Gerald stopped staring at the wall and turned to grin at her. “Hi, Elsie.”
“Yeah. Hi. Any chance those pizzas could come out a few minutes early? The guy’s kinda in a hurry.”
Gerald pointed to the timer. “Five minutes left.”
She glanced back and noticed the customer was now leaning over the counter, craning his neck to see what was going on in the back. “Hey!” he called. “Can you at least ring me up so I can take them when they’re ready?”
Elsie jogged back to the front and ran the impatient guy’s credit card. Fitzwilliam Darcy. That must’ve been a fun name in elementary school. Did he go by Fitz? Or did they call him ‘I throw fits’? The smirk died on her face when she looked up and saw him glaring.
***
Will Darcy lingered in the kitchen, breaking down pizza boxes and wiping the crumbs from the granite counters. Anything to keep from having to go out and mingle with Charlie’s friends. Charlie’s goofy, free-spirited personality attracted people like moths to a porch light. This party was only one example. How he managed to get this many guests to come to his housewarming party was insane. Who would want to drive to this little town in the middle of nowhere for one night? The ugliest corner of California, too far from the beach, or L.A., or culture. Meryton, California: famous for nothing, especially not its pizza. He’d eaten half a slice and thrown the rest in the garbage.
Unwillingly, his thoughts flitted back to the dark-eyed girl with the bad customer service skills. He shouldn’t have been so impatient with her, no matter what urgent texts he was getting from Caroline and Charlie. Nobody was starving to death when he got back. Considering how little he wanted to be at this party, he should have taken even longer, maybe stayed to chat with the pretty Pizza Palace employee. Say that ten times fast. Okay, now he was really losing it.
“Fitzwilliam Darcy, are you hiding out in this kitchen?” Caroline Bingley sauntered in and leaned against the counter. “I can’t believe you left me to the wolves out there.”
“Wolves,” he scoffed. “More like chattering monkeys.”
“Well, either way, Charlie is looking for you. He wants you to meet his new friend, Dr. Lucas. The good doctor lives down the street and stopped by when he saw all the cars outside.” She couldn’t hide her amusement. “Charlie invited him in.”
“Of course he did.”
“Come on, Will.” She grabbed his arm and dragged him towards the kitchen door. “Technically this is your housewarming party, too.”
She had a point. Not wanting to hang out with Charlie in some pay-by-the-week motel dump, Will had found him a house where the owners were desperate enough to let them rent month-to-month. He often did that for his migrating friend. After all, what was the use of having connections in real estate if he didn’t use them?
It was immediately ten degrees hotter and three times as loud in the living room. “Charlie’s over here.” Caroline led the way and he followed, avoiding eye contact with several women who eyed him curiously.
His friend’s curly blonde mop appeared around the corner, where he was animatedly speaking with an older gentleman wearing a hideous celery-colored polo under a dark cashmere vest. Everything about the guy screamed bad taste and pretension. Not that pretension was always a bad thing. Will was pretentious. But he liked to think his was understated.
“Will, come over here.” Charlie smiled as wide as Texas and slapped Will on the back. “I’ve been telling Dr. Lucas all about you. Dr. Lucas, this is Will Darcy, my oldest friend.”
“Nice to meet you.” Will shook the doctor’s hand, trying not to let his eyes wander around the room in search of escape routes.
“Charlie tells me you’re in real estate?”
Will nodded, shoving his hands in his pockets. The doctor’s eyebrows stayed animatedly high, apparently waiting for Will to elaborate, something he was not eager to do. Anyone willing to live here couldn’t appreciate real estate. “Are you a medical doctor?” Will finally asked.
“Oh, no. I have a Ph.D.” Dr. Lucas said.
“In what?”
“Medieval literature. A fascinating subject. Take, for example, the concept of chivalry. From my studies I found that the ideal knight would uphold honor, courtesy, and piety above all else—”
“Dr. Lucas, Charlie, if you’ll excuse me.” Will retreated back through the crowd and headed for the patio, letting out a deep breath. He’d ask for Charlie’s forgiveness later. There was a couple on the far side of the patio, but they ignored him and he did likewise. Taking a chair on the other end, he took out his phone and sent his sister, Gianna, a text message.
Everything ok?
Yep. How is Charlie settling in?
He loves it here. Of course, he loves it anywhere. I’m sure he’ll shed a few tears when he finishes up his work and moves on.
And you’ll follow him, grumbling the whole way.
Will smiled. She knew him too well.
Get some sleep.
