"That's right." I sat down next to her. "Do you think they ever think about us?"

Stacey twisted a lock of blonde hair around her finger and frowned. "Probably just once in a while. Toby was really cute, wasn't he?"

I nodded. Toby was one of those totally cool boys (really Stacey's type), but I preferred Alex. Alex was the first mother's helper I ever met who was a guy! Alex was great with kids, and we hit it off right from the start.

"Whatever happened to that ring he gave you?" Alex and I exchanged rings on our last night in Sea City, but it didn't mean there was anything really serious between us. (Plus, I didn't know Logan then.) We found this place where you can buy rings and have stuff engraved on them for five dollars each. Alex has a ring with my initials and I have one with his.

"Um, I'm not sure. It's either in the bottom of my dresser drawer, or in a shoe box in my closet."

Stacey pretended to be shocked. "I thought you slept with it under your pillow every night."

I knew she was just teasing. I don't even think of Alex in a romantic way, especially since I've met Logan. I guess Alex played an

important part in my life, though, because he was the first boy I was ever interested in.

"Wouldn't it be funny if Alex and Toby showed up again?"

I didn't get a chance to answer because Claire bolted into the room just then and wrapped herself around my knees.

"Can we go to the beach, please, please, please, Mary Anne-silly-billy-goo-goo?"

"We have to finish unpacking," I told her, and Claire's mouth turned down, just like one of those Greek masks that are supposed to stand for "tragedy."

Then she brightened. "What if I help?" she asked. She picked up one of my T-shirts and held it up to her chest. It hung all the way down to her knees.