His mother, however, was charming. As she returned Katherine’s hug, Rachel was overwhelmed by a deep homesickness for something she’d never had. With an effort she released the older woman. Dressed as she was in a blush-pink chiffon dress with matching pearl earrings, it was obvious tonight where Katherine’s sons had got their looks.

“You’re radiant,” Rachel commented as she handed over the hastily bought present.

“That’s because I’ve drunk too much champagne,” Katherine said, laughing. But when she turned to the man by her side, Rachel saw the real reason for her sparkle. “Matthew, this is Devin’s sweetheart, Rachel.”

Sweetheart. The old-fashioned poignancy of the term struck Rachel like a blow, but she kept the smile on her face. “Not sweetheart,” she corrected, shaking Matthew’s hand. “Friend.”

HEARING THE AMENDMENT as he extricated himself from the crowd and joined them, Devin scowled. His nerves were strung tight since Zander’s arrival, and he really needed an ally tonight, but Rachel persisted in keeping him at arm’s length. Okay, he’d snapped at her earlier, but he’d apologized and meant it.

Frankly, if anyone needed to cut anybody some slack here, it was the librarian. He’d laid his feelings on the line this afternoon, a difficult thing to do, and she wanted to think about it. Any other woman…He stopped himself. But wasn’t that the point? Rachel wasn’t any other woman.

Still, sooner or later she needed to meet him halfway, and tonight-especially after what Dimity had just told him-would be a good start. Particularly when Devin was doing his best to protect Rachel and Mark from the media. If he ended up suing Zander, everybody close to them would be embroiled in a media circus.

He’d hedged this afternoon when Zander had asked him to rejoin the band, partly out of shock, mostly because he wouldn’t have a showdown in front of their mother. Did Zander honestly think he could placate Devin by waving Rage in front of him? It was a goddamn insult.

Devin looked at the grizzled man with his arm wrapped possessively around Katherine, and found a target for his anger. “So you must be Matthew Bennett, the guy who’s banging my mother?”

He regretted the words as soon as they were out of his mouth. Katherine’s face fell and both Rachel and Matthew looked disgusted. Devin wanted to hit something, preferably Zander. As he opened his mouth to apologize, Matthew said quietly, “I think your mother deserves more respect than that.”

Devin didn’t need to be told how to treat his mother. “Yeah, well, when I want advice from a five-minute fling I’ll let you know.”

Out of the corner of his eye he saw Rachel flinch, but then Matthew murmured to Katherine, “You haven’t told him,” and a tingle ran down Devin’s spine.

“Told me what?”

“Matthew asked me to marry him today.” With apologetic defiance Katherine put her arm around her lover’s middle-age spread. “I said yes.”

Devin nailed the older man with a hard look. “She hasn’t got any money of her own, you know. And everything I’ve bought for her is in a trust.”

Matthew held his gaze. “Not even the boorish behavior of her younger son is enough to put me off. I love your mother.”

“How touching. Mom, I’ll set you up with a prenup lawyer, first thing Monday.”

“Devin, please,” Rachel said in a low voice. “This isn’t L.A.”

All his frustration boiled over. “It’s amazing how easy it is for you to care about everyone’s feeling but mine.”

“You’re the one who shuts me out when it’s convenient,” she snapped.

“We’ll talk about this in private.” He couldn’t discuss his dilemma with Zander in front of his mother.

“Oh, that’s right, public and private are kept separate.” As Devin tried to work out what that crack meant, Rachel turned her back on him and lifted her glass of orange juice in a toast. “Congratulations to you both. Katherine, I’m sure what Devin is trying to say is that he only wants your happiness.” With a last glare at him, she stalked off, her dress a swirl of moving color around her legs.

Devin saw his mother looking at him anxiously. “Of course I want you to be happy,” he growled. “But I also want to protect you from gold diggers.” He shot the man a cursory glance. “No offense, Matthew.”

“This works both ways, you know.” Matthew’s authoritative tone dragged Devin’s gaze back to him. “I’m a retired cop and your reputation hardly enhances my good name.” With a glint in his eyes, the older man added politely, “No offense, Devin.”

He started to like this guy. “That makes for some interesting family dynamics, I grant you.” Devin held out his hand. “Maybe we should get acquainted before we jump to conclusions.”

The lines on his mother’s face deepened as she smiled.

“Sure.” Matthew returned the handshake. “I can see why you’d suspect everyone’s motives,” he conceded. He gestured to Zander’s entourage. “It’s obvious that hangers-on come with the lifestyle.”

“If that’s a polite way of saying who the hell are all these people…I don’t know. Sorry, Mom.”

“I’m enjoying it,” she said loyally. “Now go make up with Rachel.”

Across the crowd, Zander beckoned. Devin ignored him. Mom was right. Right now, he had a more important priority. His gaze gravitated to Rachel, who was standing near the hors d’oeuvre table with Mark. Between mouthfuls, the kid was gesticulating with a passion that suggested they were talking about music. At least those two had bonded, so one good thing had come out of this weekend. Devin wished he’d told Rachel about Zander earlier.

He realized abruptly that he suffered when he was out of favor with her; the librarian’s opinion had become that important. With every other woman, it had always been easy to walk away. But if Rachel wouldn’t-couldn’t-love him back, he was in deep trouble.

He was heading over to join them when the background music stopped. The vacuous Dimity clapped her hands. “Zander Freedman would like to say something.” Oh, hell, now what? Frustrated, Devin turned.

His brother leaped onto the half wall that ran around the courtyard and separated the raised beds of canna lilies and native ferns from the paved courtyard and pool. It was fully dark now and the flaming torches around the garden flickered shadows over his face, making him look every one of his thirty-eight years. “Welcome, everyone. It’s great to be hosting Mom’s birthday and wonderful to be visiting the country I consider my spiritual home.”

A smatter of applause muffled Devin’s snort. His brother used that line or something like it in every city and country they ever toured.

You’re the rockingest city in the U.S. of A., Pittsburgh!

I’ve always felt a kinship with the Irish!

Tokyo is my favorite place in the world!

And people bought it. Maybe it was the break in the husky voice, the soulful look in those deep-set eyes, the hand over his heart. Scanning the crowd, Devin saw they were buying it now… Except Rachel, who stood with her arms folded, frowning slightly. That’s my girl.

Quietly, Devin resumed weaving through the crowd toward her.

“So, Mom, come up here,” Zander called. “Your sons want to sing to you.”

Devin stopped dead as the crowd erupted into ecstatic applause.

“And who knows-” Zander winked at the partygoers “-maybe you’ll be seeing us performing together more often in future.”

I’ll kill him.

The Everly Brothers tribute band bowed out, leaving their instruments free. Dimity opened the gate to the driveway and the press started shoving to the front with cameras. Maximum pathos, maximum publicity and-with a sinking heart Devin saw his mother’s delight-impossible for him to refuse.

Accepting the inevitable, he made his way to Zander, smiling and waving. “You manipulative son of a bitch,” he muttered when he got there.

Zander held out a Washburn electric-acoustic guitar. “It’s called marketing, bro.” Dammit, Devin should have guessed it was a setup from the instruments, too high-spec for a tribute band. Accepting the guitar, he lovingly imagined bringing it down on his brother’s thick skull. Zander’s triumph turned to dismay as he read his intent. For a long moment Devin let him sweat, then he put the strap over his shoulder and bowed in Katherine’s direction. “Only for you, Mom.” As one professional to another he said to Zander, “How do you want to do this?”