Page 69 of The Cottage on Blueberry Bay

Ginny hugged Meredith like she was a long-lost daughter, swaying her back and forth. Quinn knew Ginny was squeezing the air out of her, but Meredith didn’t seem to mind. She held onto Ginny like one would when they didn’t want to be let go of.

After the sisters left, Ginny went to take her nightly bath while Quinn cleaned up the kitchen. A rule enforced since he was a kid—the cook never cleaned. And since he never had the time to cook, he spent his nights cleaning up. He didn’t mind tonight. He had quite a bit to think about, and his hands needed to do something when he had a lot to think about.

It was a couple of hours later when he finally decided to go to bed. When he climbed the staircase, he couldn’t help but notice all the lights were off in Jacob’s cottage. When he reached the top of the landing, he saw the flicker of a fire on the beach.

Kyle. What was his son doing at this time of night having a bonfire on someone else’s property? Did the kid not think?

He rolled his eyes as he looked at the time. It was midnight for goodness’ sake. He had wanted to get up early and finish some things at the house before heading to the office and dealing with Kyle’s football schedule. He could give Kyle the truck and walk to work or at least get Ginny to drive them both. It was silly how they drove from the same house to the same place of work.

Though, Ginny never came on time or stayed the full day. She had too much to do for the Queen Bees and the other town activities to devote a hundred percent, which meant he would end up walking anyway.

He dragged himself back down the stairs, put on his shoes, and left the house with his flashlight. With the moon as full as it was, Quinn didn’t need the flashlight. Not like he would’ve really needed it even without the moon. He knew the trail to the beach as well as the back of his hand. Apparently, so did Kyle. That could become a real problem, with Meredith being the new owner.

He kept his eyes on his footing as he stepped around the granite boulders and thorns of the beach roses on the sandy path. When he glanced over at the bonfire, he realized it wasn’t Kyle but Meredith sitting alone and facing the water.

He stopped in his tracks, the sand shifting under his shoes, wondering if he should continue. The fire glowed against the silhouette of her face, and she looked content, at peace watching the waves lap up against the shore.

When he turned around to leave, he slipped on a rock and the sand underneath his shoe’s sole, and she turned just as he caught himself.

“I’m sorry to startle you,” he said as she stood right up, her eyes wide with fright. “I thought you were Kyle and his girlfriend.”

She put her hand on her chest. “You scared the living daylights out of me.”

He held out his hands, steadying himself and wishing he had never bothered to come in the first place. “I’m so sorry.”

She sat down, back on a piece of driftwood, and began to laugh. “That totally freaked me out.”

“I know,” he said, not sure what to do at this point. “I’m really sorry.”

She shook her head. “I actually saw a bonfire the other night with Kyle and his girlfriend.”

He groaned silently to himself.

“So, it makes sense.” She pointed up to the sky. “My son used to sneak out at night and meet his girlfriend at his grandfather’s house.” She shook her head. “My dad never heard a thing.”

Quinn laughed. “They think they’re being so sneaky.”

She smiled at that. “I didn’t mean to wake you.”

He shook his head. “I was awake. I just saw the fire. I should’ve figured it wasn’t any of my business. I apologize.”

“Would you like to join me?”

He hesitated but recognized the gesture. She hadn’t offered for him to come into her space like she had with Ginny and Kyle. She had been polite, but this felt different. Her energy felt different. Calm.

“Sure,” he said, walking down toward the fire. The night had a chill from the breeze coming off the water. He sat down in the sand to her right, his focus toward the house. He hadn’t told anyone where he was going, and he hadn’t thought to bring his phone. “Is Remy back at the house?”

Meredith nodded. “She went to bed just a bit ago.”

“Ah,” he said. He wasn’t sure where to take the conversation. Did he bring up business as usual? Talk about Jacob’s assets? But instead, he asked, “Do you still play?”

She looked at him as though she didn’t know what he was talking about.

“The piano?” he said, wondering if he got it wrong. “You played the piano, right?”

She nodded and looked out at the water. “No. I stopped playing after my mother died.”

That was when he saw the familiar grief wash over her.

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