Sun-kissed (The Au Pairs 3)

"Yours?" Duffy asked, looking perplexed.

"No, I'm the au pair." Jacqui laughed.

"Oh, good, because for a while there, you scared us," Grant teased, which let Jacqui know that Duffy had just been fooling with her.

"The more the merrier!" Ben offered. "Bring them on!"

Jacqui smiled her thanks and ran to tell the kids the good news. She brought them over, along with Shannon, whose eyes grew wide at the sight of the three cute boys.

"What's going on? Hi, I'm Shannon!" she said, smiling broadly at the three guys, her hands on her slim hips. "Cool castle!"

But when Jacqui was around, like all boys, Grant, Ben, and Duffy could hardly see, much less hear, anyone else.

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nobody ever said college humor was mature

SYDNEY MINX'S BOUTIQUE WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE EAST Hampton main street, lit up with two spotlights that beamed Sydney's initials into the sky. There was the typical crush of people attempting to gain entrance, waving their pink-and-gold invitations vainly at the phalanx of unsmiling PR girls who were only letting in the press and VIPs.

Mara flashed her pass and was immediately ushered inside. She spotted Jacqui at the bar, trying to get the attention of the bartender.

"Where's Eliza?" Mara asked, yelling over the blaring techno music. She looked around--for the party of the season it was surprisingly low-key, or maybe Mara had attended enough of these events over previous summers to finally feel jaded by them--a few socialites here, a few B-list celebrities there, a goodie bag . . . ho hum. All in all, it wasn't that much different from the standard boutique opening. It was possibly even just a teeny bit boring. Hopefully the fashion show would change that. In the middle of the store stood a raised runway covered in plastic.

Jacqui shrugged. She craned her neck and tried to catch the

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bartender's eye, feeling slightly irritated. She usually had no problem getting a guy's attention, but the bar was mobbed and Jacqui's request barely registered.

"Champagne, madam?" Duffy asked, suddenly appearing with a flute and placing it in Jacqui's hand.

"Oh, thanks! And one for my friend too?" she asked.

"Not a problem," Ben said, appearing with another flute. Jacqui passed it to Mara. They toasted quickly and took long sips from their respective glasses.

"There's more where that came from," Grant assured them, topping off their glasses with a bottle of Veuve Clicquot hidden underneath his arm.

"Where'd you get that?" Jacqui asked.

"We have our ways," Ben said mysteriously.

"Nicked it from the kitchen." Duffy grinned, revealing two more bottles underneath his canvas coat.

"With a healthy bribe to the bartender," Grant explained. "Hey, you two clowns owe me, by the way."

Mara and Jacqui giggled. The three boys formed a protective half circle around them.

"Guys, this is Mara. Mar, these are the guys," Jacqui said, introducing them. Mara smiled and thanked them for the drinks.

"Where's Shannon?" Mara asked. She'd heard the latest about the au pair's machinations concerning the bed and the closet but agreed with Jacqui that as long as Shannon had been responsible for Anna's change of heart, it was worth a few inconveniences.

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"Over there," Jacqui said, and Mara looked over to where the dark-haired girl was ferociously going through the racks of clothing one by one. Shannon reminded her of someone, Mara thought. Someone who shopped as if executing a military operation. It struck her--Shannon was a lot like Eliza. Or at least, shopped a lot like Eliza: as if her life depended on it.

"It's kind of hot in here, isn't it?" Jacqui said to no one in particular as she fanned the neckline of her vintage Oscar de la Renta dress.

"I'll take care of it!" Duffy exclaimed, quickly springing into action. He was so thrilled to have a task he almost knocked over a nearby mannequin. "Hey, buddy!" he called to the nearest cater-waiter. "Turn up the air, yo!" he called as he ran after the guy.