Beginning, Previous Section, Section VII, Next Section
Posted on Friday, 9 April 2004
With the Cattlemen's Barbecue over and another chance at ensnaring the owner of Pemberley Ranch over, Caroline Bingley returned to California. Nobody in Lambton, Texas was sad to see her go. Unfortunately, they also knew that so long as Will was still available, she'd be back the next year. In the meantime, everyone was glad for the eleven-month reprieve.
It took two days to take down what it took weeks to build and coordinate. The bandstand was taken apart carefully so that it could be rebuilt the next year, the picnic tables were packed and returned to the rental company, and the barbecue pit was gutted and cleaned so that it would be ready for the next barbecue.
As for everyone else, it was back to business as usual. That didn't mean, however, that there weren't any lingering effects from the Cattlemen's Barbecue.
A week later and people were still talking about the best roping competition they'd seen in a long time; no one would ever forget the way Will had taken immediate charge of the bull, handling it with a sort of finesse never seen before. Whenever one of his cowboys tried to bring it up though, he shrugged it off with some embarrassment. Will didn't like to be in the limelight.
And besides, he was ready to move onto other, more important things.
Like his date with Lizzy tonight.
Will smiled at that thought. So far, they'd managed to spend a pleasurable week in each other's company without going at each other's throats. Will considered that a major achievement. Especially considering how close they'd come a few times.
On Sunday, they'd attended church with their families. Not wanting to draw attention to themselves, they'd been content to stand side-by-side with their hands occasionally brushing against each other. They weren't fooling anyone. But that was all right, as their families heartily approved of the match. In their opinion, it was about time.
They'd taken a walk after work on Monday. That was the nice thing about Texas. Nights didn't come until really late during the summer months, so dinner was usually pushed back as well. So, they'd wended their way around the land. They'd ended up at the corral, watching Will's four most recent acquisitions prance their way through the exercises Denny was running them through.
Lizzy had immediately climbed the fence to straddle it while they watched and talked. When Will saw her doing that, he couldn't help himself from standing beside her with his hands out, prepared to catch her should she fall. She'd cast him a dismissive look. Still, he'd taken the opportunity to stand closer to her - to be both nearer to her and on hand should she lose her balance and fall.
"That white one is a real beauty," Lizzy commented. "Does it have a name yet?"
Will picked out the one Lizzy was talking about and said, "No, not yet. I was thinking about giving it to Georgie for her birthday. What do you think?"
Lizzy looked at Will and smiled. "She'll love it." She curled an affectionate arm around his shoulder and said, "You're such a good, elder brother."
"It's easy to be good to someone like Georgie. She's not a brat."
"Hey!" Lizzy took back her arm and gave him a shove with her upper body. "I thought we agreed you weren't going to call me a brat anymore."
"Who agreed to anything? It was more like you gave me a decree. And besides, who said anything about you being a brat? All I said was Georgie wasn't a brat."
"You implied it."
"It's okay," Will gave her waist a squeeze. "I like my woman just a smidge bratty."
"Hm." Lizzy narrowed her eyes at him, but Will silenced the rest of her protestations by wrapping his arm around Lizzy's waist and kissing her senseless.
"This is nice," Lizzy said, when they finished. She laid her head on his shoulder and watched Denny run the last of the horses through his exercises.
"Yeah, it is," Will agreed. "It's been such a long day."
"Want to talk about it?"
Surprisingly, he had. He told her about the west pasture running dry, and their concerns about possibly having to move the cattle to another field. Dry summers were the bane of every rancher's existence and there was no rain in the foreseeable future. There also seemed to be something eating at the grain. It needed to be examined so that they could eliminate its existence, whatever it was. Nonetheless, the problem was already a thorn in Will's side. Grain was especially dear these days. And as if the day could not have gotten worse, one of the jeeps had broken down in the fields. Poor Sandy had been stranded until someone noticed that he still hadn't returned and had ridden out to see what was up.
When Will was done venting, Lizzy leaned her forehead against his and whispered, "I hope tomorrow's better."
Will entwined his hands with hers and whispered back, "It already is."
And it honestly was. Somehow, having Lizzy to share his concerns and burdens made things better automatically. He liked being able to come home at the end of the day and unload. She was a sympathetic listener who often had intelligent suggestions to offer. And, he found himself wanting to hear about how she'd spent her day too. Just last night, she'd shared with him some ideas she'd had about how to streamline the input of their data into the computers. And, she'd also pointed out a mistake he'd made in the books. Her early catching of the mistake saved him from nights of headaches further down the line. Together, they were working to make the ranch a better business.
The harmony they'd found on Monday night unraveled by Wednesday morning. That's when Will had come out of his bedroom and found Lizzy dragging boxes down from the attic. He'd been up since dawn, checking on the cattle, and had come back to the house to wash up before he had to drive into town for one of his occasional business lunches. There was a buyer interested in taking some of his stock off his hands. They were to finalize the details of their contract that afternoon, and Will was eager to have matters settled.
He was looking down, concentrating on the tying of his tie, when he was brought up short by the sight of a ladder, surrounded by cardboard boxes, blocking his way. "What the . . .." He followed the wooden steps up to a pair of shapely legs, which he recognized as Lizzy's. She was standing at the top. He should've known.
He crossed his arms and looked stern. "Lizzy!"
There was some movement before he saw her bending over at the top. "Oh. Hey," she called down somewhat breathlessly. She brushed aside her tumbling curls and said, "Sorry about the mess. But don't worry. I'll clean it up when I'm done."
That was the least of his worries. "What in the world are you doing, brat?"
"I thought we agreed you weren't going to call me that anymore," she said for the millionth time that week.
"I can't help it. It's become a force of habit."
"Well, couldn't you at least try?"
"Lizzy!" Will was quickly losing his patience. "Could you just answer my question?"
She blushed somewhat sheepishly. "I'm sorry," she stopped rummaging and leaned back over the trapdoor. "What was your question again?"
He counted to five. At least it hadn't taken a count to ten for him to find his patience. This time. Things were definitely improving. "What are you doing in the attic and what are you doing with all these boxes?"
Will impatiently tapped the side of his bent leg as he waited for her answer.
"Which boxes?"
"These boxes."
Lizzy stopped once more to see which boxes Will was talking about. "Oh, those I have to put back. I just took them down to look through them, and move them out of the way for a little bit until I find what I'm looking for."
Will relaxed long enough to peek in one of the open boxes. "These are the Christmas decoration boxes!"
"I know."
He really was trying to be patient. "Lizzy, it's the end of July!"
"I know. I told you those weren't the boxes I was looking for and have to put back." She disappeared for a minute and then reappeared, dragging something towards the opening to the attic. "Here, can you help me for a second?"
Will quickly stepped forward to take hold of the box she was handing him. He set the rather hefty box on the floor, next to the others. Before Lizzy could disappear again, he caught her by the ankle and tugged her down.
"Hey! What are you doing? I don't have time to play games with you right now, Will."
"I'm not trying to start a game with you."
"Well then let go!"
"Uh-uh," he shook his head at her. "I don't think so."
Lizzy brushed her sweaty, matted hair away from her face and frowned. "What?"
"You're not going back up there."
"But I haven't found what I'm looking for," Lizzy protested.
"What are you looking for?" Will cried out exasperatedly. "You know what? It doesn't really matter. You're not going up there again. I absolutely forbid it."
"You forbid it? Who made you my keeper? You can't tell me what to do!"
She made to climb the ladder again, but Will stopped her. "I mean it, Lizzy. I do not want you climbing up their, hauling heavy boxes. You could lose your footing, the boxes could fall on you, you could fall off the ladder, and it's just not safe."
"I'm being careful."
"And accidents can still happen."
"I'll be fine."
"I'm sorry, Lizzy, but my decision is final. I do not want you endangering yourself like that."
"And just how am I endangering myself?"
"Do I really need to spell it out for you?"
"Apparently, yes."
"Why do you have to be so thick-headed? Gees, reasoning with you is like trying to reason with a three hundred pound bull!"
"Are you calling me a cow?"
"If the shoe fits. They're about as senseless as you are sometimes!"
"Well I don't know why you have to be an overbearing lout!"
Will pressed two fingers against his temple. "Oh, man. Now we've resorted to name-calling. That's just great."
"Oh, so are you calling me immature now too?" Lizzy was all worked up for a battle now.
"Lizzy," Will had his teeth clenched and just managed to say. "I don't have time for this. I'm supposed to meet George Knightley in twenty minutes, and now I'm going to be late."
"I didn't ask you to stop and butt into my business," Lizzy sulked.
"Before I go, can we agree that you will not go back up there? We'll return the rest of this stuff," he gestured at the boxes with a flourish, "to the attic when I get back." Lizzy stared at him stubbornly. "What is so important that you absolutely have to have it now and can't wait until later when I get back?"
"It's private."
They stared at one another. "I can't do this. I don't have time for this!" Will growled.
"So go! Nobody's asking you to stay."
Though neither one of them was really happy with the other, they managed to come up with a compromise. An amazing feat in and of itself. Will called down to the barn and had Mike come up to the big house to help Lizzy with the boxes. When he left them, Mike was scrounging around the attic, handing boxes down to Lizzy.
Will knew Lizzy wasn't happy with him at the moment, but he didn't care. It was enough for him to know that she was no longer putting herself in danger, leaving him in a better, more peaceful, frame of mind to conduct his meeting. He put the metal to the pedal and, sending clouds of dust into the air behind him, managed to be just five minutes late to the meeting. As it turned out, George Knightley had gotten lost on the way to Lambton and was ten minutes late. Everything, as it would seem, does work out for the best.
And, indeed, by Thursday, Will and Lizzy were back on speaking terms. Much to everyone's relief.
On Friday, Lizzy took a trip into town and met her sister and Charlotte for lunch. Friday was Cheapside's Chili Special day and each one ordered a heaping bowl of the yummy lunch for themselves. Charlotte liked hers especially spicy though, so Jane and Lizzy looked on with abject horror as she poured a heaping tablespoon of Tabasco sauce into the already heated food.
"You're going to die of heartburn one of these days," Lizzy observed.
"Me and Richard both." Charlotte swallowed a large spoonful and sighed with pure enjoyment. "This is so good! I'm glad we came here for lunch today. It's been so long since I've had Louisa's chili."
"It's a good thing the both you and Richard like really hot and spicy food," Jane said. "Charlie's an absolute wimp when it comes to spicy food."
"So are you," Lizzy pointed out, tucking into her own bowl of chili.
"Yeah. We are so evenly matched like that."
Lizzy looked at Charlotte and almost gagged on her water. Her older sister was so embarrassing sometimes. You'd think that after years of dating and marriage, with a baby on the way, they'd be less ga-ga and gooey-eyed. Less disposed to overly cheesy sentiments. Nope. Not Jane and Charlie. They were like perpetual honeymooners. In a way, were Lizzy disposed to be kinder and more understanding, she supposed she would find it to be rather sweet. As it was, she wasn't, and she found it utterly disgusting. I hope Will and I have more sense, she found herself thinking.
Jane, knowing exactly what was going on in her baby sister's head, snorted to herself and thought, Yeah, that's not going to be very likely. She barely prevented her giggle from escaping.
"What about Will?" Charlotte asked.
"He practically breathes fire," Lizzy answered. She turned to Jane. "Do you remember that time when we were little and Will conned Charlie into eating a jalapeno pepper?"
"Oh my goodness, yes! To this day Charlie runs away whenever he comes into mere sight of those tiny, green fire bombs.
"It was so funny," Jane turned to Charlotte to explain. "Charlie had come over one day and stayed for lunch. Our mom served us taco and laid out the fixings for us to add ourselves. She had a small bowl of chili peppers because she knew how much Will loved them, and as he added them to his own taco, he offered them to Charlie. Charlie wasn't so keen on adding them, but Will assured him that they were sweet peppers."
Lizzy snickered. "He is so gullible."
"Charlie can't help it if he's so trusting. He's not inclined to think negatively, and neither am I," Jane shot back. "Anyways," she continued, "Charlie took Will's word for it and decided to try some out on his own taco. Will was adding a lot to his, and surely that meant that they were really good. Right?"
"Wrong!" Lizzy crowed. "He took one bite of his taco and - oh my goodness - talk about a tomato with hair! His face grew bright red, his hair stood straight up in the air, and steam was coming out of his ears. I thought he was going to blow up."
"He downed everyone's water at the table and went running to the kitchen for more," Jane added. "It was so pitiful and you and Will just sat there laughing at him," she accused. "That was so mean."
"Oh, it was a harmless joke."
"He almost burned his tongue off!"
"Well, Will didn't know that Charlie was going to react that badly. He knew Charlie didn't like hot and spicy foods. He just didn't know that Charlie really didn't like hot and spicy foods."
"Sorry, Jane. But, it does sound rather amusing." Charlotte chuckled. "I remember you guys always having fun stories to share in school about all the pranks you'd pulled on each other. I was always a little jealous of that. While I was stuck at home helping out at the Lodge, and then later with the kidlets, you guys were at Pemberley having a ball, it seemed."
Jane and Lizzy exchanged glances. "I guess we did have fun, all of us growing up together on the ranch."
"Even if Will was a brute," Lizzy added.
"Yeah, but you don't seem to feel that anymore," Jane said. Her eyebrows raised, it was quite obvious she was fishing for information.
"Well, I don't know about that," Lizzy said archly. "I still think he's a brute sometimes. Perhaps, I just find it to be more bearable now."
"I daresay I'd put up with a great deal to be able to put my hands all over that body." Charlotte pressed her hands together and rolled her eyes heavenward. Then, she put her head against Jane's and together they swooned, "Ummmm . . . yum!"
Lizzy threw a chunk of her bread roll at Charlotte. "Hey! You've got your own man." To her sister, she pointed accusingly and said, "And don't you even think about it. You're a married woman!
"You two keep your hands and minds off my man!"
Jane and Charlotte exchanged pointed looks and then leaned over the table with great interest. "So, he really is your man now?"
Lizzy looked as though she'd been caught red-handed. Her face blushed hotly. She'd played right into their hands. "I hate it when you guys do that. It's no fair being ganged up on."
"You always were such a pouter, Lizzy. Now come on, we want details."
"Are you going to keep us in suspense all day?"
Charlotte jabbed Jane in the side, and hissed, "Don't give her any ideas!"
Three bowls of chili were pushed to the side as they gathered to discuss what they'd known would be the subject matter of their luncheon discussion. "It's too soon to say, really. I don't want to get ahead of myself and jinx things. You know how Will and I, we're like time bombs ready to go off."
"All that passion, all that aggression. Firecrackers in the bedroom, no doubt," Charlotte winked suggestively.
Lizzy ignored the jibe. "Can you believe it? We're just starting to come to terms with our openly acknowledged feelings for one another and already we've had two fights."
"What? Oh, Lizzy." Jane reached across the table to hold her sister's hand. "What happened?"
Lizzy started from the beginning. She told them about her growing attraction to Will, starting from the beginning of the summer when they'd started working together more, and she told them about how they'd stolen a kiss against their better judgments. She told them about how they'd tried to stay apart after that, but ended up succumbing to their desires. She told them about how good it had felt to finally own up to their mutual attraction, and how happy she'd gone to bed that night after they had.
She also told them about her early morning meeting with George, but she didn't tell them what he'd wanted. She had, after all, promised George she'd keep his promise. She then told them about the fight that had followed, between her and Will, and how they'd ended up patching things up by the end of that night. Jane and Charlotte had nodded their head with understanding, everything becoming all so clear now that they knew what had been going on. They had picked up on the increased tension between them at the Cattlemen's Barbecue, and now they knew why.
"It's been an incredible week so far, though. We've been spending time together, whenever we can, to talk about other things, not necessarily related to work or the ranch. But, even when Will does discuss ranch business with me, it seems natural, like it's right. I like that he feels comfortable coming to me with his problems, even if I can't really help him. Still, I think we both like knowing that we can turn to each other to vent our pent up frustrations, and other stuff."
"It is nice," Jane agreed. "That's how Charlie and I operate."
"Oh! There was that small matter of the fight Will and I got into another fight Wednesday morning. I was tempted then to call things off then, but I bit my tongue and went with the flow. Lucky thing too. As it turned out, we ended up reaching a mutually acceptable agreement, even if neither one of us really got what we wanted."
"That's how a real relationship works," Jane interjected in her sage voice.
"Yeah, I think so too. It was a problem, but we worked through it, and now we're back to our gloriously happy state where we both feel like the world is a sunny, beautiful place. I still can't believe it sometimes. I often catch myself smiling at absolutely nothing and I have to shake my head to shake out of it. It's kind of pathetic," Lizzy giggled at herself.
"Wow," was all Jane and Charlotte could say when Lizzy finally finished.
"You guys always have to do things the hard way, don't you?" Charlotte asked.
"Poor Lizzy," Jane clucked like a mother hen.
Lizzy shrugged. "Things really are better now," she reassured. "In fact, we're going out tonight."
"Really? On a date?"
"Yes. Will said that it's about time we got away from the ranch and had some time to ourselves. So, he's taking me out to dinner tonight."
"Ooh, dinner!"
"What are you going to wear?" Jane asked.
Lizzy blushed with some minor embarrassment. "I was going to wear something I already had, but then I ended up buying something on my way over here this afternoon. It was an impulse buy."
"I love impulse buys!" Charlotte chimed in.
"So do I," Jane agreed. "Come on, I want to see this outfit." Their lunch forgotten, they immediately settled their check and headed for Lizzy's car.
When they reached Lizzy's car, she unlocked the car doors and reached for the garment bag with some hesitation. Now that others would be examining her purchase, she wondered if she'd made the right decision. She'd been walking along the storefronts, on her way to the diner, when she'd passed by the storefront of Emma's. Emma's was owned and operated by Emma Woodhouse. With the help of her assistant, Harriet Smith, Emma both designed and sewed the clothes she sold in her store. Her clothes were one of a kind and her style was decidedly feminine. As such, Lizzy was not a frequent patron of the store.
Until this afternoon.
Lizzy had been walking by the window when she was arrested by the sight of the most beautiful dress she'd ever seen draped over the plastic model. Unable to resist, she'd checked her watch and found herself with some time to spare. She took that as a lucky sign and entered the store, immediately requesting to try on the dress in the window.
Both Emma and Harriet had been generous in their flattery, but she expected that of two businesswomen whose main goal was to sell their products. Still, she'd had to agree with them as she'd checked herself out in the tiny mirror of the dressing room, angling herself this way and that to get the full effect.
"I'll take it," she'd found herself saying, only five minutes after she'd entered the store.
Emma had been very pleased indeed. "Excellent. You won't regret your purchase, Lizzy."
"I hope not," Lizzy had muttered, fishing out her credit card.
"Would you like the dress on a hanger or in a bag?" Emma had asked, taking the credit card and punching in the information into her cash register.
"A hanger would be nice. Thanks."
"No problem."
While Emma saw to the ringing up of the purchase, Harriet saw to the careful wrapping of the dress. "He's going to love this dress!" Harriet babbled while she worked.
Her comment caught Lizzy off guard. "Excuse me?" How on earth did Harriet Smith know about her date with Will?
"Oh!" Harriet blushed embarrassingly. "I'm so sorry. I just assumed a dress like this would be bought to be worn on a special occasion, like a date. It's so beautiful." Harriet sighed dramatically.
Emma, the more experienced saleswoman of the two, quickly smoothed matters over by saying, "You'll have to excuse Harriet. She's a bit of a romantic. The dress will look lovely on you, no matter what occasion you choose to wear it for."
Harriet seized upon her employer's words like a lifeline. "Exactly. Just so."
It was Lizzy's turn to blush; perhaps she had been overly sensitive. "Thanks, guys."
"Enjoy the dress!" Emma had called after her as Lizzy had exited the dress shop.
Now, as Lizzy unwrapped the dress for her sister and friend's perusal, she doubted the wisdom of her choice. Maybe the dress was too much. Or, maybe it was just plain ugly. After all, what did she know? The problem was, Lizzy wasn't used to getting dressed up for a man. Maybe, she thought to herself, she should just go with something she already owned. Something she was used to and more comfortable with.
Biting her lips in uncertainty, she turned around. "If you don't like it, promise me you'll tell me so. I can return it and I'll just wear something already in my closet," she found herself saying.
"Don't be silly, Lizzy," Jane said. "I'm sure whatever you found is lovely."
"And of course you can't wear something out of your closet." Charlotte sounded scandalized. "Not only does it probably consist of only jeans and old work shirts, Will's probably seen everything in it at least once before. If this dress doesn't work, we'll just have to go shopping to find you a new one."
As it turned out, the dress worked just fine. Lizzy pulled the slinky dress out of the bag and held it up against herself. "Well? What do you think?"
Her question was met with silence. Lizzy frowned and looked down at the dress. "Is it really that bad?" she asked with a wince.
"No," it was Charlotte who finally answered.
"It's perfect," Jane whispered.
"Really?"
"Yeah. Wow," Charlotte whistled. "You're going to knock Will off his feet!" Lizzy blushed with embarrassment. "No, really! I want to see you in it. I bet you look devastating in that dress."
"Let's all go back to the ranch," Jane suggested. "Lizzy can try on the dress for us and then we can help her with her hair and make-up."
"I was just going to pull my hair back."
Jane shook her head no. "With a dress like that, you'll want a more romantic upsweep of the hair. Trust me."
Lizzy looked a little doubtful, but then she figured they were probably the experts in this arena. "All right."
"Great! We'll meet you back at the ranch then."
As Lizzy got into her car, Jane and Charlotte went to fetch their respective cars. Half an hour later, they were locked behind Lizzy's door and joined by Georgiana. When they'd passed through the kitchen, they'd issued a stern warning to Fanny. Under no circumstances was she to allow Will to see Lizzy before the appointed hour. Fanny promised to faithfully execute her duties.
The girls didn't waste any time in having Lizzy strip and put on her new dress. When she did, their reactions varied between the romantic sighs of pleasure and the breathless silence of shock. It was Georgiana who put into words what the rest were thinking, "Oh, Lizzy. You look gorgeous in that dress. Will's going to love it."
Lizzy tried not to blush. She plucked at the hem of her dress and shyly asked, "Do you really think so?"
She was still trying to deny that that was the reason behind why she'd bought the dress in the first place. She was still trying to tell herself that she'd bought the dress because it had appealed to her, and not for any other reason. But, deep down, she knew that was only partly true. The dress had appealed to her because it made her feel feminine, and she'd hoped that in wearing it, Will would find her so as well. He was used to seeing her, traipsing around the ranch, in her jeans and work clothes. For once, she wanted him to see her for who she really was. A woman. A desirable woman. Still, it unsettled her to think that she was dressing up for a man. So, she let it slide.
Charlotte snorted from where she sat on the bed. "Stop fishing for compliments!" she teased.
Jane got up and went to stand behind Lizzy. She turned her younger sister towards the mirror. "Yes, we really think so. Just look at yourself, sweetie. You look beautiful. And, by the end of this evening, we'll have you looking down right sexy."
Sexy? The single word had her terrified. "Maybe I shouldn't wear this dress," Lizzy started to back pedal. "I'm not used to wearing dresses. Maybe I should opt for something I'm more familiar with, like one of my nicer silk blouses. I'll even wear one of my old skirts instead of slacks."
Charlotte leapt up and stood in front of the closet, barricading it with her arms spread wide. "Don't even think about it! You are wearing that dress and that is final!"
"All right."
Jane beamed. "Excellent!" To Charlotte and Georgiana she said, "Okay, girls. It's time to get to work! We are officially on the clock!"
By six-thirty that evening, Lizzy felt as though she'd been plucked, primped, and her skin stretched to all four corners of her body. As soon as her sister had given the green light, Lizzy had been bombarded from all sides. She'd been dumped in the bath, then waxed and slathered in lotion. She'd been given a manicure and a pedicure. Her eyebrows had been sculpted and her face painted. Her hair had been trimmed, dried, and styled into an intricate half twist that Lizzy knew she'd never be able to replicate on her own. It left her neck bare, but a few tendrils had been pulled away so that they hung in seductive curls down the back of her head. Lizzy didn't think she'd ever looked so good before.
She supposed it had been worth the pain and strain after all, though she hadn't always felt that way. Not when her head had been tugged from this direction to the next, and her skin had been abused by bristled brushes and stinging, hot wax. Prettying one's self up for a man, Charlotte had primly informed her while yielding a paintbrush, was a necessary evil.
Now, as she waited for Will to fetch her for their date, she sat in front of her vanity, turning her face to one side then the other, checking herself out. She still couldn't believe the marked difference in her looks.
Georgiana had left several hours ago due to a prior engagement with Mariah Lucas. They were going to eat pizza and watch movies at Lucas Lodge. Jane and Charlotte had left an hour earlier, imparting words of wisdom even while walking out of the door.
"Remember. Don't go downstairs until Will calls for you," Charlotte had told her.
"Why not?"
"You want to make a grand entrance."
"That's stupid," Lizzy had frowned. She thought it made more sense to go downstairs and wait for Will there. It was boring waiting alone in her room.
"It's all about the effect, Lizzy," Charlotte explained somewhat exasperatedly. "You do want this to be a real date, don't you? Just because you guys live in the same house doesn't mean that he can't still pick you up like a proper date."
In this instance, Jane had agreed with Charlotte. It seemed to Lizzy that when it came to her relationship with Will, Jane was always agreeing with Charlotte, and vice versa. It was becoming quite annoying. "Oh, fine."
But now, it was half past six. And Will was officially half an hour late. She frowned at her watch and then tucked it back into the tiny purse Jane had had one of her men bring over from Netherfield. She opened her door and crossed the hallway to the staircase. Leaning over the wooden railing, she called for her mother. "Momma!"
Fanny came bustling into the hallway from the kitchen. She had in her arms a large bowl, in which she was still mashing the potatoes. "Yes, dear?"
"You haven't seen Will have you?"
"No, I'm sorry, dear. I sure haven't. I haven't seen hide nor hair of him since he took a sandwich with him after breakfast." When Will took a sandwich with him, that meant he was extra busy that day and wouldn't be returning to the big house for his noon meal. "As soon as I see him though, I'll call up to you."
"Never mind," she huffed. "I'll come down and look for him myself."
"Are you sure, Lizzy?"
"I might as well," Lizzy answered, as she picked her way down the stairs, taking extra care to not slip and fall in her heels. "I'm just sitting around upstairs, doing nothing."
She followed her mother back into the kitchen where Fanny got a good look at her daughter for the first time that evening. "Oh, Lizzy," Fanny breathed. "You're so beautiful." Her voice wobbled somewhat. She'd never seen her darling girl dressed to the nines like this before. "I hope your father gets to see you before you leave tonight."
"She looks just like her mother," his voice drawled lazily from the doorway. "Beautiful and full of life."
Lizzy turned around. "Daddy!"
"You're a sight for sore eyes, Lizzy-bear. Will's not going to stand a chance against that outfit of yours. Maybe I'd better have a talk with that boy before he whisks my little girl off for a night on the town. Set a curfew, even."
"Oh, Daddy."
"You leave that poor boy alone, Tom." Fanny shook her finger at her husband.
"Well, all right. I suppose we can trust the boy, can't we, Fanny?"
Fanny merely clasped her dishtowel and hands to her bosom and sighed. She didn't dare give voice to the images that were currently dancing through her mind. She didn't think her daughter would appreciate them. Still, a mother could hope, and she did so dearly hope that things would work out for her daughter and the man she'd always considered to be a son.
"Speaking of the boy . . . have you seen him, Daddy?"
Tom looked around surprised. "He hasn't come back yet?" Fanny and Lizzy shook their heads. "You know what? One of the jeeps broke down again and none of the men have been successful in getting it fixed. I bet Will stopped off to try his hand at it. I'll go see if that's what's holding him up."
He was reaching for his hat hung on the peg when Lizzy stayed him with a hand. "That's all right, Daddy. I'll go myself."
"You sure?"
"Yeah."
Lizzy picked her way towards the back of the pole barn where they usually kept the jeeps. She passed Denny on her way there, and he'd whistled his approval as she'd walked past. "Hey there, baby!" Lizzy heard the call, but automatically looked behind her expecting to see someone else. There was no one. "You lookin' for me?" Denny kept on hollering. "I wouldn't mind takin' a beaut like you out on the town."
That's when Lizzy realized that one, he was talking to her, and two, he hadn't recognized her. "Denny, you so much as lay a finger on me and I'll have you castrated like a bull that's about to become a steer."
"Lizzy!" Denny hid his shocked surprise with laughter. Some. He wasn't really in the laughing mood. Her warning evoked an image that had him locking his knees together. "Hey, sorry about that." His tone had turned respectful. "I, uh, didn't recognize you for a second there."
"That much was obvious."
"You're not going to tell Will, are you?" He'd noticed the way the Boss Man had been sniffing around Lizzy lately, and he didn't think his employer would appreciate him hitting on his woman.
"Maybe. Guess you're just going to have to make sure you don't piss me off in the next couple of weeks, huh?" Lizzy gave him a wink before moving on.
As predicted, she found Will, with his sleeves rolled up, bent over the open hood of one of the jeeps. Next to him was Mike. They were working so hard that they didn't even hear her come up behind them. She took the opportunity to appreciate the scenery in front of her.
She watched them gesticulating with their hands as they spoke, and caught her breath when she saw Will straighten from his hunched over position to pull his white t-shirt over his head. He bunched the shirt and ran it over his dampened chest and the back of his neck before throwing it to the side. Lizzy tried not to think about what it would feel like to be that very lucky shirt, and what Will's rock-hard chest would look like, all golden from the sun and glistening from the light sheen of sweat that covered it.
She already knew what his naked back looked like. An inadvertent sigh escaped from her lips.
Mike was the first person to take notice of her. He straightened when he saw her and let out a low, appreciative whistle, checking her out from top to bottom. That caused Will to jerk his head up. He banged it on the hood of his car. "Ow!"
Still rubbing the back of his head, he waited for his vision to uncross. As his vision cleared, his hand slowed until it rested, forgotten on the back of his head. "Wow."
"Hey." Lizzy felt shy all of the sudden. She didn't know what to do, so she did a small pirouette and asked, "Do you like it?"
Will licked his parched lips and said hoarsely, "Yeah, I do."
He'd never seen Lizzy look lovelier. The garnet-colored dress, with its spaghetti straps and low-cut, v-shaped neckline, clung sleekly against her body, just ending below the knees. It hung like second skin and left nothing to the imagination. She'd complimented the dress with thin, strappy heels. Definitely a far cry from the boots she usually wore to trudge around the ranch. In fact, the entire outfit was a far cry from anything he'd ever seen her in before!
A simple sterling silver necklace was her only jewelry. The silver teardrop that was its charm, hung like a lariat in a straight line towards the bodice of her dress. It enticed the interested eye into following its path, and ended just above the tantalizing skin above the vee in her neckline. Will swallowed, though his throat felt dry. "Wow," was all his mind seemed capable of saying. His head was pounding, but he couldn't tell if it was the residual effects of hitting his head on the car hood, or if it was from opening his eyes and really seeing Lizzy for the first time. He suspected it was the latter, but preferred to blame it on the former.
When the pounding subsided, it suddenly occurred to him why Lizzy was dressed such as she was, and why she was looking for him. "Oh my gosh! Lizzy!" She smiled benignly at him. "I am so sorry! I lost track of all time!
"You aren't mad at me?" She shook her head. Thank heavens for small favors! "Bless you. Maybe you really aren't such a brat after all. Give me five minutes and I'll be right with you, all right?"
"Okay."
He didn't want to touch her, though he was itching to do so, because his hands were greasy from working on the car. So, he stood in front of her and tried to read her eyes. She didn't look mad, but any other woman he'd ever dated would have been mad as hell by now. He shouldn't have been so surprised. She'd always been different from any other woman he'd ever known. It was one of her more admirable traits, and why he found her so attractive.
"I'm really sorry," he reiterated. "I'll make it up to you, I swear. Just, don't go anywhere! Stay right where you are!" Lizzy chuckled and though she wondered, she didn't try and ask him where he thought she would go.
Will tossed his wrench into Mike's waiting hand and grabbed the t-shirt he'd thrown on the ground earlier. "Clean up the mess and pack up the tools. We'll finish working on it tomorrow."
"Yes, sir!"
With one more backward glance, Will hurried back to the big house. With the way Lizzy was looking tonight, he didn't dare leave her alone for any longer than was necessary.
Mike finished returning all the tools to the toolbox and slammed the hood of the car shut. He turned around and wiping his hands on a small hand towel that was suited for that purpose, he smiled generously at Lizzy and said, "You're looking mighty fine this evening, Lizzy."
"Thank you, Mike. How's your wife and how are the boys? I haven't seen them running around lately."
"Don't be deceived. Those little rascals are always up to no good, running my poor wife ragged. They're still talking about the balloon animals you made them last week at the Barbecue," he told her. "They're all but deflated, but Ryan still likes to carry his around with him wherever he goes. I live in daily fear that he'll accidentally drop it in the toilet and clog up the pipes, or worse."
Lizzy laughed while Mike shuddered. "I'm glad they liked them. And any time they want another they should let me know. I've got a stash of leftover balloons."
"I'll mention it next time I need a bribe," Mike winked at her. He walked her back to the big house and left her to wait for Will on the porch. "Enjoy your evening," he told her.
"Thanks."
It wasn't much longer before Will came rushing out of the house. True to his word, he'd washed and cleaned and gotten fully dressed all under five minutes. Lizzy raised her eyebrows, clearly impressed. Will was breathless from his rush. His chest still heaving, he fiddled with the collar of his shirt as he looked at her and asked, "Ready?"
Lizzy stepped forward and brushed his hands aside. She fixed his collar for him and ran a hand down his chest, smoothing down the shirt. He looked incredible, stealing her breath. With his still damp hair, crisp white button-down, and khaki pants, he looked cool and crisp, perfect for a summer's eve. It didn't seem fair to her that it had taken her an entire afternoon to look the way she did, while he had spent exactly five minutes and still managed to achieve the perfect look. She reached behind her for her purse and taking a deep breath, said, "Yes."
He smiled reassuringly at her and then took her hand to lead her down the steps and to the car. She pulled her skirt free from the door and then watched Will walk around the front of the car to the driver's side. She'd felt a trifle awkward when he insisted upon opening the door for her and handing her into the car, but she'd be lying if she said that her heart hadn't fluttered at his gentlemanly manners. She watched him buckle his seatbelt and then start the ignition. He must've sensed her watching him because he turned to her and flashed her another smile before putting the car in reverse and backing out of the front yard.
All in all, Lizzy considered, the evening might not have gotten off to the perfect start, but the prospects for a magical evening were certainly looking bright.
Posted on Wednesday, 14 April 2004
Will had chosen a more upscale restaurant for their first evening out together. The restaurant was dimly lit and each table was decorated with its own candle. He'd called ahead and requested a table set off to the side, in one of the corners. When they arrived, Lizzy was beyond excited and impressed to find a single rose draped across her plate.
"Since I wasn't able to bring you any flowers," he whispered as he leaned over to push her chair in.
She crushed the red bud to her lips, inhaling its sweet scent. "Thank you." Her eyes glittered in the candlelight.
They perused the menu together and laughed over each other's choices. "Why am I not surprised," Lizzy leaned over and teased, "that you would immediately zero in on the filet mignon?"
"What? So, I happen to like my red meat. What's wrong with that?"
"Don't you get tired of red meat, especially when you look at cattle day after day on the ranch?"
"Never!" Will pretended to be shocked and horrified. "It's what keeps me in business!" He saw her looking at the left-hand side of the menu and narrowed his eyes. "You're not going to be one of those females who insist on watching their waistlines and order a salad while I pig out on my dinner, are you?"
Lizzy looked scandalized. "Are you kidding me? I was looking at the appetizer, soups, and a fish entrée."
"Ah, good. I like a woman with a healthy appetite," Will winked.
"Lucky for you, I'm starved tonight," Lizzy said as she closed her menu and set it to the side.
In the end, they decided to share an appetizer of artichoke hearts and crab and herb stuffed mushrooms. Lizzy also ordered potato leek soup to be followed by an entrée of baked Miso-flavored cod on a bed of spinach and mashed potatoes. Will opted for the salad to balance out his filet mignon, served medium rare. They'd considered getting a bottle of wine, but with one person ordering fish and the other person ordering red meat, they couldn't agree on a mutually agreeable wine. They settled for water. Which was perfectly fine with Will. He was finding himself getting drunk on the sight of Lizzy alone.
With the waiter gone and their menus taken away, Will and Lizzy were left alone to wait for their meal. Lizzy took the opportunity to survey her surroundings. Quiet music tinkled forth from a live piano player in one part of the room. He was carefully hidden so as not to overwhelm the room. The restaurant itself was modestly decorated. It spoke of money and class. Lizzy squirmed in her seat.
"Like what you see?" He'd been watching her from his hooded eyes as he sipped from his glass of water.
She couldn't stop herself from rocking back and forth in her seat. "I do. It's nice."
He had to smile. That's what he liked about her. She was so unpretentious, like an innocent. It was so refreshing. Any other woman would be taking the opportunity to use the dimly lit restaurant to their advantage, to work their seductive charms on him, maybe run a stocking-clad foot up against the side of his leg. She certainly would not have been the first to try, if she had. But not, Lizzy. Seduction had to be the farthest thing from her mind. Instead, she looked like a little girl who had just been let loose in a candy store.
Will found her utterly charming.
He almost wanted to rap his knuckles on the table, to bring her attention back to him. As if reading his mind, Lizzy turned back to him and flashed him one of her impertinent smiles. "I'm surprised, Will." He raised a questioning eyebrow. "You've got taste!"
A true testament to the evolvement of their relationship, Will wasn't the least bit offended by Lizzy's comment. Instead, he chuckled and asked, "What were you expecting when I said I was going to take you out for dinner and dancing? A plate of chipped beef, fries, and the Texas two-step?"
"Something like that. But you forgot the beer, the cigarette smoke, and the crushing crowd."
Will shuddered in his seat. "Please, madam. You'll offend my sensibilities!
"I'll have you know. I have been off the ranch once or twice in my lifetime. There was that four-year stint that I like to call college and then there are those occasional business meetings I have to take in too. My heart may not be in the big city, but I've got heaps of city sophistication to get by. You don't have to worry about taking me out onto the town, brat. I won't embarrass you."
"Aren't you afraid I might embarrass you?" Will tilted his head at her. "I'm not like Caroline Bingley, you know. I don't know the difference between goose pate and duck pate. I'm hopeless when it comes to color schemes. And, I can't plan a cocktail party worth beans."
"Ah, but you're so much better than that," Will reassured, sitting forward to capture her hand in his. "You know about all the stuff that really matters. And I think you may know more than you give yourself credit for. Like, I know you've been making changes to the house ever since you moved back from college because your mother told me so, and quite frankly, I like the changes and additions you've made to the overall decor. And, though you say you don't know how to plan a cocktail party, you can't deny that you plan a great Barbecue. Everyone had a blast this year. In fact, I think you did such a great job that you're going to have to plan it every year from now on!"
Lizzy groaned. "Please! Anything but that!"
"But you're so good at it!"
"Uh-uh. Nope. Don't think so. Never again."
"How about if I gave you a nice, fat bonus?"
"Nothing could induce me to go through that nerve-wracking agony ever again!"
"Well, I suppose we have a year to come up with a compromise."
"I am not going through that torture again!"
Will decided to ignore her outbursts. "Anyways, getting back to our original discussion . . . More importantly, you clean up real good." He leaned forward and smelled the air in front of him. Her perfume hit him like a cement block to the forehead. "Mm, you smell good too."
"Excuse me?"
"You make me feel like a Neanderthal, Lizzy. I take one look at you, in that thing you call a dress, and I'm left speechless, only capable of grunts and other incomprehensible noises. I want to knock you out with my club, haul you back to my cave, and keep you there forever.
"Do you have any idea what sort of a power that is that you wield?"
Lizzy stared at him all goggle-eyed. She'd never heard him speak so plainly before and it caught her off guard. She was still staring at him when the waiter came with their appetizers. Will, however, acted as if he hadn't spoken at all. "Thank you," he smiled at their waiter. When he noticed Lizzy still looking at him vacuously, he heaped some mushrooms onto her plate and asked, "Don't you want to try some of these stuffed mushrooms? They look really good. How about some artichoke hearts?"
Still off-kilter, Lizzy picked up her fork like a robot and ate what he'd put on her plate. "Mm, it's good, isn't it?" Will asked conversationally.
Lizzy shook off the remainder of her shock. She tucked into her food with gusto. "Yes, it is." They were still cooing over the delights of the appetizer when her soup and his salad were brought next. From there, they moved onto their main entrees.
After that, it seemed as though the rest of the evening passed by in a blur. Lizzy put her fork down with a heavy sigh. The chocolate torte, served with slices of fresh strawberries and drizzled chocolate syrup, was absolutely decadent and delicious, but she could not eat another bite. "Oof. I am stuffed."
"Come on, just one more bite," Will coaxed. He held out a forkful of the rich dessert and waved it in front of her face. "You know you want to."
It didn't take much to tempt her. "All right." She leaned forward and accepted the bite from his fork. Her eyes met his and she faltered midway, her mouth almost missing the fork entirely. She licked her lips and wiped at the crumbles sheepishly. "No more," she stated firmly when she saw him brandishing another forkful in her face. Will shrugged and polished it off himself, along with the rest of the torte.
Lizzy fiddled with the napkin in her lap. "That was a delicious dinner, Will. Thank you."
Will looked up at her. "Oh. Wait. You're not paying? I didn't bring any money with me." He said it so straight-faced and was patting around at his pockets that Lizzy couldn't tell if he was being serious or not. Will laughed at her expression. "Ha! Just kidding. Had you there for a moment, didn't I?" He pulled out his credit card and handed it to their waiter who just happened to be walking by.
Lizzy looked around to make sure no one was watching and stuck her tongue out at him. Then, she glanced at their candle. It was already down to half. "Wow. I can't believe we've been eating for so long."
Will glanced at his watch. "Almost three hours."
"Really? It didn't seem that long at all."
"Dare I hope it was because the company was so interesting?"
She met his eyes and smiled. "I would venture to guess that that had something to do with it, yes."
"That's handy, because I happen to feel that way myself."
When they walked out of the restaurant, it seemed instinctive that they should link their arms around each other's waist. However they might have felt about each other in the past, it didn't seem to matter anymore. Not when being in each other's arms felt so perfect and right.
When they got back to the ranch, neither Will nor Lizzy was ready to see the evening end. Her parents were early to bed and early to rise, and Will presumed that his sister was also safely tucked in her bed, so they had the entire house to themselves. He led her into the living room and pulled her into his arms.
"I'm don't want this night to ever end," Lizzy whispered on a sigh. "It's been so perfect."
"It doesn't have to end just yet." She looked up at him in question. "I believe I promised you dinner and dancing. We never did get around to the dancing part." He walked over to the sound system and slipped in a CD. Pressing play, he then returned to her side, the music crooning the slow, soft strains of a jazz tune in the background. He sketched a bow. "May I have this dance?"
"Are you sure you want to do this? I'm liable to trip and fall flat on my face in these heels," Lizzy warned.
Will played along. "My feet are killing me too. Let's dance barefoot," he suggested.
"Are you sure?"
"Why ever not? It's just you and me, in our own home."
Lizzy shrugged. "All right." They took off their shoes. "Ah," Lizzy sighed with relief. "That does feel better."
Will held out his hand, which Lizzy immediately took. They moved in time with the music, circling the center of the room. His hand, pressed into the small of her back, mimicked their motions. "Have I told you how beautiful you look tonight?" he asked her.
"You might have mentioned something along those lines, but you can tell me again. If you want," Lizzy grinned up at him. She felt like a fairytale princess, all dressed to the nines. With her arms circled around his neck, she played with the curls at the nape of his neck.
"I don't remember seeing this dress before. Is it new?"
"Yes."
Will grinned into her hair. "Bought if for me, didn't you?"
"No. I bought it on sale." Lizzy never even missed a beat as she told her little white lie. She hadn't cared for the self-assurance in his voice. Will, she thought, could always be brought down a peg or two.
He, however, was not to be deterred. "Liar. I saw it in Emma's storefront window when I went into town on Wednesday."
She stared at him in surprise. "Since when did you start paying attention to what Emma Woodhouse hung in the window of her store?"
Will shrugged. "Since whenever it was that she opened her store."
"Oh, really?"
"I've even been in there a couple of times."
"Oh, really?"
"Yeah. Why? Is there something wrong with that?"
"I never realized you had such an interest in Emma."
"Well, now you do," he countered easily.
Lizzy's back prickled. She tried to keep her voice light. "And may one inquire as to why you have such an interest in Emma?"
He tried not to chuckle. He was having way too much fun with this and he knew that if he did laugh, he'd ruin everything. He shrugged his shoulders easily. "I guess you haven't come across it in the books yet, huh?"
"Come across what?"
"I have an investment in Emma's."
Lizzy stopped dead in her tracks. "Come again?"
He knew what she was thinking, and swept her back into a gentle, swaying motion. "Not Emma, the woman, but Emma's, the store."
"Really? This comes as quite a surprise." Her mind scrambled to assemble all the pieces.
"Not at all." Perhaps it was time to put her out of her misery. "At the time, Emma needed a little financial assistance in order to get her store off its feet. She brought it up one day in casual conversation and it intrigued me, so I asked to see some of her work. I liked what I saw, she had both talent and potential, and knew that she had a real winner in her shop. I didn't want to see her have to give up on her dreams, especially one as worthy as hers, so I offered her a loan and Emma, having her pride as well, agreed to take the loan but only if I agreed to be a silent partner in her store. Naturally, she has the option of buying me out whenever she wants, but so far the arrangement has suited and haven't seen a need to change how things currently stand. And, the store's been doing so well that I'm actually beginning to see a return on my investment. So, everything has worked out in the end. It's what your mom would term: do a good deed and you shall be rewarded."
Lizzy stared at him in amazement. She never knew. "I hadn't realized you knew Emma Woodhouse so well. At least, well enough for her to share her financial concerns with you and for the two of you to go into a partnership together."
"Ah. Yeah . . . Emma and I, we go way back."
They way he said it gave Lizzy reason to pause again. She stopped dancing again and tilted her head to look at him between narrowed eyes. "How way back?"
Will opened his eyes when he felt them standing rather than dancing. He looked down and saw that she had her arms crossed and her feet were tapping a steady beat against the wooden floor. She was waiting for his answer. "Do you really want to hear about all the women in my past, Lizzy?" She was still pondering how to answer the question when he chucked her on the chin and explained, "Emma and I were schoolmates and we were really good friends. But, that's all. I hope you won't grudge me having any female friends?"
"No," she said at last, hugging him around the waist. "Just so long as they know who you belong to," she amended.
"Belong to," Will repeated. "I like the sound of that. So, I guess that means you belong to me too then, huh?"
"Oh, I suppose so." She grinned cheekily at him.
"Brat." He tugged her hair in answer. Down came a cascade of curls. They bounced all around her face as they fell naturally into place, beckoning to him. He couldn't resist running his hand through the dark ringlets. "I've been wanting to do that all night."
His eyes changed from teasing to feral in a matter of seconds. "Will . . .." she breathed.
He kissed her mouth, her cheeks, her chin, the area around her neck. Lizzy felt each kiss deeply, as though each kiss was a drop of searing, hot wax on her feverish skin. She closed her eyes and let her senses take over. When he returned for her mouth, she gave it willingly. And then, she was no longer a passive receptor but an aggressor as well.
Leaning in, it was she who plunged his mouth, taking just as much as she was giving. Her hand groped for something to hold onto just as his reached to meld her body closer. It didn't seem as if he would ever be able to hold her close enough. Lizzy rained kisses all over his face, starting from his forehead, working her way down. Will gasped, groping for his breath. "God . . . Lizzy . . .."
He brought her lips back to his. Their bodies arched towards one another. When they broke apart, they were both panting out loud. Lizzy found herself fumbling with the buttons on Will's shirt. He was just barely able to make her stop, his shaky hands closing over hers. "Please," Lizzy whispered into his shirt.
"Lizzy . . .."
"I want you, Will. I need you. Please."
Her voice was wobbly and Will knew just how she felt. He felt exactly as she did. "Okay. All right. Shhh. It's okay."
Lizzy took a few calming breaths of her own. "Okay. Sorry."
"Don't be sorry, Lizzy. I want and need you as much as you."
She saw the truth in his eyes and it made her feel better, more relaxed. "I've never felt this way about anyone before."
"Good."
Then, Will surprised her by leaning over and catching her in his arms. She let out a small shriek as she suddenly found herself being carried out of the room and up the stairs. "Will." When he didn't answer, she thumped him on his back. "Will. What are you doing?"
"What does it look like I'm doing?"
"You're going to break your back! Let me down!"
"No I'm not. You weigh less than a feather." And indeed, he was already halfway up the stairs and he wasn't even breathless.
"Will," she pressed again. "What about the music? You left it on."
He heard the faint tinkles still coming from the living room. "It'll stop by itself and it's not bothering anyone right now."
"Will," she began again. This time Will cut her off with a kiss. He was still kissing her when he fumbled with her doorknob and opened the door. When he kicked the door closed with his left foot. He was still kissing her when he lowered her onto her bed.
He leaned back and, out of the corner of his eye, saw the twin bed next to her own. "Christ. I should've taken you to my own room." He hoped they would fit on her bed, made for one person to sleep in.
"Too late. I don't think I can wait any longer." Lizzy grabbed him by his collar and brought him back down. The next thing they knew, arms and legs were everywhere as they both struggled to find the relief that had been eluding them all evening long.
When the storm abated, there was nothing left but the calm. Lizzy lay on her side with Will behind her. He had his arm wrapped around her waist, his head resting on her shoulder. From time to time, he'd nuzzle her neck, placing soft, sweet kisses there.
"I don't think I've ever been this happy," Lizzy breathed softly. She reached for his hand, bringing it up to her face.
"I hope I'll never make you unhappy ever again." Will exerted himself enough to raise himself to kiss her on the cheek.
Lizzy smiled. "I know." And in her heart, she did. She rubbed her cheek against his hand. "Look at the stars, Will. I don't think I've ever seen them twinkle so brightly before." From where they lay, they had a perfect view out of Lizzy's bedroom window of the night sky.
"Maybe it's the gods smiling down upon us, rejoicing in our union, remarking on how wonderful and perfect everything is."
Lizzy stretched around and gave him a look. "What?" he asked discomfited.
She giggled. "I never knew you had it in you to be so cheesy."
"Hey!" Will barked. Lizzy kept giggling until she burst into a loud gale of uncontrollable laughter. "Hey! Stop that!" He tried to poke her into submission, but that only turned into a tickle fight.
"Stop it. I'm ticklish!" Lizzy tried to beat off his offending fingers.
"That'll teach you to laugh at my romantic overtures next time," Will growled.
"There's a difference between romance and cheese," Lizzy laughed.
"You want romance? I'll show you romance." His head dipped down for another kiss. And, finally, his lips achieved what his fingers had been so unsuccessful at before. Silence.
Eventually, they settled back down to watch the night sky from the comforts of Lizzy's bed. At that moment, with the stars so high, winking down on them, it seemed to them that nothing would ever go wrong again.
They didn't know how wrong they were.
Spent and exhausted, their eyes began to close. Lizzy and Will were just about to drift off to sleep, when something jolted them right back awake.
"Will!!! Will!!! Where are you???"
Lizzy sat up in bed as she recognized the voice of her mother. "Oh my gosh, that's my mom!" she shrieked softly. The back of her neck was already creeping with mortification. She could feel the heat rising and rising. What would her mother say when she found Will in her bedroom? She didn't really want to know the answer, but still, she asked, "What do you think she wants?"
"Something's wrong," Will said from beside her.
The footsteps came pounding up the staircase, and Will and Lizzy jolted out of bed. There was no time to be lost. They ran around the room, hurriedly scurrying for their clothes and putting them on. "Hurry, hurry, hurry," Lizzy urged.
"I'm trying! Where's my sock," Will growled.
Lizzy found it underneath the bed, lying next to her bra. "Found it." She threw the missing sock over the bed, at him, and he grunted his thanks.
Lizzy was just snapping the button on her jeans when Will opened the door to her bedroom and called down the hallway, "Fanny! I'm over here. What's the matter?"
Posted on Sunday, 25 April 2004
"Oh! Will! There you are. Thank goodness I've found you." Fanny bustled over as fast as she could. She was wringing her hands worriedly and looked harried and harassed. It was quite obvious from the way she didn't even look twice at the fact that Will was coming out from her daughter's room, in the middle of the night, that she was.
With Lizzy still making muttering noises behind him, in the bedroom, about being caught red-handed by her parents, Will was, on the whole, rather glad to come out into the hallway and face a flailing Fanny rather than come out into the hallway only to run into the barrel end of Tom's shotgun. "Fanny, calm down. What's the matter?" Will couldn't understand what with her babbling nonsensical words at him. "Whatever it is, I'm sure it will be fine. Just take a deep breath and tell me what's wrong."
Fanny took deep, heaving breaths, trying to catch her wind. She bent over Will's arm and haltingly said, "Sorry. I've been running all over the place looking for you."
"Well, you've found me now. Now tell me what's wrong."
"It's Georgie."
"Georgie?" The alarm bells started to go off in Will's head. "What's the matter? Is something wrong? Is she sick?"
He made to move around her, to run to his sister's room, but Fanny's hand curled around his arm and keeping him in place. Shaking her head with both remorse and histrionics, Fanny said, "No. She's not there. You won't find her there."
He looked at her bewildered. "What do you mean by not there?"
"Just that! She's not in her room!" Fanny was back to waving her arms wildly in the air.
Will was momentarily stunned. He glanced down at his watch. "It's three o'clock in the morning? How could she not be in her room?"
Lizzy came out into the hallway, having finished putting on her shirt and buttoning it up. "Hey," she whispered. "What's going on? What's wrong?"
Will ran a troubled hand through his mussed up hair. "Fanny says Georgie's not in her room."
"Where could she be?" Lizzy looked questioningly at her mother.
"I accidentally fell asleep before she came home tonight. I woke up just now, looked at the clock, remembered, and figured she'd probably come home, saw me sleeping, and didn't want to make me up. But, I decided to check up on her just to the same, and make sure she wasn't staying up watching T.V. like she likes to do sometimes. Good thing I did! When I entered her bedroom, I saw that she wasn't in there. In fact, her comforter hasn't even been touched. Will," Fanny turned back to him. "I don't think Georgie ever came home!" Her voice rose with each word, ending on a frantic tone.
"I'm sure it's nothing," Lizzy soothed, petting her mother on the arm. "There's no need to get overworked just yet. Surely there must be a simple explanation. Georgie couldn't have disappeared into thin air, right? Maybe she came home and just hasn't been back to her bedroom. Have you checked the rest of the house? Like you said, Georgie likes to stay up into the wee hours of the night when there's no one to tell her to go to bed."
"Lizzy's right," Will agreed, not yet willing to give into the panic that was steadily building up in his chest. "I'm sure she's somewhere in the house."
"That may be," Fanny agreed doubtfully. "I checked in the living room and didn't see her there, but the power button on the stereo was still on. She might have been listening to music and then gone on elsewhere. The rest of the downstairs was so quiet though that I didn't think to check anywhere else before rushing upstairs to find you."
Will and Lizzy glanced guiltily at one another. "Um. Actually, that was us that accidentally left the stereo on," Lizzy told her mother.
Fanny stared blinkingly between the two of them. It registered at that moment just where they were standing. Where she'd found Will. And what that meant.
"Oh."
She was glad it was she who had found them, and not her husband.
"Come on," Will said, quickly diverting her attention back to the problem at hand. "Let's go see if we can't find Georgie." Like a born leader, he led them back downstairs. While they were there, Lizzy took the opportunity to pop her head into the living room and make sure that her mother had turned off the stereo.
"Georgie!" Will called out. "Where are you?"
Behind him, Fanny followed, darting her head back and forth, still wringing her hands nervously. "See? She's not around. I told you. Oh, where could she be?"
"She's probably fallen asleep and doesn't hear us," Will justified.
"I hope you're right and I'm wrong."
Will was frowning though after he and Fanny had completed a circuit of the western portion of the house. They'd wended their way through the family room, dining room, kitchen, butler's pantry, and laundry room, all to no avail. Hoping Lizzy had fared better in the eastern part of the house, they returned to the bottom of the staircase. The small kindling of hope died the moment he saw her face.
Lizzy shook her head. "I didn't see her. I went through the game room, billiard room, library, study, and I even checked on the front porch. She's not out there."
Will turned to Fanny. "Are you sure she wasn't upstairs?"
"I didn't see her in her bedroom. I didn't check any of the other bedrooms though," Fanny admitted. "I just couldn't imagine why she'd be in any other room."
"We'd better check. Just to be sure," Lizzy said.
Will agreed.
Unfortunately, the only thing they managed to do upstairs was rouse Tom from his sleep. Now there were four very worried adults roaming the large, silent house. "Where could she be?" Fanny fretted.
"She went to Lucas Lodge tonight to hang out with Mariah, right?" Lizzy asked her mother. Fanny responded in the affirmative.
Will was already speaking what Lizzy had on her mind. "Why don't you call over there, even if it is in the middle of the night? Maybe she decided to sleep over."
"She wouldn't do that, at least not without calling home first," Fanny mumbled absently to no one in particular. "Georgie's a good girl. She knows to call home and get permission before pulling something like that."
Everyone ignored her. It was best to remain optimistic. "While you're calling, Tom and I'll check out back. Maybe she's out by the pool or something."
"Okay," Lizzy nodded in agreement. "That sounds good."
While the men left the house and Lizzy went to the phone, Fanny muttered silent prayers, praying to God that He would keep her darling girl safe. In the distance, she heard her daughter on the phone.
"I'm so sorry to wake you," she heard Lizzy say. "I was wondering though whether Georgie was over there. Maybe she spent the night with Mariah?"
From the one-sided conversation, Fanny could tell that it wasn't good news. "No? She left around ten-thirty? I know; it's almost four. But, she's not in the house. And her bed's not slept in. You don't know if she was thinking about going somewhere else after she left the Lodge do you? I'd appreciate it if you checked with Mariah. We're all a little worried over here."
Fanny saw Lizzy wrap the cord around her arm and tap her feet as she waited for whoever it was on the other end of the phone to leave and then come back. Whatever information the other person had discovered, it hadn't been helpful. Fanny could tell by the expression on her daughter's face.
"Thanks. I appreciate it. And again, I apologize for waking you."
Fanny could imagine the Lucas's telling Lizzy not to worry about disturbing their night's sleep. A child's safety was always paramount in a parents' eye.
Lizzy hung up the phone, her face obviously grim. "She's not there. She left around ten-thirty."
"I heard."
Lizzy continued to tap her fingers on the receiver. "I just don't understand. Where could she have gone?"
Fanny didn't have an answer for her daughter. It was incomprehensible to all. The men returned and the women turned to them, their faces expectant. Will was too upset to speak, so Tom spoke for him. "We couldn't find her anywhere near the house outside."
"I called the Lodge," Lizzy reported. "She left at ten-thirty and, to the best of Mrs. Lucas's knowledge, was headed straight for home. She woke up Mariah, who didn't have anything to say, but Mrs. Lucas says she's going to probe a little more. Maybe she knows something she's not remembering or purposely withholding. If she finds out any information, she'll call us back and let us know."
With each word, Will's heart sunk a little further. Where could his baby sister be? He passed a worried hand over his eyes, wracking his brain for an answer.
"Maybe we should call the Sheriff," Tom suggested.
"Will he be able to do anything?" Lizzy asked. "Don't they normally have to wait for a person to be gone 24-hours before they do something, like send out a missing person's report?"
"Danny will do something," Will stated, and his voice brooked no opposition. "I don't care if it hasn't been 24-hours."
"I'll put in the call." Tom left them for the phone.
"In the meantime, I want all the men up, to start a search."
"I'll start making some coffee," Fanny put in. "I have a feeling we're all going to need some."
They watched Fanny leave the room for the kitchen, her movements shaky with worry. "Will," Lizzy turned back to him. He already had the phone in one hand, ready to call down to the bunkhouse. "It's the middle of the night. It's pitch black outside. It's not going to be a very effective search. The men aren't going to be able to see very well."
Will turned and stared at her. "Do you think I care?"
"No," she sighed. "You're right. Sorry. I'll come with you and help."
He put in the call and the hung up. "You'll stay inside," he continued their conversation. "With your mother."
"I will not. I can ride a horse and it won't hurt to have another person looking. I'll be much more help outside than I would be tripping over everything inside."
"It's dark out," Will stated. "I don't want you hurting yourself."
Tom came back into the room. "Danny said he'd be right over."
Will nodded. "Fanny and Lizzy can wait for him. I'm going go and make sure the men are up, get a search team going."
"Sounds like a good idea. I'll let Fanny know."
"I'll start saddling the horses and organizing the men."
During the interruption, Lizzy had fetched a light jacket. Will scowled when he saw it in her hand. "I thought I told you to stay inside."
"Tough luck." Lizzy ignored him and stalked to the front door.
"Fine. Do whatever you want. I don't have time for an argument," Will muttered at her from behind. "But you're riding next to me when we get out there." Lizzy didn't care who it was she rode next to. She was just glad she'd come out on top. She cared about Georgie and was determined to participate in the search for her friend. Lizzy knew she would only have gone mad if she'd been forced to wait inside with her mom.
When Tom caught up with them, most of the men were already mounted, if a little bleary-eyed. Mike and Don, who'd come from their cabins, and not the bunkhouse, were just joining them. Will paired them up together. "As soon as you get saddled up, head on out to the east. Sandy and Denny will take the west. Tom, Lizzy, and I'll ride towards the north."
He looked over the men one more time, counting. "Where's George?" It suddenly occurred to him that George was not with them. He'd tan his hide if he was still lollygagging in bed at a time like this.
"I don't know," Denny called out. "I ain't seen him since we all went into town earlier tonight. Last we saw him, we was in town and he was hanging out at the Silver Spur with some red head. Fiery lil' thing with bazookas out to here." He gestured with his arms to illustrate his point. "Ain't that right, Sandy?"
"Yup. Told him we were leavin', but he wanted to stay longer. Said he had somethin' good goin' on with the red head. Couldn't blame the man. She was one bodacious babe."
"Mm-hm!" Denny agreed. "I could've followed those curves all the way down to Mexico!"
Lizzy tried not to roll her eyes. Their enthusiasm was anything but infectious.
"Fine. Whatever," Will snapped impatiently. He didn't have time to worry about George's loose social habits. Nor did he need his men focusing on anything other than the task at hand. "Ride out!" he ordered, and all the men and Lizzy hurried to comply.