Point Pleasant by Jen Archer Wood Read Free Book Online

jacket. Normally, Ben would wear jeans and a t-shirt for such a lengthy drive, but he had reconsidered that option when he thought of seeing his father for the first time since Kate’s graduation from Harvard Law School in Boston almost eight years prior. Ben adopted the ensemble he wore when he appeared as Preston James at book signings to swathe himself in a security blanket of his own making.
    The doorbell let out a muffled chime when Ben pressed the small button mounted on the wall by the mail box. The sound of shuffling feet prepared him for when the door opened, and his father stood on the other side.
    “Ben?” Andrew asked, blinking in disbelief.
    “Hey, Dad.”
    Andrew laughed and pulled Ben into a hug. It was brief, but Ben savored the gesture.
    “I didn’t think you were serious last night,” Andrew said as he stepped back. “Come in, come on.”
    Ben followed Andrew inside and absorbed the familiar sight of the entry hall. A heavy winter coat and a black rain jacket with a The North Face logo hung on the wall pegs behind the front door. The walnut banister and staircase gleamed with the evidence of a recent polishing, as did the hardwood floors that lined the corridor.
    “I thought it was a good idea after all,” Ben said. He faced his father and took the moment to assess his appearance.
    Andrew loomed tall in Ben’s memories, and though they had been the same height back when Ben left Point Pleasant, it still felt strange to share the same eye level. Andrew was neatly shaven, and his chestnut hair was flecked with gray. He wore a white button-down shirt with a loosened tie; he had probably just arrived home from the hospital.
    “You look good, Benji,” Andrew said, grinning as he clapped a hand on Ben’s shoulder.
    “You too, Dad,” Ben replied with a smile of his own.
    “You left it too long,” Andrew said. “Much too long.”
    “I know,” Ben said. “I’m here now.”
    Andrew’s faulty gait was only slightly discernible as he limped on his left leg toward the kitchen. The walls were the same cheerful teal that Ben had helped paint thirteen years prior. The black marble countertops were immaculate and clear of clutter. There was now a dishwasher and a new refrigerator, and a halogen stove top had replaced the former gas fixture. Ben’s gaze fell to the spot on the floor that had haunted his dreams for over a decade, and he forced his eyes to his father.
    “Have you eaten? I only just got in a few minutes ago,” Andrew said. “What do you say we have a beer and then head into town for food? There’s a new place, does good burgers.”
    “Sounds nice.”
    “No, I know, Duvall’s. Mae will go nuts when she sees you.” Andrew offered Ben a cold bottle of Blue Moon from the fridge. The lids were popped, and Ben clinked the neck of his bottle to his father’s.
    “Duvall’s would be great.”
    Andrew took a long draught of his beer and lounged against a countertop. They stood in easy silence, but Ben soon shifted from foot to foot as his father looked him from head-to-toe again. “You look professional, Benji. Your mom would be impressed. Your hair’s still shaggy, though. You allergic to scissors?”
    Ben raised an eyebrow and sipped his own beer. “The house looks nice,” he observed, shifting the conversation away from himself and his father’s barbed compliments.
    “Had it painted in the spring. Was starting to look a bit weatherworn after last winter. Lotta snow.”
    “Yeah, Boston was a nightmare too.”
    Andrew had another swig and continued to eye his son. “So why leave Boston now? You in trouble?”
    “No, sir,” Ben said, straightening reflexively. “Just got to thinking about Mom, and you—” he started, but he felt unsure of how to finish. “I had a message on my machine from Katie when I got home last night. She said she had good news.”
    Andrew tilted his head with interest. “What kind of good news?”
    “She didn’t say. I dunno, maybe David