“Yes. You take the guesthouse, and I’ll talk to my uncle in Oahu about visiting him,” she said, emphasizing visiting to make it clear to Quinn not to say anything in front of the girl. “I can have Pali’s things cleared out of there in an hour or so.”

“Oh, no. I can’t. I’m fine staying at the hotel,” Quinn said. She sure didn’t feel like it was her home yet, papers or not, and camping out on the property just didn’t feel right.

“No—please,” Maria insisted, “I’d feel less guilty if you took the guesthouse. It’s just messy right now because my son has been staying out there. But I’ll tidy it up and give you fresh linens. I can cook for you. I—I—”

“Maria, please.” Quinn reached out and took her hands, stopping them from wringing a hole through the towel. She couldn’t believe what she was about to say. “We need to have a solution by the weekend. I’ll even help you pack. Then I can get a contractor out here on Monday.”

Alani looked at her mother, confusion across her face.

“What is she talking about, Mama?”

Oops. Quinn stood. She’d had enough drama for one day. She felt completely wrung out herself, probably even rivaling the dishcloth.

Maria put her arms around Alani. “We need to talk, honey.”

“I’m going next door,” Alani said as she wiggled out of the embrace and went out the back door.

That was Quinn’s cue. “I’m sorry. I’ll see myself out,” she said. “You might want to go ahead and start contacting movers for a quote. Can you give me your number?”

Maria nodded, but it didn’t look convincing. She went to the counter and jotted her number down, then handed it over.

Quinn retreated through the living room, eyeing the wainscoting that needed painting, then the spectacular built-in china cabinets in the wall.

Through the dining room she caught a glimpse of the large bay window looking out into the rear of the property. The window went from floor to ceiling, flooding the room with sunlight. A quick glance at the hardwood floors showed their damage too. They needed refinishing.

Despite the rough edges, the Realtor hadn’t lied, after all. The house was a hidden gem, and once she was finished with it, Quinn had every confidence it would be a showstopper. She wished she had time to check out all the rooms, but she needed to leave and give Maria privacy to talk to her kids. She would call her in the morning to talk specifics.