The Summer We Started Over by Nancy Thayer

Author:Nancy Thayer [Thayer, Nancy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
Published: 2024-04-23T00:00:00+00:00

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Barrett’s shop was quiet in the morning. She restaged her windows, setting out cool blue jewelry and a set of glasses, pitcher, and matching ruffled apron all in turquoise with white polka dots. Sunburned island guests drifted inside. She and Janny were busy receiving, unpacking, and checking invoices for blue sun hats, sunglasses, bracelets, and flip-flops patterned with seashells.

While they worked, Janny chattered away cheerfully, mostly telling Barrett how wonderful Drew was, such a kind, caring big brother who had always helped Janny out of a tough spot. Whenever Janny got into an argument with their parents, Drew took Janny’s side, stood up for her, argued with her parents until they finally gave in or gave up. When she almost drowned at Surfside, Drew had rescued her. When she’d got deathly drunk the first time she tried alcohol, Drew had taken care of her.

Barrett thought it would have to be a saint who looked like Ryan Reynolds to compete with Drew for Janny’s love.

Barrett saw little of Drew because she was working twenty-seven hours a day in her shop. At least it seemed that way. Drew was in Boston during the week, sometimes coming to the island late Friday or Saturday night. When he couldn’t come on the weekend, he sent small, tasteful presents—to help her remember him, he said. A box of Godiva chocolates. A copy of Ann Patchett’s latest novel. A box of multicolored paper clips. The gifts made her laugh.

One Sunday Drew did get to the island for the day. He brought a picnic basket from Formaggio Kitchen in Cambridge, and they spent the afternoon on the beach. They walked, collected shells, swam, lay in the sun, and kissed, but casually, because so many other people were around.

“I don’t want to leave you,” Drew said that evening. “Come with me.”

Barrett laughed. “I have my shop, remember?”

“Janny’s running it today. She could open it tomorrow. We could spend the night together and I’d fly you back to the island tomorrow morning.” His eyes were dark with desire, and the invitation was tempting. “Or, she could be there for the weekend, and you and I could do anything we want.”

Barrett was irritated by Drew’s suggestion. She was making her living by running a shop that she hoped she’d have for years. Even decades. She had customers and friends and new objects to put out. And really, Janny couldn’t run the shop by herself.

Yet Drew was making puppy eyes at her. She smiled at him. “Stop it.”

“Tell me you’ll come with me someday.”

“Someday,” she whispered. Someday could be weeks, months, years away.

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