Page 40 of The Summer We Started Over

Paul caught Barrett’s eye. “If you need any more help, let me know.”

Barrett said, “Thanks,” and wanted to say more, although what she would say she didn’t know. Paul’s presence threw her mind into such a jumble. She picked up the coffee cups and went into the kitchen.

“I’m going up to finish the bedroom now,” Eddie called.

Eddie returned to the bedroom, shoved the dresser and armchair into place, vacuumed, and made the bed with fresh sheets.

Barrett came into the room. “Didn’t you say you had to pick her up at eleven?”

Eddie checked her watch. “Good grief, it’s already ten-thirty.” She started to race from the room, but stopped in front of her sister. “Thank you for helping this morning. I couldn’t have done it without you.”

“I know,” Barrett replied, smirking. “Now you owe me big-time.”

Eddie kissed her sister’s cheek, grabbed her keys from the hook, and hurried out to her car.

Barrett went into the kitchen. Her father was there, his computer case in his hand, reaching forhiscar keys from the hook on the wall.

“Dad? Where are you going?”

“To the library. I need to focus on my book, and it’s going to be noisy here.”

Barrett watched him go, then called Eddie. “I think Dad’s nervous about meeting Dinah. He’s gone to the library to work.”

Eddie had her phone set in the dashboard mount. “That’s so funny. I never imagined this, but I bet Dinah’s going to rock his world.”

Barrett heard a loud thud. “The guys have started hammering. See you later.”

She walked to the barn, allowing herself to check Paul out while he was intent on pounding nails into a board. He wore work boots, canvas carpenter trousers with a loop for a hammer, and a white T-shirt. When Barrett entered the barn, Paul noticed and walked toward her. He was tall and muscular, and his dark hair spouted up in the opening of the baseball cap he wore backward.

When he smiled down at her, Barrett completely forgot what she’d intended to say.

“I’ll bet you want to know how the quarterboard’s going,” Paul said.

“Yes! Yes, that’s what I was wondering.” She took a breath, regaining her composure. “I’m headed into the shop now to get it ready for tonight. The grand opening. Maybe you could hang the sign this evening?” She took another breath.

“I’ll be there,” Paul told her. “I think we should make a big deal of it. Like, I’ll hang the quarterboard and you invite Eddie and your friends and we’ll all toast with champagne. Lots of photo opportunities for your social media. You’re taking online orders, aren’t you?”

“I am, but I hadn’t thought of a grand opening with champagne. What a wonderful idea!”

Paul grinned. “I’m full of wonderful ideas.”

Her knees went weak. Was he hitting on her? Because she was way overheated. She managed to say, “Oh, good.”

From the barn, Jeff yelled, “Paul! You’ve got to hold this end!”

“See you later,” Paul told Barrett, and walked off.

Barrett watched him walk. He had slim hips, long legs, wide shoulders.

This summer promised to be interesting, she thought, as she got into her Jeep and drove into town.

Memorial Day was late this year, at the very end of the month of May. Summer people were already arriving to open their houses.

Barrett parked her car near Commercial Wharf and walked to Lower Main Street and her small rented shopfront. DogCatLove, with treats, brushes, water bowls, leashes, and even a few dog bikinis, was open. The owner, Kari Golden, was polishing her window to a shine. She waved at Barrett. In the sunglasses shop, the lights were on and the owner, an older man wearing a plaid bow tie, yelled into his cellphone. The door to Aunt Leah’s Fudge was thrown wide and irresistible scents drifted out into the fresh spring air.

Barrett stopped to study her window. She needed to place the small nautical paperweights higher on the glass shelves. She’d put a blue straw sun hat and a necklace of seashell earrings on the foam mannequin’s head. She’d tied a blue scarf around the neck. Cashmere sweaters in shades of azure, turquoise, and sky blue lay against one another. All very Nantucket summer.

And her quarterboard would go up above the door tonight. She checked the weather on her phone. Miraculously, the weekend forecast was for dry, clear, and mild.

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