Page 1 of The Summer House

Chapter One

“If the sex was amazing, why wouldn’t you want to see him again?”

Mandy Carter held the phone at arm’s length and stared at the receiver. No way she’d heard what she thought she’d heard. It wasn’t possible.

“You can’t know anything about our sex life,” she said as she tucked the receiver back into place between her ear and the crook of her neck. “And if you do,Idon’t want to know about it.”

On the other end of the phone, Joanne Benson laughed softly. “I know a lot more than you think I do.”

“That scares me. I’m sorry, Jo, but talking to my ex-mother-in-law about my former sexual relationship with her son is just too weird for me.”

There was another chuckle. “Your generation thinks it’s so hip and together, but the reality is you’re all a bunch of prudes. I came of age during the sixties and I have to tell you, that was a real sexual revolution.”

“I can only imagine,” Mandy muttered, not really wanting to.

“So…was it amazing?”

Mandy threw down the granny square she was trying to crochet as part of a baby blanket for yet another pregnant co-worker. “You’re making me crazy.”

“Then answer the question. I know what Rick said. I’m curious about your take on things.”

Mandy was suddenly curious, as well. What exactlyhadRick said about their sex life? Or was this all a bluff on Jo’s part? After all, mother and son might be very close, but Mandy doubted they’d actually talked about his sexual escapades.

“I’m changing the subject,” she said firmly.

“Fine. Change away. Or let me change it for you. If you don’t want to talk about sex, why don’t you at least get in touch with him? It’s been a long time. You two used to be friends. Wouldn’t you like that back?”

Be friends with her ex-husband? “I don’t know,” Mandy said honestly. “I’ve done fine without him this long.”

Mandy and Rick had met and married nine years ago. They’d divorced less than a year later. In all the time since, she’d never once spoken with him. Oh, she knew about his life. Being close friends with his mother meant that she was kept abreast of all his successes. She knew that he’d completed his Ph.D. program in record time, that he’d parlayed his genius in the world of laser physics into an incredibly lucrative career. That six years and multiple money making patents later, he’d quit to take on a different kind of challenge. He was currently working for some exclusive high-tech think tank in Santa Barbara.

She also knew there had been several close calls but no second marriage.

“You’re going to practically be neighbors,” Jo said lightly. “Have lunch with him. What would it hurt?”

Mandy was less concerned about pain than how strange it would be. But she thought a lot of Jo and didn’t want to disappoint her friend. “You’re not matchmaking, are you?”

“Of course not. That issonot my style. However, I will admit that I think it’s interesting neither of you has remarried. I can’t help wondering if there’s some unfinished business between you and Rick. If so, a lunch might help you both to move on. If nothing else, I would like two people I care about very much to at least be speaking to each other.”

“Fair enough,” Mandy said, only a little concerned about meeting with her ex. But what was there to worry about? She and Rick hadn’t seen each other in eight years. She never thought about the man, except when Jo mentioned him.

Besides, Jo had a valid point. She had remained friends with her son’s ex, while maintaining a close, loving relationship with him. Most divorcing couples argued over ownership of pets or custody of children, but Mandy and Rick had been forced to deal with sharing Jo. After years of not having a mother, Mandy hadn’t been willing to end a relationship with her charming, caring mother-in-law, not even with a pending divorce on the horizon. Rick was close to his mother and had been unwilling to break ties with her, as well. In the end, they’d agreed they would both have relationships with her, even if they didn’t have one with each other.

For the past eight years, Jo had been a rock for Mandy. A confidante, someone to have fun with. A real and loving friend. Which made Mandy unable to refuse the request, even if it did sound strange.

“I’m staying in Carpinteria for a month,” Mandy said. “That’s only about twenty minutes from Santa Barbara. I promise to get in touch with him while I’m there. If he’s willing to have lunch, then we’ll break bread together. Does that make you happy?”

“Ecstatic. I’m all aquiver.”

* * *

Electrons were tricky, Rick Benson reminded himself as he scanned the printout of the latest test and saw the experiment hadn’t produced the results they had anticipated. This was a third no-go, which meant he would not be recommending funding. He initialed the top of the report, scribbled comments in the margin and made a mental note to prepare for the outrage that would follow his decision.

He knew this project was one of the board’s favorites, but if they didn’t want to know his opinion, they shouldn’t have bothered to ask him.

The phone next to him buzzed. He hit the intercom button.

“Benson.”

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