This Winter Night. Janice Sims

her voice that Lauren heard next. “Colton Riley, huh? Women in Raleigh have been trying to trap him for years. He’s either very wily or a confirmed bachelor. Be careful. You’re very vulnerable right now.”

      Desiree was a psychotherapist who specialized in relationships. She had a diagnosis ready for any male her sisters came in contact with. She was so busy solving everyone else’s relationship problems she had no time for a relationship of her own.

      “You don’t have to worry. I just offered him a warm place to stay last night,” Lauren said, mindful of the agreement she’d made with Colton. “There’s no relationship here for you to analyze, Desi.”

      The next voice to speak belonged to her sister Meghan. “Hey, sis, don’t listen to these two. I hope you’re taking advantage of the isolation and getting to know Mr. Riley better.”

      Lauren smiled at the naughty suggestion coming from Meghan. If any of her sisters could be stereotyped as bookish and a bit of a nerd it would be Meghan who was a history professor.

      “It’s nothing like that, Meg,” she assured her. “He’s just the son of my neighbors.”

      “All right, okay,” said Meghan hastily. “I’m just saying that if you let loose and went for it, you’re way overdue.”

      Isn’t that the truth, Lauren thought. Her behavior had been exemplary up until now. She could be forgiven for one indiscretion, couldn’t she?

      Amina was in possession of the phone again. “All right, we won’t come up there. But stay in touch and let us know when the roads are clear. We’ve got to go check on Grandpa. He says he’s fine, but he always says that.”

      “Will do,” Lauren promised, “Bye, girls.”

      She heard them call “Bye!” in unison.

      She disconnected and put the phone in the deep pocket of her jacket. Around her the world was snow-covered and looked like a winter scene in a Currier and Ives painting. The pond was frozen over, the tiny dock layered with frost. The oak and pine trees that surrounded the property were snow-laden. They were definitely having a white Christmas.

      “Everything okay?” she heard behind her.

      Colton had walked out to meet her. She wondered how much of her side of the conversation he’d heard. “Yeah, my sisters threatened to come up here but I told them the roads weren’t clear yet.”

      “You have four sisters, right?”

      “Yes, but only three, Desiree, Amina and Meghan, are in the area. Petra’s a zoologist studying the Great Apes in Africa.”

      “No kidding, like Jane Goodall?”

      She smiled. There were many facets to him. “Yes, she’s been there for over two years now.”

      “What does she do when she’s not studying apes?”

      “Actually, she studied to be a veterinarian and worked at a big city zoo before deciding to specialize and become a zoologist. Now she lectures and has written a couple of successful books on the subject.”

      “She sounds very accomplished.”

      “Growing up in our household we were all told to aim high. And even if we didn’t hit the mark, we would be giving it our best shot.”

      “That’s a good way of looking at things,” Colton said, smiling down at her.

      They began walking back to the cabin. “What did Veronica say?” Lauren asked.

      “Pretty much what you guessed she’d say,” he answered. “They’ve got it under control. The funeral’s on Saturday.”

      “I’ll be there,” she said easily. “Unless you don’t want me...” She hated that now that they’d been intimate she was wondering if her presence at his father’s funeral would make him uncomfortable and perhaps make him relive their time together when he should be focusing on his father. But such were the repercussions of spontaneous sexual relationships. She figured she should expect some awkward moments.

      “Please come,” he said. His tone was gentle and sure. “I’d like for you to be there and so would Mom.”