"Bennett, Cherie - Sunset Island 005 - Sunset Reunion (b)" - читать интересную книгу автора (Bennett Cherie)

Mark nodded. "See you in a jiffy!"
"I think I need to get new luggage," Carrie muttered.
"It doesn't matter," Emma said kindly.
"Yeah, she can say that because her stuff is carefully encased in white leather designer luggage," Sam snorted.
"I can't believe this is happening!" Carrie said, eager to change the subject. She was all set to have the time of her life, and she was not about to let Sam's silly snipes about Emma's wealth cause any tension between them. "I had no idea someone from the magazine was going to meet me, let alone rent a car for me!"
"Too bad they didn't rent Mark for you," Sam said.
Emma laughed. "Did anyone besides me
ever suggest that you have a one-track mind?"
"He is cute," Carrie agreed. She looked over at Mark, standing by the baggage carousel. He was not too tall but well built, his auburn hair just brushed the back of his collar, and his brown eyes radiated a warmth and intelligence that Carrie found really appealing.
"Ooh, serious hot flash when he bent over to pick up your suitcase," Sam said, nudging Carrie in the ribs and pointing to Mark's buns.
"She's hopeless!" Emma decided.
Mark had their suitcases loaded on a cart, which the skycap wheeled over to them. "Okay, I'll just run out and bring the car around, and we'll be off," he said.
"I've got to remember to call my parents when we get to the hotel," Sam said, slipping on some sunglasses. "I sort of told them I might come home in a few days, so that I'd be there for Christmas day and New Year's."
"Did you ever have any intention of doing that?" Emma asked with surprise.
"Not really," Sam admitted. "They just were driving me nuts on the phone."
"My parents were disappointed that I wouldn't be home for Christmas, either," Carrie said. "I just wish I could be two places at once. We've always had the greatest times, decorating the tree, singing carolsЧand my dad makes his world-famous eggnog," she reminisced wistfully.
Emma attempted a smile, but it didn't work. She really couldn't relate to the idea of warm, loving parents who cared if she was around for a holiday. Her parents had been embroiled in a messy divorce for almost two years. As soon as it became final, her father was planning to marry a twenty-three-year-old girl Emma had never even met. And her mother was no better. A totally self-involved woman, desperate to stay -young, she had recently become engaged to a twenty-four-year-old artist named Austin Payne. Even after Emma's mother had found out that Austin was cheating on her, she'd made excuses for him and taken him back. It seemed like both her parents were intent on finding partners closer to their daughter's age than to their own. Emma found it horribly embarrassing.
Neither parent had ever stayed in Boston for Christmas. When Emma was a child,
she'd simply jetted off with them to whichever playground of the rich and famous they were headed for that year. But now that she was grown up, she wasn't about to follow either of them to St. Moritz or the French Riviera.
"You're so lucky, Emma," Sam said.
"What?" Emma asked, startled back from her thoughts.
"That you don't have to report in to Mommy and Daddy like some total child," Sam said with a sigh. "I cannot imagine being both rich and free. It must be heaven."
"Okay, ready when you are," Mark said, coming up to them quickly.
They headed out into the bright sunshine and got into the gleaming white car parked at the curb.
"Did you want to drive?" Mark asked Carrie before he got in. "I mean, it is your car."
"Yeah, but I have no idea where I'm going," Carrie laughed, getting in the passenger side.
They quickly got on to the freeway. As they got off the freeway and drove towards the beach front, stores and apartment build-
ings gave way to elegant hotels. When Mark turned the car onto the strip of property that lined Miami Beach, the hotels were the most luxurious and impressive of all.
"Regency Beach," Sam read, ogling the h'mos that lined the circular drive leading to their hotel.
The Regency Beach was the most famous of the famous hotels on Miami Beach. Everyone from Madonna to Bob Hope had stayed there. Huge white marble pillars stood in front of the building, each illuminated by colored lights reflecting from one of four fountains. Crushed glass enmeshed in the white stone of the hotel caught the sunlight and glistened like tiny diamonds.
The members of the staff were dressed in pristine white tuxedos with the Regency Beach logo embroidered in peacock blue on their left shoulder. Sam noted how cute the girls looked in their white tuxedo uniforms and made a mental note to get one some time.
"Pinch me, I'm dreaming," Sam said as they walked into the lobby. The lobby itself reversed the color scheme, with a lush peacock blue carpet laid over gleaming white marble floors.
"Since Graham and his band are staying here, we thought this would be the most convenient place for you to stay, too," Mark explained.
They^registered quickly and headed up to their room, a bellhop following them with their luggage.
"Oh wow, you can see the ocean from here!" Sam screamed, racing to the window as soon as she got into the room.
This okay?" Mark asked the girls as he handed the bellhop a tip.
"This is . . . unbelievable," Carrie breathed.
The corner room had sliding glass doors that opened onto a balcony overlooking the ocean. The large room accommodated two double beds, a luxurious dressing table and a separate area containing a sofa and table, several chairs, a bar and a refrigerator.
Carrie noticed a large basket of fruit wrapped in red cellophane on the dresser. She read the tiny card that was attached: Thanks for coming to my rescue. Rick.
"He didn't have to do that," Carrie said to Mark. "I feel like I'm the one who should be thanking him for the assignment."
Mark grinned. "He doesn't do it for every-
one," he said. "He must think a lot of your photography."
"I'm not kidding, I could do a swan dive to the ocean from here!" Sam called from the patio. "You guys have to see this!"
"So here's the schedule," Mark told Carrie. "Faith will meet you in the lobby at one o'clock so you two can spend a couple of hours with Graham just hanging out, talking, taking pictures in his room. He's already okayed that. Then Rock On is giving a cocktail party for Graham at five o'clock in the penthouse suiteЧyou can bring your friends to that. The concert starts tonight at ten, and that's about it," he concluded. "You cool with all that?"
"Sounds great," Carrie agreed.
"Okay, well, if you need anything, I'm in room eleven-eighty-two," Mark said, flashing his terrific grin. "Hey, nice to meet you!" he called to Sam and Emma, who were leaning on the balcony railing with their faces tilted up to the sun.
"Can you believe all this?" Carrie asked her friends as she joined them out on the balcony.
"I thought Sunset Island was guy-watching paradise," Sam said, "but that was
before I saw Miami. Just look down there. It's a guy smorgasboard!"
"Well, you two can go enjoy it," Carrie said. "I have to go meet Faith in the lobby in twenty minutes, then we're going to Graham's room. I cant wait to see him again!"