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"I thought you were going in search of William," Olivia reminded Lizzy who was entreating Olivia not to mention the sleeping bag incident to William.
"Livy!" Jane and Charles turned their heads in the direction of Lizzy's outburst. Lizzy dragged Olivia into the living room. "You can't tell William I got stuck in a sleeping bag with another man!" she hissed.
"Surely, he didn't think that he was your first, did he?" Olivia asked archly.
"Well, no, but that's no reason to tell him about the most embarrassing moment of my life!"
"I can't help it if neither of you seemed to know how to operate a zipper..."
"Livy...please?" Olivia laughed.
"Oh, this is too good! I believe this is where I name my price..." Olivia smiled smugly as she pulled out her knitting and sat down near a lamp. Lizzy glowered at her as she pulled out her own bag and fished out her half-finished vest.
Three drinks later, William had yet to devise a strategy for getting Lizzy to the altar, not that either man minded. They were merely enjoying their whiskey as William extolled Lizzy's virtues.
"Look," Richard said finally, as he felt his head beginning to buzz. "This is getting us nowhere. Why don't you just tell her all this stuff instead of boring me to tears with it?" William shot Richard an offended look.
"I have."
"Have you asked her to marry you?"
"She won't let me." William pouted again as he poured out more whiskey.
"Well, there's your problem. Who's the man in this relationship?" Richard declared. William looked up at his cousin, albeit somewhat groggily.
"I thought you liked modern women. You always said that they were better at calling the shots in relationships."
"I said that? Me? Was I sober at the time?" William shrugged. "Look, cousin. Where Lizzy is concerned, forget everything I've ever said, okay. Just do what I say."
"What's that?" For a reply Richard gestured with his hands, but William couldn't read the message.
"Just ask her to marry you. Trust me. She'll say yes." William burst out laughing.
"That's ridiculous. That'll never work! It's ludicrous! Insane!" Richard joined him in laughter but he suddenly grew serious.
"It worked for Bings. He's engaged, you know."
"I know."
"It worked for me, too." William frowned.
"You said you weren't engaged."
"Yeah. Bummer," Richard shrugged. "Anyway, trust me. With Lizzy it'll work. Why do you think she won't let you ask her?" William ran his hand through his hair before he shrugged dramatically.
"Because," Richard replied in a stage whisper, "You are irresistible."
"What?" William cried.
"Shhh..." Richard gestured for William to lean in closer. "If you asked her to marry you, no way could she refuse! Therefore, her only defense is to keep you from popping the question."
"Richard Fitzwilliam that is the most ludicrous thing I've ever heard. I think you're drunk."
"Perhaps I am, but I am also right. Mark my words."
"I suppose you're irresistible to Olivia?" William smirked.
"Naturally!" William sat back and thought for a moment. There was a knock on the door and Lizzy poked her head in.
"Is this a private party or--. Uh oh, you boys have been very bad... Livy!" Olivia came down the hall and entered the study where the two men sat around the nearly empty bottle.
"What should we do with these reprobates?"
"Well, I'd advocate taking advantage of them, but they are probably too far gone to appreciate it. Come on, tiger," she said to Richard, who rose to his feet and followed her from the room with amazing steadiness. Lizzy was left alone with William, who was grinning at her foolishly.
"I love you," he said as he poured the last of the whiskey into his glass.
"Really?" Lizzy sat in his lap and took the glass from his fingers.
"Hey!" Before he could speak, Lizzy swallowed the entire contents. It was some time before she regained the power of speech. William laughed at her the whole time.
"Come on up," Richard said. "The view is much better from here." Olivia was doubtful, but she scrambled onto the hood of the Range Rover and took Richard's hand and awkwardly climbed onto the roof. "Come on!" Richard urged.
"I thought it would be a good idea not to break the windshield," Olivia grunted as she gained purchase and settled next to Richard.
"So what do you think?" he asked expectantly.
"Of what? I don't see anything but trees and the odd squirrel."
"Well, that's because we haven't built anything yet. But this is where I'd like to put the house."
"Where?"
"Here!" Richard gestured all around himself.
"You're going to knock down all those trees?" Olivia gasped.
"No, not necessarily. We could build the house over there, and face out toward this view. But what do you think of the place in general?" Olivia looked at Richard and stifled the list of questions that she had about drainage, septic systems, and water supply. She looked into his eyes and saw his dream. Richard's vision was to build a home for the two of them to start a new life in. Olivia realized that she was increasingly eager to live that dream, although she couldn't quite bring herself to say so out loud.
"It's a beautiful place. Can I have a bicycle so I can drop in on Lizzy from time to time?" Richard smiled.
"So you think that Lizzy's going to be a neighbor, too?" Richard asked as he wrapped his arms around Olivia.
"It's a lead pipe cinch, whatever that means. She and William are just meant for each other and if Lizzy would just stop being such a fraidy cat and William would stop deferring to her reluctance, they might just get somewhere," Olivia exclaimed exasperatedly.
"That's precisely what I told Fitz last night!" Olivia looked up at Richard.
"I doubt if either of you said anything coherent last night," Olivia retorted.
"We didn't have that much to drink," Richard protested. "I don't even have a hangover."
"Did you know that you were speaking with a brogue by the time we reached the house last night? Grandma Bess was quite amused." Richard colored as he remembered what he was singing to Olivia when she led him upstairs to his room.
Lizzy opened one eye and quickly shut it tightly again. She slowly rolled over and tapped William. He made a grunting noise. She continued to tap him until he grabbed hold of her hand and stopped her.
"The next time you offer to teach me how to drink whiskey properly, remind me to punch your lights out," Lizzy said. William laughed and Lizzy lifted her head to silence him with a stare.
"Fuzzy headed?" he teased. "Well, you shouldn't have gulped it down like that."
"It wasn't..." Lizzy continued in a lower voice. "It wasn't the gulp that got to me. It's the two "educational" shots you gave me afterwards." William laughed again, albeit more quietly. "And here Livy and I thought you two had consumed that whole bottle between you."
"We had enough," William smiled. "About as much as you did."
"Then why aren't you cringing at the sound of your voice like I am?" Lizzy complained.
"Well, you have considerably less body mass than Fitz or me, consequently we got a nice buzz while you were pickled." Lizzy pouted.
"You didn't take advantage of me while I was pickled, did you," she asked as she peeked under the covers.
"Madam, I'm a gentleman!" William said in mock horror. "I've been waiting for you to wake up," he laughed, and Lizzy buried her head under a pillow.
Olivia reached through the window of the Range Rover (with the aid of Richard, who held onto the back of her jeans) and retrieved her Companion. She leaned back against Richard and brought the machine to life, and opened up the file they'd been making on their dream house. Olivia pulled up the floor plan and the rough specs on the space needed for the house and the landscaped area around it. It was not a big house by Fitzwilliam standards. Since Richard stood to inherit Fitzwilliam House eventually, the house they planned on was rather modest. It was designed to be a starter home that could later be used by another member of the family, or for an extended stay by guests. The house had, therefore, only four bedrooms and five baths, and a thousand feet of space over the four-car garage was reserved for offices for the two computer executives. Richard and Olivia looked over the elevations and tried to picture the house in the setting Richard picked out. They were deeply involved in a discussion about the position of the house when William's Lexus SUV pulled up behind the Rover.
"Private party, or can anyone join?" William asked as he got out of the vehicle. He was dressed in a hooded sweat suit, old sneakers, and an F/F Christmas baseball cap, the first things he found when he got out of bed and realized the hour. Olivia had never seen him dressed so casually. Richard invited him up onto the roof of the vehicle, but William just climbed up onto the hood and sat.
"Where's Lizzy?" Richard asked.
"Long story," William shook his head. "So what are you two up to?" Olivia handed him the Companion and William looked at the proposed plan. "A bit small, isn't it?"
"It's not like we need a really big place, Fitz. We're destined for the big house, eventually, so we planned something rather simple."
"No library."
"Nope."
"No playroom?"
"Finished basement space." William nodded.
"Impressive kitchen," William smiled at Olivia. She winked back. "So," he said after a few minutes, "Essentially, you're building a glorified guest cottage." Richard sniffed at his conclusion, but he had to admit William had a point.
"Well...yes, I guess so. What we want is a little place for ourselves, close enough to rest of the family, but far enough away to give us a little privacy. The guesthouses lack a family room, and the kitchens are too small, and we need a lot of office space. Plus they only have two bedrooms apiece, and we'd need more..." Richard slid on his belly down to the hood of the Rover and sat up. He took the Companion from William and found the list of essentials that he and Olivia had drawn up before they began looking for a house. Olivia, meanwhile, stretched out on her back and stared at the morning sky.
It was hard to believe that she and Richard were discussing building a house. As soon as the Cook's Companion and the two web sites were launched, they intended to start interviewing architects. They had only been dating "officially" since December 20th but there was nothing rushed about the development of their relationship, save for Richard's precipitous proposal. After that, things flowed smoothly between the pair. They had become virtually inseparable and hopelessly in love. Olivia thought back to that day in September when she first laid eyes on Richard on her porch. Although she could trace her love for Richard to the precise moment their eyes met, she had no idea at the time that her feelings for him would ever be requited or that the phone call Lizzy forced her into making to him just before Thanksgiving would signify the start of the most wonderful thing that ever happened to her. Now they were planning to build a home together, and then they would get married. Olivia had already been talking to a longtime family friend about the possibility of selling her house in Elverson at some point in the foreseeable future.
Olivia carefully rolled onto her abdomen and observed Richard dreamily as he spoke with his cousin. Who knew that things would work out like this? She thought about the hours she had spent listening to Lizzy talk about her feelings for both men. Olivia never dreamed that she would end up with one of them or that she could find such happiness with him. Olivia smiled as she listened to William and Richard's conversation. To his credit, William was asking the kind of questions Olivia had planned on asking until her enthusiasm ran away with her. Like Olivia, William had a keen analytical mind and so he immediately began to ask about pragmatic concerns and whether it might not be better to build on higher ground.
"That's kind of what I was thinking," Olivia admitted from her perch. "I mean I love this space, but it is on low ground, Fizz." William looked up at the use of Richard's old nickname. He watched Olivia with new interest as she slipped off the roof and onto the ground and began to walk up to the top of a small hill. Richard and William followed her. As they did, William felt envious of Richard. Olivia's apparent enthusiasm for commitment and made him understand what Richard meant when he said an engagement wasn't important. William found it hard to believe that Olivia and his cousin had come so far in their relationship in half the amount of time he'd been involved with Lizzy.
"Ah!" Olivia cried when she crested the hill and looked around. As beautiful as the land below was, the land on top of the hill was even prettier. Richard emitted a low whistle.
"Babe, you're a genius," he said as he wrapped his arms and nuzzled her neck.
"I believe I was the one who first suggested moving to higher ground," William smirked.
"Well, I'm still kissing her instead, if you don't mind."
"Be my guest, Fizz," William said smugly as he looked at the Companion's screen and began to imagine the house on the acreage before him, but he was distracted by Richard, who was speaking into Olivia's ear about the house and the grounds and their future together. William closed the file and shut the Companion. At that moment he decided that if Richard could find such happiness with Olivia, then he could find happiness with Lizzy. All he had to do was convince Lizzy that marriage was the key to true happiness.
"...And, by the way, this is entirely your fault, I might add!"
"Excuse me, Livy, but how the heck can your canceling a dinner date with me be my fault?" Lizzy laughingly asked.
"Well, you're the one who spilled the beans about my birthday. Now I have to endure a whole day of being spoiled," Olivia complained.
"Really? Do tell!"
"Well, first of all, I was allowed to sleep late instead of being dragged out of bed at 6:00 a.m. for basic training. And Richard 'made' breakfast, if you count slicing fruit into granola as cooking."
"It's the thought that counts," Lizzy reminded her.
"When I got to the office I found a vase of lilacs on my desk that was so huge it took me two minutes to find my computer," Olivia continued as Lizzy laughed. "The card invited me to a special romantic dinner for two."
"No lunch?"
"I have a working meeting today."
"Oh. Well, I don't know why you're complaining. Richard is such a sweetie boy! He's just trying to show how much he loves you."
"I know that, but he's making such a fuss."
"And you're afraid that since you didn't let him buy you a car..."
"...He's going to go over the top. And, meanwhile, I still have nothing to wear to the launch party."
"That's why they invented catalogs, hon. Better yet: web sites. Let your fingers do the walking," Lizzy suggested.
"You're just saying that because you already have your dress!"
"I know," Lizzy admitted as she opened an e-mail from William.
Don't you ever get off the phone?
"I have to go, Livy. Why don't we reschedule for later in the week? I think I'm free Wednesday."
"I'll have to let you know after I've consulted 'sweetie boy'." Olivia hung up the phone just as Ed Ferrars knocked and poked his head into Olivia's office.
"Are you all set for the meeting?"
"Oh, are they here?"
"No," Ed said as he took a seat. "It smells like a garden in here," he added absently as he craned his neck around the vase to peek at Olivia. She smiled apologetically and rose to move it.
"Special occasion?"
"Uh...yes," she said, hoping Ed wouldn't ask anything more. Olivia sat down and opened her publicity file. "William and I just finished our meeting with Gardiner. He's going to be providing his services to a few other Darcy Corporation projects as well as DARCO. Oh, and by the way, Gardiner informed me that someone will be replacing Ken Hunt on our campaign. Seems he had a nasty run-in with a pickup truck over the weekend."
"Ooh, was he badly hurt?"
"Enough to put him out of circulation for a couple of weeks, precisely when we need him most." Olivia frowned.
"Maybe we should send him flowers. So who's replacing him?"
"Jade Ng."
"I met someone named Jade around Christmas. I always thought that was a pretty name."
"Well, let's hope she's up to speed with what Ken was working on. I don't want to have to reinvent the wheel just before the launch," Ed said.
"Yes. We got some of the promotional stuff in on Friday afternoon, by the way. Have you seen it?" Ed shook his head and Olivia opened her drawer and pulled out a press kit for the Companion launch. "Well, the normal thing to do for a computer launch is to give out things like mouse pads. For the Cook's Companion, I thought something more interesting than the usual burgundy DARCO mouse pad was in order." She tossed several mouse pads onto her desk. Ed immediately smiled at the mouse pads that depicted and were shaped like fried eggs, tomato slices, and pieces of toast.
"Where on earth did you find these?" he asked.
"Ken scared up a company that made them on special order. They'll go into all the press kits along with the DARCO baseball cap, and notepad. I will also be passing out a separate kit for the websites, and those will include the mouse pads, Cook's Companion notepads and wooden spoons. I have no idea what Ken came up with for the Traveler's Companion."
"Mouse pads shaped like Europe, perhaps. Uh, wooden spoons?" Olivia shrugged.
"Ken's idea. Poor Ken..." Ed patted Olivia on her shoulder as the two headed for the conference room. When they entered, Olivia realized that the Jade she'd met at Christmas and the Jade standing before her were one and the same.
"Livy, I'd like you to meet Jade Ng. Jade, this is--."
"We've met," Jade interrupted. "Hi, Livy, it's great to see you again and I really look forward to working with you." Jade took Olivia's hand and pumped it, and something in her demeanor made Olivia wary. Her whole attitude was somewhat artificial.
"Hello, Jade. Sorry to hear about Ken's accident, but I'm glad to hear that you're enthusiastic about joining the team. We only have ten days till the launch of the Companion series and the two web sites, so you'll have to be brought up to speed as quickly as possible." Jade smiled, but was inwardly insulted by the suggestion that she was out of the loop. The trio sat down with the other members of the project team. Jade quickly came to understand that although Ed Ferrars was the official head of the project team, he often as not deferred to the project's creative director. Olivia had already mapped out a vision for the launch with Ken, so the meeting was largely devoted to working out a timetable for the events scheduled over the next two weeks.
William sat in his office thinking about what he had seen between Olivia and Richard the day before. He wanted to be like them; he wanted more than anything else to be planning his own future with Lizzy. He just had to figure out how to make it happen. He was mulling over just how to do that when his phone rang.
"Hello, Will," Bess said to her grandson.
"Grandma Bess! To what do I owe this unexpected pleasure?" William said with a smile.
"I just found an invitation to a party in the mail. Oh dear, they've misspelled your name!"
"What?" William asked in alarm.
"You should have someone check this William. It's dreadful!"
"What do you mean? What's wrong?"
"They wrote D-A-R-C-O instead of D-A-R-C-Y. And they did it all over this thing." William laughed at his grandmother's mistake.
"The spelling is correct, Grandma Bess. DARCO is the name of my computer company."
"Oh. Does Richard own anything significant?"
"He owns half of Fitzwilliam/Fitzwilliam, a sizeable share of The Darcy Group, and an impressive portfolio of blue chip stocks."
"Then he's doing all right?"
"Yes, Grandma, he's doing very well."
"I don't see him working as hard as you."
"Well, fortunately for him, he doesn't have to," William observed.
"Are you sure about that?"
"Grandma Bess, Richard is the principle in one business, I am a principle in six, and his net worth is still larger than mine." And he's won the heart of a woman who's willing to build a life with him as well, lucky dog!
"If you say so. I worry about him sometimes." William held the phone away from his head and gaped at it for a moment.
"So are you coming to the party?" William asked.
"Do you think I'd miss out on a chance to see you in a tuxedo? I suppose you already have a date," Bess pouted.
"Yes, I do, but I'd ditch her for you any day," William replied gallantly.
"No, no. You escort Lizzy. She'll look far better on your arm that I would. But I thought I might take advantage of you a bit before the party..."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, it's been a while since I was in the city. I thought I'd come down and visit my two favorite grandsons. I think I'll come down a few days before the party and acclimate myself." William frowned in confusion.
"Acclimate yourself?" he repeated.
"I'll come down on Monday and spend a few days with you, if that's all right."
"Well, you're certainly welcome to visit, Grandma Bess. However, I should warn you that I'll be fairly busy right before the launch."
"Oh, don't mind me, I'll find some way to amuse myself. I'll do the museums and play pinochle with Mrs. Reynolds or something." William laughed.
"I look forward to your visit, Grandma.
When the meeting ended, Olivia looked at her watch and mentioned to no one in particular that she had to call William. Jade rose from her seat and asked Olivia if she could speak with her. Olivia invited Jade to come to her office, where Jade proceeded to run through much of the ground covered in the meeting all over again.
"I just wanted to double check with you, since you were so concerned about my not being 'up to speed,'" Jade smiled archly. Olivia returned the bland smile. "Nice flowers." Jade observed, as she inhaled the sweet lilac scent. From a man, I take it?"
"Yes, they're from Richard," Olivia said. She wistfully fingered the card that came with them as she spoke, anticipating the special evening Richard had planned to celebrate her birthday.
"He should have sent roses," Jade commented, breaking Olivia's reverie. "They're more romantic, don't you think?"
"I think it's terribly romantic that Richard remembered that I love lilacs," Olivia replied somewhat testily before she excused herself to answer the phone. Olivia pulled off her earring to take the call.
"Oh, hello, William. I was just about to call you," Olivia said, looking up in hopes that Jade would take that as a hint to leave. But Jade's attention was focused on the contents of her briefcase. Olivia sighed and returned her full attention to William.
"I didn't get a chance to pitch the idea. We've hit a snag...well, no. But it can wait until after the launch." Jade looked up with interest. Olivia turned away from Jade's gaze and listened to William. "Oh, no, there's nothing about it that would be affected by the launch, Will." Jade bit her lip and continued to fuss with her briefcase. "Would you like to see the press kits? I think they're a gas...okay, I'll be up in a few minutes." Olivia hung up the phone and turned back to Jade.
"I couldn't help overhearing you tell William that you had another idea to pitch. Why didn't you mention it at the meeting?" Jade inquired.
"Well, it's not exactly relevant to the launch, and in fact, it has nothing to do with the Cook's Companion product line at all. It's actually something I'm considering for another web site I'll put online next week."
"I'd like to hear about it," Jade persisted.
"I'm afraid I really haven't got the time to go into it now. I'm expected upstairs."
"Well, why don't I go with you? You can tell both of us about it at the same time." Olivia eyed Jade suspiciously.
"William already knows about the idea, and it'll be on hold for a while, anyway," she said as she picked up a few press kits. "When the time is more appropriate, I'll discuss it with you, or Ken, if he's back on his feet by then. Now, I really have to go." Olivia walked to the door and waited for Jade to take the hint. The two women walked to the elevator together, where Olivia said goodbye when a car going up opened. Jade was left waiting for the elevator going down, and she was rather put out about being left out of the picture. She had hoped for an excuse to stop in and see William, but she'd have to wait for another opportunity. The doors opened on an elevator going down and its sole occupant was Richard. Jade smiled broadly as she stepped and pushed the button for the lobby.
"Well, hello there," she said.
"Hello, Jade," Richard replied, his brows furrowed. "What are you doing at DARCO?"
"I was just in a meeting with your girlfriend. My company is doing the publicity for the big launch."
"Oh," he nodded.
"So you two are still involved. How long have you and Olivia been dating now?"
"Oh, about three months."
"I must say I'm impressed. This must be some sort of record for you." Richard thought for a moment.
"Well..." he thought for a second, "Dani and I actually dated for a bit longer than that, but I think that was because it was my first semester in B-school and I really needed help with my homework. The next semester I found my confidence and she promptly dumped me for a neurosurgeon. But you could hardly call that a serious relationship, more like study buddies with hormones."
"I see you're still the class clown," Jade said as the two crossed the lobby.
"Well at least I have class," Richard smiled. He paused near the entrance to help Jade, who was strggling with her briefcase, purse, and coat.
"It must be difficult carrying on a romance in the office," Jade said as Richard helped her into her coat.
"Oh we never carry on at the office; Livy's is too small and mine is way too busy. And alas, right now she's so busy preparing for the launch she doesn't even have time to have lunch with me," Richard pouted.
"I'm available for lunch," Jade smiled suggestively.
"Sorry, I've already made alternative plans," Richard said brightly as he got into the limousine Bates had just brought around. Jade stood at the curb and stared as the car sped off. The morning had not gone well. She hoped at the very least that her contacts within the Darcy Building would have given her an inside track on her plan to talk William into hiring her on a permanent basis, but first Olivia and now Richard had blown her off without so much as an afterthought. But another idea formed in Jade's mind and she discarded thoughts of the couple as she dug into her purse for her phone.
"Well, I'm sorry your plans for this evening with Olivia got canceled, but I've already made plans to have dinner with Jane." William looked up when Olivia poked her head in and waved her in. "It's been a long time since we've had a chance to talk, what with our busy schedules and all the traveling you and I did last month." Olivia didn't have to ask to whom William was speaking as she took a seat and smiled. "Did I try to horn in on your plans with Olivia? I'll bring Jane home and I'll see you then." William rolled his eyes impishly. "Well, you could catch up on your knitting..." Olivia covered her mouth to stifle her laughter. William quickly said a goodbye and hung up before he joined Olivia in laughing. Then, to Olivia's surprise, he got up and came around the desk to kiss Olivia's cheek. "Happy birthday," he smiled.
"You've been talking to your cousin, I see," Olivia pouted.
"What's the matter? Surely you haven't reached an age where you should be worried, have you?"
"No, that's not it at all. I am four years shy of the big three-oh, thank you. But I had been trying so hard to keep Richard from finding out when my birthday was. Of course, Lizzy went and spilled the beans Saturday night and now he's making this huge deal over it," Olivia explained.
"He just wants to lavish a little attention on you," William replied.
"A little? Have you seen my new office, the one on the tenth floor? He was with me when I looked over the space and the next thing I knew he had called in a friend of the family to decorate it for me."
"I've seen it; it's lovely." Olivia raised a brow.
"It's so lovely I'm almost afraid to move down there and use it." William smiled.
"Fitz never does anything by halves, and why should he? He's doing it for the woman he loves. I have to admit I'm already beginning to think of you as a member of the family." Olivia blushed at this revelation.
"Thank you, William. I consider that quite an honor."
"I'm sure I'm not the only member of the family who feels that way. Grandma Bess, Aunt Kathleen, and Uncle Hugh all speak of you as if your joining the family is a foregone conclusion." Olivia averted her eyes momentarily.
"Well, if you promise not to repeat what I am about to say outside of this room, I--."
"Yes?"
"They all speak that way because as far as they are concerned it is a done deal. You see," Olivia began, "Richard and I went on our first real date five days before Christmas. Two days before Christmas, he proposed. His parents and Bess all know about it." William smiled and shook his head. "I understand that Fitzwilliam men have a history of brief courtships," she quipped. "Anyway, I couldn't even begin to think about marriage, even though I swear I fell in love with him the first moment I laid eyes on him in Elverson. So after a bit of negotiation, I agreed to hold onto the ring until we were ready...until I was ready, actually...to take that next step."
"From the looks of things, you're very ready." Olivia smiled enigmatically.
"In the near future, yes. I want to get the Cook's Companion off the ground and get the sites up and running and successful. I'm up to my ears in hock to the Darcy Group for your investment capital, so I want to make the sites a success before I take on any new challenges."
"I have every reason to believe that both sites will be a big success," William assured her.
"I think so, but I wouldn't want to even think about marriage until I felt somewhat sure of that."
"I feel certain that you'll be a wife before the year is out," William concluded.
"And what about you? How long before you think you'll be able to convince Lizzy to tie the knot?"
Lizzy was sitting in the conference room with Charlotte, Lisa, and Mina having lunch. Because of the raw weather outside, everyone had ordered in.
"So when is this big gala event?" Char asked as she picked at a Greek salad.
"A week from Wednesday," Lizzy replied.
"What are you going to wear?" Lisa wanted to know.
"William bought me a dress for it when we were in Paris."
"Listen to you!" Char clucked. "...When we were in Paris..."
"When were you in Paris, Lizzy?" Mina asked.
"On Valentine's Day. We were staying in London and William decided we should spend Valentine's Day in Paris. I was only there for dinner."
"And a little shopping?" Lisa reminded her.
"Well...we went for a walk and passed by a shop. I admired the dress and William later ordered it for me."
"And did you get any baubles to wear with it?" Char prodded.
"No, Char. I'm going to wear stuff I already have. Why?"
"You should have held out for some jewelry to go with the dress," Lisa agreed. Lizzy rolled her eyes. Mina raised an eyebrow at her. Charles came into the conference room in search of his lunch.
"Lizzy, your phone is ringing," he said offhandedly. Hoping that it was William calling her back, she was off like a shot. Lizzy reached her phone on the last ring. One second later and the call would have gone to phone mail.
"Hello?" Lizzy answered breathlessly.
"Lizzy?" Jade replied.
"Who is this?" Lizzy asked the caller, who spoke with a tone of familiarity but was completely unknown to her.
"This is Jade Ng. We met at Christmas, remember?"
Olivia glanced down at the press kits that lay forgotten on William's desk. Her question--which she hadn't really expected him to answer seriously--had sparked something in William. It was obvious that he had given a lot of thought to the subject. A rambling, stream of conscious monologue ensued in which William spoke of his love for Lizzy, his desire to marry her, and his growing frustration with her reticence to even discuss the subject. Olivia listened with interest; it was her first opportunity to hear things from his side.
"It is not as though I asked her to marry me and she refused. She just won't even think about it. And I know that--." William stopped abruptly and glanced at his watch. "Have you eaten yet?"
"No," Olivia replied, "But I was supposed to..." One look at William silenced her protest. "May I use your phone?" William rose and went out to Jo's desk while Olivia called upstairs to cancel her lunch meeting with Ed and another member of the project team. William, meanwhile, asked Jo to have Bates bring the car around.
"I don't think he's back yet," Jo informed him as she reached for the phone.
"Back?" Jo glanced meaningfully at Olivia as she joined William in the outer office. William smiled as he remembered that he had just lent his driver to Richard to run an errand. How Jo had known that the errand had to do with Olivia was beyond William, but she was absolutely correct. "Do I pay you enough?" William smiled, after Jo had ordered another driver to make the pick up.
"I'm just rolling in cash, Mr. D," Jo winked. William turned to Olivia.
"I just need to pick up my bag," she said. William shook his head.
"Why do women always think they need a bag to do anything?"
"Because designers make clothes for women without enough pockets to hold money, identification, or even a lipstick." The pair entered the elevator and William grabbed Olivia's wrist to prevent her from pressing 38 and pushed the button for the lobby instead.
"I'll spring for lunch, and should anything happen to you I promise to identify you to the authorities. You're on you own for the lipstick."
Minutes later, the pair were touring the kitchens of Palio, one of the city's poshest Italian restaurants. The owner himself had come out to greet William, and after introducing Olivia, he immediately secured his guests a visit to the kitchens and an introduction to the chefs who would be using the Cook's Companion in a few days' time.
When the pair was seated and enjoying their main course of frutta di mare, William began to speak of Lizzy again. But having vented his frustration earlier, William was more relaxed and the conversation was lighthearted, mostly about Olivia and Lizzy's childhood experiences. Olivia advised William to match Lizzy's stubbornness about the issue of marriage with some of his own.
"She likes to have her way, you know. And she's not averse to bullying people into it." William smiled in acknowledgment.
"You know, I've never thought about it in that way, but she can be amazingly stubborn."
"'Can be'? Hah! Lizzy should be training mules! And by the way, when I say that you should be stubborn, I'm not suggesting that you should butt heads with her. That will never work."
"Well, you seem to be one of the few people I've met who's been able to persuade her. What's your secret?"
"Well, I have two, one of which probably won't work for you. I am, and have been for some time, Lizzy's voice of reason. I have absolutely no qualms about telling her the absolute truth, even if she doesn't want to hear it." Olivia smiled to herself, remembering the time she had locked Lizzy into her office to make her respond to an e-mail message from William.
"What's your alternative?" William asked, knowing that telling Lizzy the truth wasn't going to change things.
"I lead by example. It's much more subtle and it may take more time, but it can be very effective. When we were in college and I thought that Lizzy needed to spend more time with her books and less time with her slacker friends, I went to the library daily, I spent all my time studying and I aced every quiz. If Lizzy wanted to see me she had to study with me. She got the point." William frowned.
"So," he squinted, "You're saying that if I want Lizzy to marry me I should act like I'm married?"
"Why not? You show yourself as prime husband material and she'll begin to see you that way." William looked very doubtful. "It can't hurt! Look, if you want a better idea you have to give me more time to think of one."
"Have some dessert," William suggested, and signaled the waiter to bring over the miniature birthday cake he had surreptitiously ordered. It was coated in rich, dark chocolate ganache and surrounded by raspberries and tiny scoops of pistachio gelato. Olivia's eyes lit up as it was placed before her.
"We promised to keep in touch after the holidays, but I've been so busy, what with changing my job, and then I went to Europe for three weeks..." Jade chattered on as Lizzy stifled a yawn. It wasn't that she had anything against renewing her acquaintance with Jade, but she wished she had brought her lunch in with her. And moreover, she wished that the call had come from William. She'd been expecting another call from him since he'd had to cut short her earlier call, but she had yet to hear from him. "...So what have you been up to?"
"Huh? Oh, nothing much, just the day-to-day grind," Lizzy quickly recovered.
"Are you still involved with William?"
"Oh, yes, very much so," Lizzy smiled. Finally, Jade had found a topic that was worthy of her interest.
"You know, I was in the Darcy Building today for a meeting. That's what made me think of you."
"Well, it was nice of you to call," Lizzy replied, hoping that Jade heard her stomach growl as clearly as she had. "We should have lunch sometime," she added vaguely.
"I've got my book out. What day is good for you?" Lizzy sighed and turned to her calendar. She committed to a lunch later in the week and then made her apologies.
"I've got someone waiting for me in the conference room."
"Oh! I'll let you go, then. I'm looking forward to seeing you on Thursday." Lizzy said goodbye and returned to the conference room.
"Hello, Mr. Turkey!" she smiled as she picked up her sandwich. Across the table from her Charles shot her an offended look. Lizzy laughed so hard she nearly choked on her sandwich.
"No wonder you're so happy together," William teased Olivia. "Richard is as crazy about pistachio as you are," he said as he watched her eat her gelato. William sat back and sipped his coffee. "You know, for all that we've known each other for months now, I believe this is the first time you and I have sat down to discuss anything that wasn't related to business."
"So it is..." Olivia mused. "I've never thought about it before, but you're absolutely right."
"Well, I hope you've enjoyed yourself as much as I have. I'm beginning to understand why Lizzy has always spoken so well of you."
"Thank you, William. I have enjoyed myself, though I have to admit that the reasons for Lizzy's high opinion of you are rather obvious. And you two are so right for each other," she added as she watched William color slightly.
"All I have to do is convince her of that," he nodded.
"Oh, she knows it. She's not stupid, just commitment-phobic. Tell me something, William. Your mother didn't propose to your father by any chance, did she?" William frowned.
"Not to my knowledge. Why do you ask?"
"I just wondered how far this 'Fast Fitz' thing went. I know that both Richard's grandfather and father proposed very early in their relationships. I think Richard saw his hasty proposal as upholding a family tradition." Olivia paused and looked at William for a moment. "Do you feel the same way? Or do you think that it's reasonable that a woman would want a bit of time before she made a decision of that magnitude?" William could tell that she was teasing, but he played along.
"I'm willing to have a long engagement," he countered defensively. Olivia thought it was a very Richard-like response and told him so.
"You know, when I first met you two, I had a hard time believing that you and Richard were related. Of course, that didn't last long; I think I a lot of my doubts about the two of you disappeared over the Christmas holidays. But the longer I sit here with you, the more I see Richard." William smiled.
"I'm going to take that as a compliment, I think. Tell me, do you see any of me in Richard?"
"In the rare moments when he is absolutely serious in my presence, yes. And when you are together and discussing something, I can see strong similarities."
"So that's how you see me: serious," William said pensively.
"Well, in comparison to your cousin, yes. But then he makes the Marx Brothers seem sober sometimes. "
"Yes, and I'm amazed that you put up with him so well," William chuckled.
"Well, he has a few...several...redeeming qualities," Olivia smiled radiantly, and William could easily see why Richard had bounded into his office a couple of hours earlier with an identical smile. The pair was absolutely in love. "Thank you for this lovely lunch and the peek into their kitchens," Olivia said after a moment. "This was a wonderful treat, especially the birthday cake."
"I'm glad you enjoyed it," William smiled as they rose to leave. When Olivia returned to her office she found the following message from Richard on her phone mail:
Hello, Angel. I've taken the liberty of making a few arrangements for tonight, so please follow these instructions. At 4:30, there will be a limo out front waiting to take you back to the apartment to change. I've spoken to Ed and he's okayed your early departure, so don't sweat it. Anyway, when you get home, you should put on something devastatingly sexy and beautiful for a night out. I should be home to pick you up around 6:00. Be ready. Problems? You know how to reach me.
Olivia stared at the phone for a second, before she listened to the second message, also from Richard:
P.S. I love you with every fiber of my being...whatever that means.
Olivia threw back her head and laughed, attracting the attention of passersby outside her office, who thought she'd lost her mind.
"Come in," William said after he'd hugged Jane at the door. Jane made her way into the library of William's townhouse and sat down. "Where's Charles this evening?" William asked as he poured out a glass of white wine for Jane.
"I don't know. He originally said something about having plans with Richard, but apparently Richard begged off sometime between yesterday and today. And Lizzy was supposed to go out with Livy and that got postponed as well. Any idea what's going on?"
"It's Olivia's birthday and Richard is planning a special evening for her."
"How sweet! Well, maybe Lizzy can keep Charles company. She called me and asked if she could join us for dinner. I hope you don't mind, but I told her to buzz off." William looked at Jane in astonishment. "Sorry, Will, I just thought--."
"No, no! I'm not surprised at you; I'm just surprised that she had the audacity to call you after I told her the same thing!" Jane laughed at William's revelation. "Think she's jealous?"
"No I think she's just not used to being alone any more," Jane smiled, but she thought about it for a moment and grew serious. "You know, Lizzy was very used to being alone before she met you. I mean she'd been in and out of a couple of brief, fairly awful relationships over the past few years, but over the six months or so before she started seeing you--or perhaps I should say seeing Richard--she was very much alone. Since she became entangled with you two, I can scarcely recall a night where she didn't have plans with someone, male or otherwise. It's like she came out of her shell. Maybe she's gotten so used to being social again that being alone feels awkward to her."
"Or, maybe she's just afraid that we're sitting here dissecting her neuroses as though they were the first course," William smirked.
"Why on earth would she think such a thing?" Jane deadpanned. William shrugged.
"We haven't even gotten to her paranoia yet."
"Devastatingly sexy and beautiful, Mr. Fitzwilliam? I don't do devastatingly sexy and beautiful...not without more than three hour's notice, anyway," Olivia grumbled as she pulled a garment bag out of the guestroom closet that had begun to fill with her things. She had brought a few dresses north after her last visit to Pennsylvania in expectation of the whirl of receptions and parties she'd be attending in conjunction with the launch, and Richard had suggested that she bring some "party stuff" because he had some invitations to parties coming up. Olivia found something she thought was beautiful and that she felt made her look devastating; it would be for Richard to decide whether or not she met his sexy criteria. She showered then slipped into the short black dress. She had begun to fuss with her hair and put on makeup when she realized that she had brought up no jewelry to wear with it. She searched through the tray on Richard's dresser that held her meager supply of earrings and other jewelry. She put on the bracelet Richard had given her for Christmas, but as much as she loved the charm bracelet, it did nothing for her outfit. She sighed and slipped a tiny rhinestone barrette into her hair. That gave a bit of sparkle to her look and it gave her an idea. She smiled to herself as she heard the buzz of the intercom. Minutes later she slipped into the back seat of the limousine where Richard awaited her.
"Hi, handsome," Olivia purred as she wrapped her arms around one of his. He leaned over and kissed her before he peeked inside her coat. "I didn't know I would be subject to an inspection."
"I left specific instructions. Just checking to see if you followed them." He unbuttoned her coat and looked at her dress appraisingly. Satisfied, he slipped a hand inside the coat and around her waist to hold Olivia closer. Just when their lips were about to meet, Richard looked up in alarm.
"What's wrong?" Richard ran his hand his hand around her waist again. "That tickles," Olivia said as she pulled his hand away. Richard looked down and saw that her hand--her right hand--wore the engagement ring he was frantically searching for. He looked up at her in surprise. "It matched my outfit," she smiled.
"I'm involved with a woman who doesn't know her right hand from her left."
"Silly Man!"
"Silly woman, you mean!" he said, and slipped the ring off of one hand and onto the other.
"It's going back into hiding in the morning," Olivia warned. Richard smiled enigmatically.
"I can live with that."
A few minutes later, the limousine pulled up in front of Aureole, the restaurant where they'd had their first, unofficial, date. They were escorted to a private room on an upper floor, where a pianist was playing. Olivia smiled in delight as the maitre'd took her coat and Richard suggested a spin around the floor before they sat down. They danced for a little while and then Richard led Olivia to the single table at the center of the room and a waiter appeared with a bottle of champagne and a tray of appetizers. Richard toasted Olivia and sat and stared at her as she sipped her champagne. Olivia put down her glass and stared back.
"You do look good in a tux."
"You look good in a short, black, sexy dress," Richard observed with pleasure.
"So I did meet your requirement that I wear something 'devastatingly sexy and beautiful'?" Richard rewarded her with a dazzling smile.
"You'd meet my requirement for devastatingly sexy and beautiful in a brown paper bag, but I'd be darned if I'd go out with you looking like that." Olivia rolled her eyes and picked up a caviar-covered hors d'oeuvre. Richard stared at her hand as it traveled from the plate to her mouth. ""You know, that ring looks really nice on your hand." Olivia looked down.
"It does...and it fits, too!"
"You know, I've been worried about that. The sales associate at Tiffany's thought I was crazy to buy an eternity ring without knowing your actual size."
"Underestimated you, did he?" Richard nodded. "Fool!"
William and Jane sat at one corner of the long dining table picking apart a roast chicken with their fingers. They had long ago abandoned any pretense of dining formally, and aside from eating their rice with forks they'd been enjoying their asparagus and chicken sans utensils. William felt slightly wicked and somewhat guilty in doing so; when Mrs. Reynolds entered the room, he instinctively dropped the stalk of asparagus in his hand and picked up a fork. Jane noticed the gesture and laughed at him for it. They abandoned the table and returned to the study, where Mrs. Reynolds brought them coffee and a large bowl of grapes.
"This is proper finger food," she sniffed at William, much to his surprise, but Mrs. Reynolds winked at Jane when his back was turned as she left the room. Jane suppressed a smile as William handed her the bowl.
"By the way, Olivia tells me that she didn't discuss the wedding planner idea with the public relations people today, but she's decided to go ahead with it. I'm glad you two have agreed to play along."
"It only seems fair. Livy has been very generous with her time and we both know how busy she has been at work on the Companion. Charles and I agree that we owe this to her. Besides, it should be fun. She's going to give us our own e-mail account so visitors to the site can ask us questions." William could see the excitement in Jane's eyes as he spoke.
"So let's get to the really important stuff: what are you going to wear? I see you as another Grace Kelly. Lots of lace, very elegant, very traditional..." Jane made a face.
"Do you? I was thinking of something more modern. I'm not really into lace. My dad hated the stuff, you know, so whenever mom would take Lizzy and me shopping we'd look at all the lacy dresses and she'd go for something more austere. With me it took, but Lizzy went for frills and froufrou every chance she got." William laughed.
"Well whatever you choose to wear I'm sure you'll be very beautiful and Charles will be rendered speechless."
"You'll be rendered speechless, too. Wait until you see the gowns I picked out for Lizzy and Maria!"
"Oh?"
"Yes...Lizzy will look so beautiful I may not want her at the altar with me. It isn't fair if the bride is not the center of attention," Jane teased.
"I could see how that would be a problem. So why did you pick out such a stunning gown for Lizzy?"
"Well, she is my sister, and I couldn't give her something that wouldn't do her justice."
"Is Olivia one of the bridesmaids?"
"I'm still trying to talk her into it. She thinks she has enough on her hands as a coordinator. But perhaps it would be better if she wasn't..."
"More competition, eh?" William laughed at the notion that anyone would outshine Jane on her wedding day. "You know I have a sneaking suspicion that Olivia and Fitz will be the next to marry in our little circle."
"Do you really think so? I was under the impression...I guess you're right. Richard and Olivia do seem ready for marriage. I understand they were looking at land last weekend."
"They've already drawn up preliminary plans for the house. I think it's only a matter of time for those two."
"And what about you?" Jane asked in spite of herself. She knew she was broaching a sensitive topic, but she couldn't resist asking. "Are you still thinking about marriage?" William shifted uncomfortably on the couch.
"Yes, in fact, I admit I've begun to obsess over it. Olivia and I had lunch today and I must've carried on like a madman about wanting to settle down with Lizzy."
"William! What's the rush? Charles and I dated for three years before we became engaged."
"Yes, and I've always thought Charles a fool for wasting so much time. I believe that once you know what you want, you go for it."
"Spoken like the successful businessman that you are! And that's a perfectly fine approach for a businessman; personal relationships are not that simple."
"Why not?" William pouted.
"Perhaps I should say that women are not that simple," Jane chuckled, earning a nasty look from William. "And yes, Charles had to wait until I was ready for marriage, not the other way around."
"What is it with you Bennet girls?"
"We Bennet girls have had to deal with loss of not only both our parents, but both our grandparents as well. It's hard when a pattern like that gets established: first our parents, then grandfather...Livy's mother, who was like a second mother to us...and finally our grandmother. One by one, the people who meant safety and security to us slipped out of our grasp. So you can well understand why Lizzy is reluctant to make a commitment, even though her every action shows just how strong a commitment she always has to you." William mulled over Jane's words as she refilled her coffee cup. "I probably shouldn't tell you this," she added, "But I made a suggestion to Lizzy that she seek counseling."
"What did she say to that?" Jane shrugged.
"She said she'd think about it, but I don't know...I regretted my words almost as soon as I said them. I shouldn't have interfered. I really believe that Lizzy is crazy about you, and given a bit more time she'll come around on her own. You'll just have to be patient."
"I know that in my heart, but I have to confess that seeing you and Charles--and now Fitz and Olivia seemingly headed for the altar, I can't help feeling envious."
"Well, maybe that will work in your favor. Who knows? Lizzy may be feeling the same way?"
After a sumptuous dinner, during which they were more interested in each other than in what was on their plates, Richard placed two boxes on the table in front of Olivia. She reached for the smaller of the two boxes, but Richard insisted that she open the larger one first. Olivia tore off the paper and saw the Harry Winston name on the box and held her breath. With trembling fingers she opened the lid and saw an incredibly beautiful necklace. It looked as if a goldsmith had laid stems of tiny flowers end to end and then gilded them in platinum. The petals of each flower were made of tiny diamonds. The entire piece had an elegance that took Olivia's breath away.
"Richard, this...this is beautiful!" Richard rose and came around to her side of the table.
"May I?" He picked up the necklace and fastened it around her neck. "I thought you needed something special to wear to your launch party next week," he explained as a tearful Olivia opened the smaller box, which held a pair of matching earrings. Olivia removed the pearls at her ears to put on the earrings. When she had done, she stood up and turned to show Richard. He smiled his approval and asked Olivia to dance again. Richard took her in his arms and Olivia rested her head on his shoulder dreamily.
"Remember our first dance? In your dad's office, in the dark, with Tony Bennet crooning out a love song?" Olivia smiled.
"Uh huh. I wanted to recreate that moment tonight." Olivia looked up and pouted.
"But there's no snow outside and no Christmas lights illuminating the room," she said.
"Well, at least we have Tony." Olivia looked up at Richard who turned Olivia around to face the piano. Olivia felt her knees go week when Tony Bennet handed her a rose and wished her a happy birthday. Then he began to sing "All of You," and Richard reclaimed her attention. In moments, Olivia was completely lost as the strains of "Dancing in the Dark" filled the room. When the room fell silent Richard and Olivia turned around to applaud the musicians. They had another engagement to attend, but before they left the offered to play Olivia one last request. Olivia thought for a moment and then declined another song.
"You can't improve on perfection, and this been an absolutely perfect night." Tony wished her a happy birthday once more and gave her a kiss on her cheek before he said goodbye to Richard. When both musicians had gone and Richard helped her into her coat, Olivia turned to Richard.
"Tell me that wasn't all just a dream." Richard bent to kiss her and smiled enigmatically as he led her to the car, where he silenced each of her questions with kisses. By the time they reached the apartment Olivia had forgotten all about her questions and she and Richard spent the next hour or so totally absorbed in each other. It was nearly midnight when Richard opened his eyes and remembered something.
"I completely forgot about your birthday cake!" he said and scrambled out of bed. He returned shortly with two forks, and a tiny cake, illuminated by a single candle. Olivia opened one eye groggily and yawned. "No, you have to blow, Angel." Olivia shot him a look and sat up.
"I already had a birthday cake today," she said after she had done as instructed. "William took me to lunch--."
"Excuse me? You mean to tell me that you put off a lunch with me to meet with Ed and Gary, but some smooth talking Brit in a fancy suit comes along and--." He paused to chew the forkful of cake Olivia had thrust into his mouth. Olivia tasted the cake for herself.
"Chocolate. Again. Thank you." Olivia lay back on the pillows and in a minute was fast asleep again. Richard shrugged, and after a few more mouthfuls of cake, slid under the covers and joined her.
"Hello, Lizzy!" Jade said as she air-kissed Lizzy and drew her to her seat at the table. "It's so nice to finally see you again."
"It's good to see you, too, Jade," Lizzy replied as she accepted the menu from the waiter.
"Order whatever you want--lunch is on me." Lizzy looked up, shrugged her acquiescence and returned her eyes to the menu.
"I think I'll have a burger deluxe and an iced tea." Jade looked slightly askance at Lizzy's choice and ordered a salad.
"So, Jade, you said you started a new job recently. Where are you working?" Lizzy said to make conversation.
"I've just joined the Gardiner Group. It's a public relations firm. That's what brought me to the Darcy Building the other day. I'm working on publicity for the big DARCO launch next week."
"Oh! Then you must be working with Olivia Crenshaw."
"Working for her, you mean. She seems quite determined to do things her own way."
"Well," Lizzy said, taken aback by the unexpected attack on her friend, "I know she has been working very hard on the Cook's Companion project for a long time and she wants to see it succeed."
"Maybe, but if it fails it'll be her own fault, since she won't listen to anyone else's ideas." Lizzy frowned, trying to understand Jade's comment. What would the ideas of a public relations person have to do with the development of a software package and two websites? "She's still seeing Richard, I hear. That's a surprise!" Jade continued.
"Why? They're crazy about each other!"
"Really? I've never known Richard to be serious about any woman." Lizzy furrowed her brows again.
"According to William, Richard--for all he's got a reputation as a lady's man--has had his fair share of serious relationships," Lizzy said in Richard's defense.
"Oh, William! How is he?" Jade quickly shifted gears. "I was going to stop by his office to say hello, but Olivia was on her way into a meeting with him and objected to my taking a few minutes of her precious time to say hello," Jade sneered. Lizzy was rapidly losing interest in her lunch date.
"Well, both William and Livy have been very busy getting ready for the launch..."
"How is that gorgeous man of yours...you are still involved?"
"Oh, yes," Lizzy brightened. "We are very much still involved. William is fine."
"Glad to hear it. You two make such a handsome couple."
"Thank you," Lizzy said as the waiter placed an iced tea in front of her. "We think we're rather cute."
"So I take it you're going to be his date for the launch party?" Lizzy nodded as the waiter returned with Jade's salad and Lizzy's platter. "Gee, Lizzy, maybe you shouldn't be eating all that," Jade sniffed with a disdainful look at Lizzy's plate. "Men don't like women with big hips." Lizzy hefted her burger with both hands. She smiled brilliantly.
"William would love me no matter how big my hips get," she said before she took a bite. She had no idea whether or not it was true, but she felt compelled to say something that would silence her critic. And Lizzy decided as she chewed, that she would savor every ounce of beef and every single fry on her plate, even if it meant she'd have to run around Central Park a dozen times to fit into her new dress.
"He may have told you that, but you shouldn't believe it. Men never mean it when they say that." Lizzy swallowed a nasty retort along with a French fry.
"Most men, no. But then, William is not most men." Again, Lizzy smiled confidently. In her heart, she knew that William was not so shallow as to allow a few pounds of fat to diminish his ardor for her. Had he not forced her to finally break down and have a burger deluxe at Harpy's the previous week? Lizzy gazed at her companion and tried to figure her out.
"But he is a man, and men can be tempted. Take care." Lizzy decided that she was annoyed, but she sipped her iced tea, wishing she had ordered something with more calories.
"You know," Jade laughed. "If I didn't know any better I'd say that Olivia was making a play for William, the way she was keeping me from seeing him. You know, I have heard rumors to that effect."
"They were completely unfounded, I assure you," Lizzy said coolly. She discarded the greenery from her burger, eschewing the meal's only concession to the dictates of the basic food groups.
"Are you sure? How well do you know Olivia?"
"She's been my dearest friend since we were eight," Lizzy replied and had the satisfaction of seeing Jade blanch. Lizzy let her off the hook and changed the subject.
"So tell me what you did while you were in Europe." Lizzy smiled.