Page 22 of The Cottage on Blueberry Bay

“Years ago.” He calculated the time. “Maybe right before…?” He looked down at the papers, calculating the time period. “Yes, right before you were born.”

She stared at him.

He nodded, wishing Jacob had done exactly what she had said and reached out. Told her about everything. He only knew what Ginny had told him, and knowing his mother, it was only half-true.

“There was a storm that came out of nowhere,” Quinn said. “No one survived except for Jacob, but he suffered multiple injuries and had a difficult recovery. Afterwards, Jacob was never the same.”

Her eyes scattered around the room. “I didn’t know.”

Quinn had never been one to tell another’s story, but this woman was in the dark about everything. “Did you know much about your father?”

“Jacob?” she asked, shaking her head. “Just that he was a fisherman, basically.”

“Ah,” he said, trying to navigate this carefully.

“Did you know him?”

Quinn sat there, not sure what would be the best thing to say. “Yes. I grew up next door to him.”

“Oh, right,” she said, pointing to his mother’s empty desk.

He would not divulge the fact that Jacob had never once talked about being a father. Even living next to the odd man his whole life, Quinn had never known he had any family at all. The recluse rarely came out of his house. Jacob had no visitors other than random neighbors checking in with blueberry goods, but no friends or family. Well, except for them.

“So, the house is mine?” she asked.

“Yes, you’re the owner,” he said. “But we still need to record the deed.”

Her forehead wrinkled in disbelief. “I can just go into his house and start removing things?”

This was when being an attorney was difficult for Quinn. He was being paid to represent Jacob and his needs, not the needs of his family. Could he make up some law that would make this woman think she couldn’t do what she wanted with the land? Say that Jacob wanted it made into a preserve? Fudge the documents? It would be so easy…

Quinn sighed. He could never break a rule, especially the law.

“Yes.”

She pushed back her chair. “Do I take all of this?” She waved her hands out at the papers.

He nodded, pausing before getting up, trying to think of a way to explain Jacob’s wishes that he hadn’t put in his will. “The town is also interested in having his land become conservation land.”

She looked at the papers before picking up all the documents he had painstakingly worked on. “The town’s willing to buy the land?”

He wished Fred had listened to him. “I’m sure they’re willing to offer you something in return for the land.”

“At market price?” She looked doubtful.

He shook his head. “I’m afraid not.”

The last time the town offered to buy a farm, they’d paid a dollar for it. Blueberry Bay could barely afford things as it was. What would they do without Jacob’s land?

“I have everything on a flash drive as well,” he said, handing the drive to her. “I’m happy to help you with anything you need.” Jacob had promised to pay him to help put all his affairs in order. “I promised Jacob to help you.”

“What?” She looked even more surprised.

“I promised Jacob I’d help you until you figure out what you want to do with the estate.” He passed the final and last booklet he’d created. “This was what he had hoped you would do with the inheritance.”

He had promised Jacob that whatever his daughter wanted to do, he would help her through the process if needed. Now he wished he had quit being a lawyer and did some mindless job instead. Why had he promised Jacob he’d do this? Especially since the man died before paying him.

Because his mother had wanted him to.

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