Confessions of a Teen Nanny 02 - Rich Girls (12 page)

Parker kissed Liz. "And she still wants me!"

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Liz felt as if she had played the game right: She didn't get all prissy and huffy, she didn't let them intimidate her by making her feel excluded, and best of all, Parker was leading her back to the party room.

Parker guided her smoothly onto the dance floor. They began to move in synch, and Liz realized he was a really good, sexy dancer. Moving very close to her but never touching her, Parker seemed to anticipate her every shimmer and step. He put his hands on her hips and pulled her into him, continuing to move to the beat.

"You're a really hot dancer," he whispered.

"You too," Liz said. She flushed with pleasure. She didn't want the music to stop. But she also didn't want to wind up making out with Parker on the dance floor with everyone watching! She pulled herself away.

Parker looked down at her and grinned."Getting a lit- tle too heavy?" he asked. He grabbed her hand and twirled her, then started dancing in an insane, overdramatic way. Liz burst out laughing.

"You mock me?" Parker demanded. He twirled around and then acted as if he were dizzy. He fell onto Liz, who was laughing so hard, she could barely hold him up.

"I think we need to take a break," Liz said, gasping.

"Your wish is my command." Parker said.

Liz and Parker found the bar again. "Water, my good man. Straight up!" Parker ordered from the bartender.

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"I think I'll have mine on the rocks," Liz said.

She settled onto a bar stool and surveyed the room again. Parker became startled beside her. "Huh," he said.

"What is it?" Liz asked. She peered at the crowd, won- dering what he was reacting to.

Isabelle had just arrived.

"Is there a problem?" Liz asked, her body tense.

"What? No, I'm just surprised to see Isabelle here. I thought she was arriving next week."

His cell phone beeped. Parker glanced at it, then gave Liz a sheepish smile. "I know. I know. But this one is important." He walked back out into the hall.

Well, at least I know it's not Isabelle calling this time, Liz thought as she watched Mimi greet Isabelle. The girls glanced over at Liz and started whispering.

Oh, great, Liz thought. Way to be subtle, girls.

Suddenly, Liz didn't feel like being at the party any- more. She was tired of the mysterious phone calls, didn't want to be left stranded again by Parker, and didn't want to have to deal with Isabelle and Mimi.

Please come back now, Parker, Liz pleaded silently. And get me out of here.

"Sorry about that," Parker said, coming up behind her.

"You sure get a lot of phone calls," Liz commented. She sounded more whiney than she had wanted.

Parker ran a hand through his dark hair. "Well, yeah,"

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he admitted. "It's catching up with everyone. We only see one another a few times a year."

"That's cool," Liz said, sliding off the bar stool."Listen, it's been great, but I have a really early day tomorrow, so I should go."

"You do?" he said.

"I do," she said, hoping they could take a long, roman- tic drive home.

"That's too bad," Mimi said, appearing suddenly. "Don't worry about calling a cab, Liz. I have a car and driver to take people home if they can't drive."

"I didn't drive over," Liz explained. "I came with--"

"Why don't you take the car, Liz," Parker interrupted. He waved at a bunch of kids who had just entered the party. "I should stick around and say hi to a few more people. And, like you said, you have to get up early."

"Please," Mimi said. "I'm happy to have you driven home."

I bet you are, Liz thought, noticing Isabelle hovering in the arched bay window.

One of the newcomers to the party came up to Parker and clapped him on the shoulder. "Devlin the Devil!" the guy greeted him. "I thought you'd be here!"

"Walton!" Parker gave the guy an intricate handshake. "Are the rest of the team in town yet?"

Liz stood there as Parker and Walton compared notes

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on who was in Aspen and who wasn't. She was acutely aware of Mimi waiting. Isabelle had now moved to the outskirts of the new group of kids, chatting them up. Homing in on Parker, no doubt, Liz thought.

"So, I'll ring the driver?" Mimi asked, though Liz knew it wasn't really a question.

"Well, okay," Liz said. "I guess it makes the most sense." She didn't want to make a scene in front of Mimi.

Parker finally pulled his attention from Walton."Sorry, Liz, but I gotta catch up with the crew! And I don't want you to get in trouble with the doc."

Liz forced a smile onto her face. "Of course."

Hiding her disappointment, Liz left. She stepped into the black car, which bore on its doors the painted crest of Prince Von Fallschirm.

What a royal pain, Liz thought.

And then the tears came.

160

Grumpus calls

T he caffeine in Liz's morning coffee was not doing its job. Not after her night of tossing and turning. One ques- tion just kept going around and around in her head: What is going on between Parker and Isabelle?

Why did he want Liz to go home without him? So that he could stay at the party and, what--flirt with Isabelle? Or maybe do more than flirt?

"Grumpus wants to go ice skating!" David shouted, interrupting Liz's gloomy inner monologue.

"Me too!" Heather exclaimed.

"Okay, okay," Liz said. It will be a lot easier than skiing, she figured. "Go get your skates, and I'll let your mom know where we're going."

"Yay!" David cheered.

Liz poured herself another cup of coffee as the kids went to get their skates. Her cell rang, and Liz looked at the number on the caller ID.

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It was Parker.

Liz was about to let the call go to voice mail, when her curiosity about what Parker might have to say got the better of her. Did he even know he had been a complete and total jerk?

"Hello?" she answered.

"I'm so sorry," Parker said.

Just hearing his voice, Liz felt herself go soft. At least he knows he's in trouble. Then she shook her head. Stay strong. Don't let him get away with treating you like crap.

"I was a jackass at the party," he continued."I went to take a phone call, and I got a little stoned, and I guess it made me really inconsiderate."

"Well, yeah . . ." Liz said. She shut her eyes, wishing she could be more confrontational. What is it about him that gets to me so totally?

"I know, I know. I don't blame you for being furious," Parker went on."I mean, I'd hate it if you brought me to a party where I hardly knew anyone and then you got all caught up in talking to other people."

"I wouldn't do that, Parker," Liz said.There.That was sticking up for herself.

"That's because you're an unbelievably fantastic human being, and I'm just pond scum," Parker said."Well, all the ponds are frozen over right now, so I guess maybe I'm more like snow slush. Oh--and did I say that you are

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not just an angel, a saint, and a delight, you're a hot dancer and very, very forgiving?"

Liz smiled, and then forced herself to not give in to Parker's charm so fast. The only way to not melt com- pletely would be to hang up. "Look, Parker, I have to go," she said.

"Liz, wait!" Parker said. "I need to see you."

"I can't, Parker. I'm taking the kids skating. Bye."

Liz hung up, and quickly dialed Adrienne.

"Is it good news or bad news?" Adrienne asked when she answered.

"Both," Liz said.

"Explain," Adrienne ordered.

Liz quickly filled in Adrienne on the details."So some of the time he is totally great and makes me feel like I'm the most special person on Earth. And then he gets com- pletely distracted by his crowd, ignores me and, worse, may have something going with Isabelle. And yet he called me and apologized." Liz sighed."So do I forgive him? Or do I dump him?"

"Is that what you want to do?" Adrienne asked. "End it completely?"

"No," she said in a small voice. "But I can't stand this hot-and-cold treatment."

"I know," Adrienne said sympathetically. "It's really confusing."

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"So what do you think?" Liz asked.

Adrienne paused as if she was thinking it over. "It's hard to say," she said finally. "Like you said, sometimes he's so great to you. But, Liz is sometimes enough?"

Liz squeezed her eyes shut, and her throat felt tight."I don't know," she said, her voice quavering as if she was about to cry. "When it's good, it's"--Liz searched for the right word to describe the incredible times she'd had with Parker--"it's almost unreal. Like a fairy-tale dream come true."

"You like this guy in a way I've never seen you like anyone," Adrienne said. "Maybe you should give him a chance. He does seem to really like you, too."

"You think so?" Liz asked, starting to feel a glimmer of hope. "I just can't tell anymore."

"Look," Adrienne said. "He told you he hadn't seen this crowd for a while, that he was catching up with old friends. And it wasn't like he was trying to keep you a secret."

"That's true," Liz said, considering. Then she sighed. "But he did get all weird again when Isabelle showed up."

"You don't really know what's going on. It could be innocent.Well,"Adrienne added with a laugh,"as innocent as anything can be with Isabelle around."

"Yeah, that's what worries me. Maybe he's hanging with her because she's happy to have sex whenever," Liz

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said. "As I hear it, she's happy to do it with any guy from Dudley."

"Don't even go there,"Adrienne said."And if that's all that Parker is after, you don't want him anyway. Besides, he's never pushed that, right?"

"Right," Liz agreed.

"So even if there is something like that going on with Isabelle, it probably doesn't mean anything."

"You think?" Liz asked, desperately wanting to believe her friend.

"It's not like you don't turn him on," Adrienne reminded Liz. "The heat between you is off-the-charts."

Liz smiled. "You noticed?"

Adrienne laughed. "How could I not? So obviously he's not pushing it because he takes you seriously."

"We need some hard-core girl-time when I get back," Liz said."I see a lot of complaining, bitching, and moaning in our future!"

"Sounds like a New Year's party to me!"

"Grumpus and I are ready to go!" David shouted as he barreled back into the room.

"Gotta go. Grumpus calls," Liz said.

Liz was actually able to put the whole Parker question out of her mind and enjoy skating.The kids even got along well, though when Heather asked David if Grumpus was

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tired, Liz worried that the invisible-friend syndrome was contagious.

"I don't know about Grumpus," Liz said, "but I'm ready for a break!"

They ducked into the little rink caf� and Liz ordered a round of hot chocolates. Settling at a table, Liz had just taken a sip of her eight-dollar cocoa when a pair of hands covered her eyes."Who is it?" Liz asked, though she knew.

The hands released, and a bouquet of stunning red roses appeared in front of her.An origami snowman poked out of the flowers and was holding a card that read, I'M SORRY.

"Parker--" Liz began.

"Just one more chance," Parker said, coming around to face her. "It's your last night in Aspen. Please let me take you out."

"Let him!" Heather said.

"Yeah, let him," David said.

"See?" Parker said. "I have allies who recognize my good qualities. I do have some, you know. Though they may not have been apparent last night."

Liz sighed. He really was hard to resist. "Okay," she agreed. "But only as a favor to the kids. I'd hate to disap- point them."

"Oh no, you couldn't do that," Parker said with a grin.

"I'll have to let Dr. Markham-Collins know," Liz said.

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"But it shouldn't be a problem. The kids are going carol- ing, and she plans to join them."

The caroling was a major Aspen event, it seemed, and anyone who was anyone brought their kids, and if they didn't have any, they tried to borrow them.

"Why don't we plan for around eight o'clock, but call me so I know you're ready to go." He kissed her on the cheek and put the roses on the table beside her. "We'll go someplace quiet and romantic. I promise I will make it all up to you."

Liz touched one of the soft rose petals as Parker left. "They are pretty," she said. "I do love roses."

"Grumpus hates them," David said matter-of-factly. "They have thorns."

Liz snorted. "You know," she said, "I think we could probably all learn a lot from Grumpus."

Dr. M-C okayed the date, but asked Liz to deal with the kids until they were ready to leave for caroling.

David decided to occupy himself by skiing in and out of the house--back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. Liz had gotten nearly hypnotized just watching him, so she went up to her room to change.

"Not bad," she murmured, admiring herself in the narrow mirror. She wore a black silk top from Etro that she had borrowed from Adrienne, a pale pink skirt she'd

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splurged on a few months back, and a beautiful pair of Jimmy Choos that Dr. M-C had broken and thrown out. Liz had had them fixed and kept them.

Determining she was ready, Liz went downstairs.

"You look very nice," Dr. M-C said. "Kids, come say good-bye to Liz."

Heather and David came into the enormous living room.

"I'm going out tonight," Liz explained,"and I'm leav- ing really early tomorrow morning to go back to New York. I might be gone before you wake up, so have a won- derful Christmas." She handed them each a big wrapped box to put under their Christmas tree. She had bought them toys they had pointed out during their last trip to FAO Schwarz. She had even gotten Grumpus a toy, too! That scored big points with Dr. M-C., Liz noted.

"Thanks," Heather said."Merry Christmas!" She gave Liz a tight hug.

"But who will stay with me and Grumpus?" David asked.

"Well, you'll have Billie and your mom."

"I'll miss you!" David said, giving her an awkward hug since he was still wearing his skis."And Grumpus will miss you too!" He skied back outside again.

Liz went into the kitchen to let Billie know she was leaving, when Dr. M-C came dashing in.

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"Come quickly!" she shrieked. "There's been a terri- ble accident!"

"What?" Liz gasped. She could hear David shrieking as if he were in agony."Oh, no!" Liz ran after Dr. M-C and out the door that David had just skied out of, Billie fol- lowing right behind them.

David was screaming and crying, pointing at the snow. Dr. M-C was hysterical, waving her arms and run- ning around. Heather stared at the scene with horror.

"What's wrong?" Liz asked, running over to David. She knelt down in the snow and grabbed his shoulders. "Are you hurt?"

"Grumpus broke his leg skiing!" David screamed.

Liz's eyes nearly bugged out of her head. "You have got to be kidding me!" Liz said, turning to Dr. M-C. If these shoes and this skirt are ruined, I may have to kill someone, she thought.

"We all must go to the hospital now!" Dr. M-C ordered.

Liz stood up and brushed the snow from her knees. "What?"

"We have a child with a broken leg. Of course, we must find a doctor!" Dr. M-C said.

"But we don't!" Liz said. "We have a child who--"

"NEEDS TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL, ELIZA- BETH!" Dr. M-C hollered.

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I give up.The woman is insane.

Dr. M-C ran to where David lay, weeping on the snow. Billie had dropped a blanket on him. Heather sat nearby, transfixed. "Billie, you stay here with Heather. Liz, David, and I will take Grumpus to the hospital."

"But I can't go!" Liz blurted. "I have a date!"

"Grumpus needs you, Liz!" Dr. M-C said, hurrying into the house. She returned wearing her sable coat and helped David and Grumpus into the back of the Mercedes SUV. "Come quickly, Liz!"

Liz hesitated. She looked at her watch. Parker was expecting her to call soon.

Dr. M-C hurried over to Liz. "Elizabeth, we all need to cooperate at a time like this," she said in a warning tone.

Liz sighed as she slid into the passenger seat, and Dr. M-C hit the gas. She might still be able to get back in time to meet Parker, she reasoned. After all, how long could examining an invisible kid take?

The attending nurse in the Aspen General emergency room was in no mood to play along with the Markham- Collins Family Circus.

"Lady, there ain't no little boy with a broken leg. If you don't get out of here, I will call Psychiatric to come and take a look at you!"

"I am a doctor of psychiatry," Dr. M-C announced

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grandly. "And I assure you that I am well-known to the members of your--"

"I don't care if you're Dr. Phil!" the woman said, fold- ing her arms. "You're crazy, and you're wasting my time! I've got plenty of really sick people who need actual help, and I don't have time to listen to . . ."

Liz pressed her fingers to her temples.This whole stu- pid scene was giving her a headache. Everyone was staring at them as if they were freaks.

Liz glanced up. She just realized she hadn't heard David giving Grumpus-related instructions for a while.

That's because he wasn't in the waiting room. Liz scanned the crowded space. David was gone.

"David?" Liz called, nerves making her voice quiver. Okay, don't panic. He was with us when we arrived. He probably hasn't left the building.

She ran around the corner and looked down a corri- dor."David?" she called again and again. She leaned against the wall to try to figure out what to do.

Keep searching.

Liz ran up and down corridors, trying to figure out where David might have gone. She wound up back in Admitting, where Dr. M-C and the nurse were still arguing.

"Dr. Markham-Collins!" Liz shouted to be heard over Dr. M-C's threats and proclamations. "I can't find David!"

Dr. M-C paused with her mouth open, looked at Liz,

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then turned back to the nurse. "This is all your fault!" she screamed. "If you had paid proper attention to the situa- tion, he never would have run away!"

"You want to know why that kid ran away?" the nurse replied. "Look in the mirror."

Dr. M-C reared back as if the woman had slapped her. Then her eyes narrowed. "We're talking lawsuit now," she hissed.

"Please," Liz said to the nurse. "Do you think you could ask Security to look for him?"

The nurse smiled at Liz. "Of course, hon," she said sweetly. It was as if she had become a different person.

"We must find David," Dr. M-C cried. "He must think we don't care about poor Grumpus!"