his back. So much for getting noisy kiddos out of the house before Beth arrived. Sullivans were apparently slow learners.
He looked at his newest trainee, determined to make a better impression this time. They weren't off to a rocking start. "Sorry - my daughter doesn't want to put clothes on, and it's a bit cold for a naked trip to the park."
Her smile was tentative, but there. "It's much warmer than Chicago at this time of year."
He remembered. "I don't know how anyone lives there."
The smile grew wider. "We find ways to keep warm."
He blinked - the grapevine had said jokes weren't her strong suit. And then he felt the dismay leaking from her mind.
"I'm sorry." She was looking at some space over his shoulder. "That's always how Liri answers when tourists come into our shop during the winter. I guess I don't have her way with words."
Damn, damn, damn. And to hell with the grapevine. Jamie went with his instincts and touched her arm gently. "It's not you, okay? I'm feeling like an idiot because I stumbled into your coven like an elephant in a china shop. I wasn't expecting you to be nice to me this morning, and I dropped the ball."
Surprise hit her eyes.
He opened the door wider, pressing his advantage. "Come on in. And tell me more about Liri - she seems like an interesting woman."
She took a tentative step into the house and then stopped, attention totally caught by the action coming down the hall.
Jamie turned to look. Kenna toddled at her top speed - which, fortunately, wasn't very fast yet - stark naked except for a purple tutu. Aervyn was hot on her heels, holding out his red superhero cape in some ill-fated attempt to cover her up. And Nat was right behind the two of them, trying very hard not to laugh.
He groaned - a nice, quiet get-to-know-you training session had obviously been way too much to hope for.
Nat met his eyes in mute apology and reached down for their escapee daughter. She stopped in mid-stretch, shooting an intrigued look at Beth.
Jamie couldn't see their visitor's face, but he could see his daughter's. Kenna had paused a couple of feet from Beth and was looking up, enchanted.
Slowly, Beth squatted down to Kenna's level. "Hi, sweetheart. I hear you don't want to put your clothes on."
The black scowl was plenty of answer.
"I didn't like to wear pants when I was a little girl. Or shoes. Do you like shoes?"
Kenna shook her head solemnly, scowl transforming into baby fascination.
Beth looked up and smiled. "She doesn't need to go on my account. I enjoy children."
Wow. The grapevine had been way off-kilter this time. Jamie shrugged at Nat and watched, bemused, as his daughter took their new arrival's hand. "Pway!"
Aervyn helpfully took Beth's other hand. "She doesn't know how to play like a big kid yet, so sometimes we have to show her. And be really patient, because she's little."
"It sounds like she has a lot of fun with you. Are you going to play with us too?"
Aervyn's eyes lit up. "Uh, huh. It's okay, right, Uncle Jamie?" He grinned up at Beth, not waiting for an answer. "I'm gonna wear my superhero cape - I have an extra one if you want to be a superhero witch too."
Jamie didn't hear the reply, but whatever it was amused his nephew greatly. The odd threesome waddled down the hallway at Kenna speed and then took a sharp left turn into the playroom, full of pillows, fire trucks, and enough fireproofing spells to protect half of California.
Beth froze. "This room is full of magic."
"Yup." Aervyn strode in, unconcerned. "That's cuz Kenna still sparks sometimes on accident. On purpose sometimes too." His sigh was long enough to make Moira proud. "But she's little, so we just hafta put up wards and stuff to keep her safe until she learns better manners."
Jamie let the words float over his head - it was Beth's face he was watching now. And her magic. That she'd sensed the wards in the room was interesting. Nell had set most of them and they were subtle, the work of a very talented spellcaster. Most witches