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warning note in his voice. Needling him felt good. In her old job at her father’s firm, she’d toed every line, smoothed every rough edge, never rocked any boats. Seeing Payne with another set of buxom beauties gave her an edge. “The veggies are going to be so yummy steamed, spread over brown rice then covered with melted cheese, sour cream, and shaved almonds on top. Will your little friends be staying for the meal?”
    The women tittered. Payne sent her a second narrow-eyed look that promised payback later. Rose swept all the chopped vegetables into a bowl that went into the fridge. Then she strode off, a dust cloth in one hand.
    While tidying one of the guest rooms, she heard him escorting the women out his front door. She made a face at herself in the mirror. Now the time had come to pay the piper for her sass. Temporary mommy was about to be taken to task, she assumed.
    Well, she decided, resigned, she’d have to apologize. Hadn’t she promised herself to be businesslike?
    As she prepared to look properly contrite, another female voice sounded in the direction of the entry. Someone new had arrived.
    “Where is she?” the voice said. “I haven’t seen her in ages! Rose?”
    Curious—and happy for the reprieve—she walked toward the sound of her name and encountered Cilla Maddox in Payne’s living area. It was a magnificent room with reclaimed oak paneling on three walls. The fourth consisted of glass doors that all stacked to one side so it fully opened to the outside terrace and pool. But all was brightened by the younger woman’s smile.
    “It’s good to see you again,” Cilla said, beaming. Glancing back, she caught the eye of her fiancé, Payne’s older brother Ren. “Isn’t it good to see Rose?”
    The dark-haired, green-eyed man came up beside Cilla, seemingly drawn to her side by an invisible tether. “Of course.”
    Rose had only known the other woman vaguely in school, and Ren not at all, but she’d met them in the fall when she’d been part of the group at a music club to hear the men’s younger sister, Cami, play and sing. “It’s great to see you again too.”
    “Ren’s so happy you’re here to help Payne,” Cilla said.
    Rose dared a glance at the blond man. He stood behind the couple, his expression bemused. “Cilla, I’m aware this was all your idea.”
    Turning to him, the other woman’s forehead creased. “Your brother cares about you, you know.”
    “Don’t let him get to you, sweetheart.” Ren pulled her close to his side and dropped a kiss on the top of her head and then another on her temple.
    She smiled up at the dark-haired man and melted against him. “I love you,” she whispered.
    Payne groaned aloud. “Please excuse the public display of affection, Rose. Nothing stops their PDA, even when I tell them it offends me.”
    Ren lifted a brow at his brother. “Such displays didn’t seem to offend you in the hot tub during years of Velvet Lemons parties, bro.”
    Payne shrugged. “Maybe I’ve mended my exhibitionist ways.”
    Rose couldn’t suppress the little noise she made. And yes, it sounded suspiciously like a snort.
    With a frown, Payne shifted his attention to her. “Do you have a comment to make?”
    “I was just recalling walking in on you and the triplets the other day.”
    Surely that wasn’t a flush crawling up the side of his neck. “I didn’t know you were there,” Payne muttered, his tone defensive.
    A concerned expression crossed Cilla’s face. She tucked her hand into Rose’s arm. “Let’s go make tea,” she said briskly. “I could use a cup and some girl talk.”
    In the kitchen, Cilla bustled about, putting water in a kettle and setting it on a burner. “Um, is everything all right? It seems a little…testy between you two.”
    Rose sighed. Now that she was away from Payne she felt bad about her lack of professionalism. This was a job, after all, and she’d vowed to look at it that way. “I’m sorry. I guess we sort of set