“Hey, Grace! Hey, Aubrey! I’ll tell Anna you guys are here.”

He darted inside again, leaving Sybill standing by the open door without a clue how to proceed. Grace got out of the car and smiled. “Sounds like he’s excited.”

“Yes, well . . .” She watched Grace set a bag on the hood of the car, followed by a large clear-plastic cake holder. Then she reached in to unstrap a babbling Aubrey from her car seat. “Do you need a hand?”

“Actually, I could use two. Just a minute, baby. If you keep wriggling . . .” She tossed another smile over her shoulder as Sybill walked over. “She’s been wired all day. Seth is Aubrey’s favorite person.”

“Seth! He’s got a birthday. We baked a cake.”

“We sure did.” Grace hauled Aubrey out, then passed her to an astonished Sybill. “Would you mind? She wanted to wear that dress, but the run from here to the house is bound to be a disaster.”

“Oh, well . . .” Sybill found herself staring down into a beaming, angelic face and holding a bouncing little body dressed in party-pink ruffles.

“We’re having a party,” Aubrey told her and put both her hands on Sybill’s cheeks to ensure her full attention. “I’ll have a party next time when I’m three. You can come.”

“Thank you.”

“You smell pretty. I do, too.”

“You certainly do.” Sybill’s initial stiffness couldn’t stand up under that cheerfully charming smile. Phillip’s Jeep pulled in behind Grace’s, and most of the stiffness returned as Cam slid out of the passenger seat and shot her a cool, unmistakably warning look.

Aubrey let out a shriek of greeting. “Hi! Hi!”

“Hi, there, beautiful.” Cam walked over, kissed Aubrey lightly on her comically pursed lips, then aimed those flinty eyes at Sybill. “Hello, Dr. Griffin.”

“Sybill.” Well able to interpret the chilly exchange, Phillip strode over, laid a supporting hand on her shoulder, and leaned in for the kiss Aubrey was offering. “Hi, there, sweetie.”

“I have a new dress.”

“And you look stunning in it.”

In the way of females, Aubrey deserted Sybill without a glance and held out her arms to Phillip. He managed the transfer easily, settling her on his hip. “Been here long?” he asked Sybill.

“No, I just got here.” She watched Cam carry three large cardboard boxes of pizza into the house. “Phillip, I don’t want to cause any—”

“Let’s go inside.” He took her hand, pulling her along. “We’ve got to get this party going, don’t we, Aub?”

“Seth gets presents. They’re secrets.” She whispered it and leaned in close. “What are they?”

“Uh-uh, I’m not telling.” He set her down when they stepped into the house, gave her frilled bottom a friendly pat, and sent her off. She shouted for Seth and scrambled toward the kitchen. “She’ll blab.”

Determined to make it work, Sybill put her smile back in place. “I won’t.”

“Nope. You can just wait for it. I’m going to grab a fast shower before Cam beats me to it and uses all the hot water.” He gave her a quick, absent kiss. “Anna’ll get you a drink,” he added as he headed upstairs.