Page 41 of The Summer We Started Over

“Yes!”she said.

“Good morning!” The UPS deliveryman was at her door, his arms full of boxes.

“Hi, Arnie!” She unlocked her door and followed him to the room at the back of her shop, which was full of cardboard boxes, tissue paper, price tags and stickers, a broom and dustpan, a supersize bottle of Windex, rolls of receipt paper, and a cornflower blue tray holding matching cups, a sugar bowl, and a milk pitcher. Eddie had sent her the set months ago when Barrett told her she’d signed the papers renting the space.

Arnie set down her boxes and left. Barrett just stared at them for amoment. The stack was almost as high as she was. She felt like itwasChristmas in May, even though she’d ordered all the merchandise.

Maybe, Barrett thought in a burst of optimism, justmaybeit would work out nicely to have Eddie’s boss staying with them. What if their father liked Dinah? That was not beyond the realm of possibility. Barrett imagined the two of them kayaking side by side in the inner harbor, lying on the beach, reading each other’s work and discussing it. And Eddie could go to a play or a party or somewhere with Jeff, and Barrett could date Drew…or Paul. DrewandPaul?

Plus, her dream was coming true. She was about to open her very own shop!

She couldn’t stop smiling.

—

Eddie parked her car as close to the airport entrance as she could get. Today, the last Sunday in May, crowds were descending on the island to open their summer houses. A Cape Air plane from Boston landed a few minutes before Dinah’s.

Dinah arrived in a sleek Citation Bravo jet that carried only seven passengers. She descended from the plane looking like a flower among a clump of weeds.

When she sold her first romance novel, Dinah Lavender had decided to base her image on Barbara Cartland, the British romance writer who had been an English debutante and, rumor said, had been friends with the Queen Mother. It was a style that hugged Dinah’s curvaceous body. Red was her favorite color; it suited her glossy black hair. Today, she was very restrained in a lavender dress (lavender was her other favorite color) with a matching cape, and she looked very Elizabeth Taylor. Her hair was held back by a wide headband, and her sunglasses were large. She carried a small handbag and had her lavender quilted computer case slung over her shoulder.

Dinah spotted Eddie and eased her way through the other passengers toward her. She threw her arms around Eddie.

“Oh, Eddie, thank heavens, you are an angel from paradise, you have no idea what this means to me. I’ve been so frightened, so terribly worried. I’ve actually lost weight!”

Eddie hugged Dinah tight. “You’ll be fine here. Come on. Let’s find your luggage.”

“Of course! I’ve brought only three suitcases.”

Three Louis Vuitton suitcases sat alone in the baggage bin. Eddie wrestled them onto the floor. They were small, but heavy. That didn’t necessarily mean Dinah was planning to stay for the summer.

“You drove, right? Or do we have a limo waiting? Where are the porters?”

“I drove, Dinah. No porters here. We can manage.” Eddie coaxed Dinah into pulling one of the suitcases. Eddie pulled the other two.

“The flight was so restful,” Dinah said. “The other passengers were all businessmen who made no attempt at conversation. I mean, they had no who idea who I am, which was slightly insulting. But at least the stalker didn’t follow me.”

“I know you’re safe here.” Eddie beeped the Jeep’s hatch open and lifted the three suitcases inside. As Dinah settled into the passenger seat, Eddie noticed her Manolo Blahniks. “Dinah, I hope you brought some sensible shoes. I think I’ve mentioned that the sidewalks are brick and the streets are cobblestone. The easiest way to sprain an ankle is to get a heel caught between bricks.”

“I brought several pairs of flats and sandals,” Dinah replied, tucking her flowing skirt in around her.

“I’m taking you home so you can get settled,” Eddie told her. “Remember, my family is eccentric and every room is stacked with books.”

“That sounds absolutely heavenly to me,” Dinah answered.

“My sister has already gone into her shop. You’ll meet her later. She’s getting ready for the grand opening tonight.”

Dinah fastened her seatbelt and smoothed her skirt. “I’ve seen posts of Nantucket Blues on my social media. Brilliant idea!”

It took only fifteen minutes, much of it spent bumping over dirtroads, to wind through the back streets to the Grant farm off Hummock Pond Road. As she entered their driveway, Eddie was pleased with what she saw. Trees fluttered fresh green leaves and dozens of tulips embroidered the front of the house.

Dinah stepped out of the Jeep and looked around. “Oh, my. It’s certainly not the city out here.”

Eddie couldn’t tell if that was a compliment or an insult, but before she could decide, Dinah cooed, “Who arethey?”

Eddie followed Dinah’s gaze. Dinah had spotted Jeff and Paul, working in the barn. Of course she had.

“They’re carpenters.” Eddie beeped the hatch open and lifted the suitcases onto the gravel drive. “They’re building book bins for the used bookstore we’re persuading our father to open.”

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