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I finished my coffee and muffin then swung by my house to pick up Larry. He was smitten with Sadie, my parents’ springer spaniel. If I came home with her scent all over me, he’d be pissed. Last time I’d done that, he ate the remote control for my Roku, so not only did I have to buy a new remote, but I’d also had to pay a hefty vet bill to make sure he didn’t have any of the plastic in his system.Stupid lovelorn dog.Yet I was catering to him, so who really was the stupid one?
My parents still lived in the house I’d grown up in—a two-story craftsman-style home that Paul had put an addition onto when he’d married my mom. Even so, it was a tight fit with eight kids. That didn’t stop them from taking in Wes when he needed it, though. My biological father might have been a deadbeat, but Paul and my mom were the best.
I put Larry in the backyard and let myself in through the back sliding door. “Hello? Anyone home?”
Mom worked at Croft Vacation Rentals with Lyra, but since it was so slow in the off-season, she only went in a few mornings a week and picked up Sophia from school every afternoon. She and Paul had held onto this big house in the hopes that we kids would fill it with visiting grandchildren, but so far, Sophia was the only one.
My mom appeared at the top of the stairs with Sadie at her heels. “Bennett? What are you doing here?”
“Larry missed his girlfriend. He’s in the backyard, waiting for her.” I whistled. “Come on, Sadie.”
Sadie, whose ears had perked up when I’d said my dog’s name, came bounding down the stairs. She was young and still excitable. We were probably lucky she hadn’t knocked one of my parents down the stairs, especially considering Paul’s bad hip. I let her outside and gave Larry a stern warning to be a gentleman, which he promptly ignored as he slobbered all over her head.
And Wes thinks I have no finesse.I sighed. She was going to need a bath after this doggy playdate.Sorry, Mom.
I slid the door closed, and my mom embraced me. “It’s always good to see you, but why are you here?”
“Does your favorite son need a reason to stop by?”
She pursed her lips as if she saw through my flattery but also knew my reason would become clear eventually. “Can I make you some lunch?”
“No, thanks. I just had one of Carmen’s muffins.”
“Something to drink?”
“Sure.” I followed her into the kitchen.
“Lyra mentioned Claire Holden is in town. What a surprise! How long has it been—ten years?” She pulled open the bottom freezer and scooped some ice into a glass.
“Nine.”
“Have you seen her?”
“Yes,” I grumbled. “I’ve definitely seen her.” Seen her, thought about her… since I’d caught her in her towel, an hour hadn’t passed without her creeping into my mind. It was unnerving. I looked forward to the Markham resort being formally rejected so she would leave and my life could go back to normal.
She frowned. “Why don’t you sound happy about it? I always liked her, and you two got on so well.”
“She’s here trying to get that resort project approved.”
Mom set a glass of iced tea in front of me. “Is she in real estate?”
“No, she’s a lawyer, but I didn’t come here to talk about her.”Especially considering I already spend way too much time thinking about her. Damn it.My parents’ house should have been a respite from Claire, but I couldn’t escape her.
My mom chuckled. “No, I suppose not. You never did like to talk about your lady friends.”
I cringed. “Mom, lady friends? Really?” And she wonders why I never want to talk about such things.
She looked at me over her glass as she took a sip. “She’s a lady, and she was your friend.”
“Wasis the important word here.” Whatever friendship we’d had years ago no longer mattered. No friend of mine would want to destroy my hometown with a vulgar resort.
To think I was happy to see her. Then again, what man wouldn’t be happy to see her in nothing but a towel, with her wet hair draped around her shoulders?
Fuck.A conversation with my mother,of all people, should not lead me to these thoughts. I shifted the blame to Claire, where it belonged. Everything had been perfect until she showed up.
“Why?” Mom asked.
“Weren’t you listening?” I snapped then caught myself. No self-respecting man talked to his mother like that. I softened my tone. “She’s working to get that resort pushed through.”
