Jane turned to Dave. "I heard, of course that Sally brother Luke reappeared a couple of years ago. The town gossips must have a field day."

   Dave nodded. "He came back for Christmas and stayed to attend our wedding on New Year's Eve, eighteen months ago. And, yeah, the gossips nearly wore out their tongues when he showed up out of the blue after being gone fifteen years. More RGS. Half the town believed he'd murdered Robert Fleming before he left, and they weren't too happy to hear he'd come back."

   "From what I've heard, he's back in the town's good graces now that everyone knows it was Robert's uncle who was the murderer. I could hardly believe that. Ron Fleming was my dentist when I was a kid! Who could have imagined then that he'd already killed twice and would kill again?"

   "Luke's innocence certainly swayed public opinion in his favor, "Tyler commented dryly. "But not as much, perhaps, as the fact that he made himself a fortune in the California computer industry while he was away. The snobs were much more gracious to the rich businessman that they had been to the rebel he'd been before he left town."

   "That I believe," Jane murmured, thinking of times in the past when she had been shunned because of her own less-than-ideal family background. Being the only daughter of two alcoholics whose marital battles had been well known in the community, Jane knew what it was like to grow up outside the tight social cliques in this town. "I'm glad Luke has done well for himself. I understand he and Rochelle Fleming were married and live in California."

   "They seem very happy, Colton agreed. "Luke needed someone like Rochelle to calm him down. He was always so hotheaded and volatile, and she's so clam and restrained—they offset each other very well. They announced just last week that they're expecting a baby. It'll be interesting to see what kind of father Luke makes."

   "Your family is growing rapidly," Jane commented.

   Colton nodded in visible satisfaction. As the only surviving member of his generation, he must be pleased that the Hamilton name would carry on, Jane decided.

   "Uncle Luke designed this game," young Jay remarked, proving that he'd been monitoring the adults' conversation while seemingly engrossed in his toy. "It's called a Rebelcom and it's way cool."

   "You'll have to show it to me after dinner," Jane suggested. "I have a weakness for cool electronics."

   Jay nodded and pushed another game button, returning to his play.

   "I got one, too," Tom piped up. "For my birthday. You can see mine, if you come to my house."

   Jane smiles down at her young admirer. "Maybe I'll do that sometime."

   She didn't look at Tyler as she spoke, though she wondered how he felt about his son inviting her to their house.

   "So now I've asked about all the Hamilton cousins except Samantha," she commented, turning back to Colton. "I know from the grapevine that she married the writer Christian Haze and they divide their time between L.A. and Georgia. I assume she's doing well?"

   Colton nodded at the mention of his late brother's only daughter. "Samantha's five. Seems happy as clam. Her husband is a decent guy, even if he does hang out some with those Hollywood types."

   Smiling, Jane asked, "And her twins?"

   "Teenagers now. Good kids, both of them, and they're crazy about Kit. He legally adopted them. I sort of hated to see them give up the Hamilton name, but it seems to have made them feel more like a family, so I guess they made the right decision."

   Jane hadn't forgotten the big scandal when Samantha Hamilton, head cheerleader , homecoming queen, beauty pageant winner and pampered princess, had become pregnant with twins when she was sixteen. Jane had been only ten or eleven at the time, but everyone in Honoria had known about Samantha's predicament and the controversy that had ensued when she'd named Prince Hopkins as the father—an accusation the high-school jock had cravenly denied. Jane was glad Samantha and her children had turned out all right.

   The Hamiltons has been providing fodder for the town gossips for years, she mused. It had been something that had made her feel a kinship with them, since she'd been the subject of some avid gossip herself during her admittedly reckless teen years.

   "You hadn't mentioned your family yet this evening," Colton said, politely directing the conversations away from his own clan. "How is your mother?"

   "She's fine." Jane knee her tone had become stilted, but it always did when she talked of her mother. "She's living in Birmingham now, close to her sister."

   "And your father?"

   She felt her neck muscles tighten even more when she replied. "Last I heard, he was living in Montana. We don't really stay in touch."

   "I see."

   There was a brief, awkward silence, which seemed to hold for several tense moments. Then Amy laughed and babbled something, baby Blaire fussed and Debbie came into the room to announce that dinner was served. Relieved to have the attention diverted from herself, Jane lifted her chin, pasted on a bright smile and rose to join the others as they moved toward the dining room.