Condemned (4 page)

“Take care of yourself, dearest,” Andie replied with a grin,
mimicking his tone.

Chapter Six

“What a quaint little place,” Tish commented as they drove
through town to Brett’s house. “It almost seems like we’ve gone back in time.”

“I think that’s one of the reasons why Brett and Jordan
chose it,” Jesse replied. “We’ll go to Brett’s first. You can get settled in the
gatehouse later, after Andie’s done with Alyssa.”

“Is this portrait for something special?” Tish tried to act
interested.

“No. My Aunt Sadie just wants a newer one. The last one was
from when I graduated from college and it’s hardly the best.”

“Don’t worry, Andie,” Jesse said. “Alyssa will do something
spectacular that brings out your true self.”

“Oh my, what confidence,” Tish exclaimed, hiding the sarcasm
she felt.

“Just stating the truth. Have you ever seen anything of
Alyssa’s?”

“Not that I recall. I haven’t been to that many photography
exhibits though. I don’t remember seeing anything by an Alyssa McKade though
there was an Alyssa Campini.”

“That’s her,” Andie stated. “She started her career before
she was married and keeps her maiden name for exhibits. She and Shane don’t
really want a lot of people showing up on their doorstep.”

“Really?” Tish was impressed. Perhaps this little excursion
wouldn’t be a total waste. “I had no idea.”

“That’s how they want it,” Jesse added. “You’d never guess
she’s the same person who did the gang series. You’ll see what I mean when you
meet her. I’m sure she and her family will be joining us for dinner tonight.
We’d usually wind up together when I visited in the past.”

They arrived at Brett’s house. He met them in the driveway,
clearly waiting for them. After saying hello and agreeing to meet up at
Jordan’s later, Andie and Jesse walked down the street to Alyssa’s studio.

“This is great.” Kiley ushered them inside. “I was so
pleased when Jordan told me you were coming. We don’t see nearly enough of
either of you. I also have a very selfish thing to discuss with you, Andie.”
She swept the other woman with her, leaving the rest in the kitchen with
Jordan.

“She seems more comfortable with her pregnancy,” Jesse
observed.

“Well.” Jordan shrugged, “It’s still a bit of an emotional
roller coaster at times.”

“Ha!” Alyssa interrupted. “She’s a raving lunatic. Give her
a minute. She’ll be blubbering all over us for some whacked out reason before
you know what hit you.”

“Campini,” Shane growled. “What did you promise Jordan just
last weekend?”

“Ooh, Daddy’s pissed,” Charlie announced.

“Cherlene McKade! Who taught you that expression?” Alyssa
scowled.

“Oops.” Charlie hid behind her brother. “I’m not s’posed to
say that when you’re here.”

“Charlie, let’s go see Aunt Kiley and Andie.” Flynn grabbed
her hand and pulled her out of the kitchen with him.

“Shut up, McKade.” Alyssa turned on Shane. “That’s not
funny. If she says that at school, I’m making you go see her teacher this
time.”

“I’ll talk to them again.” Shane controlled his laughter. “I
know Flynn didn’t mean to say it in front of her.”

“So do I but she picks up everything.”

“Gee, what other expressions does she use?” Jesse asked.

“You don’t want to know,” Jordan answered first. “My niece
absolutely adores her big brother. She hangs on every word he says.”

“And Flynn still forgets himself when he gets excited,”
Shane added. “It’s hard to correct him when he gets animated over something.”

“How’s he doing in school?” Jesse wondered.

“Great.” Alyssa glowed with pride. “He’s made some friends
and has been doing kid-guy stuff the past few weeks. He never ceases to amaze
me.”

“Exactly what I expected,” Jesse stated. “I knew he was a
rare find the first time I met him. All he needed was you to give him a
chance.”

“You should hear some of his views on things,” Jordan said.
“He certainly has a way of making you think.” They heard laughter from the
other room. “Now that’s a very good sign. Hey, Brett,” he greeted his other
friend when he walked in. “You must be Tish. It’s nice to have you with us.”

Brett completed the introductions. “Where’s Kiley?”

“Can’t you tell? I think she’s getting her first piano
lesson.” Jordan brought attention to the hesitant notes they could all hear.

“So she got her piano. Not that I ever doubted she would.
Jordan tends to be a little indulgent when it comes to his wife,” Brett
explained to Tish.

“What he means is that I’m trying to spoil her every way I
can,” Jordan admitted. “She’s the most kindhearted woman and rarely wants
anything for herself. When she mentioned that she always wished she had taken
piano lessons as a kid I couldn’t help myself. There’s no reason she can’t have
them now and the look on her face when the piano was delivered is one I’ll
never forget.”

“You’re a glutton for punishment, Jordan.” Alyssa rolled her
eyes. “Listen to that. It’s not going to get much better for months.”

“So what? If Kiley’s happy, I’m willing to listen to
anything,” Jordan responded. “And I don’t think you are exactly in a position
to criticize us. I seem to recall a certain brother of mine ripping out a
perfectly good bathroom so he could install the whirlpool tub his wife noticed
at a display in the middle of the mall. Shall I continue with the fancy shower
that was added too?”

“All right. That’s enough.” Alyssa held up her hands.
“What’s Tish going to think of us if we keep sniping at each other like this?”

“What I think is that you’re just teasing because you’re all
so comfortable with each other,” Tish rephrased what Brett had told her of the
people they’d be visiting. “Don’t let me affect the way you act. It’s
refreshing to see couples who get along with their extended families so well.”

“Now what are they doing?” Shane asked when he heard Charlie
giggling.

“She’d better not be learning any new obscenities,” Alyssa
declared.

“I don’t think that’s the case.” Shane headed for the family
room. “I’m sure Flynn’s still cringing over her last one.”

“When I was just a little older than you are,” Andie told
Charlie as she held her on her lap in front of the piano, “My Uncle Hank would
sit with me like this for as long as I wanted. I loved to visit him and my Aunt
Sadie because he made the piano fun. My regular teacher was nice enough but she
wasn’t like my uncle. He always asked me to play for him so he could see the
progress I was making. He’s the one that got me interested in the first place.”

Brett grabbed the nearest sketchpad. Since he was always
doodling, as he called it, Jordan made sure there was a tablet handy. He sat
down in the chair near the piano and whispered for Andie to keep talking to
Charlie. The expression on the child’s face was one of pure joy. It was
mirrored on the faces of Kiley and Andie. All three were clearly having fun
with their impromptu lesson.

“What’s he doing?” Tish asked quietly.

“Capturing a very special event,” Jordan supplied. “Haven’t
you seen this before?”

“Um, no,” Tish admitted.

“Brett’s done this for as long as I’ve known him,” Jordan
told her. “He sees something being shared and puts it on paper. Look at them. I
bet they each get a sketch of this. They’ll all be from a slightly different
perspective but each will show the happiness they’re feeling right now. I’m
sure I’ll frame Kiley’s for her and hang it right there, above the piano.”

“Oh,” Tish murmured as she glanced around the room, surely
realizing that the other drawings must have been done by Brett as well.

“Don’t you wish you had your camera?” Tish asked Alyssa.

“I’d never get what Brett is getting. Cameras can be very
distracting. If I were moving around them, I’d ruin it, even though Charlie and
Kiley are used to me,” Alyssa explained.

Charlie suddenly hopped off Andie’s lap and flung herself at
Shane, who was closer than Alyssa. “Did you hear, Daddy? I played the piano.
Andie’s gonna come and Aunt Kiley’s gonna do lessons. Can I too? Please, Daddy.
I like the piano. Aunt Kiley telled me I can do it here but I wanna do it at
home too.”

“You play beautifully.” Shane swung her onto his arm. “We’ll
have to talk it over with Mom but we can probably convince her to let us have a
piano at home.”

“I heard both of you and agree that you did very well for
your first lesson,” Alyssa complimented them. “I’ll make a deal with you,
Charlie. If you promise to try as hard as you possibly can not to say any more
of the words you hear your brother say even though he knows better, we’ll get a
piano so you can play at home. That is, if Andie will agree to teach you too.”

“I’d love to,” Andie agreed. “I don’t have that many
students so I have plenty of time to come visit.”

“You can ride with me sometimes,” Brett volunteered
instantly. “That is, if you don’t mind staying over. I have plenty of room too,
if the gatehouse is taken.”

“Thanks, Brett.” She reached out and put her hand on his
arm. “I’d like that.” They seemed suspended in time.

“Hey, that’s great,” Jordan spoke up, breaking the spell
when he noticed Tish staring at the pair. “I told Kiley that all she had to do
is ask you, Andie. From listening to you in the past, I knew you wouldn’t mind
that she’s older than most of your students.”

“You’re never too old to learn anything if you want to.”
Andie turned around on the piano bench and moved slightly away from Brett.
“It’ll be fun teaching both of you.”

“Charlie hasn’t promised yet,” Alyssa pointed out.

“Oh, Momma, I promises,” she declared seriously. “I’ll be
good and not say any bad words. Flynn’ll stop it too.” She looked expectantly
at her brother.

When everyone else turned toward him, he shrugged. “This is
your thing, Princess. You don’t need me for this one. I already do try hard to
watch my mouth. You all know that.”

“Yes, we do, son.” Shane ruffled his hair. “And your mom and
I both appreciate it.”

“Yeah, well.” He looked uncomfortable being the center of
attention. “Can I go over to Joey’s? He’s working on the tree house and I said
I’d try to get there to help.”

“I wanna go too,” Charlie insisted.

“Go ahead, Flynn,” Alyssa responded. “Be home before dinner
so you can get cleaned up. You, Princess Charlie, are staying here with us.
You’re too little to be climbing around in trees when your brother is busy
building. He won’t have time to watch you today and I don’t want you to fall.
You remember Daddy’s shoulder? That’s what happens when you fall out of trees.”

“But Momma!”

“But nothing. Not this time, Charlie.”

“Aw.”

“Charlie, you know you can’t always go with Flynn.” Shane
caught her attention. “Just like he can’t always go along with you when you
play with your friends.”

“I’ll show you when it’s done,” Flynn offered.

“You promise?” She peeked at him.

“I promise,” he said seriously, before he turned to leave.
“Later.”

“Can I ask something?” Tish spoke up. “I don’t mean to be
rude but he seems a bit older…”

“We’re ’dopted,” Charlie announced, squirming to be put down
so she could go to the newest person.

“Oh.” Tish didn’t know how to respond.

“Yes, we’ve only been married three months but they’ve been
with us from the start,” Alyssa supplied. “We knew Flynn from the city and I
met Charlie in a small town in Nebraska. Both were too precious to ignore.”

“Um, how nice,” Tish said weakly, clearly wishing she hadn’t
asked.

“Momma found me after the ’nado,” Charlie added. “I was
buried under stuffs and she saved me.”

“What?” Tish didn’t understand so Alyssa quickly explained.
“Oh my, what a lucky little girl you are.”

“Yep. Momma and Daddy comed to get me after.”

“We sure did.” Shane recaptured her. “Why don’t we ask Jesse
to walk home with us now so I can talk to him a little bit?”

“Uh-oh.” Charlie giggled. “Secret Squirrel time. I better
stay with Momma.”

“I’m coming too. You need a nap, since you didn’t get much
sleep last night. I don’t want you to fall asleep in your dinner. We’ll go
first so we can’t hear them.”

“We’ll take her if you want to stay here with Kiley. You
won’t give me a hard time, will you, Princess?”

“Nope, Daddy. I’m sleepy.” Charlie reached for Shane.

“You’re not going to cook anything, are you, Alyssa?” Brett
asked with mock horror.

“No, smartass.” She swatted him. “Not unless you keep it
up.”

“Alyssa’s not the best cook,” Brett explained to Tish
quietly.

“I need to go to the station for a little while.” Jordan
quickly changed the subject. “Has Brett shown you around yet, Tish?”

“Not yet. Perhaps we should come with you and keep him out
of trouble,” Tish suggested.

“Good idea,” Brett agreed.

“Andie?” Jesse questioned.

“If it’s okay, I think I’ll stay here,” she replied.

“Of course.” Kiley smiled. “Since I know you are capable,
you can help me. Lyssa can keep us company from over there.”

“Kiles, why do you always pick on me?”

“I don’t know. Maybe it’s because I’ve known you forever and
you’ve caused me more aggravation than the rest of them combined. I figure I’m
entitled with all you’ve put me through over the years.”

“I guess I deserve that,” Alyssa admitted.

“Poor Pix.” Shane kissed her forehead. “We love you anyway.”

“And I’m sure he’ll show you just how much later,” Brett
teased.

“I think that’s our cue to go.” Jordan chuckled as he
embraced Kiley. “Let them help you, sweet. I don’t want you to strain
anything.”

“Jordan.” She snuggled against him briefly. “I’m fine. Go.”

“You know where to find me.” Jesse squeezed Andie’s hand in
passing.

As soon as they were alone Kiley turned her attention on
Andie. “I thought you wanted Brett.”