"Bennett, Cherie - Sunset Island 009 - Sunset Scandal" - читать интересную книгу автора (Bennett Cherie)

Darcy looked terrific and seemed completely comfortable in her own skin.
"Hey, anyone want to go for a swim?" Sam asked, sitting up and slipping her sunglasses into her beachbag. "I think I'd better go do something about the monsters. They're in the deep end talking to two college guys. They probably told them they're eighteen," she said with a groan.
"Who are the monsters?" Darcy asked, getting up.
Sam began to explain about Becky and Allie Jacobs, the girls she was caring for, as she and Darcy walked away.
"I like her," Carrie decided. "She's very direct."
"I like her, too," Emma said, "although I'm not sure Sam does."
"No, I think she does. They seem to be having a good conversation," Carrie pointed out. "You'd expect them to clash a little, though, since Sam's pretty direct herself. Did you ever notice how often people dislike a quality in other people that they have themselves?"
Emma laughed. "Carrie, you were in the right line when God handed out brains."
"And looks. And personality. And modesty!" Carrie added with mock innocence.
"Whew! The water's great!" Darcy said as she padded back over to the girls a few minutes later and picked up her towel.
"Where did you learn to dive like that?" Carrie asked her.
"I have three older brothers," Darcy said with a grin. "Living hi my house, I pretty much had to learn to play any sport ever invented."
Just then a dripping Sam arrived. "Three older brothers?" she echoed, wiggling her eyebrows. She began to towel-dry her wet hair. "Cute older brothers?"
"So I've been told," Darcy said. "You guys will have to meet them sometime." She looked at her watch. "I'm going to have to run. Simon is watching Molly, but she hates it when I'm gone for any length of time."
"Sounds like being an au pair," Sam said. "Except our kids are younger."
"Well, Molly is my job, but she's also my friend," Darcy said.
"Hey, I didn't meanЧ" Sam began.
"I know you didn't," Darcy said, hoisting
her beachbag over her shoulder. "Listen; thanks again for the invite. I had fun,"
"Hey, do you want to go to a party tonight?" Sam asked Darcy. "There's going to be a real blowout at our friend's house."
"I'd love to, but I know I'd never convince Molly to come to a party," Darcy said with a shrug.
"Well, how about lunch tomorrow, then?" Emma asked, sitting up. "The three of us have already made plans to meet at the Play Cafe about one o'clock. You think you could get Molly out for lunch?"
"It's a good place to start," Darcy said. "I'll give it a try." She pulled her sunglasses out of her bag. "So with any luck, Molly and I will see you guys tomorrow. Bye!"
"I really like her," Sam said as they watched Darcy walk away.
"Really?" Emma asked. "I wasn't sure you did."
"Well, I didn't at first," Sam admitted. "But you should have heard her with Becky just now. Just as I suspected, Becky and Allie told those guys they were eighteen instead of thirteen," she said ruefully. "So Darcy told Becky that the guy she was
talking toЧsee that guy down there with the curly black hair? Him." Sam pointed him out. "Well, Darcy told Becky that guy had gotten thrown out of college for stealing. So Becky went and asked the guy and he said no, but the other guy laughed and said, 'You are such a liar, Johnson!'"
"How did Darcy know that?" Carrie asked. "Does she know him?"
"Nope," Sam said. "Those guys go to Penn State. I asked Darcy how she knew, and she said it was a lucky guess."
"That's pretty strange," Carrie said. "Do you think she has ESP or something?"
"I think she's a witch," Sam said whimsically, settling down on her lounge chair, "and she fits right in with that spook house she lives in. Anyway, I make a point never to get on the bad side of a witch." Sam closed her eyes. "Wake me if one of the monsters drowns."
Carrie chuckled and got a book out of her bag, but Emma wasn't laughing. No matter how normal Darcy Laken looked, there was definitely something strange about the girl.
"You look great," Kurt told Emma as he took her into his arms. They had arrived at Howie Lawrence's house just in time to catch the beginning of a Michael Bolton ballad coming through the speakers.
"Thanks," Emma said demurely, lacing her fingers behind Kurt's neck. She'd worn a plain, short white linen shift that she knew Kurt liked. "You're looking pretty tasty yourself," she added with a grin. Kurt had on faded jeans and a soft, well-worn denim shirt. A red bandana was tied around his head.
She moved closer to him until she could feel the cotton of his shirt under her cheek. "Mmm, this feels terrific," she whispered in his ear.
"Hi, guys, glad you could make it!" Howie said, coming up beside them and giving Emma a friendly hug.
"Great party," Kurt told him. "There must be a hundred people in here!"
"I aim to please," Howie said with a grin. He pushed his glasses farther up his noseЧ they always seemed to be slipping down. "Have you seen Carrie?"
Howie had a huge crush on Carrie, Emma knew, which unfortunately for Howie wasn't reciprocated. "She had to babysit," Emma said.
Howie's face fell. "Maybe she's coming later?" he asked hopefully. "I mean, we'll be partying till dawn."
"I don't think so, Howie," Emma said. "Sorry."
"Well, tell her I was asking about her, okay?"
"Sure," Emma said with a kind smile.
"That guy has a great attitude," Kurt said after Howie had walked away.
"Mooning over a girl who isn't interested in him?" Emma asked, slipping easily back into Hurt's arms.
"No, I mean never giving up," Kurt said,
encircling Emma's tiny waist. "He's crazy about that girl, and he doesn't care who knows it."
Emma lifted her head from Kurt's shoulder and looked at him. "Are you that crazy about me?"
"Fishing for compliments, eh?" Kurt asked with a grin.
"Yes," Emma answered, grinning back.