Confessions of a Teen Nanny 02 - Rich Girls (8 page)

viva Valentino!

A fter school, Liz walked quickly through Central Park, her mind whirling.

I never should have assumed that Parker would be going out only with me, she thought. I knew his reputation before we started seeing each other. Besides, that whole crowd mixes and matches with the abandon of a Vogue stylist on an unlimited budget.

She shoved her hands deeper into the pockets of her parka and shivered, as much from frustration as from the cold December air.

All those calls during the after-party the night of the movie premiere, she thought. They must have been from Isabelle!

Liz walked across the back of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, along the paths that led to Cleopatra's Needle, an Egyptian obelisk dropped onto a green hill in Central Park. Whenever she passed it, it reminded her of their incredible first date at the Metropolitan when Parker kissed her in front of the Egyptian Temple of Dendur.

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Did he kiss Isabelle there too? she wondered miserably. He probably did it with her, she realized.

She looked up to see Parker loping across the grass, already smiling at her.

"Hey, there," he greeted her, throwing his arms around her shoulders and giving her a playful peck on the ear.

Liz couldn't kiss him back--she was just too confused. He stepped away from her."You okay?" he asked, puzzled. "You look seriously serious!"

I can't fake it, Liz realized. I have to tell him that I know.

"I just want you to know that, well, I'm going to be in Aspen during vacation, and I was telling some friends--" she began.

Parker's face brightened. "That totally rocks! Where are you staying?" He didn't give her a chance to answer-- he just began pacing and tossing out ideas rapid-fire. "It will be so excellent! We can go skiing, and I'll take you to the Caribou Club--that place is killer.You and your mom will want to shop--most women do there."

"I'm not going with my mom, Parker," Liz explained. "I'm going to be there to take care of David and Heather."

"Even better," Parker said, grinning. "If you're there with the doc, you'll be able to slip out at night and no one will even know. Doesn't that sound good?" he asked, slip- ping his hands around her waist and pulling her into him. "When are you leaving?" he asked.

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"This weekend, and I'll be there until the Sunday before Christmas," she said.

"That's plenty of time for fun," Parker said.

"I-I hear there's even more fun after I leave," Liz said, nervous about where the conversation was about to go.

Parker looked confused. "What do you mean?"

"I hear there's a big dance on Saturday night after Christmas," Liz said.

"Yeah," he replied. "It's no big deal."

"But you're going with Isabelle, right?" The second she said it, Liz wanted the take the words back. Had she pushed too far? Was she being too possessive?

"Liz," he said, taking her hand. "It doesn't mean any- thing. She's my dad's business partner's daughter. It's a family obligation. And the Red and White Ball is a drag. Even if I had known you were going to be there and asked you, you wouldn't want to go." He brushed his hand against her cheek and smiled at her encouragingly. "It's not your kind of thing, Liz.That's one of the reasons I like you so much. You're so down-to-earth. You're not caught up in the whole society thing. . . ."

Yeah, Liz thought. I'm so non-society, you thought you could take someone else to that dance and I would never hear about it.

"Liz," he said, beginning to sound exasperated. "You aren't even going to be there for the ball. I'm expected to

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go, and I'm expected to go with someone.That's it."

Liz felt his strong arms around her. He began to kiss her neck, sending tingles through her entire body. "Okay," she said. "You're very persuasive."

"I know," Parker said, grinning. "I'm irresistible."

Who are all these people? Adrienne thought, forcing her way up Madison Avenue on Saturday morning.

The streets were jammed with what seemed like thousands of holiday shoppers, all determined to wedge themselves between her and the luxurious Valentino shop.

The day of the tea had arrived, and Adrienne had already been sent on several last-minute errands. Mrs.Warner had insisted Adrienne meet up with them at Valentino that morning--probably to get further instructions.

The moment Adrienne ran into the shop, a harried saleswoman rushed at her.

"The Warners are in the back," she said, helping Adrienne out of her coat quickly. "Kevyn is losing his mind. It is an absolute disaster."

Uh-oh, Adrienne thought. What can be going on back there?

Adrienne braced herself and entered the room where Cameron was having a last-minute fitting. Mrs. Warner stood in a corner on her cell phone, shouting instructions

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to the caterer back at the apartment. Emma sat on a small chair in the corner reading Advanced SAT Vocabulary. Cameron stood on a platform in the middle of the room surrounded by women plucking and pinning her dress.

She looked extraordinary. The cream cashmere dress was carefully fitted to her body, and stopped at a decorous mid-calf length. The tiniest pink ribbon trimmed the bateau neckline, and a cropped cashmere jacket trimmed in pink ribbon covered her shoulders.

"I told you I look like a nun," Cameron said, disgusted. "Can't you take this dress up and show more leg?"

"Valentino wouldn't hear of it," Kevyn said firmly. "It would ruin the proportions of the dress.This is a debutante tea gown, not a cocktail dress."

"He's right, Cameron," Mrs.Warner said, interrupting herself on the phone. "It wouldn't be appropriate."

"Look," Cameron said, exasperated, "I know fashion. I have been in, like, three fashion shows. This dress is too long."

Kevyn folded his arms and stared Cameron down. "Miss Warner," he said evenly,"I wouldn't want to question your expertise. But I will not alter this dress."

Mrs. Warner flipped her phone shut. "Cameron!" she scolded. "This conversation is OVER. Put on your street clothes and let these people finish the alterations.You have David Barrett coming to the house in an hour to blow out

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your hair, and the makeup artist Vogue recommended will be there right after.The tea is THIS AFTERNOON!"

Adrienne thought she could actually see Mrs.Warner's veins popping out despite the Botox.

"I still hate this dress," Cameron said, taking off the luxurious jacket and tossing it onto a nearby chair. "And those people can wait if we run late."

She unzipped the dress and stepped out of it, dropping it onto the platform. She crossed to the rack wearing only her panties and bra. The women gasped as Cameron's pointy-toed shoe crushed the delicate ribbon on the bodice.

"You'll press that for me, won't you, darling?" Cameron said, smiling at Kevyn.

"Of course, Miss Warner," he said, his voice taut and his smile grim.

"Enough, Cameron. We're going," Mrs. Warner ordered as Cameron slipped her regular dress on over her head. "Emma, you'll come with us."

Emma stood and, never taking her eyes off her book, left the fitting room to wait in the store.

Mrs. Warner turned to Adrienne. "Adriana. You wait here for them to finish the alterations."

Cameron tossed her hair and picked up her hot-pink Louis Vuitton purse. "Thanks, Adrienne. Now I can meet Brian for a quick lunch. Ciao!" She left the fitting room.

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"You will NOT meet that boy for lunch! You have a million things to do!" Mrs.Warner said, charging out after Cameron.

"Yes, I will!" Cameron shouted.

"The tea is in just a few hours!" Mrs. Warner yelled back. They continued their argument out the doors and onto Madison Avenue, Emma ordering them to be quiet so she could memorize her words.

"Ladies," Kevyn announced to the seamstresses, "you all deserve a break. Finish the alterations for Miss Warpath when you get back."

The women left the room, and Kevyn sat down, furious. "What is her damage?" he asked.

"I don't know," Adrienne admitted. Her lip trembled.

"Are you okay, doll?" Kevyn asked, picking up a bottle of Gerolsteiner water from the tray that had been brought in for Cameron and her mother. He poured a glass and handed it to Adrienne.

"The way I feel right now, I can't even drink this water, let alone pronounce it," Adrienne said, handing it back to him.

"Rejecting the hottest German water?" He smiled at her. "It MUST be bad."

"Miss Warpath, as you call her, stole my boyfriend, Kevyn. She's going to meet him for lunch, and then throw him in my face while I serve drinks to her friends this

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afternoon at her debutante tea, which," she added,"I busted my butt organizing."

"Utmost sympathy, darling," he said, clucking. "Let's trade this water in for a glass of wine instead."

Adrienne smiled. "Uh, Kevyn," she said as he crossed to a cobalt wall unit that turned out to be a refrigerator and pulled out a bottle, "I'm in high school."

"Ugh, all the more reason," Kevyn said, pouring a glass of white wine. "Adolescence is the worst. Trust me, I know." He handed her the glass and sat on a settee across from her. "Vent all to Kevyn."

"It just seems that there is no way for me to get him back," Adrienne confessed, sitting on one of the small chairs. "Cam is gorgeous. Cam is rich." She took a sip of the chilled pinot grigio."Cam's got the makeup artists, the hairdresser, and"--she looked around the fitting room-- "and the VALENTINO, for God's sake."

"Miss Cameron doesn't have all the Valentino," Kevyn said, smiling. "Wait here."

Adrienne took another sip of the wine while she wondered what Kevyn was up to. He returned a moment later with a large garment bag.

"This," he said, "is for you. To borrow," he added with a grin. "I really need it back tomorrow."

Adrienne carefully unzipped the bag and gasped. Inside was an incredible red crepe dress with a short

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tapered skirt and exquisite seaming.

"Oh, my God," Adrienne said. "That's gorgeous."

"It will look great on you, and you'll really love this part." He glanced around as if he was afraid he'd be over- heard. "This is the dress Cameron really wanted. We got it in right before the fitting."

"Why didn't she take it?" Adrienne asked.

"Because she was rude one too many times to my best fitter. Besides, her mother would have decreed it too short." He removed the dress from the garment bag.

"It is unbelievably stunning," Adrienne said, almost afraid to touch the delicate fabric.

"Wear it today and you'll really piss her off," Kevyn said."And if you can't get the boyfriend back in that dress, well, you didn't want him in the first place. Just call me your fairy godmother."

"Wow, Kevyn, thanks!" Adrienne said.

"Adrienne," Kevyn added, "I'm serious. I know I'm a dizzy queen selling Valentino, but I know a lot about peo- ple from this job. A man doesn't fall in love with dresses and jewelry--he falls in love with the woman in them. If Cameron Warner is nothing but a glamorous doll to your boyfriend, he'll get tired of her real fast. Lord knows I have." He smiled. "Now hop into that dress--you have some serious jealousy and regret to cause!"

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Cameron's latest

boy toy

W hen the elevator doors opened onto the Warners' kitchen, Adrienne realized the enormity of the event that was about to take place.

Florists were delivering dozens of bouquets; huge hot- water pots and chafing dishes covered every available sur- face; caterers and waiters were scurrying back and forth setting things up.

Tania came into the kitchen and beamed, displaying her gold tooth. "Miss Adrienne, you looking for a million dollars!"

"Thanks, Tania," Adrienne said. Adrienne caught a glimpse of herself in an ornate gilded hallway mirror. Kevyn was right: Brian won't be able to resist me looking like this! The draping emphasized every curve, and the red color made her eyes sparkle.

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Debi appeared in a cloud of perfume."Is the enti-yah staff assembled?" she asked.

"Yes,"Tania said.

"Aren't you all just PRECIOUS with a capital `P'?" Debi said, moving toward the head waiter. "Nah, ah want yuh ta know that every GAW-jus, drippy, tasty, yummy treat you have, y'all jes' bring 'em out and serve 'um up, y'hear me?" She smiled for one moment, then dropped the expression and her accent completely."But you serve them to the other girls. Cameron Warner is to receive nothing. Keep the food away from her, and make sure that every other girl has a handfull of things to eat and drink at every minute of the party--no napkins. I want those girls with mouths full and sticky fingers. You got me?" She glared threateningly at the crowd.

They stood silently, eyes wide open.

"Great!" Debi said."Ahre we all clear? Let's get this tea staw-ted!" She clapped her hands, and the workers dis- persed.

"Adriana?" a voice called from the back of the apart- ment. It was Mrs.Warner--Adrienne could hear her shoes approaching on the marble floor.

Here we go, Adrienne thought.

"I just have one quick question for you," Mrs.Warner said, sidling up to her. "Have you gotten rid of that boy yet?" she whispered.

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"Not yet, Mrs. Warner," Adrienne replied. "I hope to really make some progress today."

Mrs.Warner raised a skeptical eyebrow, then frowned. "All right. If that's the best you can do."

An hour later, Mrs. Warner's living room was full. At every table, Manhattan's most important women were chatting and talking with one another as if they had no cares in the world.

Actually, thought Adrienne, they really do have no cares in the world. And with such power, money, and no worries, the women had no problem making remarks that Adrienne never would have even considered uttering in public.

"She's dreadful," one woman said, putting down a canap� and picking up her tea."Ever since she fell in with that Kabbalah trend, she's always trying to make me do addition and read all this spiritual nonsense. As if I'm not spiritual! Why, twenty years ago my husband and I were married at that little church down the street. What's its name, darling?"

"Saint Tropez?" replied another woman.

"Saint Thomas," said her daughter, embarrassed.

Adrienne watched the waiters circulating the room.

"Miniature pecan pie?" one of them asked Isabelle.

"No, thank you," Isabelle said, and started to turn back to Mrs. Bleecker, head of the Cotillion Refreshments Committee.

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"They uh SO good, DAW-lin'!" Debi said, coming up behind her, plucking the sweet off the silver tray and hand- ing it to Isabelle without a napkin. "They uh di-VINE with cream!" She plopped a towering dollop of cream onto the little pie with a silver spoon.

Isabelle looked helpless as she tried to maneuver the sticky dessert from one hand to another.

"Isabelle, have you met Mrs.Van Tassel?" Mrs. Bleecker asked.

"No, I haven't," Isabelle said, searching desperately for a napkin to wipe her hand."I'm sorry," she said, her hands covered with dessert. "I'm a bit of a mess."

"Oh, you're just like me," the portly Mrs. Van Tassel said. "You can't resist a sweet!"

"Ladies! A photo, please!" A photographer held up a camera.

Mrs. Van Tassel pulled Isabelle closer, making the cream slide off the pie and onto her dress. The photogra- pher snapped a quick picture; Isabelle looked furious, her soft silk dress stained with cream, her hands full of crum- bling dessert.

From what Adrienne could tell, Mimi was the undis- puted star of the tea.All the girls stared with jealousy at the Chanel tea dress Karl Lagerfeld had made for her, and at the handsome archduke at her side. The gorgeous young couple smiled and spoke to everyone, greeting people as if

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they were related to the British Royal Family, which, of course, they were--even if only distantly.

Mimi smiled and fluttered around her archduke, suc- cessfully avoiding the slippery and precarious canap�s Debi kept trying to put in her path. Her escort,Adrienne noted, gulped down the champagne, but he didn't show it; he just got very pink.

"Princess von Fallschirm is quite extraordinary," Mrs. Bleecker said approvingly. "She has adjusted to America and New York so well. Not a rough edge on her. She really is every inch a princess."

"Well, Cameron may have had a few rough edges once," Mrs.Warner said with a nervous laugh."But look at her now!" Mrs.Warner gestured toward the living room.

Cameron stood in the doorway, looking beautiful in her modest Valentino, making a very calculated and effec- tive late entrance.

You have to hand it to her, Adrienne thought. She looks great.

Cameron walked in slowly, as if one of Emma's enor- mous dictionaries were on her head."Thank you so much for coming," she greeted Mrs. Bleecker in a low and per- fectly modulated voice.

Cameron looked at Adrienne, and her eyes narrowed as she took in the Valentino. "And Adrienne!" she said. "What a dress!" She turned to Mrs. Bleecker."Of course, it

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would be more appropriate at a cocktail party, but you really can't expect the nanny to understand such things."

"How true," Mrs.Warner added quickly. "Nannies!"

Mrs. Polk, another cotillion committee woman, was passing by."Oh, is she any good?" she asked Mrs.Warner as if Adrienne weren't standing right there. "I lost mine."

Suddenly there was a cluster of society moms."Was she deported?" asked a woman in Gucci."Mine was. So rude."

"No," Mrs. Polk replied. "I literally lost her. We were in Bergdorf 's, and she handed Lindsay back to me and dis- appeared. Lost like an Herm�s scarf."

"You allow your nanny at social functions?" one of the socialites asked.

Mrs. Warner blanched slightly, then turned to Adrienne. "What are you doing out here?" she asked.

"Excuse me?" Adrienne asked, surprised by the ques- tion. Minutes before the party had started, the COW had demanded Adrienne circulate in case there was anything to be done.

"You should keep Emma occupied," Mrs. Warner instructed, becoming more imperious, obviously putting on a little show for her socialite friends.

"Oh, let her stay out here a little longer," Cameron said sweetly. "There's so much for her to see."

Adrienne glanced sharply at Cameron. Why would she want me out here? Then she saw the reason.

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Brian was standing in the doorway, shifting his weight foot to foot.

Cameron excused herself politely and joined Brian. She slipped her arm through his and beamed at Adrienne.

"Who is that boy?" Mrs. Polk asked. "I've never seen him at any of the charity functions."

Adrienne could see that Brian was having a different impact on the crowd than Cameron might have hoped. There was a hush, and then quite a bit of soft chatter. All the mothers were trying to place Brian.Which, of course, they couldn't.

To Adrienne, Brian looked totally handsome in his Ralph Lauren suit and Charvet tie, but he didn't look very comfortable, as if the clothes didn't belong to him.

"Oh, he's just Cameron's latest boy toy," Mimi said. "Don't worry, she'll tire of him soon enough.'

Mrs.Warner bristled, then laughed."Oh, these girls and their slang. He's just the son of a friend who happened to be in town this weekend. Mimi, let's go get you a tea cake." She took Mimi's arm and hustled her away from the group.

Cameron began circulating through the room, with Brian silent at her side.

Did she tell him he wasn't allowed to speak, Adrienne wondered, or is he feeling horribly tongue-tied?

As she watched, Brian glanced in her direction. His eyes got wide.

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This dress is seriously doing its job. I really need to get Kevyn a thank-you gift. Adrienne crossed the room to Cameron and Brian. "Hi," Adrienne said, smiling warmly at Brian.

"Adrienne," Brian said. "You--wow.You look amaz- ing." He couldn't stop staring at her. She flushed with pleasure.

"Thanks. So do you."

Cameron glared at Adrienne through narrowed eyes. "Don't you have to watch Emma?"

"It's all under control," Adrienne said. "Brian, have you had any of the hors d'oeuvres? I made sure they had your favorites since I thought you might be here."

"Really?" Brian said. "That was thoughtful of you."

Adrienne ducked her head as if she were feeling shy. "Well, you know how much I care about you."

"Brian, let me get you a glass of champagne," Cameron said."Besides, you don't want to get Adrienne in trouble, since she's crashing the party.The longer she's out here, the more likely she'll get caught."

"Oh, of course. Right," Brian said. "See you, Adrienne."

Adrienne watched Cameron stroll off with Brian. Cam glanced back over her shoulder, and then whispered something to Brian.They both laughed.

Knowing Cam, Adrienne thought, that joke is on me.

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