Bingley placed a stack of bright green flyers on the coffee table. They proclaimed "Bonfire Beach Bash" in large bold letters and included a picture of a palm tree (as required for all beach party flyers even on the East Coast) and a picture of a parrot lounging in a beach chair.

"Oh, good," said Darcy dryly. "I was afraid we wouldn't have enough publicity."

"It's not like I'm going to post them all over the Island. I'm just giving them out to the people we invite, our neighbors, some of the lifeguards, the Bennets, the staff at Fitzgigi's…"

"The mailman, the guy at the ice cream shop, anyone who randomly said hi to you on the boardwalk…"

"I would like it better," said Karo, "If we kept the party to a small intimate group, just the five of us for example."

Darcy had only been teasing Chad. Sometimes Karo's attempts to agree with him made things sound stupid. He didn't mind that Chad invited so many people. It made for a party so big that no one noticed if Darcy talked to them or not.

Chad replied, "Maybe you would, but I would hardly call that a party."

"You ought to consider that some people get overwhelmed in a large crowd."

"If you mean Darcy, he can go up to his room if he gets overwhelmed, no one will bother him up there."

"So your idea of a compromise," said Darcy, "Is that I pay for half the party, most of whom are people you invite, and then stay in my room."

Chad grinned, "Exactly, a win-win."

Karo rolled her eyes, "Will is actually paying for more than half the party, Chad, by closing Fitzgigi's for the day he is giving up the revenue. He is generous to excess."

"It was my father's tradition, and my grandfather's, to give the staff off and throw a party each year. It is not something I wish to change." He didn't know why her words had annoyed him so much.

As usual, Chad lightened the mood, "But now that you've joined forces with me the party is a lot more fun."

"And more alliterative, speaking of joining forces, I need to be away this weekend. Can you follow up with the caterer and the bar-tender?"

"Sure thing."

The party used to be held at Fitzgigi's but when Darcy took over Chad had suggested they move it to the beach and expand the guest list to include friends. Darcy had decided not to have Fitzgigi's supply the food.

Karo pouted, "Another meeting on a weekend?"

"It is unavoidable."

.~.~.~.~.

Lizi got a ride with Carla's family to the Bonfire Beach Bash so she wouldn't have to squeeze into the backseat with four of her sisters. Once her mother found out Carla's mom was going, she had decided to go as well, and even Mary was up for a party. They all arrived at the same time.

Chad and Darcy were at a table on the porch giving out bracelets before people headed down to the beach.

"Janet, Lanie," Chad greeted their mothers, "I'll need to see some ID for you girls."

Lanie only shook her head at the obvious flattery, but Lizi's mom tittered as if he were really flirting with her.

"Who is driving?" Darcy asked. "If you take a red bracelet I'll need your keys."

Jane held up the car keys, but Lizi said, "I'll drive home. I can't drink anyway. We can just go home in two groups or something."

"Oh, you're almost…"

Thinking Chad was about to make an exception for her Lizi gave a quick shake of her head and darted her eyes toward Lydia and Kat. Chad got the message and changed what he was about to say, "almost set. Here are yellow bracelets for you Lizi, Mary, Kat, Lydia."

Lydia frowned as she took hers but didn't complain. Lizi was relieved that Chad had caught on. She knew what a fuss Kat and Lydia would make if she got an exception and they didn't. Darcy probably wouldn't have let him do it anyway. To be honest, she didn't blame him. You could get in a lot of trouble for serving someone underage. She didn't mind abstaining. She could take alcohol or leave it.

When they got to the beach, Lizi was surprised to see an actual buffet table set up with warming trays and everything, in addition to a bar and a table with soft drinks. She knew there would be food, but if she had thought about it at all, she would have expected something more like hot dogs and chips. There was a long line, so she, Jane, and Carla decided to wander around for a while. They ran into a lot of people from work, and it was about half an hour later that Chad caught up with them. By then they had gotten separated from Carla. Chad was wearing about twenty bracelets on each arm.

Lizi laughed, "How much are you planning to drink?"

"Oh, no, we figured most people are here by now, but if anybody needs a bracelet, they'll come looking for me. You don't have drinks can I get you something?"

"I'll come with you," Jane said, "Lizi?"

"You two go ahead. I think I'll get some food."

Watching them walk away Lizi thought how nice it would be if John Wicks were here. It had been a while since she'd seen him. She didn't take his interest in her seriously, but it would have been fun to have someone to flirt with at the party. Of course, it was impossible that he would have been invited given Darcy's involvement.

Lizi filled her plate, wandered to the edge of the crowd and found a place to sit in the sand and eat her food. Someone would join her eventually, or she'd finish eating and then socialize some more.

"May I join you?"

Crap it was Darcy. "It's a public beach, sort of."

Darcy took a seat next to her. He had a plate of food and a drink with him. He glanced at her wrist, "Thank you for understanding, at a party like this it's not a good idea to make exceptions."

"No worries."

He made no reply, and Lizi was determined not to give him any encouragement, so she didn't say anything either. For a while, it looked as if they would sit there eating in silence until one of them got up and left. Then it occurred to Lizi that he had probably found a space at the edge of the crowd because he didn't want to socialize and she might get rid of him sooner if she forced him to talk. What could he do summer was over in a couple of weeks anyway.

"Chad throws a great party."

"Chad and I threw this party together."

"Oh, I didn't know that."

They were silent again for some time until Lizi said, "I should have warned you that if you sat with me, you would be required to make conversation. Now that you know I won't be offended if you choose to leave but if you stay, it is your turn to say something."

"What books have you read this summer?"

"Oh, no, we can't talk about books. That is too likely to lead to a deeper discussion. Parties are for small talk."

Darcy smiled, "Don't you find it difficult to come up with a series of meaningless things to say?"

"Sometimes I do, but the rules must be obeyed."

"Perhaps before I make another attempt you should explain the rules. Or simply tell me what you would like me to say and I will be happy to oblige."

"You could comment on what a nice night it is for a party, or say something about the size of the crowd."

"May I ask you about your summer?"

"Yes, but only if you ask questions that will lead to no more than ideal chatter."

Darcy actually looked like he was giving some thought to what he should say next, "Did you get to the boardwalk very often while you were here?"

"Often enough, sometimes with Jane or Carla and a handful of times with John Wicks."

Even in the dying light, she could see his expression darken, "John Wicks!"

"Yes, I believe you know him, you were with us when we first met him."

"I do know him. He… Lizi, you should not trust him."

"He said the same thing about you."

"I'm sure he did."

"Then how am I to judge which if either of you I can trust."

"Our characters must speak for themselves."

"Then it is lucky we have been talking long enough that I may ask deeper questions in an attempt to get to know you."

"You have known me all summer."

"And yet I feel as if I do not know you at all."

"What would you like to know?"

Lizi paused wondering if she dared push him too far, screw it, "It must be a lot of responsibility to be in charge of a large company like Darcy enterprises."

He seemed to relax a little, "It is."

"So many people's livelihoods depend on you, and there are so many people who need jobs. You must have to be very careful to choose the right people."

"That's true, but I only get involved in hiring on the highest levels. For example, I hired Lucas, but he hired everyone else."

"I suppose the same is true of the people you fire."

"It is. Unless there are extenuating circumstances, I trust my managers to make those judgments. The same is true of promotions and demotions and many other decisions. It is not that I don't care about the people at lower levels, but I am responsible for too many companies to micromanage any of them. That's why, as you say, it's important to hire people I can trust and then leave them too it trusting they will let me know when there is a matter that needs my attention."

He seemed to be warming up to the subject. If she could keep him talking, he might say more than he meant to and speak about John Wicks, but she would have to be careful.

"Then …"

"LIZI!" Mary ran up looking hot and breathless, "Lizi, mom got knocked over by a wave, she wants to go home."

"What?"

"Mom got knocked over by a wave, and she wants to go home."

"No, I heard you, but how did she get knocked over by a wave? … wait never mind…I'll take her home." She had suddenly realized it might be better for Darcy not to hear that explanation. "Excuse me, Mr. Darcy. I'm afraid you will need to start a new conversation with someone else or sit in silence as you see fit."

He gave her a brief nod, and she walked off with Mary who said, "I'll come with you I'm ready to go, or do you want me to take her home?"

"Thanks," she was surprised Mary would offer this, she didn't like to drive, "but we'll need the car back here for the others, so it's probably easier if I do it."

Mary looked relieved.

"So," Lizzy asked, "What exactly was mom doing so close to the water that she got knocked over by a wave?"

"She was running back and forth after the waves. You know like we use to do as kids."

As kids being the operative words and not at a party where no one else was in the water. "Alone?"

"No, she was playing with some kids." Ok, that was better, her mom could be fun around children.

Mary continued, "Then she turned to talk to someone, and she started talking about Jane and Chad and forgot to watch the ocean and got knocked over and tumbled around, plus she was wearing that big flowy dress, and she got all tangled up in it. A couple of lifeguards pulled her out, lucky they were invited and hadn't drunk too much."

Now Lizi was startled, "She could have gotten really hurt!"

"Yea."

By this time they had come to where Mary had left their mother. She was sitting on the beach wrapped in a towel.

"Mom!"

"Lizi, look what happened to me!"

She knelt down in front of her. "Mary told me. Are you badly hurt?" As soon the words were out of her mouth she realized it had been a stupid question. Her mother gave a low moan but luckily one of the lifeguards answered before she had a chance to say more.

"She's a little scraped up but no broken bones or anything. Mostly I think she's just shaken up. Just take her home and get her warm and she should be fine."

Now that she knew it wouldn't do any harm she gave her mother a big hug saying, "It's OK mom, we're going to take you home." Then addressing herself to the lifeguard, she added. "Thank you so much!"

"No problem it's what we do." He turned to her mother, "But be more careful in the future, Janice. OK? No turning your back on the ocean and stay away from the water when you have a lot of loose clothes on."

Her mother seemed to brighten a little. "You're such a nice boy."

Ought oh, they better get out of here before her mother recovered her wits and started flirting with the lifeguards on her daughters' behalf. She took her arm to help her up. "Come on let's get you home."

"I lost my shoes."

"Take my flip flops."

She could see Karo and Lois trying to repress giggles, bitches. As they walked away, she heard Karo offering to find the lifeguards some dry clothes. Chad and Jane were nowhere in sight.

Once they got their mom to the car, she texted Jane to let her know she was taking mom and Mary home and would be back. She didn't bother about the others, Lydia and Kat wouldn't be looking for her. Lizi took her mom home and got her settled. "I'll make you some hot chocolate."

"I can do that," said Mary, "You can get back if you want to. I'll read to her or something."

"Thanks." Lizi gave her sister a quick hug. Mary was having a good day. She wasn't usually this considerate. It was unlikely her mother would want to be read to, she usually preferred TV, but you never knew.

.~.~.~.~.

Darcy was annoyed to have been interrupted just when the conversation was taking a turn for the better. How the hell had Janice Bennet gotten knocked over by a wave? Come to think of it was she OK? Surely Mary would have said if she was seriously injured. Still, he had better go check.

How had Lizi gotten involved with John Wicks and just how much time had she spent with him? What kind of lies had he been telling her and how could she be so incredibly foolish as to give any credit to what he said?

He took a deep breath. That wasn't fair. How could she know? And she had been asking him questions trying to learn more about his character. Clearly, her asking about his responsibilities for so many people's livelihoods was such an attempt and could only give her reason to trust him. John Wicks could barely hold down a job… but then he wouldn't tell her that, he'd make up some lie about some fabulous job, DAMN HIM! Still, she was smart, too smart to be fooled by him for long. She looked really nice in the sundress she was wearing tonight too, it showed off her legs…what was he doing? He had to stop letting her distract him like this. He was supposed to be keeping an eye on Chad tonight, and he had better go find out what had happened with Janice Bennet.

Hopefully, Lizi would figure out the truth about John Wicks before she could get hurt. He had warned her not to trust him. There wasn't much else he could do, but she wasn't so naive as some. She would figure it out.

STOP THINKING ABOUT LIZI!

AN: I shouldn't comment on my own performance but I kind of like the combination of Lizi's embarrassment and concern for her mother. Thanks as always for reading and for the reviews. Next up: More Beach Bash.