Confessions of a Teen Nanny 02 - Rich Girls (7 page)

"You are not serious," Liz said.

"I certainly am." He grinned. "Get in."

Liz climbed up into the rocking carriage, much harder to accomplish in her stiletto-heeled eight-hundred-dollar shoes than she had expected. She narrowly avoided snapping her ankle as she clumsily plopped onto the leather seat.

Her nose wrinkled. The very strong scent of horse manure and animal perspiration wafted toward her. I hope that smell doesn't attach itself permanently to this dress, she worried.

Parker sat down beside her. "Once around the park and then home!" he instructed the driver.

"We don't go around the whole park at night," the driver said. "And I can't take you farther than six blocks from it.You'll have to catch a cab home, kid."

Parker laughed."I guess I should have checked before I dismissed my driver."

"A cab home is fine," Liz said.

"Well, how about around the lake and back, then?" Parker asked.

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"That, I can do." The driver flicked the reins, setting the rocking carriage in soft motion.

The smell was less strong as they entered the park-- probably, Liz realized, because they were no longer parked right over the manure!

The stars twinkled in the midnight blue sky. Liz shiv- ered in her light dress.

"Cold?" Parker asked, putting his arm around her and pulling her close.

"Parker," Liz said, "I don't know how to thank you. Tonight was amazing.The premiere, the restaurant--"

"Liz," Parker held a finger up to her lips, silencing her. "I go to things like this all the time, and they've never been fun before. Not till tonight." He leaned forward and kissed her lips.

Liz leaned against the high back of the carriage, feel- ing Parker's weight press against her, his kisses more and more passionate, more urgent. Liz wrapped her arms around him, matching him kiss for kiss. She'd never felt this turned on before, this desired. She'd never wanted a guy the way she wanted Parker.

Suddenly, there was a start.

The carriage lurched forward and began swaying madly. Parker and Liz rolled apart and wham! Liz slammed onto the carriage floor.

My dress! Liz thought in a panic. Even worse--I'm

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sprawled on the floor! How totally uncool.

"Whoa!" the driver shouted. "Whoa!" The carriage slowed to a halt.

Parker reached down and helped Liz back up onto the seat. She checked her dress for damage. Other than some smudges, it was okay. Nothing torn. I see dry cleaning in this baby's future, she thought.

"What the hell happened?" Parker demanded of the driver.

"You two okay?" the driver asked with concern."The horse threw a shoe and spooked. I won't charge you, sorry."

"Are you all right?" Parker asked Liz.

"I think so," Liz said. "Purse, shawl, necklace, shoes. Yup. I'm still all here."

"I should have you fired," Parker told the driver.

Liz put her hand on Parker's arm. "It's okay. It was an accident."

Parker settled back down."Okay, just take us back," he instructed.The carriage started up again--slowly.

"Well," said Parker,"I guess the carriage ride was a bad idea. Which sucks, because I really wanted to leave you with a perfect memory of this evening."

"It was perfect, Parker . . . ," Liz said. "And we can make some more memories over Christmas break starting next week," she added. The martinis had made her bold.

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Either that or the intense making out. Maybe it was a good thing the horse spooked and stopped all that, she thought. When it comes to Parker, I have no self-restraint!

"Well, that's just it," Parker said, taking her hand. "We can't. My family and I are going skiing in Aspen."

"That sounds fun," she said, looking down at his hand holding hers. She didn't want him to see her disappoint- ment. She had thought they'd spend the two weeks off from school together.

"Aspen is really cool," Parker said, "I wish . . . never mind." He looked away as the carriage stopped in the spot where they had started.

The driver climbed down from his seat and opened the door to the carriage. Parker helped Liz down.

"Let's call a town car and get you home," he said.

"You don't have to do that," Liz said. She knew Parker lived only a block away. "I'll just get a cab."

"Oh, come on!" Parker pulled out his cell phone.

"No, really. It's no big deal," Liz insisted.

Parker shrugged, stepped into the street, and flagged down a cab. He held open the door for her, and Liz kissed him, long and hard.

Leaving him grinning, Liz slid into the cab and Parker closed the door. He stood on the curb watching the taxi as it drove away.

Well, Liz thought, turning back around in the seat, I

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didn't turn into a pumpkin.

She sighed and leaned back, watching the streets go by in a blur.

But even Cinderella's prince didn't run off to Aspen in the middle of the fairy tale!

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snow job

"G rumpus wants pizza!" David shouted, as Liz placed a soy burger in front of him.

"Grumpus is going to get sent to his room if he keeps torturing me with these requests," Liz said.

"He's faking," Heather grumbled.

David glared at Liz. Liz glared back. "I am not in the mood," she warned him.

Liz had been out of sorts ever since Parker had told her about his trip to Aspen. Not only did it mean they couldn't spend any time together over Christmas break, but worse: He'd be hanging out with the same society group he had been with in Palm Beach. She did not have a good feeling about it.

David picked up the soy burger and squashed it in his hands.

"Okay, David," Liz said. "That's it. I've had it. You're going to your room."

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"But I didn't do anything!" David said. "It was Grumpus who did it!"

"Just stop it! Okay, David?" Liz began.

"Elizabeth!"

Liz winced. Dr. M-C towered in the doorway of the dining room. "Yes, Dr. Markham-Collins?"

"What is going on?" she demanded.

"Grumpus wanted pizza, and he smushed the soy burger," David said.

"Then Grumpus was very bad," Dr. Markham-Collins said. "Soy burgers are very good, aren't they, David?"

"Yes?" the five-year-old said uncertainly.

"Then why don't you eat it, and Elizabeth will take Grumpus to your room."

"I will?" Liz asked.

"You will," Dr. Markham-Collins said in an ominous tone. "And then you will come and see me in my office."

Liz sighed and started for the hall.

"You forgot Grumpus!" David said, laughing.

Liz forced herself not to roll her eyes. "Come on, Grumpus," she said, grabbing an invisible hand and drag- ging it out of the dining room.

Liz walked down the hall toward Dr. M-C's office. This will be choice, she thought. I'm about to get chewed out for invisible-child abuse.

Liz caught sight of herself in a mirror and realized she

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was still holding Grumpus's invisible hand. I'm losing it, she thought, settling into one of the chairs in Dr. M-C's office.

"Elizabeth," Dr. M-C said, entering the room, "this is very serious."

"I'm sorry that I--" Liz began.

"I have good news," Dr. M-C interrupted her. "My publisher has signed on my new book!"

"That's great," Liz said.

"They need me to get them the book by New Year's. They want to rush it into the next season," Dr. M-C said breathlessly.

"Wow," Liz said, wondering what any of this had to do with her. "That means you'll have to work nonstop."

"It means, Elizabeth, that we'll have to work nonstop!" Dr. M-C said. "Together, we can get this book done. I'll need all your notes."

"My notes?" Liz repeated.

"I need you to take careful notes on everything that Grumpus does. Every little thing will be important. What he eats and doesn't eat. His likes and dislikes. I will need to know everything that happens." She handed Liz a little leather-bound notebook.

"But Christmas vacation starts next week," Liz reminded her. "I won't be able to do any of this note- taking then."

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about," Dr. M-C

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said."I want you to come with us on our family vacation."

Liz's eyes bulged. I would rather stand covered in honey on a fire-ant hill.

"We'll be spending the break at my house in Aspen."

Aspen!

"Yes!" Liz shouted and jumped up from her seat. She almost threw her arms around Dr. M-C. Luckily she stopped herself before she embarrassed them both. As it was, Dr. M-C still looked startled by Liz's outburst.

Liz forced herself to calm down. "Aspen. Notes, sure. I can do that."

"Have your mother call me," Dr. M-C continued. "I hope it will be fine."

Mom. Right. I have to get Mom to agree to this, Liz wor- ried. She'll hate my being away for Christmas. She pushed the idea from her mind. "I'm sure it will be, Dr. Markham- Collins. Don't worry."

Liz left the office and floated through the apartment on cloud nine. I have to call Parker! She reached for her cell and then changed her mind. I'll save it to tell him in person on our date tomorrow, she decided. He'll be so excited!

Liz yanked open the door of her Upper West Side apartment building and dashed inside as if she were cross- ing the finish line at the Olympics.

I can't believe I'm going to Aspen at the end of the week!

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The elevator opened onto the florescent-lit hallway with its endless row of beige-painted doors. It was quite a con- trast to 841 Fifth Avenue, where she spent so much of her time. She let herself into Apartment 12B.

The apartment wasn't as fancy or sparkling clean as Dr. M-C's, but it was a lot more homey and comfortable. Bookcases lined the living room walls, and the worn sofa was a cozy spot for naps. Even the lighting felt softer and friendlier.

"Mom? Are you here?" Liz called.

"Liz? That you?" Liz's mother stepped out of her bed- room."Hi, honey!" She crossed over and gave her daughter a hug and a kiss. "I can't believe we're both home--we never seem to overlap anymore."

Linda Braun worked as a real estate broker for a big firm and, as a result, she worked really erratic hours. Sometimes she was free for days, and other times when she was working with clients, she seemed to barely get home at all. Ever since the divorce a few years ago, Liz's mom tried to make sure that they had dinner together every day. Once Liz started working for Dr. Markham-Collins, that wasn't really possible anymore.

"I ordered Chinese," her mom said, pointing to the white takeout containers on the kitchen table."You're just in time."

Liz smiled. "Sounds great," she said, folding herself

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into her usual chair. She waited until they had both fin- ished an egg roll, then she took a deep breath. "Mom, I need to ask you for a favor."

"Shoot," Ms. Braun said.

"I need permission to do something really cool," Liz began.

"When you say that, I hear, `I need permission to do something really expensive,'" Ms. Braun said, smiling.

"No, it won't cost you anything!" Liz said. "Dr. Markham-Collins has asked me to go with her, David, and Heather to Aspen over Christmas break."

"Oh, Liz, honey, I don't know," Ms. Braun replied. "I know how important your job is to you, and even I have to admit that Aspen sounds great, but for Christmas?"

Liz, knowing that being away for the holiday would bother her mom, had already come up with a plan."What if I go for only the first week? That way, I'll help Dr. Markham-Collins and still get back in time to spend Christmas and New Year's with you."

Her mother's frown softened, just a little. "I don't know. Shouldn't Dr. Markham-Collins really take someone more . . . grown up?"

"I can handle it!" Liz exclaimed.

She watched as her mother silently spooned chicken and broccoli onto her plate. She knew her mom was thinking, and she knew from experience that pressuring

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her was definitely not the way to go. Liz could always wheedle things out of her dad, but he moved with his new wife to New Jersey last year. Now it was just Liz and her mom.

She ate her food slowly--and waited.

"Liz," her mother said finally,"I understand that you're growing up, and you want to take advantage of the oppor- tunities offered you . . ."

Liz could feel her mother wavering. If I can just keep quiet, she'll let me go, Liz thought.

"But I just have one question," her mom said.

"Sure," Liz said. "What?"

"Do the Devlins have a place in Aspen?" She took a sip of her tea and looked at Liz over the lip of her cup.

Busted, Liz thought. There's no way she'll let me go.

"Yes," Liz replied."They do." She sighed in frustration and leaned back in her chair, defeated.

Ms. Braun smiled. "Liz, I didn't say you couldn't go. I just want you to know that I'm not stupid. I was a teenager once, too." She put down her teacup.

"But, Liz, I want you to remember that you have been asked to Aspen to work.Taking care of children in an envi- ronment where there is a lot of physical activity is a big responsibility.You have to be on your toes when little kids ski or skate or even walk down a crowded street in a town you don't know as well as you know New York."

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Liz perked up.This was beginning to sound promising.

"You can go, Liz, as long as Dr. Markham-Collins agrees to get you home for Christmas. But remember--you are there to take care of Heather and David, not to have a romantic vacation with Parker. I want you to promise me that you will act responsibly."

Liz shrieked and ran around the table, throwing her arms around her mother's neck. "Thank you!" she said, "Thank you, thank you, thank you! You are the coolest!"

"You got that right!" Her mom laughed.

I've got to tell Adrienne! Liz grabbed her phone and texted:

GOING 2 ASPEN

Adrienne texted back:

SNOWED YR MOM?

Liz smiled and texted:

AVALANCHE!

The next day at school, Liz thought she'd burst by lunchtime when she could finally tell Belinda and Jane her fantastic news.

Liz plunked down her tray and declared: "Guess who is going to Aspen over Christmas break?"

Jane looked up at her. "The coven?" she asked, nod- ding toward Isabelle, Mimi, and Cameron, who sat at the next table, poring over a Town and Country magazine.

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"No," Liz declared, taking her seat as if she were a queen. "I am."

Belinda's mouth dropped open. "You are so lucky! I have four generations of relatives descending for the holi- days."

"Your media magnate taking you?" Jane asked with a grin.

"No!" Liz smiled and tossed a French fry at her friend. Jane ducked and laughed."I'm going to take care of David and Heather."

"I hear Grumpus is a real klutz on the slopes," Jane teased."You'll need to keep an especially close eye on him."

"You should be on Comedy Central," Liz said.

"You're going to Aspen for break?" Isabelle called from the next table.

"Yes," Liz answered, not really wanting to get into it with the Terrible Trio.

"When will you be there?" Cameron asked.

"Just the first week," she said. "I'll be home for Christmas."

"Oh, you'll miss the Red and White Ball," Mimi said.

"What's the Red and White Ball?" Liz asked.

"The most exclusive event in Aspen," Mimi explained. "It's always the Saturday after Christmas."

"It's a blast--everyone wears red and white. It is so Santa," Cameron said.

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"Don't you think Parker will look totally adorable in red and white?" Isabelle said.

"I have an idea," Cameron told Isabelle. "You should wear all red, and he should wear all white. Much more chic."

"Parker?" Liz blinked. "Parker Devlin?"

Isabelle smiled at Liz."Of course. He's my date. Didn't he tell you?"

Liz smiled back. "Right. Of course he is."

And of course I'm a complete idiot.

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