Hey friends! This is my first fanfiction, I frequent the P&P section of this website often but have never written something and decided I'd give it a try as I had some free time on my hands. I'm not entirely sure where the story is going or if I will continue it, I'm thinking of updating every Sunday, but I'll see. Constructive criticism/feedback is welcome, of course!

Thank you!

Chapter One

Elizabeth stepped out of the shower, pausing on the fluffy white bath mat that had been a gift from her sister Kitty, who worked part time at Crate and Barrel while attending college back in Austin. It had been nearly ten months since Elizabeth had moved to New York—ten months since her friends and family had thrown her a Goodbye Austin/Hello New York City party where she had received this gift and countless others, ten months since she'd got on that flight barreling towards New York City and a future she couldn't have been more uncertain about.

She searched out the foggy outline of her body in mirror. Her dark hair that was already beginning to curl as it dried, her slim neck and generous breasts, the way her waist nipped into a slightly curved, soft stomach and then flared out again at her hips and curvy thighs and finally tucked in at her little ankles and feet. Elizabeth smiled slightly and turned to grab her towel. She was getting better at the positive self-image stuff Jane had been coaxing her into since Ethan and her early morning workouts had been paying off, there was definition in her thighs and stomach that hadn't been there months ago.

After drying off and pulling on a form fitting grey t-shirt and comfortable dark-wash jeans—clothing she had practically lived in since she began working as a chef at The Acorn—she patted her hair dry with a towel, slipped on her comfy electric-blue flats and left her tiny Manhattan apartment for work. The Acorn, a casual restaurant with a commitment to fresh, locally grown produce, unique takes on classic dishes and a buzzing atmosphere—all attributes which had originally attracted Elizabeth—was just over 4 blocks from her apartment, a quick walk that Elizabeth looked forward to everyday as it provided her with an opportunity to move through a space bigger than her 185 square foot apartment and offered solitude that could not be found in The Acorns bustling and chaotic kitchen.

Moving to New York City hadn't been an easy choice for Elizabeth, who was used to the more spacious and nature-filled landscape of Austin. She had adored canoeing on the Colorado River, jogging around Lady Bird Lake with her childhood dog Nat and watching the famous bats fly out from under Congress Bridge at dusk. Austin was where she'd grown up. Where her parents and sisters—excluding Jane—lived and where she'd attended college. It was her old stomping ground. But New York City had its own perks. Not only did the Big Apple provide countless more opportunities for Elizabeth as a chef, the move had also forced her out of her comfort zone. It had forced her to put both feet in at once and ride it out until the quite possibly bitter end. Although her Manhattan apartment was nothing like the house Ethan and her had planned to purchase in Austin, a fact her mother lamented frequently, her little New York Home with its tiny kitchen, tinier bathroom and cramped "multi-purpose space" which served as a dining room, office, bedroom, living room and foyer all in one had its own unique, urban appeal. It was raw, real and all Lizzy, unlike the sophisticated suburban house she would've shared with Ethan back in Texas. It was blocks away from her job at The Acorn, a job that she enjoyed infinitely more than she had enjoyed working as a sales representative for a construction company back in Austin and it was a mere walk away from Central Park and hordes of fabulous cafes, bars and restaurants.

As Lizzy rounded the corner and entered the back door used for staff at The Acorn she met Paul and Nancy Schneider, the owners who had opened the restaurant as a sort of retirement project and who oversaw every little detail. At least until Lizzy had arrived. Although her resume had been weak at best—experience as a waitress back in Austin, a two month cooking class in Paris (a sort of therapy, prescribed by Jane, her psychologist sister, after Ethan had dumped her) and a lifelong passion for cooking Elizabeth had only managed to convince them to hire her on after cooking for them. Since then, Elizabeth had taken on increased responsibilities, including kitchen-supervision as head chef, giving Paul and Nancy a break they hadn't had since they opened the restaurant, as well as the authority to test new recipes—four of which had made it on the menu so far.

"Good morning Lizzy! Early as usual!" Nancy said, smiling affectionately at the younger woman. Not only had Elizabeth lessened the cumbersome burden that owning a restaurant in New York City had placed on the retired couple but she had also injected new life into The Acorn with her creativity and tangible enthusiasm. The Schneider's had fallen quite in love with the clever, energetic and warm woman that was Elizabeth Bennet.

"I wanted to make sure that we got a good start today! I know tonight's going to be busy and…well you know, I love my work!"

Paul chuckled "We sure do. And we love having you here Elizabeth. Really. That's something Nancy and I want to talk to you about, how much we love having you here and how good you've been for the restaurant. We can go over logistics and particulars later in my office but we want to offer you a partnership Elizabeth."

Paul paused, gauging Elizabeth's reaction before continuing. "You have proven yourself highly capable and have boosted sales enormously. Nancy and I have been thinking of going on a three week long hike across France in a couple months and we'd like to take some other opportunities to travel also. You would be left in charge, as a partner. Entitled to a portion of the profits in exchange for the responsibility and stress that would be placed on your shoulders."

Elizabeth felt shocked. Never in her wildest dreams did she think that when she moved to New York City something this amazing could have occurred on such a short timeframe. That she had even landed a job at a place as wonderful as The Acorn had been exciting enough. But to be offered partnership in the restaurant? To grow and expand and learn with it? To pour her heart and soul into something she loved every day? Elizabeth simply couldn't turn that down.

"I feel like this is a dream. I would love to go into business with you two. This is honestly more than I could have ever hoped for."

Lizzy stepped forward and hugged Nancy, struggling to contain the emotions rising up in her chest.

"Thank you guys so much."

Nancy laughed "No. Thank YOU, Lizzy!"

Paul cleared his throat, interrupting the two women's embrace.

"We'll discuss particulars next week, after the weekend when it quiets down, if that's all right with you Lizzy?"

She nodded, feeling stunned.

"Of course."

"Well we'll let you get to work then. I'm glad this all went over so well." Paul said, "We'll be back tonight."

"Okay, see you guys then! Thank you again so much,"
Elizabeth turned and put her hand on the door just as Paul turned around again.

"Oh! And I almost forgot! Your sister phoned today and made a reservation for four on your day off. She said you'd know all about it."

Shit. She'd forgotten. Jane had been trying to arrange for Elizabeth to meet her new boyfriend Charles over dinner for weeks, but Elizabeth's busy schedule at the restaurant combined with Jane's busy schedule at the clinic and Charles' busy schedule doing whatever he did…portfolio investments? Real estate development? Had resulted in no dinner thus far. Elizabeth had planned to spend her day off at the restaurant testing some new recipes where she would be able to oversee the kitchen, just in case anything happened. If she felt particularly relaxed, she would have left before closing and indulged in a bubble bath and then curled up with a good book or Netflix. Oh well. Jane seemed to really, really like Charles. She spoke about him with excitement and yearning and said his name as if it was the most precious and wonderful word her lips could possibly form. It had been a long time, if ever, that Jane had spoken about a man the way she spoke about Charles and Elizabeth was curious to meet the man who had managed to capture her big sister's attention so successfuly.

Darcy's head snapped up from the papers on his desk as the telephone rang. The clock on the wall read 10 am. He'd been at work for nearly three hours straight.

"Darcy speaking."

"Good morning Mr. Darcy," Maggie Reynolds voice came through the phone, cheerful and calm as usual.

"Mr. Bingley is here to see you."

"Send him in."

A moment later Bingley's tall, lean frame encased in a grey suit and accessorised with a light pink tie, appeared in his doorway. His strawberry blonde hair slightly windblown and his eyes excited. Darcy groaned.

"What do you want Charles?"

"We've finally managed to secure a reservation at The Acorn that we can all make, this Sunday!"

Shit. Darcy had completely forgotten about Bingley's latest love— a Josie or a Janelle or a Janette, Darcy could hardly remember her name as she was only the latest of Bingley's many infatuations and because Bingley had taken to primarily referring to her as "his angel". Well there went the relaxed evening he had planned to spend sipping scotch and going over the quarterly reports.

"The Acorn?"

"Yes!" Bingley said excitedly, walking with a decidedly annoying bounce in his step as he grinned happily and moved towards Darcy's desk.

"The restaurant that Jane's sister works at, it's fairly new."

Jane. Right.

"What time?"

"Seven." Bingley clasped his hands excitedly, looking earnest.

"Darcy I really think you're going to love it. It's casual yet sophisticated in its own way…and very unique! Jane assures me the food is absolutely delicious, and I was thinking that Jane's sister, her name is Elizabeth, could be exactly what we're looking for!"

Darcy rubbed his forehead, a lack of sleep and Bingley's excessive amount of energy giving him a headache. Charles sighed, noting his friends lack of enthusiasm.

"For our restaurant."

Darcy looked up at Bingley unamused

"Do you have any idea what her credentials are? Her experience? We're looking for a chef who understands the fine dining restaurant industry and is capable of presenting the kind of image required."

"No, but Jane says she's really quite good. Creative and really, really dedicated. She could be just what we're looking for!"

"I doubt that." Darcy replied in a bored tone of voice as he shifted the papers on his desk.

Bingley finally seemed to sober and turned to stand directly in front of Darcy's desk, placing his hands on its solid mahogany surface as if trying to give off an air of seriousness.

"Just promise me you'll come Sunday to give it a chance."

Darcy sighed again, reluctant to spend an evening getting to know a woman that was just another one of the entitled and unintelligent gold-digging harpies Bingley seemed to attract everywhere he went and dreading the set-down he would have to give Bingley after he confirmed that Bingley's angel was in fact, exactly like all the others before her.

"Fine, I'll be there but I'm making no other promises."

Hearing the words he had come for, Bingley stood with renewed energy and clasped his hands together, confident that one dinner at The Acorn would not only convince Darcy of his angel's divinity but also of her sister's capabilities.

"Perfect. You won't regret it Darce!"

Darcy sincerely doubted that, but wisely kept his mouth shut.