Summer seemed puzzled by the question. “I'm not planning to see him at all.”
“You'll probably run into him, don't you think? He's at the manor all the time.”
“Why? Doing what?”
“Dropping off Anna, picking her up after work. Talking to Agnes and Sylvia about local history. He's writing a paper on some nineteenth-century writer with ties to the area or something. He hangs out in the kitchen, mostly. He says he'd rather study there than at the library.”
“Who could blame him? The library doesn't have a steady supply of coffee and pastries.” Summer sounded amused. “Don't worry. We'll be civil. If Anna doesn't mind him hanging around, I won't either.”
A few days before Summer's return to Elm Creek Manor, Sarah learned just how little Anna minded Jeremy's presence in the kitchen. Sarah was sitting in the rocking chair in the twins' room, nursing James while Caroline slept, when Anna knocked softly on the open door. “Sarah,” she asked pensively, “do you have a minute?”
“Of course,” said Sarah. “Is something wrong?”
“Well, I guessâI don't know.” Anna sat cross-legged on the braided rag rug in the middle of the floor. “I need to tell you something, and I hope it won't upset you. I know you and Summer are close.”
“Okay,” said Sarah, steeling herself. “What is it?”
“Jeremy and I are seeing each other.”
“Oh,” said Sarah. “That explains a lot.”
“Summer and Jeremy had already broken up before we started anything.” Then Anna grimaced, reconsidering. “Maybe that's not completely accurate. We knew each other before Jeremy met Summer, and I admit I had feelings for him long before they broke up, and he did for me, too, but neither of us acted on those feelings until he and Summer were officially through. I swear.”
Anna seemed so distressed that Sarah hastened to reassure her. “Anna, it's really okay.”
“I just don't want you to think I'm the sort of person who goes around stealing her friends' boyfriends.”
Sarah had to laugh, distracting James, who released her nipple and let out a noise of complaint. Soothing him with gentle pats and helping him latch on again, she said to Anna, “I would never think that about you.”
“What about the other Elm Creek Quilters?”
“No one is going to think you stole Jeremy from Summer,” Sarah assured her, leaving unsaid the obvious fact that no one would consider it even remotely possible to steal a boyfriend from the beautiful, brilliant, talented Summer.
“Not even Gwen? She's Summer's mother, and we have to work together, and I don't want things to be awkwardâ”
“You definitely don't need to worry about that,” said Sarah. “Gwen likes Jeremy a lot, but she never considered him the love of Summer's life.”
Anna looked somewhat reassured, but she picked at a loose thread on the rug, brow furrowed. “We're going to have to tell Summer when she comes home for spring break,” she said. “I wanted everyone here to know first, rather than shock everyone at once. I'm really, really dreading this.”
“Do you want me to tell her?”
“Would you?” Anna looked up at her, desperate and eagerly hopeful. “I hadn't thought of that, but, oh, that would be so much better than the three of us sitting down in the kitchen for some ugly, painful, dropping-the-bombshell scene. But I don't want to take the easy way out if that's not the right thing to do. Would it be better coming directly from Jeremy?”
Based upon what Summer had said about their relationship, Sarah didn't think it mattered. “I'll work the news into the conversation the next time I speak to her,” she promised. “In the meantime, please, don't worry.”
“I'll try.” Anna got to her feet, visibly relieved. “I'll still be nervous the first time I see her, and her reaction is the least of my worries. Jeremyâ”
When Anna didn't complete the thought, Sarah prompted, “Jeremy what?”
Anna smiled, a little sadly. “Jeremy might take one look at her, come to his senses, and dump me on the spot.”
“What are you talking about?” protested Sarah, lifting James to her shoulder and patting him lightly on the back until he let out a tiny baby burp, smelling of milk.
“Nothing.”
“Oh, come on. It's obviously something.”
Anna hesitated. “Well, Summer isâperfect. She's skinny and gorgeous and smart and perfect. I bet she's never even had a pimple or any grade below an A-minus. I amâlet's just say I'm the opposite. I'm the exact opposite of Summer.”
“You're winter.”
“Yes. Exactly. I'm winter.” Anna shook her head as if she realized how ridiculous she sounded. “I know Jeremy loves me. I don't doubt that for a moment. But I can't help wondering whether he settled for me because he couldn't have Summer.”
“You've got to be kidding.” Sarah knew Anna was self-conscious about her weight, but she was pretty and smart and funâhow could she not realize that? “No one, I repeat, no one, would be settling if they end up with you. And I'm including eligible foreign princes and famous movie stars in that assessment.”
“Then I know I can't take you seriously.”
“If Jeremy wanted Summer he would have driven to Chicago that day,” Sarah pointed out. “He would have made one last attempt to save the relationship. He didn't. He turned the car around and came back to you.”
Anna considered that. “I guess that's true.”
“You guess? Anna, I think that's all the proof you should need.” Just then Caroline stirred in her crib and let out a forlorn wail. “Okay, time for the next shift. Will you help me switch babies?”
Anna handed her Caroline and took James, and played with him while Sarah nursed Caroline. Anna seemed happier, but whether Sarah's words had reassured her or James's sweet smiles had lifted her spirits, Sarah couldn't say.
The day before Summer's arrival, she called to remind Sarah about her travel plans. “Before you hang up,” said Sarah as the call was winding down, “I wanted to mention that Jeremy is seeing someone.”
“Really,” said Summer, instantly curious. “Already?”
“Already?” echoed Sarah. “You broke up four months ago. Did you expect a year of mourning?”
“Of course not.” Summer laughed. “It just seemed soon, for Jeremy. Well, good for him, I guess. We should both move on. Do you know who this new woman is? Someone from the History Department?”
“It's Anna.”
Summer was silent for a long moment. “You mean Chef Anna?”
“Yes, Chef Anna.” What other Anna could she have meant?
“I see,” said Summer stiffly. “When did it start? When Jeremy and I were still together?”
“No. Definitely not. It didn't start until after Thanksgiving.”
“How do you know?”
“Anna told me.”
“Would she have admitted it if they had gotten involved earlier?”
“Anna told me and I believe her,” said Sarah emphatically. “What's wrong? You said you'd been trying to extricate yourself from the relationship for months before you and Jeremy finally decided to part ways. Have you changed your mind? Were you hoping to get back together?”
“Of course not. I just hate the idea that they were sneaking around behind my back, making a fool of me.”
“That didn't happen. You know I would have told you if I thought your boyfriend was cheating on you.”
“You're right. You're right.” Summer took a deep breath. “Okay. I know I'm overreacting. I'm just surprised.” She took another deep breath and blew it out slowly, reminding Sarah of practicing her breathing with Gretchen during her childbirth classes. “It's good that you told me ahead of time. I can get all of this misplaced rage out of the way now, so I can be perfectly pleasant when I see them. I'll just take it all out on you instead of them.”
“That's what I'm here for,” Sarah replied, relieved that Summer sounded more like her usual self.
When Summer returned to Elm Creek Manor Friday evening, Anna and Jeremy had already gone home, so Summer's civility wasn't put to the test right away. She spent the weekend catching up with Sarah and Sylvia and the Elm Creek Quilters in residence, visiting her mother, and admiring the twins. On Saturday night she babysat so Sarah and Matt could enjoy a rare night out by themselves. Over a long dinner at their favorite restaurant, they talked about the babies and yawned incessantly, thanks to their mutual sleep deprivation.
Since camp wasn't in session yet, Anna didn't come in to work until Monday morning. Summer and Sarah were in the kitchen eating bagels, drinking coffee, and chatting when the couple arrived. Sarah could sense the tension in the air, but Summer rose with a smile as soon as they entered, hugged them and kissed them both on the cheek, and asked them how their winter had been, and how the manor had changed with two young babies around. The twins were a favorite topic of conversation around the manor, as well as a safe one, so everyone talked easily and comfortably as Anna put on a fresh pot of coffee and started her workday. Jeremy left soon afterward, but he returned at noon for lunch, and he spent the afternoon in the kitchen as he often did, reading dusty academic history books and typing notes on his laptop. Sarah expected Summer to keep her distance, but perhaps to prove that there were no hard feelings, she stopped by the kitchen and engaged Jeremy in friendly conversation, asking for all the History Department news and gossip she had missed since the previous autumn. Anna, working in the kitchen, listened in warily for a while, but eventually relaxed enough to join in the conversation from time to time.
The next day was much the same. Summer spent the morning playing with Sarah and the twins, met her mother for lunch, and joined Jeremy and Anna in the kitchen afterward for a lively conversation about mutual friends before leaving them to their work. On Wednesday, she showed up at the kitchen lugging her own backpack stuffed full of books and papers and her laptop, and asked if they minded if she joined the study hall. She said it so comically that Anna smiled and Jeremy promptly agreed, but Anna's smile faded as Summer slipped into the booth across from Jeremy and he moved his books to make room on the table for hers. From time to time, Summer would look up from her work to ask Jeremy's opinion on the apparent causal connection between two historical events, or to consult him about the reliability of a particular research source. Sarah glimpsed several such exchanges as she passed in and out of the kitchen, noting Anna's deepening worry every time. By Thursday Summer was teasing Jeremy, touching his hand when she wanted to make a point, interrupting their work with amusing reminiscences from back in the dayâand Anna's expression had taken on a cast of bewildered resignation. Sarah seized any excuse to make more frequent trips to the kitchen, not quite willing to believe what she thought she was seeing, wanting to give her friend the benefit of the doubt, but when she overheard Summer invite Jeremy on a quick research trip to the Waterford Historical Society's archives at the college library, she couldn't let it continue.
“Summer, could you help me with the twins?” she asked from the doorway, as plaintively as she could.
Anna began to untie her apron. “I'll help,” she said grimly, no doubt eager to escape her once beloved kitchen.
“No, you're busy,” Sarah quickly replied. To Summer she added, “Please? Upstairs?”
Leaving her books and papers intermingled on the table with Jeremy's, Summer promptly rose and followed her out of the kitchen. “What's up?” she asked cheerfully as Sarah led her down the west wing toward the grand front foyer. “Are simultaneous diaper changes in order?”
Sarah grabbed her arm and pulled her into an alcove where she was sure they wouldn't be overheard. “What are you doing?”
“Helping you, I thought. Why are we hiding?” Summer lowered her voice to match Sarah's. “And why are you whispering?”
“No, I meant what are you doing in the kitchen with Jeremy?”
“What do you mean? We're studying, talkingâ”
“And you're touching his hand, and reliving the good old days, and inviting him on research dates at the libraryâ”
Summer planted a hand on one hip and regarded Sarah in disbelief. “I did not ask him out.”
“Oh, come on, Summer. I heard you.”
“It wasn't a date. I didn't mean it that way.”
“Do you want Jeremy back?”
“No! I explained that to you weeks ago.”
“Then stop flirting with him.”
“Who's flirting?”
“You are,” Sarah countered. “Right in front of Anna, and it's breaking her heart. How can you not see that?”
Summer hesitated, on the verge of protesting, and then suddenly her defenses crumbled. “Did it really seem like flirting?”
“Yes. Jeremy hasn't responded, more credit to him, but I don't know how long any man can withstand this kind of temptation.” She waved a hand to indicate Summer from head to toe, inside and out, head, heart, everything. “Are you trying to prove that you could have him, if you really wanted him?”
Summer's face fell. “IâI don't know. I didn't even know I was doing it. I guessâI guess I was more hurt than I realized that we broke up and the next day he was in love with someone elseâ”
“It wasn't quite like that.”
For a moment, Summer studied the pattern on the marble floor. “I know. You're right. That wasn't fair.”
“When you and Jeremy were together, Anna made a point of not interfering in your relationship even when it was in free fall,” said Sarah. “Now that she and Jeremy are together, the least you can do is show her that same respect. Especially since you know in your heart you don't belong together.” Sarah reached out and touched her on the shoulder. “Come and play with me and the twins. You can gather up your books and things later, after Anna and Jeremy go home.”