Page 71 of The Cottage on Blueberry Bay

“I think about how much things have changed since my husband and I divorced and if I’m this whole new person,” she said, staring back at him. “I’m probably a whole new person since last week!”

She laughed as she looked out at the water. The fire danced across her face and Quinn couldn’t take his eyes off her. Meredith had never looked more at peace and more beautiful than she did at that moment.

“This has been the most bizarre week of my life,” she said. She wiped sand away from the cuff of her pants.

“I understand if you want to sell,” he said, wanting the elephant sitting between them out in the open.

She focused on the water. “I don’t think I do want to sell. Not right now at least. Not after learning so much, while also not knowing enough.”

Something about the way she didn’t look at him made Quinn hold his breath for the bad news.

“But…” He waited for it.

“I can’t afford two houses, that’s for sure,” she said, sticking her finger in the sand. She paused and he could feel her about to release a bomb.

“Kyle asked me to sell the boat to him,” she said.

He closed his eyes.

“I wasn’t sure if you told him I was thinking of selling, but I thought I’d come to you before I do sell it,” she said.

He appreciated that she did. “Thank you.”

“So?” she said. “What does a seventeen-year-old want a boat like that for?”

“He wants to catch lobsters,” he said. How could he break his son’s dreams by telling him to use his hard-earned money for a degree he doesn’t want?

She picked up a handful of sand and let it softly fall back onto the ground. “You don’t sound like you like that idea.”

“I would rather he go to college than fish for lobsters,” he said. “It’s dangerous.”

He could see the twitch of recognition in her eyes. “I won’t sell it to him.”

He didn’t want her to sell it to him, but he also couldn’t tell her what to do. It was her boat now. “I can’t force you to sell or not sell.”

“You aren’t forcing me to do anything,” Meredith said, drawing a circle in the sand.

“How much did he offer?” He didn’t know if this was being too nosy or not.

Meredith looked up from her circles. “Twenty thousand dollars.”

Quinn choked at the amount. Kyle had that kind of cash? How much did fishermen make these days?

“That’s money that could go to college, I’m guessing,” she said. Her face twisted as she waited for his response.

“It sure is,” Quinn said, feeling totally defeated as a parent. He had no idea Kyle had saved up that much. He knew he had been hauling lobsters since he could get out on a boat, but twenty grand? “I promised my wife that I would make sure he went to college.” He sighed. “I can’t even do that.”

“Is it safe?” she asked. “Have you ever taken Jacob’s boat out before?”

He hesitated, hoping she wouldn’t be upset by this. “Sure, I have.”

“Is it inspected and registered?” she asked.

He nodded.

“And what about selling it?” she asked. “Is twenty thousand dollars the right price?”

Kyle giving cash would make the deal easy and fair. Quinn hated being so honest. “It is.”

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