Wedding Dreams: 20 Delicious Nuptial Romances

by Maggie Way

  “We should ignore it. It’s not the first or the last time I’ve been in papers such as Exposed. Bingley and I have talked about a lawsuit and that simply doesn’t appeal to me at this time,” Darcy said stepping from the wall. He looked to the Colonel. “With Henry stepping in to take on more of a role, the focus will come off me eventually.” He glanced at his cousin, and Elizabeth leaned forward because she swore she saw him smile at Henry. Yes, a small slight lift of the lips but a smile nonetheless, and well…it was becoming. And how many words had he just spoken? Incredible.

  “Ignore it? That’s a fine approach indeed,” The Bourgh bit out sarcastically. “Fine. Do it your way.” She stepped toward the sisters. “But know that any more nonsense like this, and I’m pulling out. I can’t afford not to do it. Do you understand me?”

  Elizabeth saw Bill straighten and watched the group with a wide-eyed expression. Something was amiss.

  “Do you? Do you, I ask?’ Lady Catherine shouted.

  “Yes, ma’am,” answered Jane.

  Elizabeth wondered how much plasma it would take to sell combined with a second mortgage to make The Bourgh go away. And her minions, too. Okay, Anne could stay. Maybe even Henry. And Jane seemed to really like Bingley, going all soft and smiley when he was around. Which meant Darcy had to stay as well. Well, poop.

  “Elizabeth?” Lady Catherine leaned over her and stared down, breathing rapidly. Elizabeth imagined smoke coming from her nostrils.

  “Yes?”

  “Do you understand me?”

  Elizabeth shook her head. “Yes, I understand why you are upset, but I don’t understand why you think I can control an outside person, anymore than I can control you. I am not responsible for what my mother does, nor am I responsible for any past experience she—or anyone else for that matter—has had with Mr. Darcy. Can you understand that? We will get bad press. We will fail at certain matches. These are inevitable.” She wanted to say more but didn’t want to press her luck. She needed the new status quo to stay while she worked on finding the funds to buy out The Bourgh. Having her stay as an investor didn’t seem like the best course of action at this point.

  Lady Catherine glared at Elizabeth, who, having grown up with the tyrannical mother who employed similar tactics, was not affected. Well, that and Elizabeth was so ticked off at this whole mess not much penetrated her brain except the anger.

  Lady Catherine slapped her hand on the table once more before swiveling on her heel and storming from the room.

  They all remained quiet, waiting for the sound of the buildings front door to slam. After it came, a collective sigh came from the Meryton staff.

  Bill stood. “I hate to go, but I have a class. I also have my interviews scheduled with Wentworth and”—he regarded his notes—“and Miss Elliot.”

  “Lydia has a full schedule of people coming in to film their intro videos, and I have my interviews scheduled as well.” Elizabeth looked at her schedule.

  “Why can’t they make a video from home and send it in? With Skype and other technology, we can move this company from only servicing the tri-state area to maybe the eastern seaboard?” Anne interjected.

  Elizabeth shook her head. “Don’t think that we haven’t talked about all those options when we opened. We have, but some of these people need a little guidance. Can you imagine the video made by the novice? Some of these people are socially awkward. When they come in-house, Lydia has a way of making them relax, funnily enough, and we get some really charming and authentic videos.” She looked at Bill. “Speaking of which, if you are serious about your application, then you’ll need to do a video.”

  He nodded.

  “Great. Because I put you on the schedule.” She handed him a slip of paper with the date and time. “You’ll be after Lottie.” Elizabeth smiled at him. She didn’t question what had happened to them last Saturday nor did she tease him about any possible connection. No, with Bill, he needed time to process everything as it was happening. Though the blush that colored Lottie’s cheeks every time Elizabeth asked her about their trip into the city was enough of a response to insure Elizabeth knew they’d taken a step in the direction of lovers.

  “Okay, I’ll be here. You say Lotts is coming in as well?” He brushed his hair from his eyes.

  Elizabeth nodded.

  “Well, all right then. I suppose I’ll see you later.” He gave a small wave and left the room.

  Anne cleared her throat. “I know you don’t want to hear this, but I do have a program that looks at the answers to the questionnaire and compares that to other questionnaires. Bill and Lottie’s didn’t match. They don’t come out as a good option for one another.”

  Elizabeth was speechless. Just rethinking about what Anne said made her blood begin to boil. “Anne, I would hope your mother and Mr. Darcy”—she gave him an angry glare—“would know that matching keywords or phrases used to fill out a form does not a marriage make. Neither Bill nor Lottie have taken the personality profile. Neither have talked with me or a spiritual counselor—we will need to find someone else for Bill—and because none of that has been done, a true assessment cannot be made. This isn’t about algorithms.”

  “But it could be,” Darcy said and moved to stand before her. “You could take a fair amount of the guesswork out. Use your manpower for the nitty-gritty stuff. Other companies have tried and succeeded with this model.”

  Elizabeth stared up at him. “But we don’t want to be like other companies. We want to be different. Better. We want them to feel as if this happened naturally and not by a computer. That’s why we’ve limited the amount of computer work for them.”

  He nodded as if this was the first time he’d heard this. “But where does growth come?”

  Well, he had her there, because her answer in the past had been word of mouth. Yet that was proving to not be the case. For them, growth was likely due more to luck than anything.

  She had no answer and thankfully was rescued by Anne.

  “Jane. I think the best thing we can do it push another entry on her vlog. You still want to stick with the same outline we created a few days ago?”

  Elizabeth tore her attention from Darcy in time to see her sister glance to Bingley before turning to Elizabeth.

  “Yes, I suppose. That’s the plan.” She shrugged as if to say, it’s business.

  “Good. So we have your intro ‘I’m looking for a man’ video, and then the ‘Jane in the wild mingling’ video. This one is ‘Jane selects a date’ video. We’ll still shoot it to hide your identity until we’re ready to release that. Not that it’s too hard to figure out. If anyone with half a brain were to search the website they’d figure it out.”

  “Great,” Jane said with a voice lacking so much enthusiasm Elizabeth thought her sister might start to cry. “If you’ll excuse me.” Jane stood and rushed from the room.

  Elizabeth knew her sister was upset and was itching to get to her.

  “If you’ll excuse me as well,” Elizabeth said. She had to push her chair back since Darcy was still very close. If she stood they’d come face to face with little space between them. She gave everyone a quick smile, skirted Darcy, and then made for the door. He caught up with her just outside it.

  “Pardon, Miss Bennet.”

  She turned to face him, wishing she could ignore him and get to Jane.

  “Yes?”

  “I was wondering if you were planning on running tomorrow morning.”

  Of course she was planning on running. How else would she manage this stress? With her run schedule off by a day thanks to this mandatory meeting, Elizabeth was most decidedly running tomorrow.

  “I play it by ear. See how the day starts, but more than likely, yes.” She couldn’t help feeling suspicious.

  “Would you meet me at the cross-section from your house and town. Before you start your run? Six?”

  Elizabeth slammed her mouth shut. “How do you know where I live?”

  “Anne showed me once when we drove b
y. So six works?”

  He had a pleasant face actually. Rugged, like he could be a lumberjack or something other than the corporate jackass he was. Normally she found his eyes cold, distant, but today she could see what might be attractive about them. What had she read once? Something about “meditating on the very great pleasure which a pair of fine eyes in the face of a pretty woman can bestow.” Certainly that applied to men. Men like Darcy. What was the saying?

  “You have lovely eyes,” Darcy mumbled.

  Elizabeth felt her cheeks alight with heat. What a coincidence they were thinking much the same thing?

  Elizabeth nodded. “Yes, six is fine.”

  He studied her as she did him. Then after a quick nod returned to the conference room.

  Elizabeth rushed down the hall and to her office as quickly as she could. She found Jane at her desk, staring out the window.

  “Come on,” she said and pulled her sister up. “We’re getting out of here for a bit.”

  She pulled Jane behind her as she made her way out of the office with only a “we’ll be back” to Kitty.

  Elizabeth waited until they were at least half a block away before she started in on her sister.

  “What’s wrong?” She bumped Jane’s shoulder with her own.

  Jane shook her head.

  “Come on, Jane. Something is bothering you.”

  Jane sighed and stopped walking. “It’s all very overwhelming, isn’t it? And then Mother writing that article. Do you know she asked Chaz how much he made annually and that she was unsure about him because of his choice of friends.”

  “Well, she might have something there. Darcy is a…stiff. I suppose.”

  “Reserved? Isn’t that a better descriptor?” Jane clasped her hands to her face. “Oh, Lizzy. It was awful. She asked all sorts of personal questions, and Chaz just smiled and answered until I could think of an excuse to leave. One time she followed us. I’m surprised he even went to the movies with me the next night, much less stayed the rest of the afternoon at the park.”

  “Is that why you’re upset? Because of Mother?” Lizzy knew her sister well enough to know there had to be more. Mother embarrassing them was nothing new.

  “Don’t you think Chaz is really sweet?” Jane smiled from between her hands.

  “From what I know, yes. But I’m just beginning to know him, so I shall reserve judgment. Come on, let’s get something to eat.” She tugged her sister’s elbow, and they started to walk again.

  “Reserve judgment? Like you have for Darcy?” Jane linked her arm through Elizabeth’s.

  “What are you talking about? Darcy has made his personality known from the beginning. Didn’t I mention that I overheard him tell Henry this place was too country for him?” She pulled Jane close. “Did I also not tell you that when asked if he thought we were pretty, he said I was not pretty enough to tempt him? Or nice enough.”

  Jane gasped then laughed. “Well, you haven’t been very friendly.”

  “Jane!” Elizabeth nudged her again. “Why should he even remark about our appearance after a business meeting? We aren’t matching him or worse—can you imagine—planning on dating him. No, William Darcy is a snob of the first order, and I think there is little reserve left to see if that account should not be true. He continues to prove it repeatedly. And now I have to run with him tomorrow.” She shook her head.

  “Do try and be nice.” Jane squeezed her arm with her own.

  “They are not guests, Jane. They are here to destroy us,” Elizabeth said using her best outer space voice.

  “They are here to do a job, and then they will leave. I am here to do a job as well, and that includes those videos.”

  “Do you regret making them?” Elizabeth asked in a lowered voice as if Jane might divulge her true feelings if she were allowed to whisper them.

  “They are serving a purpose, so no. How could I?”

  But the lack of eye contact and certainty in her words indicated to Elizabeth that those sentiments might not be true.

  “You could always stop them. You’ve just started, so it’s not like you’re halfway through and deciding it quit. We could do one more and end them. Do a wrap-up one.”

  They’d reached Lottie’s café, and Elizabeth held open the door for Jane.

  “No, I made a commitment to this. I’ll see it through.” This time she said it with more determination.

  Elizabeth stopped her sister from going further into the café by grabbing her hand. “You can tell me anything. You know. Anything. You don’t always have to bundle it up.”

  Jane swatted at Elizabeth and pulled her hand free. “Stop. You’re being silly. I’m not bundling anything. Everything is fine. How's that table?” Jane moved to the one by the window.

  “Sure,” was all Elizabeth could answer. Experience had taught her Jane was done with the conversation. “I’ll go place the order, you want the usual?”

  Jane nodded and took a seat.

  At the counter Elizabeth found Lottie staring out the window, her phone in her hand, a startled expression on her face.

  “Lottie? Are you okay?” she asked.

  Lottie didn’t move.

  Elizabeth clapped loudly. “Hello! You in there?”

  Lottie jerked and then blinked several times.

  “Oh my God, Lizzy, you are not going to believe what just happened!” Her blank expression quickly transformed into one of amazement.

  “I take it this is something good.”

  Lottie rushed from around the counter and came to stand before her. In a lowered voice she said, “John Thorpe just offered to mass produce a line of my themed cupcakes and distribute them in the tri-state area.”

  “This is very good!” Elizabeth said and pulled her friend into a hug. “Congratulations! Come on, come tell Jane. When is this happening?”

  “Soon I guess. He’s coming up tomorrow to work out the deal. I’m going to need a lawyer, and maybe I should get a power suit or something.” Lottie returned her hug. “Me, little Lottie Lucas is going into expanded distribution. However did I get so lucky? I can’t wait to tell Bill.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  Elizabeth rose early, dressed for her run, and did her warm-up stretch outside her house. Though the air was cool, there was a moisture clinging to it that boded of impending hot days and, in Elizabeth’s case, frizzy hair. She cut across Mr. Yelvington’s pasture, the dew collecting on her shoes and ankles and forcing her forward.

  Why ever did he want to run with her? Would they try and talk? Ignore each other? However this went down, it was going to be awkward. Painfully so.

  Turning the corner she saw him waiting across the street, stretching his legs. She wanted to turn around and go back home. But face him now or face him later, it was inevitable that he be a part of her day somehow. But must he be a part of the bits that were her favorite? Running was a cathartic, vent-her-hate process. He was going to disrupt her groove, for sure.

  She didn’t call out a greeting or wave, just crossed the road to where he waited. Instantly, she felt his scrutiny.

  “Good morning, Mr. Darcy,” she said.

  “Miss Bennet.” He nodded briskly.

  Perhaps if they developed a bit of familiarity or cordiality, this wouldn’t all be so awful.

  “You can call me…” She didn’t want him to call her Lizzy, which was too familiar and reserved for her friends. “Elizabeth. We do work together and need not stay so formal.”

  He switched to stretching the other leg. “It’s because we work together that I call you Miss Bennet and will continue to do so.” He pulled his leg back, grasping it at the heel, the powerful muscles contracting and bulging.

  Beauty really was skin deep, because at first glance William Darcy was…well…striking. Handsome even. He was powerfully built and with business acumen. But his arrogance and conceit were nauseating. And infuriating.

  “I suppose there is little traffic,” he mumbled while surveying the area.

&nbs
p; “There will be some delivery trucks, some of the farmers, but the town begins to pick up after eight.” She began her own stretches and wondered if she dragged this portion out would he go on without her.

  He moved onto his arms, bending one and then the other behind his head. “I’m interested in knowing which direction is your path. I want to make sure that on this run our paths don’t cross or if they have to cross it will be minimally.”

  “Ah.” Wait, what? They weren’t running together. Fantastic. Right? “I follow this road down to the lake, which I run counterclockwise twice, sometimes three times. I return back to this road and go down about three blocks before I turn left, across two blocks, turn up and that’s the main road.”

  “Is it three blocks or not?”

  “I’m sorry? Is what three blocks?” She readjusted her ponytail. Tugging it tightly, envisioning his neck.

  “Do you go down three blocks? You said about. I was hoping for something more specific.” He was now stretching his arms across his chest.

  “I’m not sure. I’ve been running this forever and the specifics have blurred. I turn at Mrs. Phillips’ house, which I believe might be three blocks from the lake.”

  “If I go over two blocks and then down will I come to the lake from the other side?”

  She nodded. “You know, most people—new to an area—might drive the path they intend to run. That’s also a good way to measure the distance.”

  His response was to stare at her like she’d suggested something archaic and beneath him. Gak! She really didn’t like this guy. His life must be so easy. Filled with people doing whatever he said. Like her, meeting him here. He didn’t need to drive by and map out his path. He had her. Another lackey to do the job. Being manipulated by people in any fashion only resulted in her shutting them out, resolved to never offer a second chance, and firmed her opinion of said person. Darcy had joined that lot.

  “Do you need me for anything else or might I start my run?” She tugged her ear buds from her pockets, thankful she’d brought them. She’d considered leaving them at home for worry it might make her appear rude if he had expected to talk.