“You’re still a fantastic journalist, Lizzy. With or without Columbia,” he finally said.
She smiled back.
After another moment, Emma broke the tension by turning to George and clapping her hands. “Okay! Knightley and I are going to clean up and make up some bowls of vanilla ice cream for dessert. Will, you should show Lizzy the view of the beach from up here. It’s stunning!”
Will frowned. “There is no view. It’s dark outside.”
“It’s not that dark,” Emma said with a practiced smile.
“It’s ten o’clock,” he responded.
“That means moonlight. It’s different with moonlight. See? Moonlight!” Emma said, pointing out the window and looking to her boyfriend for confirmation. George simply stared back at her with one eyebrow raised, like he wanted no part in her scheming.
Will turned to Lizzy. “Well?”
This morning, the suggestion of walking out into the darkness with Will Darcy would have elicited a hard no, but now, as he stared at her, his blue eyes expectant, she couldn’t think of anything she wanted more.
So she smiled and shrugged one shoulder. “I don’t mind moonlight.”
CHAPTER 26
Will guided Lizzy out the back door to the porch, then made sure the door shut securely behind them so Emma couldn’t eavesdrop. The less fuel for her scheming, the better.
“I’m sorry about that,” Will murmured.
“Why? They’re great,” Lizzy responded, pulling her brown leather jacket around her tightly.
They walked out past a rectangular in-ground pool surrounded by low garden lights and made their way to the top of the bluff. Despite Emma’s promises, there was no moon tonight—just dark skies, the sound of crashing waves, and a slight chill in the September air. Still, there was one thing worth sharing with her.
He turned, starting toward the long wooden shed on the other side of the lawn near the cliff’s edge. “This way.”
“Ah, I see,” she said. “Middle of the night. No witnesses. The perfect crime scene.”
His face contorted with confusion. “What?”
“I ‘fall’ to the rocks below,” Lizzy began. “No one will see me because it’s so dark and you, Will Darcy, certainly can’t go down there to look for me. It’s just too treacherous for your suede loafers.It’s the perfect alibi. So you head back to the house, and after you’ve perfected your story, you call the police, knowing full well I didn’t slip.”
“That’s… very dark,” he said, his voice playful.
“That’s nothing. You should see the plot of the last fantasy book my sister gave me,” Lizzy said with a laugh, tucking a strand of her flaming red hair behind her ear.
He watched the motion, then looked away, clearing his throat. “Come on. There’s something I want to show you,” he said.
“Is it your collection of knives?”
“No.” He shook his head with a half grin, then pointed to his right. “It’s in the shed over there.”
“You realize that doesn’t sound any better, right?” Lizzy said back to him, then smiled. “I’ll let you go first.”
She followed him to the shed, which was near the top of the wood stairs they had climbed that afternoon. The weathered structure was a miniature unrenovated version of the main house, with shingle siding patinated by the ocean air.
Will opened the door. A thin string hung from the ceiling and he pulled it, lighting up the room. Its shiplap boards were painted white with decorative oars lining the walls, and about thirty surfboards he and his father had collected over the years placed carefully throughout the space. It looked like a mini surf shop inside, complete with a long table in the back for waxing and repairs.
“Oh, wow. This is incredible,” Lizzy breathed as she entered, taking in the long line of boards and wetsuits. Then she paused. “Wait, what is that?” she asked, pointing to a small metal barrel on the floor with a hose sticking out the top.
“A portable shower.”
Her eyes went wide as she turned to stare at him.
