Three Sisters

Although looking at Wade was a pleasant diversion. She wondered if her handsome contractor fell into the single category or not. Unfortunately, she couldn’t think of a casual way to ask.

“You’re so brave,” Nina told her. “Starting over in a new place. You bought that beautiful house and now you’re going to open your own practice.”

Andi smiled, knowing that description sounded a whole lot better than the truth, which was she’d been running away and this was where she’d ended up.

Misty sighed. “I agree with Nina. I could never do what you did. Dr. H said to let you know that we’ll help in any way we can with interviewing staff and helping you set up.”

Andi was speechless for a moment. “That’s very kind of all of you.”

“He’s a good guy.”

“Obsessed with his son,” Laura said with a sigh.

“My son, the doctor,” they all said together, then broke into laughter.

Their server came by and took their orders. Andi decided to try the famous chicken salad sandwich.

“Have you started construction on the house?” Nina asked when the server had left. “That’s got to be a big job.”

“It is. Fortunately I don’t have to do any of it.” Andi shrugged. “I just walk through in the evening and pray for progress. They’re pretty much gutting each floor.”

“You’re going to have your practice there?” Nina asked.

“On the ground floor. The plans are finalized. Wade showed them to me on Saturday.”

“Oooh, Wade.” Laura pretended to fan herself. “He’s so hot.”

“And a little young for you,” Misty reminded her.

“Honey, I’m just looking, although if he offered a taste, I wouldn’t say no.”

Andi felt her eyes widen. “He’s popular, then?”

“He’s practically a god,” Dawn admitted. “He and I went to school together. I had a crush on him from the time I was twelve. He never looked at me.”

“His loss,” Nina told her.

“I wish that were true. He’s a good guy.”

“Love his ass,” Laura said, then glanced at Andi. “Have you seen it?”

“I, uh, hadn’t really noticed.”

“You need to. And just think. It’ll be there at the end of every day. You’re a lucky woman.”

Andi didn’t know what to say to that, which turned out to be a good thing because she’d suddenly had a moment of inspiration. “What does his wife think about all the women around here ogling her husband?”

The other four women glanced at each other. Misty raised her eyebrows. “He’s not married.”

“His wife died,” Nina said. “Cancer. It was very sad.”

“He has a daughter,” Dawn added. “She’s twelve. Carrie. A real sweetie. She and my daughter sometimes hang out, although her real best friend is Madison Phillips. The Phillips family lives next door to you.”

There was another moment of the women looking at each other, followed by a second of silence.

“I’ll say it,” Laura announced. “Have you met Deanna Phillips? She owns the house beside yours. She’s a complete and total bitch.”

“I met Boston.” Andi quickly calculated the relationship. “She would be Wade’s sister-in-law and Zeke’s wife? Do I have that right?”

“You got it,” Nina told her. “And I’m not sure I agree that Deanna’s a bitch. She’s...intense.”

“Sanctimonious, you mean,” Laura said. “Those poor kids.”

All Andi knew was that Deanna had been standing on her porch a couple of days ago, crying.

Dawn shook her head. “Deanna is one of those mothers who makes her own bread, only buys organic and doesn’t let her girls watch TV unless it’s educational. There’s nothing wrong with that,” she added quickly. “It’s just...”

Laura chimed in. “She’s always telling people how long that damn house has been in her family. She can’t have a regular garden. No. Hers is in perfect keeping with the perfect style of her perfect house.”

“Not that you’re bitter,” Nina said.

“I didn’t have a lot of money growing up,” Laura said. “I’m not going to say different. Deanna grew up just as poor as me, but to hear her talk these days you’d think she personally came over on the Mayflower. I worked with her once organizing a charity wine tour. I didn’t like her.”

“Really?” Misty said. “Because you can’t tell at all.”

“I haven’t met her,” Andi said, suddenly not anxious to do so. She was having trouble reconciling the information on Deanna with the sad woman standing alone in front of her house.

“She’ll be nice to you,” Nina told her. “She has five daughters, so she must be thrilled to have a pediatrician living next door.”

“Built-in customers,” Andi murmured. She cleared her throat. “I met Boston last week and we talked this weekend. She seemed nice.”

“She’s great,” Nina said.

“An artist,” Laura added. “I have two of her paintings. So beautiful. She makes most of her money from hand-painting fabric for designers all around the country. But her true calling is portraiture. She does lovely work. My husband had her do a painting of our two children about ten years ago. Boston was barely out of art school. That picture still hangs in our living room. It’s wonderful.”

Misty nodded. “She and Zeke have been together since they were kids. True love. It’s nice to see.” Her eyes darkened. “It’s too bad, what happened.”

Everyone went quiet. Laura looked up at Andi. “She and Zeke had a baby about a year ago. He died when he was six months old. It was a heart condition. She was holding him and he just went. I couldn’t believe it when I heard. They didn’t deserve to lose their little boy.”

“I didn’t know,” Andi murmured. While she’d never lost a child of her own, she’d been with parents who had. Their pain had stayed with her.

“We don’t usually gossip this much,” Nina said into the silence that followed.

“Yes, we do,” Laura told her. “And more. We’re being good because Andi doesn’t know us very well and we want her to like us. You should see us after a glass or two of wine. We’ll straighten that curly hair of yours.”

Andi reached up and pulled one of her curls. “I wouldn’t mind straight hair. When I was little, I read a book about a girl who got scarlet fever. They had to shave her head and her hair grew back curly. I used to ask my mom to take me to the hospital so I could find someone with scarlet fever and get their germs. I was hoping my hair would grow in straight.”

Laura slowly shook her head. “I can’t decide if that’s the sweetest story I’ve ever heard or the saddest. Either way, it’s good to know you’re just as crazy as the rest of us.”

“Why would I be spared crazy?” Andi asked with a grin.

“Excellent point, honey. Excellent point.”

* * *

Andi arrived home at exactly five-fifteen in the afternoon. She might still be adjusting to island life, but she had to admit she was loving the work hours. She’d been home before five-thirty both days. She knew eventually there would be emergencies that kept her out later every now and then, but the pace of life was sure slower than in Seattle.

She parked in her driveway, next to a battered pickup truck. She recognized it from her meeting on Saturday morning and quickly checked her appearance in her rearview mirror. Not that there was much to do. It wasn’t as if she was going to suddenly start wearing more makeup.

She smoothed her hair and made sure none of the mascara had migrated to under her eyes, then grabbed her purse and stepped out of her SUV. At least she’d showered and was dressed decently. The last time Wade had seen her, she’d been exhausted, scruffy and fleeing dive-bombing bats.

She walked up the stairs to her porch and went into the house. She needed to come up with a casual but charming greeting, she thought. Something funny that Wade would—

Andi came to a stop in the center of what had been the entryway and stared. She was pretty sure her mouth had dropped open, but she couldn’t confirm the reaction. The shock was too great.

She didn’t have a house anymore. There were outside walls and a staircase going to the second floor, yet little else remained.

All the interior walls were gone. There were still a few studs in place, probably to keep the second and third floor from collapsing. There were a few windows, she noted, wondering if she should be grateful. She could see clear back through what had been the kitchen. The flooring was gone, as well.

“Don’t panic.”

She heard Wade before she saw him. He came around from behind the stairs and grinned.

“I swear, it’s going to be fine.”

“I think I’m more likely to faint than panic,” Andi admitted. “I can’t believe how much you got done in a day.”

“Isn’t it great? All our other jobs got delayed for one reason or another. Our entire team was here doing demo.”

“Lucky me.”

She was too shocked to do much more than take in his long legs and broad shoulders. The man looked good in jeans, she thought absently, telling herself she would appreciate his easy good looks later. When her heart had started beating again.

“I feel violated,” she admitted. That morning, she’d had a house. Now there was little more than a frame. Where did it go?

He put his hand on her arm. “Think of it as a good thing. The sooner everything is gone, the sooner we can get it put back together. Isn’t there a medical way for you to relate?”

“Only if we want to talk about my house in terms of it being an infection that has to be cut out.”

He shook his head. “No, I don’t think so.”

“Yeah, that’s not going to make me feel much better.” Andi dropped her purse on the bottom stair. “Is there more ripping apart to be done?”

“Just the part of the hardwood floor that has to come up. We’ll refinish it later.”

Andi knew they’d talked about saving the floor and reusing it in the attic. “I’m glad I wasn’t here to see the deconstruction.”

“It was loud.”

He sounded cheerful. It was probably easier when the home being destroyed wasn’t your own, she thought.

“Come on,” he said, motioning to the rear of the house. “Let me show you what we’re thinking about for the employee break room. If you’re still interested in the mini-kitchen.”

She followed him, her gaze dropping to his heretofore-mentioned butt. Laura was right, Andi thought, her gaze lingering. Wade’s was pretty darned nice. Must be all the physical labor he did in a day.

“We were thinking cabinets here, with a counter. Single sink, but a deep one, a refrigerator.”

He indicated where each item would go.

“Lockers on this wall and more storage under the window. That would give you a second, long counter if you have buffet-style work parties.”

“How do you know about work parties?” she asked, smiling at him. “Is there a lot of that in construction?”

“Sure. We like theme parties. You know, tropical getaway or a costume party at Halloween.” He winked at her. “My foreman likes to dress up like Marilyn Monroe.”

“Does he?”

Wade grinned. “We’ve done business remodelings before. It’s always a good idea to keep the employees happy, and the mini-kitchens are usually well received.”

“I like it.”

“Good.” He studied her for a second. “How are you settling in with Dr. Harrington? He driving you crazy talking about his son?”

“Does everyone know about that?”

“Pretty much. You should have seen the college graduation pictures from a few years back.”

“I’m doing well,” she said. “Everyone has been very friendly. I have lots of patients. There seems to be demand for a pediatrician around here.”

“Lucky for you. Did you always want to be a doctor?”

She thought about her family and how there hadn’t been much of a choice. “Pretty much.”

“Your parents must be proud.”

They were more disappointed than anything, she thought. But that was difficult to explain to people who didn’t know how she’d grown up. Those who weren’t acquainted with her family assumed that they thought she was smart and successful. She wasn’t going to admit to hunky Wade that when compared with what her parents and siblings had accomplished, she was something of a slacker.

“My mother would have liked me to be a surgeon,” she said, knowing that wasn’t exactly the truth. Her mother would have liked her to specialize even more than that.

“Someone needs to talk to her about her standards,” Wade said. “I have a daughter. She’s twelve. Right now she has a different career idea every week, but not once has she mentioned being a doctor. I’d sure be thrilled if she did.”

“She doesn’t have to decide for a while.”

“That’s true. She’s growing up too fast as it is.” His dark gaze settled on her face. “What’s it like to be the smartest person in the room?”

“I’m hardly that.”

“You are right now.”

She laughed. “You forget you rescued me from a wild bat. Being smart didn’t help with him. Or her. I didn’t get that close a look.”

“Me, either,” Wade said.

“Regardless, you’re my hero for that.”

“I like the idea of being someone’s hero. Remember that tomorrow morning when you walk downstairs and see all this. It’ll keep you from freaking out.”

Andi was less sure about that, but she would make the effort.

He glanced at his watch. “I’ve got to get home, but I didn’t want to leave until we’d spoken.”

“Afraid I’d run screaming into the night?”

“Just trust me on this, Andi. It’s going to get better. In a few weeks, you won’t recognize the place.”

“I do trust you,” she said, caught up in his words.

Oddly enough, she did trust Wade. Which made her an idiot. She’d trusted Matt and he’d left her standing at the altar. Not that Wade was like her fiancé. Nor were they dating. He was her contractor and...

“Andi?”

She blinked. “Sorry. I drifted.”

“I could tell. It’s sort of charming. Just don’t do it when you drive.”

“I’m very focused behind the wheel.”

He looked at her, as if he was going to say something else. “We should go out” would be nice. Or “I want to kiss you senseless and then make wild love to you” was an even better option, she thought hazily.

No, she reminded herself. She’d moved here to avoid the whole boy-girl disaster, remember? No men. Which meant no sex. Or at least no sex with anyone else. How depressing.

“I’ll see you tomorrow.”

He would what? Oh, right. “Sure. Tomorrow. Have a nice night.”

“You, too.”

He smiled and walked past her. She gave in to temptation and turned to watch him go. Yup, Laura had been right, she told herself. The man had a very fine butt. In fact, all of him was very nice.

Unfortunately, he had yet to show the slightest interest in her. Not even a flicker. Was it her? Matt had always been trying to change her. To get her to dress more sexy and act more wild. Should she have listened?

Did she have an aura only men could see saying she was boring? It wouldn’t surprise her. She hadn’t been very good at relationships back in high school. She’d struggled to maintain a straight-A average in college, which hadn’t left much free time. Then she’d met Matt the week before she started medical school. She didn’t exactly have a world of dating experience to fall back on.

Not that it mattered, she told herself, heading to the stairs. She was going man-free now. A single, self-actualized woman embarking on a bat-free adventure. That was her.

Still, she wouldn’t say no to Wade on the kissing front. If he happened to ever ask.

Chapter Seven

ANDI CHANGED HER clothes and went back downstairs to more closely inspect her naked house. The sun was still several hours from setting, and the air was stuffy. She opened the few windows that hadn’t been boarded shut, then went out front and sat on the porch.

From her newly favorite spot to quietly think, she couldn’t see the demolition. Instead she could imagine what it would be like when it was finished. The whole place painted, the yard restored... Both her neighbors had beautiful yards. She wasn’t looking to compete, but she needed her place to not be an embarrassment to the tiny neighborhood.

She’d nearly summoned the energy to start doing some research when a very large cat came out from around the side of her house and strolled toward her.

“Hello,” she said as the cat approached. “Who are you?”

The cat walked up the stairs and sat next to Andi, his or her expression expectant. The cat had on a collar. She reached for the tag.

“Pickles,” she said as she read the single word. “Not exactly a clear statement of gender. Hello, Pickles.”

She let the cat sniff her fingers, then stroked the animal’s face. Pickles leaned into her touch for a few seconds, then collapsed on the porch, as if settling in for a long petting session.

“Obviously you’re not afraid of people, are you?”

“That’s our cat.”

Andi glanced up and saw a girl standing by the stairs. She was probably nine or ten, with long blond hair and glasses framing her big blue eyes.

“Pickles?” Andi smiled. “That’s a fun name.”

“Madison named him, but she was just a baby. Mom says I was born then, but I don’t remember. I’m Lucy.”

“Hi, Lucy. I’m Andi Gordon. It’s nice to meet you.”

Lucy gave her a tentative smile as she eased forward. Andi shifted on the stairs to make room.

Andi remembered what she’d heard about Lucy’s mother at lunch. No one seemed especially fond of Deanna, which made Andi uncomfortable. She didn’t want to make assumptions about someone she’d never met. Maybe Deanna was just one of those prickly people with a good heart.

“I’m having a lot of work done on my house,” Andi said, then wrinkled her nose. “I hope it’s not too loud.”

“I don’t think so. My mom hasn’t said anything.” The girl glanced up at her. “I’m glad you bought the house. It’s been lonely all by itself.”

“That’s what I thought, too. And the other houses are so pretty.”

“It’s hard to be in the middle.”

“Are you in the middle in your family?”

Lucy nodded, keeping her attention on the cat. “I have four sisters. I’m the second oldest. The youngest two are twins.”

“Wow. That’s a lot of girls. Twins can be a handful.”

“That’s what Mom says.” Lucy looked up again. “Mom wanted a boy, but we got Sydney and Savannah instead. I don’t think Daddy cared. He says he has the best girls.”

Andi smiled. “I’m sure he does. Who wouldn’t want a family like that?”

Lucy sighed. “My best friend moved away over spring break. Her dad got a job in Texas. She wants me to come visit this summer. Mom thinks I’m too young to go.”

“I’m sorry,” Andi told her. “It’s hard to lose a friend.” Especially in the middle of the school year, when all the social groups were already established. She wanted to say that Lucy would have an easier time in the fall, but to a girl her age, September must be a lifetime away.

Lucy nodded. She pushed up her glasses. “My mom’s been crying a lot,” she said in a low voice. “In her room, so we’re not supposed to know.”

Andi winced. “That must be difficult.”

“It is. Madison says Daddy should leave her and take us with him, but I don’t want that. I want to stay here. Like it is.” She hesitated. “Maybe a little better.”

Andi wanted to pull the girl close and hug her. Lucy was obviously going through a lot. But they didn’t know each other, and she wasn’t sure the show of support would be welcome.

“It’s hard when moms cry,” she said instead. “When my mom cried, I always felt anxious inside. Like my tummy wasn’t right.”

Lucy stared at her. “I know. It’s almost like I want to throw up.”

“Sometimes parents can work things out.”

“I hope so.” Lucy looked at her house. “It’s going to be dinner soon and I can’t be late.” She scooped up Pickles and stood.

“Thanks for coming by,” Andi told her. “Come over anytime.”

Lucy flashed a smile that shifted her face from ordinary to luminous. “Okay. Bye.”

“Bye.”

Andi watched her go. When the girl disappeared around the corner, she turned her attention to the beautiful house. Every family had secrets, she thought. Some were scarier than others. She hoped that whatever Deanna and her husband had going on, they got it resolved before the situation put more stress on their girls.

* * *

Boston watched Lucy scamper back to her house, Pickles draped over her shoulder. That cat deserved a special reward in kitty heaven, she thought as she crossed the lumpy weed-filled lawn toward Andi’s house. Not only did he let the girls drag him around like a rag doll, but he submitted to being dressed in ridiculous outfits. Hats, even.

“Hi,” she called as she approached.

Andi turned and saw her. “Hi yourself.”

Boston raised the basket she carried. “I heard the entire crew was in your house today, basically destroying it. I thought you might be traumatized.”

Andi stood and walked down the stairs. “I am. Honestly, I’m a little afraid to go back inside.”

Boston handed her the basket. “Comfort food. Mac and cheese, a green salad and a bottle of nice chardonnay.” She grinned. “Personally, I’d start with the wine.”

Andi glanced at the basket she held. “You didn’t have to do this. Thank you. It’s so nice.”

“You’re welcome. I’m excited to have a neighbor.” Technically she and Deanna were neighbors, but they’d never been close. Or friendly. Now that she thought about it, she wondered why. They’d lived on the same street for years.

She supposed part of the problem was that Deanna made it clear she disapproved of Boston in nearly every way possible. For her part, Boston would admit to a little smugness where Deanna was concerned.

“I’ve lived through construction,” Boston continued. “It’s not fun. Just try to remember that it’s worth it in the end.”

“I will.” Andi motioned to the porch. “I don’t have much in the way of furniture. Want to have a seat here for a second or do you have to get back?”

“I’ll join you for a bit. Zeke will be home soon and he always loves it when I make mac and cheese.” She settled on a stair.

Andi did the same. “I was thinking about the yard,” she said. “I’ve never been much of a gardener, but I guess I have to start soon.”

“It’s prime growing season,” Boston told her. “There’s a nursery in town. I can get you the name of a woman who works there. She does landscaping on the side.”

“You and my other neighbor have set a pretty high standard,” Andi said with a grin. “I don’t want to let the neighborhood down.”

“You won’t.”

Boston studied the other woman. Light and shadow played across her face, highlighting her bone structure. She was pretty, Boston thought, more interested in shapes and forms than what the world considered attractive. Andi’s hair, a tumbling mass of curls, would be difficult to capture on canvas. But her eyes—a brilliant green—would draw people in.

“You wouldn’t happen to know a reasonably priced decorator, would you?” Andi asked. “I’m going to need some help pulling together the office. I want bright colors and a welcoming space. Going to the doctor can be scary for kids. I want them to feel comfortable when they come to see me.”

Boston thought about the floor plan of Andi’s house and the plans Zeke had shown her for the remodeling. “A mural,” she said automatically, seeing a jungle scene on the wall. “Bright colors that can flow through to the other rooms. Blues and greens with pops of reds and yellows. A jungle. Birds. Big parrots. Maybe fish in a river and large cats with eyes that glow.”

She paused. “Sorry. I got carried away.”

“Don’t be sorry, I love it. I’m great with the medical end of things. I’ve ordered the equipment. What I don’t know how to do is the waiting area and the front office. Also, there’s going to be a long hallway.”

“You could do a different animal on every door,” Boston said, feeling a surge of creative enthusiasm. “Pick a flooring with a green tone to carry through the jungle theme. If you want to go that way.”

Zeke’s truck pulled into the driveway next door. Andi glanced at it, then back at her.