Blue Ridge Hideaway. Cynthia Thomason

he held up one finger. “One more thing.”

      “Yeah?”

      “You got anything against kids?”

      “Of course not. Why?”

      “My ten-year-old son’s due back tomorrow. He’s been staying with my sister over spring break from school. He’s a good boy. Quiet. Won’t bother you too much.”

      “I don’t have a problem with that...if I’m still around when he gets here.”

      “Okay, then. We’ll talk more in the morning.”

      Dorie looked at the door after Bret had closed it. Questions flooded her mind. How did a ten-year-old like living on this mountain? Where was the boy’s mother? What kind of a father was Bret? She came to the same conclusion she often did about children who lived with only one parent. They were luckier than those who had none at all.