Sun-Kissed (Au Pairs, The) by Melissa de la Cruz

Author:Melissa de la Cruz
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Social Issues - General, Wealth, Au pairs, Fiction, Publishers, Dating & Sex, Journalists, teens, Social Issues - Friendship, Social Issues, Juvenile Fiction, Social Issues - New Experience, Editors, United States, People & Places, Friendship, Social Issues - Dating & Sex, Social Issues - Adolescence, General, New Experience, Hamptons (N.Y.), Biography & Autobiography, Children: Young Adult (Gr. 10-12), Children's 12-Up - Fiction - General
ISBN: 9781416917465
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
Published: 2010-07-16T07:00:00+00:00

"They fired you?" Jacqui repeated again, still shocked.

Eliza nodded. "And after they found out about the chopper rental, my parents took away the plastic. I'm officially broke."

"What are you going to do?"

Eliza held up an application form. She had picked one up from the reception desk when they had walked inside the restaurant.

"You're going to work here? At Lunch?" Mara gasped. Eliza Thompson, the girl who was a waitress's nightmare with her picky salad instructions, was going to be serving customers herself? Or, even more unlikely, working in a hot kitchen?

"Well, they're hiring . . . and beggars can't be choosers." She laughed hollowly. "At least I won't starve."

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looking to get lost

LATER THAT NIGHT, THE THREE WEB SITE HONCHOS INVITED

Jacqui to a party they were throwing at the castle to celebrate their latest triumph--their stock had split and they were now worth double what they used to be. The guys had outdone themselves: the house was packed with glamorous revelers, there were three different full cocktail bars set up in the patio with massive "Shocker" ice sculptures, and the Killers were scheduled to play a set in the ballroom.

Jacqui rang the doorbell, but not even the promise of a fun night of partying could make her feel better just then. It was too late. Kevin had made good on his promise, had filed papers and sent an assistant to the Hamptons to bring his things back to their town house in the city. He had been gone for two weeks.

Anna had asked Jacqui to keep it a secret from the kids. She didn't want to upset them, and she wanted some time to ponder what she was going to do now. "Don't worry, I'll think of something," Anna had told her.

But for the most part, Anna didn't seem to be doing anything to save her marriage. Instead, she hit the boutiques with a vengeance. Not a day went by that Anna didn't come home loaded

159

with shopping bags. When the kids asked Jacqui why their dad was never home, she had to lie and tell them he was away on business. The atmosphere in the house was becoming strained, with Anna locking herself in her room for hours and then coming out red-eyed and sniffing and the children demanding to see their father.

Thank God for the three guys--their fun-loving antics made her forget all of her problems. It was obvious all three of them were attracted to her, and it was entertaining to watch them jockey for the key position, but since the three of them shadowed her constantly, she didn't know which one of the three was the boy who made her heart skip faster.

She rang the bell again, impatient to get inside and grab a drink to drown her sorrows.

The door opened, and Ben Defever stood in the doorway. His good-looking face broke into a sweet smile when he saw her, but his forehead soon creased in concern. "What's wrong?" he asked, noticing her agitation.

"It's nothing--oh, Ben," Jacqui said in a wretched tone.

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