Page 91 of The Summer We Started Over

“Yeah, thanks, Annie.” Paul leaned across Barrett. “Where’s Marcus tonight?”

“Over on Tuckernuck,” Annie said, mentioning a wild island west of Nantucket. “He hates these parties. I came with Linda. It’s fun to get dressed up. Plus, the finger food. So good.”

The three sat together companionably while the crowd around them buzzed and chortled.

“Why is it,” Barrett asked, “that when you’re alone or with one special person instead of with a group, the night seems more mysterious, more…magical?”

“I think it has to do with that one special person,” Paul told her.

“He’s right.” Annie kissed Barrett’s cheek. “You look gorgeous tonight. Have fun.” She headed back to the clubhouse.

“Let’s walk,” Paul suggested.

Holding hands, they left the party and strolled down to Children’sBeach. For a while they didn’t talk, but simply sat on benches, watching the boats come and go.

Paul kissed her again.

She pulled away. “Paul, wait. I think I need to tell you something…I don’t know how to say this…it’s just that…well, maybe you know, I’ve been…seeing Janny’s brother. Drew. I’ve been…I only met him this summer…and I’ve seen him…but I haven’t…” She didn’t know how to say it.

Paul nodded. “I understand. I’ve been seeing other women. Not Janny, though. I went to the gala with her, but that’s it. I’m working hard this summer. I knowyouare.” He paused. “Barrett, I’d like to stopseeinganyone else. I’d like to be with you. Just you.”

“I’d like that, too.” Barrett had trouble catching her breath.

“Don’t worry,” Paul told her. “It’s summer. We’re slammed. We won’t be able to do much more than work and sleep. But September isn’t far away.”

Barrett laughed, from nervous energy and excitement and embarrassment. “Oh, Paul, I sound like a child. I promise I’m a grown-up. I’m just…What I feel for you is so huge I can’t really deal with it, I mean, not now.”

“I know,” Paul said. “Me, too. But we’ve got all the time in the world.”

—

Sunday morning was hot and sunny, with only a light breeze. Barrett gave Eddie a quick report on her night with Paul and went off to her shop, smiling all the way. Eddie spent some time with Dove, who was having a good day and wanted to go to Children’s Beach with Bobby. William and Dinah said they’d drop off Dove and Bobby, buy theTimesand theGlobeat the Hub, pick up sandwiches at Something Natural, and share a picnic lunch with Dove and Bobby.

Eddie drifted out to the Book Barn. The air shimmered with heat.The horse was on the far end of the field with her head stuck into a bush. Eddie assumed that made her, or at least her head, cooler. She wouldn’t mind sticking her head into a bush, too. The shadowy barn was cooler than the open air, but still warm.

She went into the house, found a small electric fan, and brought it out to the barn. It moved the heavy air in a rotating breeze. She returned to the house and crawled behind the sofa in the living room. Her father stored some of his older books here.The Tao of Physicsby Fritjof Capra. Three heavy tomes by Simon Schama.Ulyssesby James Joyce.The Complete Works of Lord Byron: Including His Suppressed Poems.The books were lined up the length of the sofa, and they were all covered with dust. Eddie whipped out her phone and snapped a photo. If her father complained, she’d have proof that he hadn’t even looked at them recently.

She carried them out to the barn and shelved them wherever she could find a gap. Few people had stopped by in the past week. Eddie thought they were either working or cooling off on the beach. She checked the special section of Dinah Lavender’s books. Eddie had read some of them, but Dinah had published over a hundred, so Eddie had a lot to choose from, and right now she needed something light and frothy to occupy her mind.

She’d just settled in withThe Seduction of Sadiewhen a truck came down the drive. It looked like Jeff’s truck. Itwashis truck. She ran her hands through her hair, hoping to shake out any dust from the books, and went out to meet him.

“Hey. I brought you something.” Jeff held out an iced mocha cappuccino from Espresso to Go. “I thought you might need it.”

Eddie reached both hands out, grabbed Jeff’s T-shirt, and pulled him to her. She kissed him thoroughly. “I needyou.”

“You’ve got me, Eddie.” Jeff released her and pulled her into the shade of the barn. “Vinnie gave us the day off. What’s up?”

“Do you have a moment to talk?”

“I do.”

They settled on the chairs and sipped their coffees.

Eddie spoke all in a rush. “I-I told you Dove is here, with Bobby. I told you that she’s really sick. She says she’s dying, and she won’t see a doctor, and some days she’s better than other days, but Jeff, she wants me to adopt Bobby.”

“And you,” Jeff said very quietly, “you’ll be moving back to New York with Dinah.” Before Eddie could respond, he said, “I get it. Dinah’s wonderful. She’s nice and lives a fabulous life.”

“I don’t know, Jeff.” Eddie couldn’t meet his eyes. “I haven’t talked it over with Dinah, but of course I would stayherewith Bobby, no matter what Dinah does. It’s Bobby I’m worried about. I don’t how to be a mother, Jeff. You know how I feel. It’s why I moved away.”

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