Page 42 of The Summer We Started Over

“Where is he getting used books?” Dinah asked. She fluffed her hair and smoothed her dress. Without waiting for a response from Eddie, she carefully stepped through the gravel toward the men.

Little Lavender Riding Hood,Eddie thought,hoping those men are wolves.

Jeff noticed Dinah. He set down his hammer and walked out toward the women. He wore a T-shirt, canvas pants, work boots, and around his hips, a tool belt, one of the sexiest pieces of apparel on earth.

“Hi,” Jeff called. “Hey, Eddie, who’s your friend?”

Dinah didn’t wait for Eddie to speak. She minced her way up to Jeff and said in a breathy voice, “I’m Dinah Lavender. Eddie might have mentioned me to you. Eddie is my assistant.”

Eddie couldn’t hide a grin when she saw Dinah’s face. Jeff was straight out of one of Dinah’s books, her hardworking, tough-talking, rough-living hero with a heart of gold.

Dinah held out her hand.

Jeff hesitated.

“I’m kind of dust-covered. Sawdust, but still.”

“Oh, I never mind a little dust,” Dinah said, and shook his hand.

Paul joined the group. Dinah patted her chest as if trying to slow her heart.

“Hi, Ms. Lavender. I’m Paul. I’m helping Jeff build the book bins.”

Paul wasn’t wearing a tool belt, and he was a good two inches shorter than Jeff, but he had pirate eyes.

“Oh, I’m so glad you men like books, because Iwritebooks!” Dinah batted her eyelashes.

Behind her, Eddie rolled her eyes.

“I’m coming to stay with Eddie because…Oh, well, never mind, we won’t dwell on scary things out there and no one is going to stalk me with you two big men around.”

Feeling mischievous, Eddie cooed, “Maybe you big strong men would like to help carry Dinah’s luggage to her room?”

“Absolutely,” Jeff said.

Eddie led the way, up the slate walk to the steps to the porch and into the house. She paused in the front hall.

“A word of warning,” Eddie said to Dinah. “This house is crowded with books. My father’s writing a book about the English Romantic poets, and he does a lot of research.”

Dinah nearly fainted. “Romantic poetry! I can’t wait to meet him!”

“Let’s go to your room,” Eddie suggested.

She led the writer and her big strong men up the stairs and down the hall, their passage punctuated by the sounds of the luggage hitting the books piled everywhere. When they arrived at the room, which looked spacious now with all the books removed, Dinah walked around, appraising her surroundings.

“I don’t mean to be picky, and I’m so grateful to you, Eddie, but why is the closet so small?” Dinah asked.

Eddie nodded, noting how the New York Dinah was being replaced by the Southern Belle Dinah. “When Dad bought the house, he had carpenters cut out part of the closet to put in an en suite bathroom.” She quickly added, “You could always go to a hotel…”

Dinah waved her hand dismissively. “I don’t want to go to a hotel.I’m so grateful to be here, Eddie. This room is perfect.” She opened her purse and attempted to hand money to Jeff, who stepped back, shaking his head, and then to Paul, who kept his hands in his pockets and blushed.

“You don’t have to pay us,” Jeff said. “We were happy to help. We’ve got to get back to work now.”

The men hurried away, their work boots clomping on the floor as they went down the stairs.

“Sit down a minute, Dinah,” Eddie said, wrenching the writer’s attention away from the men. “I want to tell you what’s going on here. Dad and I are going to the grand opening of Nantucket Blues tonight. Barrett’s going to hand out little gift bags to anyone who shows up.I’m going to go into town early to help her prepare. If you want to join us tonight, you’re welcome, but don’t feel you have to come. Barrett and I will probably be busy this afternoon. So, you’re on your own. The refrigerator and pantry are stocked if you get hungry. If you need to go into town, call an Uber or a cab. Don’t ask Jeff—”

“He seems sweet on you,” Dinah interjected.

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