After Shannon had stopped sending them the fake love note e-mails, it turned out that Anna and Kevin had struck up a correspondence after the disastrous lunch at Babette's anyway. Seeing how jealous Kevin had acted had made Anna feel beautiful again, and she had reached out to Kevin with a barrage of flirtatious and tender e-mails that he had actually responded to. Would wonders never cease.
Jacqui, who had been watching with bated breath, exhaled.
"Happy anniversary," Kevin said softly. "I'm glad we're able to celebrate."
"I've missed you," Anna said, putting her hands around his chubby neck.
"I missed you too, babe," Kevin admitted.
The crowd cheered and lifted their glasses in a toast. The Perry kids surrounded their parents (well, their dad and their stepmom) and hugged them happily. Ryan punched his dad on the shoulder and congratulated him on his fifth anniversary. Kevin kissed Anna on the cheek and ruffled the girls' hair and
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chucked the boys under the chin. Madison and Zoe beamed, while William and Cody ran around them, hooting loudly.
"And I have a surprise of my own," Anna said. "I'm pregnant!"
"You are?" Kevin yelped.
"Three months. That's why I've been so cranky. Hormones. Mood swings. The whole thing. I just found out at the spa." Anna smiled. "And I promise I'll tear up the credit cards."
"I promise I won't work weekends anymore," Kevin replied.
"So you're not getting divorced?" Madison asked.
"Nope, not a chance," Kevin promised.
As they awkwardly slow-danced to the Matchbox Twenty song, Jacqui left them alone and found a stone bench to sit on. She gripped the edge in triumph. She'd done it. The Perrys were going to be together. They would need her to au-pair, and she would be able to complete her fifth year. Her future was safe for the time being. There was still no guarantee she would get accepted into NYU, but she was willing to try again. She would ace those math and science requirements. Jacqui was nothing but determined.
Nothing motivated a girl to succeed like the fear of having to help the spoiled trophy wives of Brazilian billionaires stuff themselves into Gaultier corsets for the rest of her life.
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sting was right after all
AS ANNA AND KEVIN PERRY GROSSED OUT THE YOUNGER
guests with their suddenly overly passionate reunited-and-it-
feels-so-good make-out session in front of the stage, Mara and Ryan were sitting quietly in the hammock in front of the au pair cottage. Mara had come back to the boat late last night, still angry, and had slept in one of the guest berths. The two of them were still technically not speaking to each other, but Mara had promised she would attend the surprise party, and once Ryan had found out what the girls were up to, he'd decided to attend as well. After all, it was his dad they were talking about.
Ryan had pulled her away from the throng, and they had sat down uneasily in the hammock. It was the site of their first kiss--something that couldn't have escaped their notice.
"Look, Mara," he said, sighing deeply. "I did make a call, but it's not what you think. I was going to try and help things along, but you had already gotten in. The only thing I had the admissions office do is hold a place in the dorm next to my fraternity. That was what I meant about us being together. You got in on your own. My dad had nothing to do with it."
"Why didn't you tell me that last night?"
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Ryan gripped the hammock cords in frustration. "You were so ready to believe the worst about me. It pissed me off."
"Oh my God, Ryan, I'm so sorry," Mara said. She felt terrible. She'd been so ready to assume that just because he was rich and privileged, he wouldn't be able to resist using his connections to help him get whatever he wanted.
"No, don't be," he replied. "There's no need."
"I think I'm going to go to Columbia," Mara said softly. "I think it's a better fit for me."
"I know," Ryan said glumly, softly kicking back on the grass so that the hammock swayed gently in the evening breeze.