Sun-kissed (The Au Pairs 3)

The door to the Reynolds castle was unlocked. Jacqui led her friends into the game room, where the Beirut Ping-Pong table was housed. Alas, no one was flicking Ping-Pong balls into the paper cups of beer.

"Ben? Duffy? Grant? Where are you guys?" she called.

For a long moment, there was no sound. The house was empty. Damn. Her cell phone rang--it was Georgina, wondering where the Perrys were. Rob was setting up and was ready to sing their song.

"Let's go; she's not here," Jacqui said despondently, kicking at a beach ball with the web site's logo.

296

"In here!" a voice called from the kitchen.

They trooped in to find Anna Perry leaning on the kitchen counter, hanging out with the three guys. "Oh, hey, Jacqui," Anna said. "Eliza, haven't seen you in a while. And is that Jeremy, who used to work for us?" she called happily, waving them over.

The three guys were all wearing beachy formal wear--Duffy in a tan linen suit, Grant in seersucker, and Ben in a festive guayabera shirt.

"These guys say I'm throwing some big party at our house this evening, but they're just pulling my leg." Anna smiled. Her luggage was on the floor, and she looked tan, rested, and happy after her week at the spa. Jacqui was relieved to note Anna wasn't drinking. The perennial party girl cup of beer was absent from her hands.

"This place is such a mess!" Anna said, spritzing the counter with lemon cleaner and wiping it off energetically. "I thought I'd give them a hand getting it back in shape."

"Uh, that's really nice, Anna, but I think Kevin has a surprise for you," Jacqui said. "You really need to come home now."

"A surprise?" Anna asked skeptically. "What kind of surprise?"

Just then, the sounds of the first chords of "Lonely No More" wafted from across the way.

"A nice surprise." Eliza grinned.

297

the perrys are lonely

no more

WHEN THEY RETURNED TO THE PERRYS' BACKYARD, ROB

Thomas was onstage with a guitar.

"What's going on?" Anna asked, mystified, but she had the presence of mind to bid hello to all of her society friends. "Why are Kevin's parents here?" She stopped when she saw her bald husband walk through the crowd.

"There's no gazebo!" he kept saying to anyone who would listen. "What's going on?" he asked, turning to Madison, who had yet to explain why there was a full-scale event complete with ten-foot-high chocolate fountains in their backyard.

He stopped when he saw Anna.

The two of them stared at each other.

But before they could say anything to each other, Rob Thomas was leaning into the microphone. "I'd like to dedicate this song to a really special couple, who I'm told are celebrating their fifth wedding anniversary tomorrow. Here's to Anna and Kevin Perry! In this day and age, it's so great to see a couple who can stick together!"

"But how--?" Kevin asked, sputtering.

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"Oh, Kevin!" Anna said softly as Rob started singing the song.

"Remember when we . . . ?"

Kevin still looked upset. Who were all these people? Why were there three fifty-foot tents set up on his lawn? But when he saw the look on Anna's face, his features relaxed. "You got my e-mails?"

Anna nodded. "Are you serious? You really don't want to go through with it?"