Page 29 of The Cottage on Blueberry Bay

“Ah, yes, our best and brightest!” Fred patted Quinn on the back hard, his stature big due to eating too many free meals and drinks as selectman. “Well, of course, not counting your own parents!”

Fred laughed at this, totally not reading the room. Ms. Johnson’s eyes widened as he continued to laugh at himself. He finally handed over the container he held in his hands.

“Thank you for stopping by,” she said, but then she walked inside and closed the door, leaving Quinn behind.

“Feisty, just like her ol’ man,” Fred said to Quinn, patting him harder on the back before he left for his car. “You’re coming tomorrow for the committee meeting, right?”

“Do I have a choice?” Quinn said as Fred’s car beeped to unlock.

Fred laughed. “See you there!”

Quinn walked up the driveway toward the house. “Hello? Ms. Johnson?”

She stood in the middle of the kitchen with her hands on her hips. “You can just call me Meredith.”

He nodded, hoping she wasn’t upset by Fred’s behavior.

“Is he always that way?” she asked.

“Loud?” Quinn said.

“Very.” She looked behind him to see if Fred was gone.

“Yes.” He nodded. “But he means well. Loves his town.”

“I can see why you all do,” she said, looking back out at the water. “It’s a gorgeous spot.”

“This spot in particular,” Quinn couldn’t help but say it. He noticed she didn’t disagree.

He looked behind him at his own place. “I grew up here my whole life, looking out at this view.” His mother wanted him to keep the house for Kyle, keep it in the family for more generations to come. But what would be left around their small postage stamp yard once she sold? He looked up at her. “Sorry, I’m not trying to pressure you.”

“You really lived next door to Jacob then,” she said, as though she hadn’t believed what he’d told her earlier.

He nodded. “Yes.”

“Huh,” she said.

He wondered if he should throw out some Jacob facts. “We used to call him, Ol’ Man Jacob because he didn’t leave his house much. I never heard him talk more than a hello and a few mumbles before he came to me about the will.”

He stopped talking when her face went from horrified to alarmed.

“He was a mute?” She now looked shocked.

He shook his head. “Just quiet. He kept to himself after the accident.”

“Right, the boat accident,” she said, walking deeper into the house.

He followed behind, carrying the box of cleaning supplies and balancing the vacuum at the same time.

“Thanks for bringing all this over.” She held the door open for him and pointed to the corner. “You can put it all over there for now.”

He stood up, straightening his back, wishing he hadn’t worked out that morning. “I’ve got dinner coming if you’re hungry.”

“You don’t have to do that,” she said, shaking her head. “I should be fine.”

Quinn looked around the kitchen. Jacob wasn’t necessarily dirty or messy, but the place smelled stale, old, closed up. He could see a layer of dust on the things that Jacob didn’t use on a daily basis.

“I’m happy to help,” Quinn said. “I promised Jacob I would.”

---