Yours Seductively

Chapter 3.1

   Colton Hamilton was the first to greet Jane when Tyler escorted her into the living room. She smiled when he approached with a look of warm welcome on his pleasant face. Aware that there were other adults and several children in the room, she concentrated solely non her gist for the moment.

   Probably in his early sixties, Colton has perfected the image of small-town Southern lawyer—genial, personable, courteous, but tough when he needed to be. Though she didn't know him very well, Jane has always liked him, even as she suspected that he was as consummate an actor as any she'd met on stage. Perhaps it was purely circumstance, but Colton couldn't have played his role in Honoria more perfectly if he'd followed a detailed script.

   "It's good to see you, Jane," he said, taking her hand in both of his. "After what you did, you will always be an honored guest in our home."

   She hoped she wouldn't have to spend the entire evening trying to respond to comments like that. Deciding distraction was her best defense, she gave him a cheeky smile and said, "it's always good to see you too, Mr. Hamilton. I swear, you get better-looking every time I see you. If you weren't married..."

   He chuckled, obviously flattered. "If I weren't married, I would still be twice your age."

   Someone tugged in her skirt. Jane looked down.

   "I'm not married," Tom assured her, gazing seriously up at her.

   Everyone in the room laughed, except Jane, who didn't want to hurt the boy's feelings—and Tyler, she noted peripherally. "Still playing the field, are you, Tom?" That's understandable from a handsome young guy like you."

   Though he didn't appear to quite understand Jane's comment, Tom seemed satisfied to have momentarily claimed her attention. He stood close to her side when she turned to greet others. She wasn't particularly surprised to see the police chief, Dave Ricafort, and his wife, Sally. Sally was Colton's niece, and had been a year behind Jane in school. She had been the only Hamilton of her generation who stayed and settled in Honoria instead of moving on in search of greener pastures. Tyler, of course, was the only one who had returned after moving away—for reasons Jane couldn't help being curious about.

   "How are you, Sally?" she asked.

   Holding a baby no more than a few months old in her arms, the pretty, blue-eyed blonde beamed with visible contentment. "I'm fine, thank you, Jane. You know my husband, Dave, of course?"

   Jane glanced at the solidly built, ruggedly attractive, thirty-something cop. "Hello, Chief. Caught any dangerous criminals lately?"

   He gave her a lazy smile. "Not since I stopped you for speeding last week."

   Hearing what might have been a faint sigh from Tyler, Jane pouted for effect. "I wa only going five miles over the speed limit."

   "You were doing Sixty in a forty-five zone and you know it," Dave retorted. "I let you off easy by only citing you for five-miles-over. Best time, I won't be so generous."

   "Dave, Jane saves my grandson's life," Colton chided. "Is it really necessary to threaten her this evening?"

   "It wasn't a threat—just a warning."

   Jane smiled and stuck out her hand to him. "Warning heeded. I'll watch my speed from now on. And no hard feelings, Chief."

   "Of course not." Dave shook her hand, then waved toward the red-haired lad sitting on the couch and playing a handheld electronic game. "This is my son, Jay. Boy, remember your manners, will you? Come shake hands with Ms. Doherty."

   Jay Ricafort, whom Jane judged to be around eleven, somewhat reluctantly set the game aside and rose. "Hello, Ms. Doherty," he said, gravely shaking Jane's hand.

   "It's very nice to meet you, Jay."

   "Ms. Doherty's aunt was your fourth-grade teacher," Dave informed his son.

   Jane's smile deepened. "I think my aunt Hellen has taught every fourth-grader in Honoria for the past couple generations."

   Jay shook his head. "My friend Peter had Mrs. Givens."

   "She didn't mean it literally, Jay," Sally murmured, laying an affectionate hand on her stepson's shoulder while cradling her infant daughter in her other arm. "How is your aunt, Jane?"

   "I talked to her yesterday. You know she and Uncle Phil are spending the summer in North Carolina? They love it there."

  "I'm happy to hear it. I understand she's retiring after this coming school year."

   "Yes, they're thinking about relocating permanently to a condo in North California."

   "They'll be missed here."