Trouble In Triplicate Read Free

and Juliet felt a sharp pain of her own at the sight of her sister's misery. It had always been so, from the time the triplets were toddlers. If one of them was hurt, the other two cried too.
    Bobby Lee was fully aware of it. "Come on, let's get this lamb out to the hungry masses." He lifted the large serving board. "Liwy, get the door for me, darlin'."
    Olivia preceded Bobby Lee out of the kitchen. Juliet turned to Miranda and laid a sisterly arm around her shoulders. "I wish I could help, Randi," she whispered fervently. "I wish I could make everything all right for you again."
    Miranda managed a watery smile. "I know, Julie." She gave Juliet a quick, hard hug. "I know."
    ❧
    When the phone rang at eleven o'clock the next morning Juliet was the only one at home to answer it. Bobby Lee had come by an hour earlier to take Olivia shopping, and they'd coaxed Miranda into going along. Juliet had stayed behind to bake a triple fudge cake that a customer had ordered for a birthday party that night.
    She had just placed the three layers on separate cooling racks when the phone began to ring. "Post Sisters' Catering Service," she said briskly into the phone.
    "I'd like to speak to Miranda, please."
    Juliet's heart somersaulted in her chest. She recognized the voice at once. It was Caine Saxon. After a momentary pause she replied, "This is Miranda Post speaking."
    She was acting in Randi's best interests, she assured herself. She was sparing her sister the emotional pain of dealing with yet another Saxon. The fact that she was shamefully curious as to why Caine was calling Randi might also be involved in her deception, she acknowledged dryly.
    Caine paused a moment too. Then he said, "Miranda, this is Caine Saxon. I'd like to talk to you."
    "I'm listening," Juliet said coolly.
    "Not over the phone. In person. May I come over?"
    "I really don't think that's a good idea, Mr. Saxon."
    "You used to call me Caine." His voice was soft, and then suddenly suspicious. "Is this really Miranda? Or one of the others impersonating her?"
    Juliet didn't care for his phrasing. "One of the others," he'd said, and rather scornfully too! As if she were part of a litter or something!
    "If you want to see me, I'm free now," she said coldly.
    There was a long pause on Caine's end of the line. "All right . . . Miranda. It's quite important that I speak with you. I'll be right over."
    She was nervous, Juliet conceded as she glanced into the bathroom mirror a few minutes later. She picked up a comb and ran it through her hair. Even as she was applying her makeup she was admonishing herself for doing it. Why should she care what she looked like for this meeting with Caine Saxon? She resolutely refused to answer that silent question.
    She was wearing a pair of tight, faded jeans and a navy University of Virginia sweat shirt with the sleeves cut off to the elbow, and she wondered if she should change clothes. And immediately decided against it. She had to draw the line somewhere! She would not get dressed tip for a Saxon!
    Fifteen minutes later she peered out the window to see a canary yellow Ferrari pull up in front of the Posts' small frame house. Caine Saxon climbed out, moving with the lithe grace of a natural athlete. Juliet watched him as he strode purposefully up the front walk. He was wearing jeans, too, and a white polo shirt bearing the Pittsburgh Steelers logo. Shades of past glory, Juliet thought with a sniff. But she couldn't seem to take her eyes from him as he walked to her door.
    He was so big, at least six-foot-four, and his body was powerfully built, all hard muscled strength without an ounce of excess weight. The body of a professional athlete still, although he'd retired from his position as wide receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers at the end of last season. This was his first fall as a Charlottesville restaurateur, and she wondered briefly how he was adjusting to the change in life-style. Miserably, she hoped with a flash of venom. She