Susan Jarvin could hardly be more surprised when her elegant musician mother, Benecia, accepts her invitation to visit Washington's San Juan Island. But more surprises are in store, as Benecia shows a new, strong interest in Susan's young son, and then starts dating his diving instructor, a man more than a decade her junior. It's all a bit much to cope with, on top of dealing with an ex-husband that Susan never quite stopped loving.

This is Book 3 in Anne L. Watson's Island Women trilogy, which includes "Cassie's Castaways," "Willow's Crystal," and "Benecia's Mirror."

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Anne L. Watson, a retired historic preservation architecture consultant, is the author of several novels, plus books on such diverse subjects as soapmaking and baking with cookie molds. Living now in Bellingham, Washington, she lived for many years in Friday Harbor in the San Juan Islands -- the home base of her Island Women trilogy.

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SAMPLE

Our food came then, and for a few minutes we busied ourselves with the chowder and accompanying salad. Finally, I said, "I got a message from Mom on my machine."

Chris stopped with a spoonful of chowder halfway to his mouth. "Oh? What did she say?"

"She's accepting my invitation to visit."

"Here? Good lord, Suz, how'd you pull that off? She's never come here. You didn't tell me you'd asked her. When's she coming?"

"We haven't worked out the details. I wrote her a note and told her it would be fun to see her. I've no idea why she took me up on it. Didn't expect she would."

"Well, congratulations. But we've both invited her before. You have any idea why she's coming this time?"

"Maybe Dad's letter? His stories about her?"

"Maybe. But I doubt she'd bother to come all this way to defend herself against Dad's gossip. She's not that much into what other people think. 'The dogs bark, but the caravans roll on' -- that's what she liked to say about stupid talk."

"If it's not that, I have no idea," I said.

Over the next few days, I kept wondering. I didn't kid myself that she was coming solely for the pleasure of our company. Mom wasn't a witch-mother, but she was an extremely strange one. She'd been more than adequate as a parent, but she seemed studied, as if she were conscientiously following instructions from a couple of how-to books in her room. She hadn't been abusive in any way -- I'd simply been sure she didn't love me. Or Chris either, for that matter. As an adult, I came to the conclusion that she didn't have it in her to love anyone.

Neither of us was surprised when she showed no interest in Brian's birth or Chris's marriage. I might never have seen her again if I hadn't invited her to the island.

I was beginning to wonder why I had. And why she'd accepted. It promised to be a memorable visit.