lake in the background. Looking at the French chateau style house that he had spent so much of his life in, he hoped that one day he could give Anne a similar one. It was a great place to raise children. He parked out front in their circular driveway and let himself inside the front door only to be met in the French country tiled entryway by Linda, his parents' housekeeper who was on her way down the front staircase.
"Morning, Linda." He kicked off his worn sneakers and put them in the front hall closet.
"Morning, Ben. How was your trip? You went to China this time, wasn't it?" They began moving down the hall to the giant family room that looked out over the lake through a large picture window. The French doors that led out to a stone patio were open to let in the morning breeze blowing off of the water. Right now it was comfortable outside, but by that afternoon, the doors would be closed again to block out the heat and humidity.
"My trip went well. You should see China, someday. Maybe I'll take you with me the next time I go." He gave her a rakish grin.
"You are such a flirt, Ben. You always have been." Linda laughed and her ample bosom jiggled. Linda and her husband Fred had worked for Troy Carlson long before Ben's mother married him. Linda ran the house and Fred handled the outdoor concerns. Their one daughter was grown by the time Ben and his mother moved in. Now, both in their early seventies, they could have retired years ago but chose to stay with the Carlson family spending their summers in Seattle with them and their winters in Anaheim with their daughter. Over the years Linda and Fred had become part of the family and were like additional grandparents to Ben and Lily. "I must say, they sure did not feed you when you were over there. Don't you worry. I made your favorites."
"Strawberry pie, too?"
"Strawberry pie, too. Your mother is down in the flower garden, and your dad is in his study watching a ball game. Don't tell your mother that, though. She thinks that he is working."
"I won't, Linda." He gave her a conspiring wink then excused himself to go into the study located at the far end of the family room.
"Who's winning?" He asked Troy the question as soon as he walked in without knocking.
"The Yankees are up by one. But Martinez is up and the Mariners have the tying run on third." Troy Carlson was sitting in a padded leather wing chair with a can of soda and a cigar in his hands. He was dressed in old jeans, tennis shoes, and a salmon colored polo shirt not looking anything like a bank executive. The window behind him was open to let the smoke from his cigar outside. "The Mariners will be playing at home next Thursday night. What do you say to going?"
"Sounds like fun. Count me in." Troy reached inside the small drawer in the side table, pulled out a box of cigars, and removed one. He handed it to Ben who took it and sat down on the couch before pinching off the end. "You know, you're not fooling mom with having the window open." He lit up and took his first puff.
"I know. But she doesn't say anything to me because I never say anything to her about her caramel macchiato addiction. It's part of marriage, overlooking a few small bad habits. You look terrible by the way. Have you talked to Anne lately?"
"I saw her Monday." Ben frowned and looked at the television screen.
"I don't mean professionally."
"What do you know about her being here? I never said anything to you or mom."
"Ben, it's obvious that you love her and that she loves you. You were both crazy about each other when you were kids. Some things just need time to ripen, that’s all, like yours and Anne’s relationship. It's also obvious that the two of you had a falling out at Lily's reception." Ben took another puff from the cigar then looked over at his stepfather.
"Did you know that she was interviewing with my company?"
"Sure I did. You talked about hiring her when you were looking through resumes. So what's the problem?" Troy looked at Ben closely. His examination began to make Ben squirm.
"You knew that Anne was Dr. Conner, and you never told me? Why?" Ben leaned forward and rested