Evie spent the next couple of days working on packing up the cottage, not allowing herself any breaks, trying to keep busy. Because if she kept very, very busy, maybe she could forget these were her last days here at Nana’s cottage.
She paused when she heard a knock at the door. With a catch in her breath, she hurried to answer, hoping it was Randy.
She opened the door to find not Randy but a woman standing there, a tentative expression on her face. The woman asked, “Is Genevieve available?”
Her heart sank. Not again. Now what? She took a deep breath and explained, “No, I’m sorry. Genevieve was my grandmother. She passed away recently.”
The woman’s eyes widened, and she placed a hand over her heart. “Oh, I’m so sorry for your loss. My condolences.”
Her sympathy seemed genuine, and she felt a slight sense of relief. But she hoped this wasn’t another person demanding payment for a long-forgotten debt.
“I’m Susan Green,” the woman introduced herself. “My mother, Linda Green, was friends with Genevieve for many years.”
She’d never heard Nana mention a Linda Green. “Really? I don’t recall Nana mentioning your grandmother.”
Susan smiled. “It’s been a long time since they saw each other, but my mother always spoke fondly of Genevieve. They grew up together near Plymouth.”
She hesitated for a moment, then stepped aside. “Please, come in.”Please don’t tell me Nana has an outstanding loan too.
“Can I get you something to drink? Coffee, tea?” she offered, leading Susan to the couch.
“Tea would be lovely, thank you,” Susan replied, settling onto the couch. Her gaze swept around the cottage, but not like Mr. Barlowe’s, evaluating everything. Susan’s gaze was more approving and appreciative.
She busied herself in the kitchen, preparing two cups of tea. Her mind raced with questions about Susan’s grandmother and her connection to Nana. When she returned to the living room, she handed Susan a cup and sat down beside her.
“So, tell me about your mother and Nana’s friendship,” she prompted, eager to learn more.
Susan cradled the warm mug in her hands. “Well, from what my mother told me, she and Genevieve grew up together. Best friends. I guess they were inseparable until Genevieve moved away to Belle Island and got married.”
“Did they see each other after that?”
“They must have…” Susan put her cup down on the coffee table. “Because Genevieve helped my mother out when she needed it most.”
“What do you mean?”
“My father was—let’s say ameanman—and my mother had a rough go of it. My father finally left us, which was probably for the best. But he left my mother with nothing. No money, no home, and a young child to take care of—me.”
“That’s terrible.”
Susan nodded. “Genevieve found out and traveled back home to see my mother. And…” Susan’s voice cracked. “And she did the kindest thing. She had inherited a house that had been in her family for generations. She gave the house to my mother. Deeded it to her. Said she had no desire to ever leave Belle Island, so she didn’t need a house in Plymouth to keep up with. And gave my mother money to help start up a business.”
“Nana did that? She never told me.”
“I don’t know if you’ve heard of Genny Cosmetics.”
“Of course I have.” It was a multi-million-, maybe multi-billion-dollar company that made skincare and makeup products.
“Well, that’s my mother’s company. Well, mine now.” The woman smiled slightly. “My mother passed away recently.”
“Oh, I’m so sorry.”
“Thank you. And… don’t you see? The company was named after Genevieve.”
“Oh, I didn’t even put two and two together.”
“Genevieve said the house was a gift. That she wasn’t ever going to move back and she’d rather my mother have it than let it sit and fall into rubble since she was the last heir in her family. But as my mother was dying, she made me promise that the house would be sold and the proceeds go back to Genevieve. It was sold for quite a large sum. It was a beautiful lot, right on the coast. So, I guess that money is yours now.”
She sat back, stunned.
