Page 49 of The Summer We Started Over

“All right, come on then. Let’s go rent a car.”

At the airport, she accompanied Dinah to the rental counter. Dinah signed some papers, was given some keys, and walked out with the clerk to find her car in the rental lot.

It was a silver Mercedes.

Eddie grinned. Of course it was a silver Mercedes. She was surprised Dinah hadn’t specified one in pink. She got into her Jeep and waved to Dinah, who followed Eddie back to the farm.

—

During the first two weeks of June, families arrived on the island with their cars, housekeepers, chefs, and assistants. Other summer people arrived with an ever-changing cast of grandchildren. The luggage carts for the ferries held golf clubs, tennis rackets, boogie boards, paddleboards, fishing poles, and kayaks. The sun stayed high in the sky and the wind took a nap.

Eddie sorted through books in the mornings while Dinah wrote. In the afternoon, they drove around the island looking for treasures at tag sales. Jeff and Paul stopped by to put the finishing touches on the standing bookshelves Dinah required. Most evenings, Dinah took Eddie and Barrett, and sometimes Jeff and Paul, out to dinner. Eddie kept insisting they could cook at home, but Dinah loved being around people, and actually, it was very nice to enjoy delicious meals, finewine, and good conversation. Eddie admitted it was also very nice not to have dishes to wash.

—

The more books Eddie and Dinah took out to the Book Barn, the more they found. Not just on top of sofas and bureaus, but under them.

The more they found, the more they wanted to keep.

Bunnicula. The Celery Stalks at Midnight.

One day, just for a change, they decided to check out the attic. They climbed the steep stairs to the large dusty room. Light shone in from windows on each end.

The first things they found were cardboard boxes marked:Sabrina’s Books.

“Your father will want to keep these,” Dinah said. “In case your mother comes back.”

Eddie snorted. “They’re divorced, Dinah. She’s never coming back.” She unfolded the flaps on the top box. “Good grief!”

“Butlook!” Dinah clasped her hands in front of her as if she was praying. “Victoria Holt!”

“I’ve never read her. I didn’t know Mom read her. She’s, like, outdated. We can toss all of these.”

“Are youkidding?” Dinah snatched several books from the box and held them to her chest. “The Shivering Sands? Mistress of Mellyn? The Demon Lover?Eddie, truly, you need to read her. Start with this book.” She handed EddieBride of Pendorric.“Just disregard your preconceptions and surrender to her.”

Eddie laughed. “You sound like a romance writer.”

“Iama romance writer, and proud of it!” Dinah sneezed. “I’ve gotto get some tissues. Shall I bring us both a bottle of sparkling water?”

“Good idea.”

While Dinah carefully went down the steep stairs, Eddie openedthe book Dinah had handed her. She wasn’t going to read the silly thing, but it was like opening a secret door into her mother’s life.

She read the first line of the novel.

I often marveled after I went to Pendorric that one’s existence could change so swiftly, so devastatingly.

Well. Eddie thought of Stearns.

She thought of her mother leaving them.

When Dinah returned with the water, she found Eddie on the floor, leaning against a tower of boxes, reading.

Eddie smiled at Dinah. “This certainly isn’t a self-help book.”

Dinah handed Eddie a bottle of Poland Spring. “All books are self-help books,” she said, with a smile. “Actually, I just remembered a small scene I wanted to put in my new book. I’d better go down and write before I forget it. I’ll be back up in a while.”

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