The Summer We Started Over, page 11
When he smiled down at her, Barrett completely forgot what she’d intended to say.
“I’ll bet you want to know how the quarterboard’s going,” Paul said.
“Yes! Yes, that’s what I was wondering.” She took a breath, regaining her composure. “I’m headed into the shop now to get it ready for tonight. The grand opening. Maybe you could hang the sign this evening?” She took another breath.
“I’ll be there,” Paul told her. “I think we should make a big deal of it. Like, I’ll hang the quarterboard and you invite Eddie and your friends and we’ll all toast with champagne. Lots of photo opportunities for your social media. You’re taking online orders, aren’t you?”
“I am, but I hadn’t thought of a grand opening with champagne. What a wonderful idea!”
Paul grinned. “I’m full of wonderful ideas.”
Her knees went weak. Was he hitting on her? Because she was way overheated. She managed to say, “Oh, good.”
From the barn, Jeff yelled, “Paul! You’ve got to hold this end!”
“See you later,” Paul told Barrett, and walked off.
Barrett watched him walk. He had slim hips, long legs, wide shoulders.
This summer promised to be interesting, she thought, as she got into her Jeep and drove into town.
Memorial Day was late this year, at the very end of the month of May. Summer people were already arriving to open their houses.
Barrett parked her car near Commercial Wharf and walked to Lower Main Street and her small rented shopfront. DogCatLove, with treats, brushes, water bowls, leashes, and even a few dog bikinis, was open. The owner, Kari Golden, was polishing her window to a shine. She waved at Barrett. In the sunglasses shop, the lights were on and the owner, an older man wearing a plaid bow tie, yelled into his cellphone. The door to Aunt Leah’s Fudge was thrown wide and irresistible scents drifted out into the fresh spring air.
Barrett stopped to study her window. She needed to place the small nautical paperweights higher on the glass shelves. She’d put a blue straw sun hat and a necklace of seashell earrings on the foam mannequin’s head. She’d tied a blue scarf around the neck. Cashmere sweaters in shades of azure, turquoise, and sky blue lay against one another. All very Nantucket summer.
And her quarterboard would go up above the door tonight. She checked the weather on her phone. Miraculously, the weekend forecast was for dry, clear, and mild.
“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 a moment. The stack was almost as high as she was. She felt like it was Christmas in May, even though she’d ordered all the merchandise.
Maybe, Barrett thought in a burst of optimism, just maybe it 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. Drew and Paul?
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 dirt roads, 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 are they?”
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.”
“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 I write books!” 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.
“You think so?” Eddie lost her train of thought for a moment. “Anyway, let me show you around the house.”
As Eddie led Dinah into the living room, dining room, and kitchen, Dinah stopped to scan the shelves of books. Eddie tried to hurry Dinah along because she wanted to go help Barrett. She was relieved when Dinah confessed that she was tired and wanted to take a little nap.
“I had to wake up so early today. I had a limo waiting to take me to the airport, but you know how congested the traffic is. I feel like I flew here on my own wings. Remind me to hire a helicopter if I ever want to come here again.”
Back in Dinah’s room, Eddie assured her boss that the sheets were clean, the bureau drawers empty, and the closet held plenty of hangers. Dinah sank onto the bed with a sigh. She eased off her shoes, pulled the mohair blanket up over her shoulders, and closed her eyes. “Thank you, Eddie. I haven’t felt so safe since you left.”
“I’ll be back this afternoon.”
“That’s fine. And I’ve got those big strong men working out there to make me feel secure.”
“Yes, you’re totally safe,” Eddie assured her.
She left the house, jumped into her Jeep, and drove quickly to Lower Main. Because it was late May, Eddie easily found a parking spot. She opened the door to the backseat and took out the gift she’d been hiding beneath an old sweater. The large package, beautifully wrapped, held a cappuccino machine and a box of pods and packets of sugar. She carried it with both hands and used her elbow to knock on the door of Nantucket Blues.
Barrett opened the door and screamed with delight when Eddie gave her the machine. They set it up on the counter in the back, near the sink. Barrett made a cup for each of them and they drank and chatted as they filled Nantucket Blues bags with white tissue paper and blue gifts: a tiny blue glass whale, a blue swirled bangle bracelet, a blue ballpoint pen with blue ink, and individually wrapped blueberry lollipops. Eddie shot lots of photos of the store, the shelves piled with shawls and sweaters, the gift bags, and posted them on social media.
As they worked, Barrett said, “I just had a thought. Do you think Dad will feel funny around Dinah?”
“No. She’s charming. Why would he?”
“Because she turns out three books a year and he’s been working for years and still hasn’t finished his. Plus, her books make money.”
“We’ll see. Let’s focus on your shop.”
It was almost three in the afternoon when Barrett decided everything was ready for the grand opening.
“Let’s go home and get beautiful!” Barrett said.
eight
They arrived back at the farm to find Dinah in her room, wearing full war paint and a sky blue skintight sexy-bodice dress.
Dinah swooped down to hug Barrett. “Look at you! Such a beauty! Thank you for allowing me to stay with you for a few days. I’m so grateful.”
Barrett was dazzled by Dinah. “We’re glad you’re here.”
“If I may break into this lovefest,” Eddie said, “Barrett, we have to shower and change.”
“Just one question, Eddie. Will I be allowed to accompany you? Should I call a limo?” Dinah blinked her long eyelashes and made a dimple.
“You can ride in with me,” Eddie said. “Barrett will take her own car. She’ll probably stay longer than we will, or go out for drinks with friends.”
“Lovely. I’ll wait for you in my room. I found a book by Georgette Heyer and believe it or not, I’ve never read her. You don’t mind if I borrow the book to read, do you?”
“We don’t mind if you eat the book,” Eddie joked.
“Yes,” Barrett agreed. “Have them all.”
They took turns showering, then got together in Barrett’s room to dress. When they looked out the window, they noticed that Jeff and Paul had closed the barn doors and left for the day.
Barrett was giddy. “I’m shaking, Eddie! I can’t wait for Paul to bring my quarterboard.”
“He must have worked fast and late to get anything resembling a quarterboard done.” Eddie leaned close to the bedroom mirror to put on her eyeliner and mascara.
“I know. Isn’t he nice?” Barrett put on a pair of blue topaz earrings.
“He’s not just nice, Barrett. He likes you. And he seems like a really good guy.”
“Gosh!” Barrett held up her phone. “Drew texted. He’s coming to the island this evening to be at my official shop opening!”
Eddie grinned. “You have admiring men all around you.”
“Well, wouldn’t that be nice!” Barrett said.
When they were finally dressed and ready, the women went out to Eddie’s car and settled in. Barrett wore a simple blue linen dress with her blue topaz earrings and had to pull her skirt up in order to step up into her Jeep. Eddie wore a Lilly Pulitzer dress with swirls of blues that swirled even more as she got in. Dinah had added a heavy necklace of turquoise and matching earrings to her sky blue dress.
Dinah said, “Aren’t we all a perfect bundle of blue publicizing Barrett’s shop?”
“Yes, Dinah,” Eddie agreed. “We’ll have you walk up and down the street. People will follow you as if you were the Pied Piper.”
Dinah shivered. “I always hated that children’s tale. It’s creepy.”
They were fastening their seatbelts when William’s tan Land Rover turned in to the drive. He drove past the women and parked.
Jumping out of his vehicle, he called to Barrett, “I’ll clean up and be at your shop in time for the grand opening.”
Barrett waved at her father. “Thanks, Dad!”
“See you there,” Eddie yelled.
William strode into the house without responding to Eddie or glancing at her passenger.
“That was your father?” Dinah asked. “Oh, my. No wonder you girls are so gorgeous.”
“You’ll meet him later,” Eddie assured her. She started her Jeep, backed out of the driveway, and headed for town.
The summer season hadn’t started, so Lower Main had a few empty spaces. Together the three women walked across the street and up the brick sidewalk to the shop with a window as blue as a summer sky.
