Crazy Hot (The Au Pairs 4)

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family with young children must be in search of a good nanny right now, right?

"Of course. If NYU is what you want, it won't just . . . happen." He shrugged again. "You'll make it happen. All you have to do is follow your heart, and your dreams will come true." Pete snapped another photo, then put down his camera and turned to face her. "I know it's totally corny, but I've always believed it." He stood up, brushing the crumbs from his jeans, which weren't dark-rinsed or low-rise or even remotely trendy-- nothing like the jeans worn by guys who chased Jacqui around nightclubs. They were just plain, straight-leg Levi's 501s.

"You're going?" Jacqui suddenly felt disappointed, though she wasn't sure why.

"I have to go meet my family--our flight leaves tonight. Going back home to Indy." He sighed and crumpled up the now-empty plastic bag, putting it in his pocket--most likely to find a recycling bin for it somewhere.

She nodded and briefly considered asking him for his e-mail address or phone number. But what was the point? He lived in Indiana. She'd likely be on her way back to Brazil soon. Or, if Pete was right, starting classes at NYU.

"Well, it was nice meeting you, Miss Jacqui Velasco." Pete offered her his hand.

She shook it warmly. "You too, Pete Rockwood." She grinned at his formality. It was sweet and unexpected.

On a whim, Jacqui took Pete's camera from his hand and

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stood next to him, holding the camera away from their faces and snapping a picture of the two of them. "I want you to remember me." Jacqui smiled.

"Aw." Pete broke into a wide grin. "I don't need a picture for that. But thanks."

Jacqui watched him walk in the direction of St. Patrick's, and she felt content. Even though she knew she'd never see Pete again, she was happy to have met him.

And just then, as Pete disappeared behind a giant leafy oak tree, Jacqui's cell phone began to sing the tune to Led Zeppelin's "The Lemon Song."

Jacqui glanced down at the screen and saw Eliza's name.

Had the lemonade arrived?

38

GOOD FRIENDS HAVE GREAT IDEAS

MARA SAT UNDERNEATH THE FLUORESCENT LIGHTS OF the airport Pizza Hut, chewing her slice of pepperoni but barely tasting it. She was still slightly shell-shocked. How could David do that to her? She'd always appreciated how much David shared her passion for writing. Well, he shared her passion, all right--so much so that he was on a plane to Brussels while she was stuck at the baggage terminal. Even though she'd told him to go, she'd really wanted to scream, Stay! What do you mean you're going to Europe without me?

She couldn't decide if she was angry or proud. You would do the same thing, he'd said. But would she? Would she have been driven enough to follow her dreams, even if it meant walking away from him? This isn't a vacation, Mara.

Well, maybe that was fair--wasn't that what she'd been secretly fantasizing it would be? A romantic, all-expenses-paid vacation through Europe's most glamorous capitals with her wonderful and worldly boyfriend? Had she not been taking the

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trip seriously enough? Was she really not cut out for journalism?

The sound of her phone playing Fergie's "London Bridge" startled her. She picked it up immediately. "Liza! Hey!" Mara smiled. She could really use a friend right now.

"Hey, yourself!" Eliza's cheerful greeting lifted Mara's spirits immediately.

"I'm so glad you called! Oh my God, you'll never believe what just happened. ..." Before Eliza could say another word, Mara poured out the whole sob story, taking care to recount every horrid detail--except for her doubts that maybe David was the teen-siest bit right about her not taking their job seriously enough. "So what do you think?" Mara asked as she finished up her story. "Do I win the award for worst start of the summer ever or what?" She tried to laugh at herself but couldn't muster more than a half smile.

"Actually, I think it's fantastic!" Eliza chirped.

"Urn, excuse me? Did you hear what I just told you? I pretty much got dumped and fired at the same time!" Saying the word dumped made Mara feel less sad--and more angry. She took a bite of the crust of her pizza, tearing it with her teeth.

"David didn't dump you. He said he loved you, didn't he? I bet he's going to bring you back like ten thousand pounds of Perigord truffles from Paris." Eliza's voice was soothing. "And so what if you got fired? I have a job for you!"

"A job?" Mara asked, the slightest bit of hope seeping into her