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The only time the two had shown any motivation was when Kevin Perry passed through on his way to his golf game. Eliza had jumped to help William with his scuba mask, and Jacqui had assumed interest in the book Zoe seemed to be reading out loud to herself. Unfortunately, the little girl wasn't actually reading any words, just pretending to by repeating the instructions her mother gave to their housekeeper every morning. "Make sure you alphabetize the spices in the pantry." "When my trainer arrives, tell him to meet me in the studio." "Please make sure you are using the environmentally safe tile cleaner I bought from Amsterdam."
"So how are our girls doing?" Kevin had asked, his gaze resting on Jacqui's spectacular MTV-rocks-Cancim body, barely covered by two seashell-trimmed crochet triangles and a matching thong.
"You missed a spot," he said, coming over to wipe a smudge
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of white sunblock goop on Jacqui's shoulders. He rubbed it in with his thumb. "There, that's better."
Mara and Eliza blanched. But Jacqui didn't flinch from his touch and returned his stare with an impudent smile of her own. With her luck, maybe she wouldn't need to do anything this summer except keep the kids' dad's imagination well occupied. Besides, nothing could put a damper on her blissful state. Luca had promised he would take her to the very charming and quaint Farmhouse restaurant later that evening. And it was actually just down the street in East Hampton and not an hour away.
When Kevin departed, Jacqui and Eliza flopped down on their lounge chairs again. Mara sighed. She didn't know what to do about her two coworkers. She had expected them to be closer after William's sunstroke accident and the night of truth, but no such luck. Jacqui was completely preoccupied with Luca, and Eliza was acting aloof and distant. So the three were only really speaking when they were dealing with the kids or complaining about the Perrys. Although there really wasn't that much to grouse about--Anna and Kevin were hardly ever home. It wasn't as if she had no troubles of her own. Lately Jim had been pressuring her to take a weekend off, get on the New London ferry, and get her behind back to Sturbridge.
"Here," Mara said, getting up and slapping Eliza's palm with the orange bottle.
"Thanks."
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Eliza massaged the oil into her skin, all the while exorcising the twins' insults from her memory. She counted herself lucky because unlike Sugar and Poppy, she didn't freckle or burn but browned to an even golden color.
She didn't have their money, but at least she could do one thing they couldn't.
She could tan.
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eliza gives the gardener a free show
The sound of clipping shears startled the girls, and they all turned around to see a very cute dark-haired guy in a holey T-shirt and weathered jeans trimming the hedges. Eliza looked up questioningly, and the guy met her gaze for a second before dropping his eyes back down to his task.
He's checking me out, Eliza thought, a little annoyed but also a little intrigued. She stretched her legs and arched her back as she slowly rubbed her chest and bare flat stomach with SPF 4 carrot juice.
When she turned on her back and untied the strings, she caught him looking again. Ugh. How rude. She rolled her eyes. But a minute later she peeked at him from behind her lowered Gucci wraparounds.
Broad shoulders, blue eyes underneath that icky fishing hat. Hmmm ... possibly even cute?
As if she would ever be interested.
Let him look, Eliza thought. It's probably the highlight of his life.
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"C'mon, Cody, it's just the kiddie pool, it's just water, it won't hurt you," Mara said, trying to soothe the trembling child.
"YES, IT WILL! HA HA HA!" William said, splashing his baby brother as he cannonballed in.
"Ignore him."
"Ah, just throw him in," a jovial voice joked. The girls looked up to see Ryan Perry--bare chested and wearing faded jams, stretching his legs to get ready for his afternoon laps.
"Hey, dude, are you heading over to the thing at Sunset later?" Eliza called. What was it about Ryan Perry? Eliza wondered. He was superhot, but somehow she was never interested. Maybe because she'd known him since they were babies. And seriously, could she ever even think of dating those wretched girls' brother? She'd pass. But it didn't mean she didn't enjoy lording it over Jacqui and Mara that they had a somewhat more special relationship. Her being an old friend of the family and all.
"Maybe." Ryan nodded, but his attention was focused elsewhere. He knelt down to where Mara was wrapping Cody in a towel.
"Hey, when do you want to get together for that long-delayed Scrabble game?" he asked.
"What? Oh ... sure. Anytime," Mara said, smiling.
