he’s my hero. He’s four years older than I am. We used to fight when we were kids, but whenever I got in trouble, he had my back.”

“Were you a troublemaker?”

“Nah. Not a real troublemaker. I was a clown, mostly. Until I got into high school and realized that I’m better looking than he is.”

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