He kissed her…
… and she kissed him back.
TWO
Wednesday
Nursing a virgin Bloody Mary, Darcy sat at a table for two beside the fireplace in The Campbell bar in Grand Central Terminal.
As usual, Beanz was late, but he was in no rush to go home after the past two days of dealing with his imperious father. Between confessing his pseudo-addiction and the cause and making some severe assurances to change the course of his future, he should be drinking hard liquor tonight, not a vegetable cocktail. His father made his point—rather, his threat—and he accepted, glad for the pledge. The world of venture capital in one of the largest, well-funded firms required a twenty-four-seven commitment, and he would give it all his attention. In the competitive world of investing, Pemberley Capital with its twenty billion dollars in assets, was a master at deal-making and strategizing. If he stayed the course and put his life in order, he’d exceed the gains lost to time with his ex-girlfriend and be on top of the world again with only pride at his side.
Looking down at the folder on the table, he chuckled to himself. What a scheme. Would Beanz buy into it? Well, she had no choice if she wanted to live a romantically safe, tremendously wealthy life as Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy, wife to the heir to an empire. To think he had been on a lonely path of self-destruction, giving up his bright future to a bottle and over heartbreak, no less. The pendulum had unquestionably swungthe other way. Today, he set his goal on a cool billion by the time he was forty.
“Sorry I’m late, William,” his friend said, sauntering to him with a smile. She always cleaned up well. Long-legged and slender, she wore a stylish, blousy top and black skinny pants. One day—not today—she would make a great trophy wife. She still had some growing up to do and oats to sow before settling down with anyone. The way he saw it, ten years from now she’d be mature enough to make an everlasting commitment, if not with him then with someone else.
“No worries. Thanks for meeting me,” he said.
Settling into the single booth she signaled the waiter, then took in his appearance. “You look ... recovered.”
“Thanks. The suit’s a little snug but it’ll do until I can get to my tailor. It’s hard to believe what alcohol and crappy food can do to a person in just three months.”
“If you ask me, you looked super fine the other night.”
“It was dark.”
“Yeah. Hey, about what I said on Monday ... I’m really sorry. I thought a lot about it and ... I didn’t mean to imply—”
“It’s fine. You’re not normally obtuse. That’s my job.” He smiled. “I regret how I reacted. Actually, I regret everything.”
“Everything?”
“Yes, everything,” he repeated.
“Oh.”
She looked crestfallen but then the waiter appeared, saving him from apologizing again. He hated apologies; bad behavior and ignoring his moral compass should never have happened in the first place.
“We’ll have two vodka martinis,” she said with a sly smile, believing him weak-kneed.
“No. I’m good. Thanks.”
“I’m impressed. You certainly appear to be turning over a new leaf, but I’ll check back in a week to see how it’s going.”
“By next week, the alcohol will be out of my system. It’s either that or die a miserable, lonely drunk—and that’s not my fate. I only hope you’ll make some changes, too.”
“Me? What’s wrong with me?”
He looked at her skeptically. “You know.”
“Okaay ... I promise never to ghost you again. It’s terrible to miss all the exciting drama!”
“That’s not what I meant, and you know it. Since high school, you’ve been a loser magnet, and frankly, you deserve better. You should respect yourself more.”
“I do, but I like sex, and good boys aren’t as nearly satisfying as bad boys. Well, until you. In fact, I’m downright blown away by some of the shit you did.”
He felt sick to his stomach.
“Look, if we go ahead with this idea of yours then you’ll have to sign on the line your agreement to steer clear of every parasite who comes your way—and that includes dismissing any notions of getting back together with Wickham. He’s bad news, and I cannot—will not—put Pemberley or those I love in jeopardy ever again.”
