“It’s not a con if I’m being blatantly obvious. It’s called being resourceful.”

“Mm-hm,” Rennie said in a perfect imitation of Brody.

“Is there cherry?” Raven asked Erin, who nodded. “I want a slice of cherry, and if you add some ice cream, I will totally share with you. I will also show you the pictures from my trip.”

“Deal!” Rennie tore off toward the house.

“I dig that kid. Keeps me on my toes and helps her mom forgive me for being a bitch when she first came around.”

Elise snorted. “You’re still a bitch, but you’re better behaved.”

Raven looked back to Gillian. “We didn’t throw down or anything. But queen serene over there would have totally cut a bitch if she had to. So what’s your story?”

“You have absolutely no filters at all.”

Raven pondered that for a moment and then laughed. “Erin says I’m sort of feral.”

Todd strolled out with a grumpy toddler in his arms. “Alexander is freshly cleaned up from cakegasm. He’s having none of us menfolk. I tried to coax him into a nap and he actually snorted at me. It’s clear he takes after his mother.”

“Mah! Yo!” And then Alexander saw Raven and laughed. “Ray!”

“I love that he expresses himself pretty much solely with exclamations.” Raven blew Alexander a kiss and he tipped his head back, grinning.

Elise stood. “No doubt Martine has sensed her partner in crime is ready for another round and she’ll be up soon too.” She paused to kiss the top of Alexander’s head before moving inside where Martine had been napping.

“You even changed him.” Erin grinned up at Todd as he deposited Alexander into her lap. He kissed her soundly and stood back.

“ ’Course I did. I can’t make milk like you do, but I can change a diaper. I had to bathe him anyway; he had cake in the little folds on his arms. Plus he stunk so bad I couldn’t pass him off and pretend I hadn’t noticed.”

The energy between the two of them sparked and Gillian’s gaze scanned the room for Adrian, who was sitting near the fireplace, a guitar on his lap, Miles at one side, both singing.

She was standing before she knew it. “I need to go see this,” she said faintly as she wandered in.

She perched on a nearby couch arm and simply listened as her two favorite males made music. Her fingers itched to join.

Miles’s head swung up and he smiled at her. “Mum!”

“Hello, darling.” She waved him back to work but he stopped, putting a hand on Adrian’s knee.

“Dad, you have a piano downstairs right? Mum can jam with us now. You haven’t heard her play yet.”

“You haven’t?” Brody shook his head. “Neither have I, come to think of it.” He turned toward the open doors to the patio. “Erin, you wanna jam with Gillian, Miles and Adrian?”

She knew her blush was apparent to everyone in the room. “Oh no, that’s all right. Really.”

“Oh, but I have heard her play. Bach, Beethoven and Mozart.” Adrian spoke with eyes just for Gillian.

He’d come to her after that morning when she’d played Bach. Had told her he lay in his bed, wondering at how much talent she had. He wanted more, she knew. Wanted to know why she was a piano teacher instead of working in the industry. He didn’t understand, of course, coming up the way he had, making it at the level he’d achieved would color his perception.

One day she’d tell him.

“She’s wicked talented. Come on, English.” Adrian stood and held a hand out to her. “Show us what you’ve got.”

She attempted to send him a look but he ignored it, leading them all down to his studio.

She’d looked at the piano before of course. Hello, she wasn’t made of stone. But now she sat ran her fingers over the keys. Tuned perfectly. A man who kept his instruments in good shape, was Adrian Brown. A good quality.

“Play something, Mum.”

“We’ll jam, silly. We’ll all play.”

Elise came in holding Marti, Rennie pulling Raven in behind them.

“Will you play for us? I miss hearing piano live.”

Because it was Elise and yes, maybe because she wanted to show some of what she had, she assented.

“All right. Do you have any preferences?”

“Beethoven? Sonata number Eight?”

She smiled and nodded her head. Simple, beautiful, a piece she hadn’t played other than to teach for a long time.

Adrian watched her as she played. She felt his attention and in her own way, felt better for it.

When she finished Marti clapped and Rennie, who’d been dancing around, stopped and bowed toward Gillian. That little girl made Gillian wonder if she’d ever have a daughter some day. And in truth, the Browns and their crazy menagerie of colorful, loving people who’ve made themselves a family in their own way gave her hope.

They’d built something important and unique and very, very powerful, and it was impossible not to admire it. If her son and the odd relationship she and Adrian had could fit in anywhere it was with them and with her friends at home.

“Mum went to Juilliard.” Miles said it offhandedly as he plugged his bass in.

Elise’s smile brightened. “Really? How did I not know this until today?”

“Because Gillian hides her light under a bushel.” Adrian winked at her.

They jammed and she had a lovely time. Playing music with all these people she liked so much was a joy. Playing it with Adrian and Miles though, that part was extra special and it was a memory she knew she’d recall with pleasure for the rest of her days.