Beginning, Previous Section, Section V

Chapter 6 (continued)

"You really think so?" Lizzy put down her coffee mug and leaned forward to peer at the pages in Jane's hands.

"Your Will Darcy sounds like quite a catch."

"He's not my Will Darcy. He could be Livy's Will Darcy, if she'd stop flirting with strange men."

"Hmm?" Lizzy shook her head. "Have you submitted this yet?"

"Yes, I sent it in yesterday. Randy called this morning and said it far exceeded his expectations. In fact, he wants to switch the whole angle of the series from activities for singles to monthly profiles of singles. He wants me to do them all and he even said that he'd send me to different cities to do interviews with a variety of people in different professions. He also said something about wanting to bring Will in for more photographs."

"Can't say I blame him," Jane said. "This guy is a certifiable hunk."

"Oh, he's certifiable, all right," Lizzy muttered.

"What is your problem with this guy? You say a zillion flattering things about him in your article, you deem him worthy of your best friend, but you take every chance you get to make some kind of dig at him. What's up?"

"Let's just say he's the most infuriating man I've ever met, and leave it at that," Lizzy said.

"No way! I want to know what this man did to get under your skin! I haven't seen you this itchy in a long time," Jane teased.

"I am not 'itchy.' He's just...we just....argh!" Lizzy crushed her napkin. "I'd rather not go into it."

"I'd rather you did," Jane giggled.

"Oh, heavens, look at the time," Lizzy said as she rose to her feet. "I'll get the check."

"You do that," Jane said to herself as Lizzy headed toward the counter. "I'll just make a note to call Livy later. I have got to hear this story!"

Will arrived at his office and heard voices coming from the direction of the kitchen. Curious, he followed the sounds and came upon Richard and Olivia, who appeared to have interrupted their discussion to indulge in a brief kiss. Will made a point of making a noise so as to allow them a chance to avoid embarrassment. He waited five seconds before walking into the kitchen, where Olivia was pouring milk into a mug of coffee, with Richard nuzzling the back of her neck.

"Good morning," Will said.

"Hello, Will," the unabashed pair replied in unison.

"I've managed to convince Olivia to pay us a visit," Richard explained.

"Us?" Will smiled doubtfully.

"Actually, I wanted to see what you'd done with the kitchen," Olivia winked. "It looks great! I did also have another agenda..." Will assumed she meant Richard, but Olivia asked Will if he had a few minutes. He invited her and Richard into his office.

"What's up?"

"I just want to make certain that you're all set for the big night. I took the liberty of making a list of Lizzy's favorite foods and music. You may want to use a few of them--they'll work on her like a tranquilizer dart." Will chuckled at her comment as he perused the list she handed him. "I also have recipe suggestions if you need them."

"Why does the word 'chocolate' appear every other word?"

"Lizzy likes chocolate. No, that's an understatement. Lizzy would sell me to gypsies for a whiff of dark chocolate," Olivia said. "You'd really impress her if you had something chocolate on hand."

"Right," Will said, making a mental note to stop by the chocolatier's shop on the way home. "Beef, lobster, shrimp, risotto--."

"The girl has expensive taste!" Richard quipped.

"I'm not suggesting that you make her all those things, of course," Olivia pointed out. Will nodded.

"...Anything with mangoes, pasta in any form, olives, any vegetable but lima beans...Liszt, Schumann, Mozart...and especially anything Celtic." Will came to the bottom of the list. "This is helpful, thanks."

"I've also given some thought as to how we might pull this off," Olivia said, as she revealed her full plan. "Now, remember, if we don't do this just right, it might seem very strange and contrived. I think our strongest ally will be surprise. I don't want Lizzy to suspect what's about to hit her." Olivia looked at her watch. "I have to get going uptown. If I think of anything else, I'll let you know," Olivia said as she rose. She said goodbye to Will and Richard walked her out to the elevators. "Thanks for accompanying me on my deliveries this morning," she said as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"It was my pleasure. Besides, I wanted to make sure you weren't flirting with any other axe murderers on your delivery route." Olivia kissed him and got into the elevator. Richard watched the door close before he headed back to his office.

"Richard kissy-face. Icky poo!" Amy said as he walked past her desk." Richard paused and turned to look at her. He smiled broadly and continued into his office and shut the door to bask in the afterglow of Olivia's kiss.

Olivia took every precaution to prevent her plan from going awry, even going so far as to forbid Richard from calling her, lest Lizzy answer the phone or overhear her speaking to him. She made a point of carefully monitoring Lizzy over the next few days; she seemed to continue her campaign to pair Olivia with Will, however, beneath the surface was an undercurrent of frustration that Lizzy seemed to have trouble identifying the source of. To Olivia it was plainly obvious: Lizzy was falling in love with Will in spite of herself and she was in deep denial of her feelings. Moreover, the more she pushed Olivia in his direction, the greater her internal conflict. It was painful for Olivia to see her friend suffering so, and she was anxious to put an end to it. Friday morning, Olivia went to make her deliveries, still troubled by the sleepless night Lizzy had spent tossing and turning and mumbling loudly as she stalked the apartment at 3:00 a.m.

"I hope tonight goes well," Olivia told Richard as they leaned against her car and sipped coffee. "She's got it bad and she's making herself crazy trying to deny it. I hope tonight opens her eyes so she'll stop deluding herself about Will."

"Do you think it will?" Olivia sighed.

"She can be amazingly stubborn."

"Will can be amazingly charming when he has a mind to be," Richard assured her. "If nothing else, Lizzy will be forced to concede that you and Will are not destined for one another, and once you're out of the way, she may start to look at him in a different light."

"I hope so. I'd hate for all this to backfire. Will's such a sweet guy and he's so crazy about Lizzy, I'd hate to see him disappointed." Richard set his cup on the hood of the car and pulled Olivia into his arms.

"We won't let that happen," he smiled. "But to tell you the truth, I've been worried about what Lizzy is likely to do to me after tonight."

"What do you mean?"

"She thinks I'm on her side in all this, you know."

"That was before you met me," Olivia reminded Richard.

"...Yes, and fell head over heels in love. No, wait, that happened ages ago." Olivia gasped.

"Really?" she said breathlessly. Richard nodded solemnly.

"Tonight had better be good; it may be our last together. Lizzy is going to kill me for betraying her the next time she sees me." Olivia laughed.

"Well, she'll have to go through me to get to you. And besides, I think she'll forgive you, eventually. In fact, the only person she isn't likely to forgive for a long time is herself and I have to admit, that worries me a little. But it's her own fault. If she wasn't so ludicrously determined to fix me up with Will, none of this would have happened." Richard nodded.

"Okay, it's time for you to get going. I'll see you this afternoon." They kissed and parted. Richard walked over to the office and began his daily routine. When Will arrived, he stopped by Richard's office.

"All set for tonight?" Richard asked as Will sat down.

"I think so. I have to confess I woke up at 5:00 this morning in a cold sweat after dreaming that Lizzy not only wouldn't let you have Olivia, she professed her undying devotion to you in the middle of dinner and planted a big wet one on you while Olivia cried and I dropped a chocolate mousse on the floor." Richard laughed at the image Will had conjured up. "You know, when we sat here a few weeks ago and talked about making improvements in our love lives, I never thought that things would be so complicated."

"Will, your love life is vastly improved, even if Lizzy doesn't know she's a part of it yet. She's, at the very least, a one hundred percent improvement over Erin. Whatever effort it takes to win Lizzy will be worth it. Everything I've seen or heard about her confirms it. I predict that at this time two years from now the two of you will be picking out wallpaper for the nursery together." Will smiled dreamily at the idea.

"And what about you and Olivia?"

"Oh, I think we're on the fast track to happily ever after," Richard laughed.

"I hope so. You and Olivia seem very happy together," Will said sincerely. "So are you going over to see the kitchen site today?"

"Yes. Aren't you coming?" Richard frowned.

"Well, I thought I'd get home a little early this afternoon and begin cooking," Will said sheepishly. Richard said he understood, and the two men parted and got to work.

Lizzy decided to dress rather simply for the evening, opting for a simple red sheath dress that she usually reserved for business meetings. She dressed it up with a simple scarf and pin and examined herself in the mirror. She wanted to disappear into the woodwork. Olivia would stand out in her slightly dressier outfit. Will would have to be blind not to notice her. Lizzy left her room and went to the bathroom door to check on Olivia's appearance.

"You know, you've been in here three times," Olivia said. "Are you checking to make sure I don't paint on a third eye?" Lizzy stuck out her tongue and went into Olivia's room to fetch a pair of earrings.

"Here, put these on."

"I have on earrings," Olivia protested.

"They're hideous!"

"You gave me these 'hideous' earrings!" Olivia reminded her.

"I must have been insane. Put these on instead." Rather than argue, Olivia did as she was told. To her, the difference was imperceptible, but Lizzy seemed satisfied and deemed Olivia presentable. The two women took a cab over to Will's apartment rather than risk the inevitable nightmare of trying to find a parking space on a Friday night in the city. Both women swallowed nervously before Lizzy pressed the button. A few seconds later, Will appeared.

"Welcome, ladies. Come in," Will said. Olivia walked through first, and as Will followed Lizzy into the apartment he inhaled deeply. "You smell terrific," he said softly. Lizzy whirled to look at him.

"It must be Livy's perfume you smell. I'm not wearing any," Lizzy said archly.

"I know...you smell like a breath of fresh air on a cool spring morning in the country," Will said with a small smile. Lizzy's mouth fell open. She felt compelled to say something, but could not think of a suitable response. "Why don't you go out into the garden?" Will suggested, detaining Lizzy for just a second so that Olivia was the first to venture outside. "Richard is already out there." Olivia walked straight over to him, where she was greeted warmly.

"Olivia! I have been looking forward to seeing you again," Richard said earnestly. "Hello, Lizzy, how are you?" Richard spared a friendly smile for Lizzy, but he gave Olivia a look that left absolutely no doubt as to his emotions. Olivia's gaze matched his--Lizzy was looking at two people who were deeply in love. She took a step backward, and then another and another, until she nearly collided with Will, who was carrying a tray bearing drinks.

"Whoa, there!" he said. Lizzy sidestepped to avoid the collision, never taking her eyes off the couple before her. Richard took Olivia's hand and led her deeper into the garden so that they might speak privately.

"What on earth--?" Lizzy whispered to herself.

"Isn't it great? You can hardly tell that they just met today!" Will said enthusiastically. "Wine?" Lizzy stared at him blankly.

"What...what?" Will handed her a glass of wine and put the tray on the table.

"A case of love at first sight if I ever saw one," Will smiled. "I've never seen anything like it. Have you?"

"Never." Lizzy deadpanned. She took a gulp of wine and almost unconsciously took a step toward the couple at the far end of the garden. But Will grabbed hold of her arm.

"What are you doing?"

"Shouldn't we...join the others?" Lizzy asked.

"I suspect they'd rather be alone," Will said with a knowing smile. "In fact, Richard was so enchanted with Olivia this afternoon I was almost sorry I'd planned this dinner tonight."

"What do you think they're laughing about?" Will shrugged.

"What do two people who find each other utterly fascinating talk about?" he said enigmatically. Lizzy turned to look at him. "Would you like a tour of my garden?"

"I thought you said you didn't know anything about gardening," Lizzy remarked as Will gently took her arm and led her onto a little path that led away from Olivia and Richard.

"I readily admit that I don't. But the previous owner of the apartment left all this behind," he said as indicated the lush surroundings. "I water and prune a little to keep it looking good, and when I get in trouble I call Bess."

"This is lovely," Lizzy said as she bent to inhale the scent of a rose.

"I love it here," Will confided. "I find relaxing in the garden very restorative and really look forward to enjoying my garden at the house."

"You certainly have a beautiful space to start with. Your yard at the house must be at least three times as large as this."

"At least; I've been thinking that perhaps I should put off taking more cooking classes and take a course or two on gardening." Lizzy was taken aback by his statement.

"I thought you loved cooking."

"I do, and I like it even more after being in Olivia's class," Will smiled. His reference to her friend made Lizzy look across the garden to where Olivia and Richard were still engaged in an intimate discussion. "But after our chat at the house the other day I've taken a new interest in gardening. I even bought a couple of books on the subject."

"Oh?" Lizzy murmured distractedly. She turned back to Will. "I thought that cooking was your passion. That's why you and Olivia hit it off so well."

"Yes, we do share quite an enthusiasm for food, don't we? We've become such good friends over the last few weeks. I'm really looking forward to working with her on her renovations."

"Well, if you aren't careful," Lizzy warned, "Richard is going to steal her away from you." Will laughed.

"Surely, you don't think that Olivia and I are becoming involved, do you? I mean, I like her a great deal, but..." Will began to laugh again, much to Lizzy's frustration.

"But what?" Lizzy countered. "Why shouldn't you two see each other? Livy is a wonderful person. She's beautiful, and smart, and very talented, and funny, and--."

"She's totally wrong for me, Lizzy, you must see that! How can it be otherwise when she fell for Richard with one look?"

"You don't know Livy like I do," Lizzy hastened to explain. "She's an incurable flirt and men are always falling for her. She must get a proposal a month!"

"I didn't," Will said simply.

"You 'didn't' what?" Lizzy frowned.

"I didn't fall for her. I suppose I might have--she is beautiful, and talented and all those things you said. I might have asked her out, we might have dated for a while and I'm sure we would have gotten on well, but..." He allowed his voice to trail off as he offered Lizzy a seat on a garden bench.

"But what?"

"Do you really see me with someone like Olivia?" Lizzy began to squirm under Will's intense gaze.

"Uh...yes. Yes, I do."

"Then you're a lousy judge of character," Will said with a tiny smile.

"I'm an excellent judge of character!" Lizzy pouted defensively. "You are the perfect man for Livy!"

"The perfect man for her is standing beside her," Will corrected. "How can you watch the two of them together and still insist that she belongs with me?"

"I just told you; I know Livy far better than you do."

"Perhaps, but you don't know the first thing about me." Will rose to his feet as Richard and Olivia approached. Both of them were smiling. Lizzy crossed her arms and glowered at the pair as they made small talk with Will. Olivia stole a glance at Lizzy, who gave her a rather pointed look. Olivia sat down beside her on the bench.

"What's wrong?" she asked innocently.

"What's wrong? Will invites you to dinner and you're all over his best friend, that's what's wrong!" Lizzy hissed. Olivia laughed.

"I am not 'all over' Richard. We were just talking."

"Is that what you call it? You never mentioned that you'd fallen hopelessly in love with him at your meeting today." It was Olivia's turn to frown.

"Whatever gave you that idea?"

"Will told me that the two of you have been making eyes at each other since you met," Lizzy smirked.

"I'm sure Will said no such thing. But you have to admit his eyes are quite beautiful."

"So are Will's," Lizzy replied.

"Indeed! Say, Lizzy, you're not mad at me because you were hoping that Richard was going to ask you out, are you?" Lizzy managed to squeeze a tight "no" through her gritted teeth. "I know you liked him and I can't say I blame you, but to tell you the truth, Lizzy, I see you more as Will's type," Olivia said as she left Lizzy and returned to the others. Lizzy watched her go, a pained expression on her face.

"Me and Will? You must be mad!" she said to herself just as Will bent to offer her an appetizer. She cautiously took one, but Will showed no sign that he'd heard her comment. She nibbled on the delicious morsel but try as she did to focus her glare on Richard she found her senses distracted by the olive and goat cheese canapé. Richard smiled at her.

"So, Lizzy, what do you think of Will's place? I recall saying that if you spent a little time here you'd get to see the real man."

"So you did," Lizzy said, rising to join the others. Olivia and Will were discussing the merits of various artisanal goat cheeses, so she was forced to continue talking to Richard. "I've already learned quite a bit since my arrival," she said archly, and there was no mistaking her meaning. Richard shrugged and led her away from the others.

"You never told me she was so--."

"...Meant for Will?" Lizzy deadpanned.

"Do you really think so? I have to admit, I didn't see anything resembling an interest in him on Olivia's part"

"That's probably because she couldn't even see Will with you gazing lovingly into her eyes," Lizzy hissed.

"Well, she gazed back," Richard countered. "I think that should tell you something."

"Never to trust you alone with my best friend again?"

"So where are you two going?" Will asked, interrupting before Richard could form a response.

"Going?" Lizzy blurted.

"Yes. I took the liberty of suggesting that Richard and Olivia go dancing or something after dinner," Will revealed. "I would have suggested that we all go, but I doubt that they want our company and Olivia assures me that you hate to dance," he added with a smile. "Besides, someone had better stay here and eat that truffle cake I spent all afternoon baking." He suppressed a smile as Lizzy's eyes opened wide and a range of emotions flitted across her face. He went inside and Olivia followed, insistent on helping him in the kitchen. Lizzy walked to the French doors and watched as Will tied an apron around Olivia's waist and they turned in unison to wash their hands in the sink.

"They are right for each other. I don't care what he says," Lizzy declared.

"Oh, that's right, I forgot," Richard taunted. "Will has absolutely no say in this." Lizzy turned to glare at him. "Does Olivia have any say or are you simply determined to dictate both their lives?" he asked calmly.

"You seem determined to ruin my plans!" Lizzy whispered back.

"You seem determined to get your way in spite of the obvious!" Richard retorted.

"The only obvious thing here is your stabbing me in the back!"

"Lizzy, you're overlooking the one key point--neither Olivia nor Will is interested in a relationship with each other."

"Well, I'm sure you've seen to that!"

"I didn't have to! That much was clear even before I so much as looked at Olivia." Lizzy paused and turned to observe the pair in the kitchen. Will was opening a bottle of wine while Olivia expertly tossed a salad.

"They look so right together," Lizzy whined softly. Richard put a hand on her shoulder.

"It's not about making a pretty picture, Lizzy. It's about a meeting of hearts and minds. Theirs meet on some levels, but not on others. You have to accept that. You can't force them to fall in love, especially when their interests already lie elsewhere."

"Are you saying that Livy is in love with you?" Lizzy asked incredulously. A wry smile danced about Richard's lips.

"It would be presumptuous of me to make such an assumption, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't hope so."

"Well, what about Will?"

"I think his heart is already spoken for, too." Lizzy's expression froze as Will looked up and gestured for Richard and Lizzy to come inside. Will sent Richard to change the music while he held Lizzy's chair and saw her settled beside him at the dinner table. When Richard returned, the meal commenced. Dinner was sublime, from the hint of lemon verbena in the vinaigrette on the salad, to the exquisite medallion of beef served with an artful arrangement of delicately roasted baby vegetables, to the ethereal mashed potatoes that accompanied the main course. Lizzy was impressed, but she could not say that she recalled tasting a thing. She did eat; the repast was impossible to resist. Olivia praised Will's cooking talents to the skies and Lizzy tried to hold up her share of the conversation, but her mind was as numb as her palate. Richard's words continued to resonate in her brain: "I think his heart is already spoken for, too."

When dinner was over, Will suggested that his guests move into the living room. Lizzy selected a solitary chair some distance from the others.

"That's my favorite chair," Will smiled. "That's where you're most likely to find me when I'm home alone." He rose to fetch the bottle of wine and Lizzy leaned further back in the big, masculine leather seat. It felt almost cocoon-like, as though she were being hugged. Lizzy quickly shook off the image that sprang to mind as Will's scent wafted up from the skins and threw her senses into chaos. It had been an unexpected blow. Lizzy had steeled herself for the inevitability of watching Will lose his heart to Olivia, but the thought of Will being in love with someone else was something she was completely unprepared for.

You don't know the first thing about me.

Lizzy was utterly devastated. She allowed Will to refill her glass and sank deeper into the massive chair. She watched Olivia and Richard talking to each other and conceded that Richard had been correct in suggesting that Olivia was in love. She then turned her eyes to Will and shuddered involuntarily when she realized that he had been watching her as intently as she had been watching the others. Lizzy coughed and adjusted her seat in an attempt to mask her discomfort. A quick glance told her that Will was still observing her. Annoyed, she decided to stare back, but within five seconds, she lost heart and averted her eyes.

Will continued to watch her, albeit less obviously. Lizzy, meanwhile, tried to relax. She allowed her eyes to survey the room, carefully evading that tiny sector where Will sat. Her eyes came to rest on a shelf where an intricately carved box captured her interest. She rose to examine it more closely. Will watched her movements as Richard and Olivia exchanged a glance. Olivia sighed and looked at Will.

He appeared to be mesmerized. He was, in fact, lost in a fantasy. It seemed that whenever Will thought of Lizzy lately, he saw her as a permanent fixture in his life. She was here before him, in his home, sitting in his favorite chair, touching his favorite things. It all seemed so clear to him--Lizzy belonged there. She belonged in his life. If only he could make her realize that.

Will glanced over at Richard and Olivia, who both smiled back at him encouragingly. Richard looked at his watch and started to rise, but Will stayed him with a hand. He wasn't quite ready. As much as he wanted to be alone with Lizzy, as much as he wanted to be able to sit and talk to her and finally begin to break down those barriers that had stood between them since the beginning, he suddenly felt tentative and uneasy. Lizzy had moved on to look at another box, and in Will's eyes, her movements were those of a caged animal biding her time before she pounced and tried to make her escape. Richard frowned at Will questioningly. Will shrugged. Richard exchanged another glance with Olivia, who promptly rose and headed for the kitchen, speaking loudly enough to draw Lizzy's attention.

"So what about this dessert of yours, Will? From your earlier hint, it must be something spectacular." Lizzy's curiosity was aroused and she followed Olivia to the kitchen area and stood at the island counter.

"I thought you and Richard were leaving," Lizzy said matter-of-factly.

"Lizzy, if you really do object to my going out with Richard speak now," Olivia urged quietly. "I won't leave you if you really don't want me to." Lizzy shook her head.

"You really like him, don't you," Lizzy whispered. It was meant to be a rhetorical statement and Olivia's smile said more than any verbal affirmation could. "Then go ahead and have some fun. I'll have dessert with Will and then go home," Lizzy said somewhat dejectedly. Olivia looked at her worriedly. "You'd better go before I change my mind," Lizzy said with a brave smile. Olivia smiled back at her as Will and Richard joined the women at the counter.

"I think I'd better powder my nose before we go," Olivia said and excused herself. Lizzy turned her smile on Will.

"So, Will? What is this truffle cake you were bragging about?" Will smiled, encouraged by Lizzy's query and went to the refrigerator and retrieved a covered cake plate. He gingerly lifted it out and brought it to the island, where he placed it before Lizzy.

"I don't think we should open it till the others leave," he warned with mock solemnity. "Otherwise they'll want to stay and eat our share."

"I can take a hint," Richard laughed as he backed away. He waited at the base of the stairs for Olivia to return. Will, meanwhile put on some coffee and began gathering items for the dessert service. Olivia reappeared and stopped to look at Will's preparations.

"Hmm, your mysterious truffle cake, coffee, liqueur...if I didn't know any better, Will, I'd say you had your own motives for sending us out dancing," Olivia said slyly. She smiled innocently at Lizzy's shocked expression and reached for Richard's hand. He took it and led Olivia to his car.

"You're sure we're doing the right thing, leaving them alone?" Richard asked as he opened the door. Olivia nodded confidently.

"Lizzy is already so far gone, I almost want to stay and watch that wall come crumbling down."

"Hey! I thought you wanted to spend this evening with me!" Olivia looked at Richard and smiled.

"Well...I guess we can get Will to tell us about it later." Richard nodded and got into the car. In minutes, all thoughts of Lizzy and Will were far from their minds.

However, back at Will's apartment, all the remaining couple could do was think about each other. Will suggested that they sit down. He led Lizzy back to the table and held her chair for her and then returned to the kitchen for the truffle cake. Lizzy watched Will's face as he lifted the lid of the cake plate. He waited for her to notice the cake and smiled when she gasped.

"It's my own take on the classic 'Death by Chocolate' cake."

"Death by Chocolate?" Lizzy was intrigued and practically salivating as Will cut into the cake.

"The original consisted of layers of brownies, ganache, chocolate mousse, and a genoise." Lizzy frowned.

"What's that?"

"You'll find out in a minute," Will smiled. "I've made my own addition or two," he said as he ladled a puddle of raspberry sauce onto the plate.

"Isn't that gilding the lily?" Lizzy replied as Will placed a plate before her. She waited as he served himself a slice of cake, silently admiring the skill with which he worked. "Are you sure you want to be an architect? You do that like a pro!" Will looked at the plate and smiled modestly.

"Couldn't I be both?" he challenged gently. "Who is to say that an architect can't cook?"

"I never said that--," Lizzy quickly retorted.

"You know," Will said with a disarming smile, "For a writer you make a brilliant rice pudding." Lizzy laughed.

"All right, all right. Truce?"

"At least until dessert is over," Will smiled as he reached for the bottle of brandy and filled two glasses. Lizzy felt her heart begin to pound as Will offered her one. She reached for it with trembling fingers and said a silent prayer to Saint Jude--the patron saint of lost causes--for strength.

Chapter 7

"I'm glad we decided not to go dancing," Olivia purred as she snuggled more deeply into her seat. "But I would like to know where you're taking me."

"All in due time, Angel," Richard said as he steered his car down the highway.

"Are you planning to cross any state lines? Kidnapping across state lines is a federal offense, you know," Olivia teased.

"Very funny. And for your information, we are still in New York."

"Oh. It's hard to tell without the tall buildings," Olivia smiled. Richard returned the smile.

"Didn't you practice any reading in cooking school?"

"There weren't any road signs in cooking school. Besides," Olivia giggled, "I'm too busy ogling your handsome profile to read road signage." Richard chuckled. "So where are you taking me?" Richard shot her a withering glance.

"You were probably loads of fun on car outings as a kid." Olivia nodded.

"Speaking of childhood outings, Richard, are we there yet? I have to potty." Richard rolled his eyes and looked for the nearest rest stop.

"What shall we drink to?" Lizzy asked boldly as she took the snifter of brandy Will offered, tingling at the brief touch of his skin against hers.

"To excess!" Will smiled. Lizzy's mouth opened, and Will quickly gestured at her plate. Her smile returned and she raised her glass. Will raised his glass to hers and looked deeply into her eyes.

"To excess!" she said softly. She took a sip and let the liquid slide down her throat and quickly averted her eyes to the dessert before her. She nervously raised her fork and cut into the cake. A frisson of pleasure shot through her entire body as she tasted it.

"I think I'm in love!" she said breathlessly. Will completely forgot about his own cake; his eyes met Lizzy's and for a moment he was able to hold her gaze. He knew instinctively that Lizzy's comment referred to the dessert but, for a fleeting moment, he allowed himself to hope. He felt his heart begin to pound as Lizzy's words echoed in his head. But Lizzy suddenly broke the spell, blushing furiously as she returned her attention to her plate. "This is fabulous! Aren't you having any?" she managed. Will colored slightly and lifted his fork. He was about to dip into his dessert when the music abruptly stopped. Will frowned.

"Excuse me," he said as he rose and went into the living room to see to the music. Lizzy sighed in relief when he was gone. She felt unaccountably awkward and vulnerable, and cursed herself for being so weak and susceptible to Will's charm. His heart is already spoken for, she told herself. And he was never meant to be mine, anyway. So why do I feel like I'm standing on the rim of a volcano whenever he looks at me?

Will smiled to himself as he slid the last CD into the disk changer and headed back toward the dining room. "I've never been jealous of a dessert before," he murmured to himself as he took his seat. "Now, where were we?" Will smiled at Lizzy as he replaced his napkin on his lap. Lizzy grabbed her glass and took a gulp as the first strains of the Celtic harp music Will had put on reached her ears.

"You were about to taste your cake," she said as the fiery liquid burned her throat.

"Oh, yes," Will said before attacking the cake. He tasted a mouthful and smiled, but refrained from the temptation to repeat Lizzy's comment. He was certain that he would not be able to disguise his meaning, and he was equally certain that Lizzy was not ready to hear a declaration of love. "I'm a good baker!" he said cheekily, attempting to provoke Lizzy into distracting him.

"And such a modest one," she said on cue.

"Well, I am," Will smiled as he saw the sparks reignite in Lizzy's eyes. "Why should I deny it? This is a good cake."

"It's a great cake," Lizzy concurred with a hint of wistfulness. "You should save a piece for Livy. She's got a thing for chocolate."

"Really? I heard that you were the chocolate fiend in that household."

"And who told you that?" Lizzy asked with her mouth full.

"Three guesses." Will smiled. He took a sip of brandy and contentedly watched Lizzy savor the flavors in her mouth. Lizzy smiled, and it was all he could do not to leap across the table and kiss the tiny drop of chocolate ganache from her lip.

"You shouldn't believe everything Livy says, you know," Lizzy said.

"What shouldn't I believe?" Will asked. Lizzy found herself unable to meet Will's gaze. Every time she looked up at him, she felt her head spin.

"I don't know...what has she said about me?" Will propped his chin on his palm and smiled flirtatiously.

"What has she told you about me?"

"I asked you first," Lizzy pouted, and blushed at her unintended coquettishness.

"Well..." Will sat back and considered the question as Lizzy stared at the candle that flickered between the two.

"Well what?" Lizzy prodded after a moment. She quickly averted her eyes again as she felt herself flush.

"Ladies first," Will suggested. Lizzy shot him a quick look, and then rose from the table to fetch the coffee. It gave her something to do and she was grateful that her knees held as she walked the short distance to the kitchen island. Will watched her go, admiring her retreating figure. He wondered what was going through her mind. Olivia had warned him that she'd be angry at their deception, but there was no such emotion apparent in Lizzy's demeanor. If anything, Will would have said that she looked confused.

"Livy did tell me that you were a far more talented cook than you let on," Lizzy assayed as she poured herself a cup of coffee. She raised it in silent question. Will nodded and she filled a second cup. "How do you take it?" Will rose and went to the kitchen to get the milk. Lizzy felt her heart begin to race as soon as he was within arm's reach. Will poured the milk for both of them and suggested that they return to the table. Lizzy did so on shaky legs.

"What else did she say?" Will prompted.

"You really do have an ego, don't you?" Lizzy said archly.

"I shouldn't think that'd be news to you. In fact, I suspect that you concluded that I was an egotist the first time we met." Lizzy's blush told him that he was on target.

"I have to admit, you aren't nearly as bad as I first thought."

"Thank you," Will said sarcastically as he raised his cup. Lizzy fumbled for words to correct her gaffe, but Will laughed it off.

"I'll confess that I thought pretty much the same of you," he revealed. Lizzy's mouth fell open.

"You think I'm egotistical?"

"I didn't say that it was a bad thing," he smiled. "I like a woman with a healthy sense of self-esteem." Disarmed, Lizzy fell silent for a moment.

"Olivia ...she's always had a strong sense of self-esteem. I've always, well, I've always been a bit...you know." Will frowned. "I've had to work at it," Lizzy shrugged. Will nodded. "But we were supposed to be talking about you," she said brightening.

"What about me?" Lizzy laughed, losing herself for a moment in Will's smiling eyes.

"Olivia said you were a nice man." Lizzy's admission both surprised and pleased her; as the words escaped her lips she acknowledged to herself for the first time that it was true.

"This isn't getting us anywhere! What happened to the no-holds-barred, shoot-from-the-lip Lizzy Bennet I used to know?" Will teased.

"Are you accusing me of withholding information?" Lizzy countered.

"You aren't usually so...uh...reserved when we speak."

"Well, you asked me what Livy said about you, and she hasn't said anything very compelling, all right? All the nasty things I've ever thought or said about you were strictly of my own creation!" Will threw back his head and laughed.

Richard brought the car to a stop outside of a small cottage on the northern shore of Long Island. Olivia heard the roar of the waves crashing on the beach long before her eyes adjusted to the light and she could see them.

"Where are we?"

"We're at the beach. That's the Long Island Sound in front of you," Richard said as he lifted Olivia over a dune and deposited her on the windy shore. "Stay here." He left her standing in the dark and returned moments later with a couple of blankets and large duffel bag. He led the way to a large outcropping of rock and spread a blanket on the ground. Olivia sat down, somewhat cautiously. Richard sat down beside her and wrapped the second blanket around her shoulders.

"It's a little cooler than I thought it would be. I'm glad I threw in a second blanket."

"Why did you bring me here?" Olivia asked, trying to sound a little less scared than she felt. For a fleeting instant, all Lizzy's warnings about axe murderers loomed large in her head.

"I wanted to share something very special with you," Richard said enigmatically as he reached into the picnic hamper and began removing things.

"Share something?" Richard smiled.

"Ever use one of these?" He pointed something at Olivia and she nearly jumped to her feet. "Sit down," he smiled. "It's rather heavy and if you drop it on your foot you'll be sorry, not to mention that you'd probably break it." Olivia sat down and Richard placed a telescope into her lap. When she realized what it was, she breathed a sigh of relief and laughed at her fears. "What's wrong?" Olivia shook her head.

"I don't suppose you brought a flashlight," she managed. "Even with the moonlight, I can't see squat."

"That's the whole idea, Angel. You need total darkness to get a really good view of the stars," Richard explained as he assembled the tripod and carefully took the telescope from Olivia and mounted it. "But if you really can't see, I did pack a flashlight and some candles." Olivia dug into the hamper and found several votives in little jars. She located a box of matches and lit them, placing them in the sand around the couple to illuminate the scene.

"That's better," she opined as she looked back in the direction from which she had come. "Whose house is that?"

"It belongs to a friend of the family. He lets me come out here and use the beach whenever I want to," Richard said as he pulled a Thermos bottle from the hamper, along with the tin of chocolate chip cookies Olivia had given him a few days earlier. "Hot chocolate?"

"You've thought of everything," Olivia smiled as she reached for the cup. "I have to admit, though, that I am not a big fan of my own cookies," she said sheepishly. "Too much of a good thing and all that." Richard shrugged.

"Suit yourself." Olivia shook her head.

"Actually, I'm far more interested in what you wanted to show me," she said as she eyed the telescope. Richard smiled and began to adjust the lens.

"One of the best things about being out here is that you can really see the stars on a clear night like this. But with a little assistance from my trusty telescope, you can see things you've never imagined." He scooted back so that Olivia could take his place at the lens. She put her eye to the scope and gazed upon Venus.

"Oh, my!"

"I see Livy told you about my taste in music," Lizzy accused lightly as she flipped through a stack of CD cases.

"What makes you say that?" He lifted a brow in challenge. "As it so happens, these are my favorite recordings." Lizzy colored slightly and went to take a seat on the sofa. Will followed and took a seat beside her. Lizzy took a deep breath and exhaled, hoping that Will could not detect her discomfort. He did, although he did not understand the source of it. "So you like Celtic music," he said as a means of starting a conversation. Lizzy nodded.

"Yes, I fell head over heels for...I...took a strong liking to it when I first went to Ireland as a high school senior," she said. "I've been crazy about it ever since." There was an awkward silence that she hastened to fill. "How long have you been a fan?"

"All my life. My paternal grandmother was Irish," Will said simply. Lizzy nodded and Will asked about her visit to the land of his ancestor. In minutes they were deep in conversation, their earlier discomfiture forgotten. Their discussion of Ireland led naturally to a discussion of their mutual experiences in Great Britain and other parts of Europe. Before they even realized it, more than an hour had passed and it was quite late. Lizzy noticed the time when Will pointed out the clock he'd purchased at a Paris flea market.

"It's nearly eleven o'clock!"

"It isn't a school night, is it?" Will quipped.

"No, but it is getting late. And I don't like being out alone at this hour."

"You won't be," Will said rising. "Let me get my keys and I'll take you home." Lizzy started to refuse his offer, but thought better of it. Besides, Will was already on his feet and heading for the dining room. "Shall we go?" he asked. Lizzy asked to use the bathroom first. Will directed her up the stairs to the master bath. On her way back to the living room, she stole a glance into Will's bedroom and then quickly shuttered her thoughts and headed down to where he was waiting. He walked her outside into the cool night air. "My car is about a block and a half away. I suppose I should have gone and brought it around while you were upstairs," he apologized.

"I don't mind the walk," Lizzy said honestly, although she felt a chill. "After that decadent dessert, I should walk at least twenty blocks! I still can't believe you talked me into having a second slice!"

"I'll walk you home, if you'd prefer," Will offered gallantly. "That's a little less than twenty blocks, if we don't take a scenic route."

"No, thank you," Lizzy laughed. "I said 'should.' I didn't say I could actually do it!" Will laughed lightly as they approached the corner. He saw two men coming in their direction and instinctively reached out and put his arm around Lizzy in a protective gesture. She flinched in surprise but made no protest. They continued slowly down the street, each secretly wishing that Lizzy had agreed to walk home. But all too soon they reached Will's car. He unlocked the door and opened it for Lizzy. She got in and watched as Will came around the front of the car and got in on the driver's side. A thought entered her mind and it brought all the dreamy and romantic thoughts that had begun to swirl around in her head to an abrupt halt.

His heart is already spoken for. Lizzy sighed deeply as Will settled himself into his seat and fastened his safety belt. So why the heck has he been coming on to me all night? What is he playing at? Lizzy furrowed her brow as her heart began to pound. She felt a slow rage welling up in her chest, as she realized that she had let down her guard and let her emotions get away from her. All evening long, Will had been charming, solicitous, witty, endearing...How dare he? He was supposed to fall for Livy! All right, so that didn't work out. But he allegedly fell for someone else, and he bakes ME a cake to die for?

"Are you all right?" Will asked. Lizzy looked up and saw that Will was observing her with obvious concern. She glanced out the window and saw that they were at an intersection waiting for the light to change.

"I think I'm developing a headache," Lizzy said truthfully. "Probably from too much chocolate." Will snorted.

"There's no such thing!"

"There can be too much of anything," Lizzy replied coolly. The tone of her voice worried Will.

"I may have some aspirin or something in the first aid kit in the glove compartment," he offered, but Lizzy shook her head.

"I'll be home in a few minutes. A nice lie down with Squeaks and avoiding anything chocolate for a while should help me to recover," she said, evading Will's gaze.

"I'm sorry."

"For what?" Lizzy was surprised by Will's spontaneous apology.

"Well, if my cake really made you ill...I thought 'Death by Chocolate' was just a name!" Lizzy managed a weak laugh.

"It's all right, Will! I was only kidding about the chocolate," she hastened to reassure him. Well, I was kidding about the edible chocolate, anyway. I can't bear the sight of those eyes for much longer, though. Just as those words formed in her head, Will brought his car to a stop in front of Lizzy's building. Lizzy felt a wave of relief wash over her. But before she could open the door, Will threw the car into reverse. "What are you doing?" she cried, the headache getting the better of her.

"I'm going to pull in over here," Will said as he deftly eased the car into a parking space opposite the building.

"Oh, there's no need, Will--." But he had already turned off the ignition and was opening his seatbelt. Lizzy sighed and undid her own belt. Will was out of his seat and holding the door open for her before she knew it. "Thank you," she said softly as Will took her arm and gently led her across the street. They walked in silence, Will taking Lizzy's key and unlocking the lobby entrance when she fumbled with the task.

"My Irish grandmother," Will explained cryptically as he followed Lizzy into the elevator.

"Excuse me?"

"You're wondering at my display of manners," he smiled. Lizzy colored slightly.

"Not really; I saw how you behaved when I tried to usurp your role as host earlier," she joked. Will smiled.

"Next time, I promise not to snap at you," he smiled. Lizzy wanted to question the likelihood of there being a next time, but the elevator came to a stop and the pair moved to Lizzy's door. They stopped and Lizzy turned to Will and extended her hand. He furrowed his brows. Was she really expecting a handshake? He quickly realized that she wanted her keys and sheepishly handed them over. "Please give my best to Squeaks," he smiled.

"I will," Lizzy said. She couldn't take her eyes off Will's mouth. Her own lips felt dry and she struggled against the urge to lick them. Will's lips parted and Lizzy felt herself being drawn toward them. But it was a figment of her imagination. Will's eyes were suddenly staring down the corridor and he was shuffling his feet uncomfortably.

"I hope your headache quickly abates," Will mumbled. "Good night." He began walking toward the elevator before Lizzy managed to gather her wits and bid him goodnight. He turned back when he heard her soft-spoken response. He gave her a wistful smile as the elevator door opened. Lizzy turned and entered her apartment. It was completely dark save for the single lamp she had left on in the living room. Lizzy sighed as she kicked off her shoes and padded toward her bedroom on bare feet. She sighed again and turned back, retrieving her shoes and carrying them into her room.

"I ought to let Livy fall over them in the dark," Lizzy growled. "This whole thing is all her fault." She sat on the edge of the bed and playfully scolded Squeaks for failing to meet her at the door. "Lazy thing! After all I've done for you, all you can do is roll around and shed on my clean sheets while I'm out and wait for me to come home and scratch your belly! What good are you?" Lizzy fulfilled her obligation to the purring cat, and then rose to undress and slip into her nightgown. She went into the bathroom, noting that it was nearly midnight, and after her evening ablutions, she returned to her room and rolled Squeaks over and got into bed.

The pills she had taken immediately began to have an effect. Lizzy's head ceased throbbing and she stretched languidly and waited for sleep to come. But it did not, as memories of the evening flooded her thoughts. Soon, where a headache had earlier dominated, heartache took over. Lizzy lay awake for hours, listening for the door and trying to ignore what her heart was shouting to her brain.

The drive back to the east side was brief and Will was back in his apartment within ten minutes. He walked into the living room and stood in the silent room, images of Lizzy playing in his head. The sound of her laughter echoed in the room like a ghost. Will shook his head to dispel the odd thought and sat down.

The evening had gone well, far better than he had expected. In truth, he had feared that Olivia's plan might backfire and that Lizzy would refuse to stay behind. But she had done so without any apparent hesitation, and she seemed to enjoy herself in his company. Will smiled as he recalled their animated discussion about places to eat in Dublin. Yes, things had gone fairly well, all things considered.

"So, exactly when did this all happen?" Olivia asked as she settled more deeply into Richard's arms.

"I'm beginning to agree with your father," he replied impishly as he wrapped the blanket more tightly around Olivia and leaned back against a boulder. "Your education is sadly lacking." They had completed their telescopic observations, for the time being, at least, and were snuggled together in the blanket just staring at the stars. Olivia had listened with great interest as Richard told her about the constellations that were observable in the early summer sky. "Where do I begin? Let's see...billions of years ago there was a huge explosion and billions and billions of stars were hurled out into the heavens..." Olivia poked Richard in the ribs. "Oof! What?"

"Not that, the other thing."

"What other thing?" he asked innocently. Olivia shot him a glance.

"Oh, that. You'll laugh when I tell you."

"I promise not to laugh," Olivia said solemnly.

"I fell in love with you the first time I saw you." Olivia tried to suppress a smile.

"So, you're saying that the sight of me waiting for my turn at the coffee urn--."

"You promised not to laugh!" Richard frowned.

"I'm not laughing!" Olivia smiled broadly.

"And it wasn't like that. I can't explain it, really. But something about you stayed with me that day and has been haunting me ever since."

"Maybe it was the cookies!" Olivia teased. Richard shook his head.

"I never connected you with the cookies at first. In fact, at first I told myself that I went to Paul's every morning for the cookies, but within a few days I realized that I was deluding myself. I would have gone in there to buy sponges every day if it gave me a chance to see you." Olivia gently stroked Richard's face. He captured her hand in his and kissed it. "So when did you fall for me?"

"I don't know."

"Come on! I told you!"

"I don't! I just woke up one day knowing that I was in love with you. Of course, I didn't know what to do about it. I was afraid that you might not feel the same way I did..."

"I was afraid of that, too!" Richard confessed. "We might have been together weeks ago if we'd known any better." Olivia shook her head.

"I wouldn't change our courtship for anything! It was romantic and mysterious, and fun trying to guess a bit more about you every day. But it is hard to believe that we spent five mornings a week together for six or seven weeks, each feeling what we did, not knowing, but hoping..."

"I hope you haven't any lingering doubts?" Richard asked playfully.

"No doubts," Olivia replied seriously. Richard acknowledged her reply with a kiss.

"And you promise to defend me when Lizzy comes after me tomorrow?" Olivia laughed.

"I suspect that you'll be the last thing on Lizzy's mind tonight or tomorrow."

As usual, Olivia had called things accurately. Richard Fitzwilliam was the farthest thing from Lizzy's mind as she lay awake staring at the ceiling. Her mind was engaged in an agonizing self-appraisal of her behavior that evening. In fact, she regretted whatever inspired notion had led her to try to forge a relationship between Will and Olivia in the first place.

"What was I thinking, Squeaks?" Lizzy asked aloud as she absently stroked the cat. "Livy never showed any sign of being interested in dating Will. That much is obvious now. In fact, she showed more enthusiasm for her mystery man than she ever showed Will. And then, of course, she takes one look at Richard and completely loses it! I've never seen her do anything like that before!" Lizzy raised her head to peer at the clock radio on the nightstand. "It's nearly two o'clock and she's still out with him." Lizzy sat up and slid out of bed. She padded over to Olivia's door and peeked into the empty room. She shook her head and returned to her bed.

"Of course, Will is no better than she is. When I met him he gave me this song and dance about being a lonely bachelor. I guess that was all an act, if what Richard said is true. And if it is true, he had no business flirting with me all evening. I suppose he may just have done it for Livy and Richard's sake. But who needs his charity? I'm a big girl! I should have just come home early and been done with the whole thing!"

Lizzy rolled onto her side, determined to end the speculation and go to sleep. But a minute later it began again. She remembered the unmistakable look in Will's eyes when he leaned across the table to help her finish her cake. It was more of a smolder than a look, and when she attempted to reestablish her personal space by sitting back to chew her food, Will had leaned forward to wipe a crumb from her mouth with the edge of his napkin. Then he followed her into the kitchen when she tried to clear the table and again encroached on her personal space. Lizzy opened her eyes and tugged at the neckline of her nightgown. She felt again the intense heat that had suffused her when Will had come near.

"What was he playing at?"

Across town, Will lay in his own bed staring at the ceiling. But unlike Lizzy, Will was relaxed and comfortable. Pleasant thoughts occupied his mind. There were so many moments, any one of a dozen points he could recall that gave him cause to smile, such as Lizzy's expression when he fed her the last morsel of cake on her plate. She had seemed so open at that moment, as if anything were possible. But a minute later she was jumping up like a startled rabbit and clearing the table. He knew that he had made a beginning with Lizzy, but he'd need time to win her over.

"You're my guest, Lizzy!" Will complained as she rose to clear the table, against his stern protests.

"Nonsense!" she countered as she reached for his plate. "I'm just a friend over for a visit. You wouldn't object to having Richard clear your table, would you?" she replied as she busied herself at the sink.

"That's hardly the same thing," Will said as he gently pried a plate from her fingers and took it to the dishwasher. "Richard is one of my oldest friends, and he only clears the table because he's as bad a neat freak as I am."

"Maybe I'm a neat freak, too," Lizzy retorted.

"You're my guest," Will insisted. He was standing very close to Lizzy and he feared that she might hear how loudly his heart was beating as he spoke. Lizzy took an involuntary step backward as Will raised his hand to gesture toward the living room. "Why don't you go and make yourself comfortable. I'll be with you in a moment."

Lizzy had hastily retreated then, and it had obviously taken every ounce of willpower she had to keep herself from diving into the solitary seat she'd occupied earlier. Will wondered what was going on in her head at that moment. It was as though she had won some internal struggle for control and suddenly clamped down on her emotions. He could only wonder why she had fought so hard.

"If he wasn't lying about being a lonely bachelor, why didn't he ask Livy out when he had the chance? Why didn't he ask me? Whoa!" Lizzy sat up in the dark. She blindly fumbled for the light and turned it on. "Where did that come from?" Lizzy got out of bed again and went into the kitchen for a glass of water. She padded back to her bed and sat down, chewing her lip as she grappled with a painful revelation. "No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, NO!!! NO!!!" Lizzy fell back on the bed, groaning. "I will not go there!"

"She is in love with me. Why can't she simply admit it and go forward?" Will sat up and laughed. "That sounds insufferably smug! And that's exactly the kind of person Lizzy assumes I am, isn't it? Maybe that's why she backed off." Will threw his legs over the side of the bed and reached for his robe. He left his bedroom and went down to the kitchen, where he put on a pot of water for tea. "Three o'clock...as good a time as any for a nice cup of Darjeeling." He reached for the canister of tea leaves as his thoughts gave way to another memory.

"You like arguing, don't you?" Will said provocatively. Lizzy eyed him coolly.

"Exactly how do you expect me to answer that?" Will smiled impishly.

"Truthfully?" Lizzy returned a smirk.

"I doubt it. You are hoping that I will deny it, thus proving your point." Will feigned a look of surprise. "Or maybe you're hoping that I'll agree with you so you can call me a liar and thus goad me into an argument," Lizzy said with a triumphant grin. "I intend to thwart you, Mr. Darcy, by doing neither." It was Will's turn to smile triumphantly.

"Then you are being contrary," he suggested. "Possibly even argumentative."

"I am not!" Lizzy snapped before she realized the trap she'd fallen into. "Will Darcy, you are a most infuriating man!" Lizzy said as she held up her glass for a refill.

"I am not."

"Yes, you--!" Lizzy fumed silently as Will sat back grinning ear to ear. "Are you quite done?"

Will saw again the sparkle in Lizzy's eyes as she conceded defeat. He had turned the conversation then to something more innocuous, but it had been quite a while before the glow left Lizzy's cheek. Will smiled at the memory as he lifted his tea and took a sip. He rested his chin on his palm and smiled as he stared at the dining table where he had witnessed Lizzy's blush.

Lizzy ceased pacing the apartment and crawled back into her bed, determined to think of Will Darcy no longer. She focused her thoughts on Olivia and Richard and thought about the extraordinary stroke of fate that had thwarted all of Lizzy's manipulations.

"Why did she have to fall for Richard? Why couldn't she have fallen for Will? I mean what does Richard have that Will doesn't?" Lizzy thought aloud, in spite of her earlier decision to banish Will from her thoughts. "Richard is tall...so is Will. They are both very handsome, although I would definitely give Will the edge in looks. I prefer his dark coloring to...aargh!" Lizzy sat up in her bed and smashed a pillow into her face. "Get out of there! Out! Out! Out!" She fell back on the bed as Squeaks leapt off from it and ran from the room. He went into Olivia's room and settled on her bed, determined to stay there for the remainder of Lizzy's madness.

Back in her room, Lizzy checked the clock. It was well after three, and there was still no sign of Olivia. Lizzy heard a car horn and jumped out of bed to look out the window, but of her roommate and friend there was no sign. Lizzy got back into bed yet again and stared at the darkened ceiling.

"Hey," Richard whispered softly into Olivia's ear. After hours of talking about everything and nothing, the pair had dozed off for a couple of hours of sleep. Now Richard stretched awkwardly, the dead weight of Olivia's head against his chest. She opened her eyes drowsily and smiled up at him. "Hello, beautiful."

"Hiya," Olivia replied fuzzily. Richard gently sat her up and pointed to the east. Olivia turned and caught her breath.

"Good morning," Richard whispered in her ear as the pair gazed at the sunrise.

"Good morning," Olivia beamed as she leaned against Richard and watched the sun creep over the eastern horizon.

Lizzy awoke a short time later. She had managed to sleep but only fitfully. When the clock read six, she gave up trying to sleep and clambered out of bed. She went into the living room and immediately saw that the night lamp was still lit. She turned it off and headed for Olivia's room, where Squeaks was sprawled across the still made bed. Lizzy was stunned.

"She spent the night with him? I don't believe it! Olivia would never--omigod! What if she didn't spend the night with him? What if they were in some sort of accident? Here I spent the whole night worrying about Will Darcy when my best friend could be lying dead somewhere, or worse!" Lizzy ran into the living room and frantically searched her phone book for Richard's number, only to realize that she only had his office number. She reached for the phone and dialed 411, but quickly realized that for every one of the twenty-three Richard Fitzwilliams listed in the Manhattan directory, there were probably twice as many that were not. Moreover, the number of listings for "RFitzwilliam" was too long to contemplate, and even if it weren't, the idea of calling up the wrong one at 6:00 a.m. on a Saturday did not appeal. Come to think of it, even the right one might not appreciate the intrusion, Lizzy realized. "But it would serve him right. Livy would never go off with a new man and spend the night without letting me know. She'd want me to make sure she's all right," Lizzy told herself as she went to the answering machine to see if there'd been a message. There were none.

Lizzy went into the kitchen and put on some water for coffee as she pondered her next steps. She told herself over and over that Richard was a good man who was apparently in love with Olivia. He wouldn't let any harm come to her. And if something had happened, he knew Lizzy's number and would contact her.

"If he could," Lizzy said ominously, as she sipped her coffee. She paced the living room as Squeaks, roused from his sleep by his companion's movement through the house, waited impatiently at his bowl for his morning meal. By the time the clock read seven, Lizzy had decided on a course of action. She threw off her robe and headed for the shower. Twenty minutes later she grabbed her car keys and headed for the door.

Will put down his cup of coffee to pull on his denim work shirt. Then he sat down to a satisfying breakfast of eggs, bacon, and toast as he reviewed his list of chores for the day. He was headed for the house, though what he wanted to do more than anything was to call Lizzy, invite her to brunch and spend a lazy day in her company. But he doubted that Lizzy would be amenable--at least right away. He'd give her a few days before calling her again. And then he'd ask her out on a proper date: no subterfuge, no games, just the two of them. Will sighed deeply and reached for his coffee. He drained the mug and cleared the remains of his breakfast before he went upstairs to brush his teeth. When he came down he instinctively started to dial Richard's number, but smiled and thought better of it. Instead, he reached for his keys and headed for the door.

"I know a great place where we can stop for breakfast on the way back to the city," Richard said soon after he pulled his car into the light morning traffic headed west.

"I know of a great place in the city where we can have breakfast," Olivia countered as she pulled a comb through her hair. She peered into the passenger side courtesy mirror. "I look terrible in the morning. How'd you talk me into this?"

"You do not look terrible in the morning! I see you every morning, remember?"

"But on those mornings I've usually spent the previous night in a bed rather than on a wind swept beach," Richard laughed.

"As far as I'm concerned, you've never looked better." Olivia blushed prettily as she turned her thoughts back to breakfast.

"So what do you say? I make a wonderful country breakfast."

"Won't Lizzy be there?" Olivia checked her watch.

"By this time, Lizzy's up and in the shower. She'll be at the Union Square greenmarket before we reach the city, and she'll be on her way uptown to her Pilates class before we arrive at the apartment."

"Promise?" Olivia laughed.

"Don't worry Cookie Monster, you'll be perfectly safe. If by some miracle Lizzy is home, I'll protect you like a mama bear defending her cubs."

Lizzy was far from the apartment by the time Richard and Olivia reached Manhattan. She'd driven across the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge into Staten Island and headed for Will's house from memory--at least to within a mile of the place. At that point, her memory failed her and it took her nearly twenty minutes to find the right block. She saw Will's car in the driveway under the porte cochere and smiled grimly.

"Gotcha!"

Will was inside enjoying a second cup of coffee from the Thermos he had brought along and was reviewing his work list for the day when he heard a car pull up the drive. Not expecting anyone he rose and went to the door, where Lizzy barreled into his chest the second he opened it.

"Lizzy!" he gasped in surprise. "What are you doing here?"

"I--." Lizzy froze momentarily. What was she doing there? She didn't have a ready answer to that question and she was flustered as to how to explain her sudden appearance.

"Well, this is an unexpected pleasure," he said. "Won't you come on through?" Will's smile, coupled with his natural and innocent charm as he ushered her into the house galvanized Lizzy's anger. She suddenly knew why she had come. She wanted a fight.

"I don't want to 'come on through,' Will Darcy. I want to stay right here and hear you tell me exactly what you're up to," Lizzy hissed. Will's eyes widened at her tone and he involuntarily stepped backward as she bore down on him.

"Come again?"

"You heard me! I want to know exactly what you were up to last night, sending Olivia off with Richard like that. Where is she?"

"Where is she?" Will repeated, but Lizzy wasn't listening, too intent upon delivering the tirade that had been building in her mind the previous eight hours.

"She didn't come home last night. And don't tell me anything about her being a big girl. Richard is an even bigger man," Lizzy spat as Will took another step backward into the parlor. Lizzy continued to bear down on him. "Where did he take her?"

"I have no idea where they went. Look, why don't we sit down and discuss this--."

"I don't want a discussion, I want answers!" Lizzy insisted, shrugging away from Will as he attempted to take her arm and steer her toward the kitchen. "And to think I was crazy enough to believe that you and Livy might be good for each other. I thought you liked her. She certainly thought well of you. And that's how you reward her friendship? You hand her off to your pal? What was the plan last night, hmm? Divide and conquer? Is that something you and your buddy Richard do often?"

"Divide and conquer?" Will frowned. "We did nothing of the sort!"

"Oh no? Wasn't I meant to be your conquest last night? Tell me, Will, what happened? What made you chicken out? Richard obviously didn't!"

"Do you have any idea what you're accusing me of?" Will said, his temper beginning to flare.

"I know exactly what I am accusing you of!" Lizzy retorted. "You sent Olivia off with Richard--."

"...And kept you for myself?" Will sneered. "At least you give me credit for having good taste." Lizzy fixed Will with a dark look.

"What were you trying to prove? That your good looks and irresistible charm ..."

"What?"

"Tell me, Will, what happened? I managed to make it home completely unscathed, without so much as a fingerprint on me. What's the matter, did you lose your nerve, or did you have a sudden burst of conscience?" Will opened and then shut his mouth again, but no sound came out. "Or dare I surmise that you lost interest when I didn't automatically cave in to your standard approach? Perhaps you prefer your women more vapid, or more in love with their hips," Lizzy smirked.

"I prefer women who are sane," Will murmured. "Look, what is this really about? I have a bunch of things to do today."

"This is about disappointment, Will. This is about finding out that you are exactly the sort of egotistical, self-absorbed, bimbo-chasing man I thought you were."

"You are not a bimbo," Will asserted perversely.

"I know I am not a bimbo, thank you for noticing!"

"It was the first thing I noticed when I saw you at that gallery that night." It was Lizzy's turn to pause, unable to find words to answer. "And I think that what this is really about is your ego," Will accused.

"My ego?"

"You spoke of disappointment. Maybe you're just mad because Olivia and Richard went off together and probably had a wonderful time last night. All you got was a little Celtic music, good conversation, and a chocolate cake," Will smiled.

"I...I wasn't expecting anything else."

"Weren't you?"

"I most certainly was not! As you recall, I didn't swoon at first sight of you the way Livy did when she saw Richard."

"So?"

"So...I only stayed behind to be polite last night. I probably should have gone home and watched the Yankee game," Lizzy growled.

"Then why were you so upset when you came in here?" Will challenged.

"I told you. I was worried about Livy."

"Perhaps, but I distinctly recall you saying something about my being chicken. Admit it, Lizzy. You're mad because I didn't try to seduce you last night."

"You arrogant, conceited--! Why should I want you to seduce me? You think just because you're handsome, and urbane, and witty, and charming, and...well, just because you think you're God's gift to women--."

"I think nothing of the kind, in spite of what you may think."

"I think I'm wasting my time here. I don't even know why I bothered trying to have an intelligent discussion with you!" Lizzy said as she turned toward the door.

"Maybe you just wanted to see me again?" Will teased. Lizzy turned around and reared back. She launched a punch at Will, who effortlessly caught her arm mid-swing and smiled at her. That made Lizzy all the more angry, but as she tried to pull away from Will he pulled her into his arms. "Look, why don't we just sit down and talk about this?"

"We have nothing to talk about!" Lizzy cried as she tried to squirm out his grasp. Will abruptly released her and she stumbled backward, colliding with Bess as she entered the house.

"I beg to differ," Will said seriously. "Perhaps, after you've had a chance to cool off and think things over..."

"I..." Lizzy looked at Bess, who was looking at the arguing pair with great interest. Lizzy grabbed her car keys, which had fallen to the floor, and bolted out the door. Will stared after her for a moment, until Bess nudged his arm.

"Don't just stand there gawking, boy. Go after her!" Will didn't need to be told twice. He ran out of the house and across the lawn to Lizzy's car. To his surprise it was empty. Will looked around frantically, and then out the corner of his eye he saw a flash of movement at the back of the house. He ran in that direction and in seconds spied Lizzy wandering into the garden.

"Can I do anything to help?" Richard asked as he followed Olivia into the kitchen. Olivia hesitated to say no, but in truth she was most comfortable working solo in the cramped confines of the tiny space. Squeaks came to her rescue, demanding his due attention from the couple. Richard immediately bent to greet the cat.

"Why don't you take him into the living room? He knows he's not supposed to be in here while I'm cooking," Olivia said, impressed by Squeaks' magnanimity in allowing Richard to carry him away. "Hmm, two men have met with Squeaks' approval in the space of one year. I would not have thought it possible." Olivia put on a fresh pot of coffee before she turned her attention to breakfast and went to the refrigerator for a few ingredients. She put some bacon into the pan, and in minutes the whole apartment was suffused with the heady aroma. Olivia diced potatoes and put them on to boil for a few minutes to start the hash browns and stepped out of the kitchen to ask Richard how he wanted his eggs. She found Richard sprawled across the sofa fast asleep with Squeaks lounging on his chest. Olivia went back to the kitchen with a tiny smile playing about her lips. She finished the bacon and the hash browns and set them aside while she took a shower and dressed before she returned to the living room. She knelt beside the sofa to gently dislodge the cat and woke Richard with a flurry of kisses. He opened his eyes with a smile.

"What time is it?"

"Nearly ten. Want to get cleaned up before we eat? I can scare up a toothbrush and a razor, if you don't mind it being pink." Richard felt the stubble on his chin and accepted her offer and went off to wash up. By the time he returned, Olivia had breakfast on the table.

"Do you eat like this every morning?" Richard asked as he surveyed the generous meal spread before him.

"Of course not! I have a bit of yogurt and fruit, or sometimes a little oatmeal in the morning before I make my deliveries...oh, and one bite of your cookie," Olivia smiled.

"And on weekends?"

"On weekends, usually, Lizzy makes me breakfast."

"Lizzy," Will said softly as he ventured into the overgrown garden. He found Lizzy kneeling in front of a weed-choked reflecting pond. She made no movement as he approached and he feared that she had not heard him. The last thing he wanted was to startle her.

"I'm sorry I took a swing at you," she said unexpectedly. Will stopped in his tracks for a moment, and then walked over to her side and sat on an old stone bench.

"May I make one suggestion? Never take a swing at someone unless you actually intend to hit him."

"I did intend to hit you!" Lizzy blurted, but when she raised her eyes to his, Will instantly knew that she was lying. He took a deep breath and waited, not sure what to say. Lizzy was apparently very upset and he didn't want to further exacerbate the situation. But he was also eager to defend himself against her accusations.

"You said some pretty awful things back there," he began gently. Lizzy turned back to the pond and stared at the scrub that grew where lilies once flourished.

"I should think you'd expect that from me by now," Lizzy said, trying to lighten the tension. Will moved down the bench a little, coming a bit closer to Lizzy.

"You've attacked my taste in design, my hiring motives, and my ego previously, but you've never attacked my character before...at least not to my face." Lizzy squirmed slightly.

"I'd never seen that side of your character before last night."

"What side?"

"The side that allows you to wine and dine one woman while you're supposedly involved with another." Will shook his head. "The side that--."

"For the last time, will you get it through your head that there's nothing between me and Olivia? In fact, I'll let you in on a secret; she and Richard didn't meet yesterday. They actually met about six weeks ago. He's the 'axe murderer' you've been complaining about and she only found out this week that her Cookie Monster and my business partner were one and the same person. She wouldn't have fallen for me no matter what you did. She had already fallen for Richard by the time you started trying to pair us off." Lizzy spun around to gape at him.

"If that's true, why didn't she tell me?"

"It is true. As to why she decided not to tell you, I guess only she can answer that." Lizzy frowned as her mind tried to reconcile what she had just learned. "For what it's worth, I can tell you that Richard is really in love with her, and I believe that she's in love with him. I can assure you that she's perfectly safe in his care." Lizzy stole a glance at Will and conceded that he was right. But a more disturbing thought began to nag at her. If Olivia had kept the truth about Richard from her, it was more than likely that she had been a party to whatever scheme had been perpetrated the previous night. And that scheme, it seemed, conspired to pair Lizzy with Will. She felt her face flush with renewed anger and turned on Will.

"So she was party to your scheme...no, no. Livy is no follower. This was her scheme, wasn't it? What was it, her revenge for my trying to set the two of you up?" Will rolled his eyes.

"Why do you insist on seeing something sinister in this? All she wanted to do was give us a chance to be together on our own for a while so we'd that we might--."

"Might what?" Lizzy interjected. Will blinked back at her, as though the question was absurd. "Why didn't you tell her that you were already involved with someone? Richard told me about her last night. Didn't he tell Livy?"

"What? What are you talking about? Richard couldn't possibly have told you that I was involved with anyone because he knows as well as I do that I am not!"

"He did! He told me that your heart was spoken for," Lizzy said in a painful rush. She averted her eyes and finished softly. "Those were his exact words." Will stared at her in disbelief for a moment. Then he burst into laughter and rose to his feet, muttering something about doing Richard serious bodily harm when they next met. Lizzy timidly raised her eyes and watched Will pace for a moment, until he noticed that she was watching him.

"Don't you get it? No, of course you don't get it. You've done everything in your power to willfully misunderstand anything and everything about me, haven't you?" Will smiled as he bent forward and reached for Lizzy's hands. She hesitated momentarily and then allowed Will to pull her to her feet. "He was talking about you! I don't know why he was talking about you in that manner but he must have been because he knows...oh, never mind that now. Trust me, he was talking about you." Lizzy eyed him suspiciously.

"I don't understand," she said in a small voice. Will gently pulled Lizzy closer into a loose embrace.

"You know, you really don't deserve me," he said impishly.

"I heartily concur with that," Lizzy said, as the light slowly dawned in her eyes. She smiled, or would have, had her effort not been interrupted by Will's kiss. From the kitchen window, Bess smiled her approval and reached for her car keys. She surmised that her assistance would not be needed on this day. She continued to smile all the way out to the car, where she pulled out her cell phone and dialed her grandson's number.

Lizzy and Will remained in the garden for some time after that first kiss. They talked for hours, about the best way to restore the pond, about their respective favorite flowers, and ultimately about Lizzy's folly, as Will chose to call it. Lizzy was properly contrite, as she began to pull up the offensive weeds that choked the pool, although Will would not allow her to dwell on her stubbornness or her mistaken impression of him.

"I'll forgive you if we can just put all this behind us," he said as he gazed into her eyes.

"But we can't just put this behind us. I, for one, will never be able to forget just how much of an idiot I've been." Will tossed aside his gardening gloves and pulled Lizzy onto his lap.

"In cases such as these, a good memory is unpardonable. You must learn some of my philosophy. Think only of the past as its remembrance gives you pleasure." Lizzy's eyes opened wide.

"You...I wouldn't have suspected you of being a fan of Jane Austen," she giggled.

"I confess that although I read most of her works at school I would not consider myself a fan. But after Olivia told me about your philosophy, I decided that Pride and Prejudice merited a second reading."

"My philosophy?"

"My good opinion once lost is lost forever." Will quoted. Lizzy turned beet red.

"I think you have found a convert to your philosophy," Lizzy sighed as she wrapped her arms around his neck to kiss him.

When Lizzy reached home early that evening, she found Olivia on the sofa polishing her toenails. She was wearing a robe and was apparently getting ready for an evening out.

"Well, so you haven't run off with your axe murderer after all," Lizzy teased as she flopped on the sofa.

"Hey!" Olivia cried as she smudged her freshly polished nail. Lizzy grinned unrepentantly as Squeaks leapt into her lap, jarring Olivia once more. She closed the bottle and rested her foot alongside the other one on the coffee table. "So, Will told you the truth about Richard."

"You might have."

"I might have, but then that would have taken all the fun out of things, wouldn't it?"

"When did you find out?"

"Actually, I realized it last Saturday when I met Bess. There's no way she couldn't have been related to him."

"Yes, I saw the resemblance myself when I met her. So, he's your Cookie Monster!"

"My very own," Olivia grinned.

"Especially after last night, I suspect," Lizzy prodded.

"I'll have you know that Richard was a perfect gentleman last night. This afternoon was another story entirely," Olivia said as she colored slightly.

"Do tell!"

"I'll never tell," Olivia replied saucily. "But I'm more interested in how you ended up at Will's house this morning." Lizzy's mouth fell open.

"How did you know I was there?"

"A little bird told Richard that it would be a good idea to stay away from the house today." Lizzy gasped. "It sounded terribly romantic, you and Will necking in the garden," Olivia teased.

"Necking doesn't sound romantic. We just kissed--a lot. I went out there this morning looking for you, by the way."

"Why on earth were you looking for me in Staten Island?"

"Well, I didn't really think you were there. I was just worried about you since you didn't come home last night and I thought--."

"That Will knew where Richard and I were? Try again, Bennet. That story has more holes in it than Swiss cheese." Olivia laughed heartily.

"I was worried about you, you little ingrate," Lizzy said defensively. "But I also wanted to confront Will for playing with my head last night," Lizzy admitted. "He flirted with me outrageously but then he suddenly backed off when he brought me home."

"Backed off?"

"I thought he was going to kiss me," Lizzy confessed, "But instead, he just said goodnight and left."

"Maybe he was afraid that you'd deck him."

"I wouldn't have. I can now state from experience that had he kissed me last night the way he did this morning I would have been incapable of thought of any kind, much less violent ones." Lizzy closed her eyes and laid her head back dreamily. "I'm in love with him, Livy."

"Well, of course you are, you idiot! It only took you a month to figure it out!" Lizzy sat up and fixed her with a glare.

"How long have you known, Miss Know-it-all?"

"Since the morning you confessed your lunatic behavior at Will's interview. It wasn't the first time you've ever made a fool of yourself, but that was the first time you actually showed any genuine remorse. I knew then that you had really wanted to make a good impression on Will and it wasn't hard to figure out why."

"You know, you're really funny looking when you're smug like that," Lizzy smirked as she pulled the towel off of Olivia's head.

"I know. But you should be used to it. I'm always right about such things, as you well know."

"Then why didn't you tell me? You could have saved me weeks of anguish!" Lizzy cried.

"No way! You refused to even acknowledge that Will was a real live human being, much less lust material. I had to let you figure it out for yourself."

"With a little manipulation to speed things along?"

"Well, you were taking so long about it, and I couldn't stand watching Will suffer," Olivia explained.

"Did he suffer?" Lizzy asked earnestly.

"More than you deserve, yes. He was moping around like a lovesick puppy. It drove Richard insane because at the same time you were calling him and asking how to pair off Will and me." Lizzy smacked herself on the head and laughed.

"I feel like such a dope."

"Well, all's well that ends well. You have Will and I have my axe murderer. Life is good." Olivia looked at Lizzy and they shared a smile. Then they hugged each other tightly.

When Will's house became habitable a few weeks later, Lizzy moved into it with him. The couple spent every free moment in the garden, leaving the unfinished bedrooms to languish as they restored it to its former beauty. After weeks of weeding and pruning, Will threw his budget to the wind and called in a professional landscaper, who brought in new shrubs and perennials to replace the old ones. In six weeks the garden looked as if it had always been there, the bare patches hidden by judiciously placed annuals and planted pots of greenery. It was to that garden Will led Lizzy late one afternoon and proposed, and in that garden just a month later--as the fall colors began to tinge the leaves--that their union was celebrated among Lizzy's family and a few close friends. Richard and Olivia stood up with the couple and less than a year later they began house hunting in the neighborhood for a place of their own. They had become engaged shortly after Olivia opened her bakery. Richard traveled down to Pennsylvania to formally ask Olivia's father for her hand and the wedding took place the following spring in the parlor of Will and Lizzy's home.

Will's wedding present to his bride was a writing studio. He enlisted Richard's aid over a couple of weekends and rebuilt a garden shed that had been demolished years earlier. Will had it outfitted with all the basic necessities such as electricity, a telephone line, and a broadband Internet connection, as well as a few luxuries such as heat and ivy-filled window boxes. Will and Richard decorated the studio with Carpenter Gothic trim to match the house, and when it was complete, it looked like a tiny fairy tale cottage set in a secluded part of the garden. Lizzy cried when she saw it; she loved her garden-based studio and she spent the better part of each day there writing.

When Urban magazine premiered that fall, Will was on the cover, and Lizzy had to sheepishly confess to her editor that the magazine's first cover bachelor was a married man. She wrote a humorous follow-up story about how she'd "snared" him, attracting the attention of several publishers when it appeared in the magazine's third issue. In short order, Lizzy was under contract, and her first novel was a comedy based on her own misguided search for love. The book included a most unusual dedication to her husband, which Lizzy made a point of reading aloud at book signings. She was always sure to confess that she'd plagiarized it from her favorite book, which she liberally quoted during her public appearances.

What do I not owe you! You taught me a lesson, hard indeed at first, but most advantageous by you. By you I was properly humbled. I came to you without a doubt of my reception. You showed me how insufficient were all my pretensions to please a man worthy of being pleased.

Lizzy was halfway through her second book and her first pregnancy before the story of her and Will's courtship slipped off the New York Times' top ten bestsellers list. By that time Olivia was a neighbor, just starting renovations on the kitchen of the old Colonial she and Richard had just moved into. Will was the architect and he and Richard did all the work themselves. Lizzy came by often and helped Olivia with unpacking and settling in. Olivia gave up her bakery in Chinatown for a larger kitchen closer to home. She still rose early to do the baking, but it was a member of her staff who made the deliveries. She sent Richard off to work every day with a freshly baked cookie, which he ate when he arrived at the office. On occasion, Olivia came into the office to make him lunch when her work schedule allowed. In time, though, she severely cut back her schedule to take care of the son she gave Richard two years to the day they were married. In time, Olivia delivered a second son, as did Lizzy, two years before she gave birth to her third and last child. Will's daughter very quickly became the light of his life and the large Victorian house was always filled with the boisterous laughter of a very happy family.

As for Squeaks, he bore with the indignity of being displaced as the center of Lizzy's universe surprisingly well, especially when Will built him an ornate Victorian-style perch to lounge upon in the master suite. He was less than thrilled, however, when the household was joined by two Labrador retrievers, several rabbits, and three active children. But he took it all in stride, for Lizzy was happier than he'd ever known her to be, and he was able to nap unimpeded--well, usually. And life then was very good indeed.

The End