Lizzy caught it in his expression, though. She studied his face for a moment, as if trying to decipher a code there that she may have missed before. When she didn’t seem to find it, she turned back to Ray. “So, what do I owe you?”
“Nothing. It was my pleasure.”
Her lips turned down. “No, I can’t just take—”
He waved his hand at her, cutting her off. “I’ve been overcharging Darcy for years. One patch job is my way of making us even.”
The drive to the Ocean Surf Inn was quiet. Lizzy was still wearing Will’s sweatshirt and had her wetsuit in her lap as she stared outthe window. Even when he pulled into the motel’s empty parking lot, she didn’t move.
“Thanks for the ride,” she said, turning to offer him a smile.
“Of course.” He watched as she gathered up her wetsuit and gear, then got out to help her with her board. He lifted it out of the bed of the truck and handed it to her.
“Would you like to come over for dinner tonight?” he asked.
Damn it. The words escaped before even he had time to consider them. He wasn’t sure why he had even asked; he was positive she would laugh at the suggestion before walking off.
But she didn’t. Instead she just stared at him, a touch of confusion on her face. “What?”
“George is staying with me for the weekend. I’m sure he would love to see you again.” He paused. “Your aunt and uncle are welcome, too, of course.”
Her eyebrows pinched together, but she recovered quickly. “Oh. Right. Well, they’re busy so… um, yeah.”
She fumbled to put the board under her arm, to walk away. But once she made it to the curb, she turned around.
“But I can be there,” she said.
He nodded. “Great. Come by around eight.”
There was a long moment when the cacophony of sounds around them fell silent—the waves and the traffic and the seagulls overhead—and even longer before she finally turned and walked out of sight.
It was probably the last time he would ever see her. She might have accepted the invite, but it was likely done out of politeness. If Elizabeth Bennet actually showed up tonight, he would be blown away.
CHAPTER 25
Florence + the Machine ran through the truck’s stereo, and Lizzy willed Ms. Welch to give her strength for the night ahead. The winding road from her motel to Will’s Montauk home was eerily dark with only her headlights illuminating the way, the song “Free” blasting on her speakers.
The louder the music, the more it reduced her anxiety, so she cranked up the volume further. What was she even doing? She glanced down at her faded jeans and vintage Guns N’ Roses concert T-shirt underneath her worn brown leather jacket. Her outfit wasn’t too casual, was it? She hadn’t brought anything nice with her on this trip—besides her wetsuit, all she had was a suitcase full of sweatpants, T-shirts, and bathing suits. She couldn’t very well show up in purple neoprene.
After a quick shower to get the ocean and sand off, she’d let her hair dry naturally so it fell in loose waves around her face and shoulders. She’d thrown on some lip gloss and mascara she’d found in her purse and forgot she even owned. The biggest decision of the evening came when she had to choose between sneakers orflip-flops. She was annoyed she cared this much. What happened to the halcyon days of invites dictating “resort casual”?
It was pitch-black outside. Without her phone’s GPS, she wasn’t sure she would have turned from the paved highway to the unnamed dirt road that eventually led to a long gravel driveway. The homes in this area were legendary, hidden from view but well-known by locals. They were the first houses to be built this far east; luxurious spreads that had stood the test of time and the elements.
There was an Audi SUV parked next to Will’s gray truck in the front drive. Lizzy pulled in next to it, taking a moment to repress the urge to bite her cuticles like she used to when she was younger. The bad habit had started when she was forced to do fast math for customers when the register broke at the bakery.
Lizzy finally got out of the car, brushing sand from the seat off her legs, then started toward the house. With its gray slate roof and wood shingled siding, it looked like it was part of the wilderness here, tucked within the overgrowth, growing and breathing along with the grass and the trees. When she reached the black-painted front door, Lizzy took a deep calming breath and knocked. And then she waited.
This was a stupid idea. Really stupid. But, she reasoned, she didn’t have to stay long. Just a drink, and then—
Will opened the door. He was back in his usual attire, jeans and crisp white button-down, but for some reason, the view now made her pulse trip. Or maybe that was because of how his eyebrows raised when he saw her, like he was surprised she was there.
Crap. Had she gotten the time wrong or—
“You made it,” he said.
“Am I late? I thought you said eight, but I didn’t write it down or anything, so…”
“I said eight,” he said. “I just wasn’t sure you’d show up.”
