Redemption Bay (Haven Point Book 2) (Contemporary Romance) by RaeAnne Thayne Page B

memories of the times she stood by and didn’t protect him.
    He suddenly remembered his manners. “Mom, you remember McKenzie Shaw, I’m sure. She used to come around the house sometimes to hang out with Lily.”
    His sister’s name seemed to shiver between the three of them, as heavy and dangerous as a claymore. McKenzie drew in a quick breath and Lydia’s mouth tightened for a moment before she straightened it out into a warm smile she aimed in McKenzie’s direction.
    “Of course!” she exclaimed. “I should have recognized you instantly. It’s been years, but I still remember those beautiful dark eyes and long eyelashes of yours. You were such a good friend to Lily.”
    McKenzie smiled, though it looked a little sad around the edges.
    “Lovely to see you again, Mrs. Kilpatrick. I would hug you but I just came off the kayak and I’m drenched.”
    “Please. Call me Lydia. And I certainly don’t care about a little damp.”
    Before McKenzie could back away, his mother stepped forward and embraced her. McKenzie looked startled at first and then touched as she hugged Lydia back.
    His mother often had that effect on people. Most saw her as a calm, lovely person who drew people to her.
    He did his best to see her through that prism but it was sometimes difficult when the view was obstructed by murky pain and disappointment.
    “How are you?” Lydia asked, folding her fingers around McKenzie’s. “I understand you’re the one who bought that charming floral and gift shop in town. My sister Janet was telling me the other day she can’t walk out without spending a fortune.”
    “Just what I like to hear. You’ll have to stop in while you’re in the area.”
    “I’ll definitely do that. Is this handsome fellow yours?” She scratched Hondo’s chin and the dog immediately became enamored of her, too.
    McKenzie shook her head, looking a little surprised. “Actually, he’s your son’s.”
    His mother’s jaw dropped and she stared at him in disbelief. “You got a dog, after all these years? This is huge! Why didn’t you tell me?”
    “He’s not mine,” Ben said stiffly. “A friend passed away a few weeks ago and I temporarily ended up with Hondo. I’m looking for a good home for him before I head back to California. You’re not looking for a German shepherd, are you?”
    “No, though I would love a handsome boy like this. Yes, I would. I would. I’ll ask around.”
    “Thanks,” he answered stiffly.
    Most of the time, Ben felt as if he handled his life pretty well, other than the tendency to work too much. He had friends, a good life in California, an amazingly successful career.
    So why did he have so much trouble forging a healthy adult relationship with his mother? He always felt suffocated by her expectations and choked by her disappointment when he was unable to meet them.
    Sometimes he worried that something fundamental had been crushed out of him after his father stopped loving him, as if some healthy emotional development had been stunted along the way.
    “Was there some reason you stopped by?” he asked.
    Only when McKenzie frowned at him did he realize how cold, almost hostile, his words and tone sounded. For an instant, he felt uncomfortably like his father, wielding words like a samurai sword to jab and wound, always aiming for the weakest spot.
    Lydia only smiled, though some of the delight in her eyes seemed to have seeped away. “When my only son shows up in the same zip code, of course I’m going to stop by to say hello. Your aunt Janet and I were hoping you could come for dinner with us while you’re here.”
    He didn’t answer for a moment—too
long
a moment. The hesitation was obvious to all three of them.
    “I don’t know,” he finally said. “I’m here on business and my schedule is quite packed while I’m here. Mayor Shaw and I were just working out the details of all my obligations. I don’t know when I’ll have a moment to spare. I’m going to have to check my