"Well, it worked." He laughed, sitting down next to her.
"I kind of think he was only with me to make you jealous too," Mara said. "When he broke up with me, he said it'd all been worth it for 'the Perry factor,' whatever that meant."
Ryan shook his head. "He's been like that since we were kids. He stole my first girlfriend, back in sixth grade. Sophomore year, I took this girl to the winter ball and he took her home." He shrugged. "He's a douche."
Mara squeezed his knee sympathetically and smiled at Ryan's summation of Garrett's personality. He was a douche.
"You know, I really lost it when you broke up with me," Ryan said. "I should have said something, I should have come down to Sturbridge. Tried to get you to change your
mind ..."
280
"I just never thought a guy like you could be my boyfriend," she admitted. "I thought if I broke up with you first, I could make it easier on myself."
They hadn't been looking at each other when they were talking, preferring to confess to the fire, but finally, Mara turned to face Ryan. She pushed his bangs off his forehead.
"I did so many things this summer that I regret," she sighed. "I've been so awful to Eliza and Jacqui. And I was so rude to my sister when she was here."
"Eliza and Jacqui and your sister will all forgive you," he said reassuringly. "It's all going to be all right."
"No, everyone hates--" But before she could finish, he was kissing her. And she was kissing him back. It was so sweet it was almost painful.
He pulled her toward him, his fingers lost in her hair, and she wrapped her arms around him. They kept kissing and kissing and kissing, without stopping to breathe, as if the only thing that mattered was pouring their souls into each other through their kisses. She shivered, and he pulled his bathrobe open, wrapping it around her, too.
Mara closed her eyes, elated and anxious. There was no one else for her, and no one else for him. He was everything she'd ever wanted, and even though she was still anxious that she'd made a mess of a million things, she let her body melt into his. It was as if they were made for each other, and their bodies were telling each other what their hearts had been feeling for a long, long time.
281
so that's why william was so out of control
THE NEXT MORNING, THE FLOOD HAD RECEDED AND
sanitation workers were beginning to clear the highways of fallen trees and branches. Kit drove Jacqui back to the Perry house, the Navigator plowing through the deep, muddy waters. The winds had died down, and it had finally stopped raining. The storm had moved north, but the Hamptons were devastated. Several homes on cliff side bluffs were completely destroyed, and as Kit pulled up to the Perrys' driveway, they noticed that the Reynolds Castle--what was left of it, anyway--had taken a severe beating.
"Yikes," Kit said, his eyes dancing. "I hope they had insurance."
"It was such an eyesore, it's a blessing," Jacqui said.
She felt more nervous looking at the Perry house. It was almost time to face the music, and she was so fired. But as she was gathering her resolve, getting ready to pack up her things and head unceremoniously back to Brazil, a junky old taxi pulled into
282
the other side of the circular driveway. Philippe opened the trunk and stacked his suitcases inside.
He was leaving? Jacqui hadn't realized he wasn't staying for the whole summer, but then again, she hadn't realized a lot of things about him. She looked at the beautiful boy and felt stupid, but not heartbroken. Philippe gave her a mild wave.
"Where are you going?" she asked.
He shrugged and put on his sunglasses. "Au revoir, ma cherie." He shook a cigarette out of his pack before climbing into the back of the taxi.
Laurie came barging out of the house. "And don't come back! You're lucky we're not pressing charges! If it weren't for your aunt, you'd be in a lot of trouble, young man!"
Dr. Abraham pushed past Laurie, carrying his battered plaid suitcases. "Hold on, boy! I need a ride to the train as well!" Dr. Abraham gave Laurie a sheepish nod and followed Philippe into the car.
Jacqui walked up the waterlogged steps. The Perry house seemed to have survived intact. "What happened?" she asked Anna, who was watching everything from the foyer.
The frosted blonde looked Jacqui up and down. "Don't you know?" she asked suspiciously.