Page 29 of The Summer We Started Over

Their father spoke up. “I agree, Barrett. Grady, we’re grateful to you for spelling this all out for us. It seems like a difficult and demanding task. I vote we have bins made and get books out here as soon as possible to see if we’ve got anyone on the island who wants used books. If we do, Grady, we’ll call you for some remodeling.”

Grady nodded sagely. “I told Jeff I thought you were all crazy for even considering a used bookstore. We can get all the used books we want from the Take-It-or-Leave-It shed.” He turned to go.

“Grady, come in and have a cup of coffee and a muffin,” Eddie suggested.

Grady snorted. “On a day like today? I’ve got a hundred construction jobs waiting for me.” He tipped his Red Sox cap and trudged away.

William turned to Jeff. “You’ll come in for coffee, won’t you?”

Barrett and Eddie watched the two men walk back to the house.

“Let’s give them a minute,” Eddie suggested.

Together the sisters walked to the fence and looked out over the field of new grass threaded with daisies. Duchess came close to the railing. Barrett stroked her velvet nose. She reached into her pocket and held out a carrot. Duchess gently picked it up with her huge teeth, snorted, and walked away.

“I wish we could ride her,” Eddie said. “She lets us near her, but gets freaky if we try to put a saddle on her.”

“I know. We did have a vet come out about a year ago to trim her hooves and check her over. She didn’t put up a fuss. She let the vet walk right up to her, take her by her halter, and tie a rope to the fence. I stayed next to her, patting her, talking sweet talk, but later, when I tried to put the saddle blanket on her, she pawed the ground and walked away.”

“We need a horse psychiatrist,” Eddie said.

“Sure. We’ll pay him with the proceeds of the sale of the books.” Barrett turned around and leaned on the fence.

Eddie glanced toward the house. “Barrett, seeing Jeff makes me wonder if I made a mistake, going to New York instead of staying here.”

Barrett wrapped her arm around Eddie’s waist. “You know, Eddie, I watched Jeff while we were talking about the bookshelves in the barn. I saw how he looked at you. Are you two getting back together?”

“No. Definitely not. Oh, I’m still in love with him, Barrett. I didn’t expect to feel this way, but when I saw him at the ferry, it was like my heart woke up from a long nap. I felt all flushed and hopeful and energetic. But Jeff and I want different things in life. That’s why we broke up. Plus, how can I leave Dinah? She’s got swarms of people around her, and yet she’s the loneliest person I know. She doesn’t seem that way because she does so many signings and talks and goes to parties and events. I think we’ve become close. I think she relies on me. I feel sort of guilty being away from her. I worry about her.” Eddie paused. “I want…I want to be careful with people.”

The sisters stood in silence for a moment. Then Eddie put her arm around her sister’s shoulders.

“We’ll figure it out. Right now, let’s go join Dad and Jeff.”

They entered the house through the kitchen and found the men sitting at the round oak claw-foot table, drinking coffee and talking.

Their father said, “Have some coffee. Join us. Jeff said he’ll bring out some cardboard boxes we can put the barn books in and he’ll help carry them out to the barn. You girls can sort them. Books are heavy to carry, you know.”

“That’s wonderful, Jeff,” Barrett said. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” Jeff started to rise. “William, it’s been great chatting with you, but I’ve got to get to the construction site. I’ll probably see you tomorrow.”

“See you.” Eddie smiled at him, and their gazes clicked, making her heart tumble around in her chest.

Barrett said, “Dad, isn’t this cool? We’re going to have a bookstore!”

William laughed. “It will take months getting your ‘bookstore’ started.”

“Not if we start sorting right now.” Barrett stepped into the pantry and brought out an armful of brown paper bags from Stop & Shop. “We don’t have to wait until the racks are built. We can get quite a few books into these bags.”

William asked, “Barrett, what about your shop?”

Barrett gave her father a great big smile. “All done, except for the last-minute things. I’m so organized I’m rearranging.”

Eddie cooed, “Come on, Daddy, this will be fun. You’ll probably find books you didn’t know you have.”

“I wouldn’t be surprised.” William followed them into the dining room.

“Look!” Eddie held a book high. “James Beard’sHors D’Oeuvre and Canapes. It was published in 1999. Dad, have you everonceused this book?”

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