I have not given up on TJP. I actually have been trying to come up with the next logical sequence of events and I am not happy where the characters are going right now. Darcy is being a jerkedy jerk face and will not listen to reason. I am not writing GOF either - I am actually posting what I wrote about a year ago. I'm still stuck on Chapter 10 - which will get here in no time. Chapter 5 was really large so I broke it up into two separate sections. I am still fiddling with some dialogue but hope to post that later this week so you won't have to wait to next Sunday.

Thanks to the bestest editor - you know who you are!

My Fibby has approved this, so it can be posted. We might have to split Rob Thomas down the middle vertically - you made an excellent point about him singing - I was being short sighted when I said the bottom half. You are always more practical than I.

Girl On Fire

Chapter 5 Part 1 Follow Your Dreams

"Don't you find it odd," she continued, "that when you're a kid, everyone, all the world, encourages you to follow your dreams. But when you're older, somehow they act offended if you even try."
― Ethan Hawke, The Hottest State

Ring. Ring. Ring.Exhausted, Elizabeth rolled over on her side and blinked in disorientation. It had been a late night at The Hole. A very late night. Her head pounded. She may have over done it a little. It was hard to say no when several of their regular customers were determined to buy her a celebratory drink. And, Malcolm never missed an opportunity to party.

Ring. Ring. Ring. What was that strange sound? It was her cell phone, she realized dully. Her eyelids flicked to the object — a cell phone that was way out of reach — all the way in the kitchen. She considered getting up to answer it, but then rejected the idea.

Ring. Ring. Ring. She glanced at her alarm clock in confusion. It was six thirty. A.M. As in the morning. No one who knew her would honestly expect her to answer at such an obscene hour.

Ring. Ring. Ring. Then, silence. Sweet Silence. It must have been a wrong number. Snuggling deeper in the covers, she turned on her side trying to find that perfect spot in her comfy pillow again.

Ring. Ring. Ring. Her eyes flipped open. This could not be happening. Her cell phone cried mournfully to be put out of its misery.

Frustrated, she flipped back her comforter in annoyance, stomped the two steps to her kitchen and squinted in disbelief at the caller ID. William Darcy? What could he possibly want at this time of day? Her phone rang again in her hand. He seemed like an intelligent man - did he not understand the point of voicemail?

She swallowed back the curse words she wanted to use and opted for a less offensive greeting, "Hello!"

"Elizabeth? Oh, good you're up." She winced. It was worse than she ever could imagine. Will Darcy was a morning person. She could tell by the energy in his voice. "You don't want to be running late on our first day."

"Late? For our meeting that is more than two hours away?"

She eyed her bed lovingly as he yammered on about something, sounding suspiciously like the teacher from the Charlie Brown's cartoon. She consulted the clock in her kitchen, decided that she didn't need to get up until eight, or eight-thirty if she skipped a shower, and finally she cut him off. "Look, can we do this at nine?"

Without waiting for an answer, she hung up on him. Just in case he got any bright ideas about calling back, she pre-emptively switched the phone to vibrate, then crawled back into bed.

When she stumbled out of her building precisely at the appointed time, she found him waiting on the sidewalk in front of her building holding a large vented cup of coffee. Thankfully, Darcy was wise enough to let her enjoy her beverage in peace instead of talking. By the time her brain had absorbed enough sweet caffeine to be functional, they had pulled up in front of a large four-story building she assumed held the dietician's office.

When Sal, his driver, opened her door, Elizabeth's worst fears were realized when Darcy exited with her. She just knew he planned on being present for each and every mortifying second of her appointment with the dietician.

To her vast relief, Dr. Tanner had other ideas. "Perhaps you misunderstood me when we discussed providing services to Ms. Bennet, Mr. Darcy, but I insist her sessions will be private."

Darcy was the picture of relaxed confidence. "I can assure you they will be."

Dr. Tanner, a balding white man in his early sixties, did not seem to be intimidated by the powerful man sitting by her side in the slightest. "Unfortunately, young man, that means the session will be between me and my patient. Only. You're more than welcome to wait for her in the lobby."

"Perhaps you don't understand. Ms. Bennet has signed a contract giving me permission to attend her appointments. I've already faxed the documents to your office. If you have lost them, I can call my secretary and have another provided if you would like."

"Release or no release, I don't work that way. I'll not divulge her information to you. If you can't live with that, perhaps, you should look for someone else. If Ms. Bennet wishes, she's free to discuss her meetings with you. That is the only way you will know anything about what transpires in this office."

Elizabeth thought that this might not be so bad when Darcy capitulated and left for the waiting room. She had to admit she liked what she'd seen so far of Dr Tanner. She was a realist and didn't want to get too attached to the dietician because she was quite sure that while her new boss was cooling his heels in the reception area he was also busy trying to find someone else to replace her new doctor.

It wasn't long before Dr. Tanner focused his attention on her. He had a great bedside manner and he entertained her with stories of when he had come to New York, at about her age, from Illinois and the culture shock he had experienced whilst he documented her measurements and weight. His capable nurse, she discovered, was his wife of twenty-five years who assisted him drawing her blood for a full spectrum workup including blood sugar, cholesterol and a thyroid panel. The remainder of the first meeting was devoted to discussing what she hoped to achieve, what foods she used as a crutch and when she felt the need to eat them.

In the end, she admitted what was bothering her the most, "Dr. Tanner, I am never going to be stick thin like he wants me to be."

"Like who wants?"

"Will." She shrugged. "I'm never going to be one of those women who are waifs and when they turn sideways you miss them."

"The point is Elizabeth, what do you want for yourself?" Dr. Tanner leaned back in his chair, steepled his fingers. "It is your body. Your skin. What do you want for yourself? You have to be happy with yourself before you could ever make anyone else happy. That includes Mr. Darcy."

She nodded at the words of wisdom. Deep down she knew they were true.

"Remember, Lizzy, it is you standing in the spotlight. No one else. It is you who has the guts to face an audience and share yourself. You have more spunk than you are giving yourself credit for. Will you ever be Twiggy?" He sighed, shaking his head. "No, you won't. But then again, that would not be healthy weight for you. The goal is for you to be healthy. It is a balancing act."

She nodded again, tearing up. She had let herself go. She had sabotaged her own body the last couple of years.

His parting words were, "Remember, you didn't gain all the weight in one night, so it'll take time to remove it. Consistent small changes will yield large rewards. You just have to be patient."

She could be patient. She was not so sure about her new employer.

Rejoining Darcy in the lobby after she had scheduled her next appointment, Elizabeth had to give him credit. Not once did he mention Dr. Tanner or being kicked out of his office. Darting a look at him in the lobby, she knew that it wouldn't take someone with the resources he had long to locate a replacement with less inflexible ethical standards. When they reached the car, she had to know. "Exactly how many other dieticians did you call while you were waiting? Five or six?"

The answer took two blocks. "It was only four. It would've been six if the other two had answered their damn phones. What is it with people not answering their phones when I call them this morning?"

Elizabeth laughed heartily at his honest answer. He looked surprised for a moment, then shook his head ruefully. Feeling charitable, she gave him an abridged version of her first meeting, concluding with how very much she looked forward to working with Dr. Tanner in the future.

He drummed his fingers along the arm rest, then crossed his arms across his chest. "And just how much of his appeal is that he put me in my place?"

Caught thinking the very same thing, she nibbled on her lower lip to stop herself from laughing again. "How about we agree it's not his only appeal?"

He chuckled. Damn, but the man had a laugh that could melt butter!

Their next stop was in front of a building that looked like a giant glass Rubik's cube. A prominent sign with two people pumping bar bells identified it as New York Fitness. Darcy stepped out of the car, turned, and extended a hand to her to help her out.

"Since Dr. Tanner came highly recommended by a person I respect a great deal and since you seem to like him so much, I guess it can't hurt for you to continue working with him. As long as working with him gets results, I don't need to know everything you two talk about."

Relieved she would not have to be mortified by Darcy's presence at the meetings, Elizabeth relaxed somewhat. He placed a hand on her waist, ushering her inside the gym. Within seconds of their arrival, they were greeted by a young ginger-haired man, with deeply freckled skin and large biceps, named Pike. The little gold badge in the form of a dumbbell identified him as the manager. After apologizing for making them wait, which tickled her greatly since he almost met them at the front door, the burly man wasted no time in leading them on a private tour of the facilities.

The place had everything—cycling, aerobics, Pilates and more trendy things like Booty Barre, an Olympic-size pool, an indoor running track, three floors of various workout equipment and rows of treadmills. It was teaming with fit and sweaty people who looked as if they were born on the equipment they were using. Quickly, Elizabeth was overwhelmed.

After the tour concluded, Pike led them back to his office. "These are the trainers that meet the basic criteria we discussed yesterday, Mr. Darcy." A thick binder was passed from the manager to Darcy who handed it to her unceremoniously.

Without a word, Darcy settled himself behind the manager's desk as if it were his own, took out his cell phone and began working on responding to emails he had received while they were touring the facility. Pike looked comical, like a loser in a game of musical chairs, as he glanced longingly at his desk. Finally, he slunk away, presumably to manage something somewhere else in the gym.

Left to search on her own, Elizabeth felt unequal to the task. What did she know about the qualifications for a trainer? Who would be the best for her? Each beefy and deeply tanned Mr. Olympia wannabe was larger than the man who preceded him in the book. None seemed someone she could see herself being comfortable around.

To hide her insecurity, Elizabeth relied on her humor. "I think we might need to investigate. I think there's some serious steroid use going on here. It's a shame too. You know what it does to their libido."

When Darcy did not comment, she glanced up and realized that he was not attending to her at all. Forehead puckered in concentration, his lips compressed into a thin line of displeasure as he tapped out a message on his cell. She might have been one of the potted plants out in the lobby for all he knew or cared.

Bored with her project, she opened the book to a random page to the picture of a very attractive and fit African American man who wore a tiny Speedo decorated with a sequined American flag. Well, he at least must have a sense of humor. "I guess this one."

Looking away from his cell, Darcy took one glance at the trainer she selected, gave her an inscrutable look and then said in a voice that would not brook argument, "No. Absolutely no male trainers."

Putting his phone away, he flipped to the back of the book where Elizabeth was surprised to see female trainers. He settled quickly on an athletic blonde close to her age named Sierra Kelly. He pressed a button on the desk phone and notified Pike they were ready. The manager returned and Darcy informed him of their selection.

"You mean your selection," Elizabeth said, a little miffed.

Pike looked from one to the other before giving his attention fully to Darcy. "What date and time should I tell Sierra to be available?"

Before she could give both men a piece of her mind, Elizabeth barged out of Pike's office. She made it exactly four steps into the lobby before she felt Darcy grab her arm roughly to stop her.

Remembering another man from another time who had put his hands on her, she jerked back from him, adopting a defensive posture, hands balling up and rising. "Don't you touch me!" Elizabeth shouted, then recovered herself quickly. She was still angry but lowered her arms. "How could you treat me like that? Like my opinion does not matter at all."

"I gave you an opportunity to choose and you chose poorly. If the choice is between All American Girl and Urban Captain America, then, yes, we're going forward with my selection." He glanced around obviously mindful of their surroundings. His voice was low and emotionless. "Like it or not, you agreed in your contract that I get to make the final decision with regards to your trainer."

"Is that so?" She glared at him defiantly, not caring that some of the nearby patrons were staring at them. "Fine. I'll pay for my own trainer."

"If you insist, you can pay for whatever expenses you want. I'm sure the man you selected will happily make time for you for any extra workouts you want to schedule. However, that doesn't change the fact that I get to make the final decisions with whom you work. As per your contract, your dietician, your stylist and your trainer are all my employees." He took her by the elbow and steered her outside. He took a deep breath before stating, "Contrary to what you think, your opinion does matter to me. When it makes sense. Did I not listen to you with regards to Dr. Tanner? "

She didn't feel like being appeased just yet. "Why doesn't it make sense for me to have a male trainer?"

"It's simple. I'm not paying a man to flirt with you when I need a trainer focused solely on your conditioning."

Of course, he would believe he'd have to pay a man to flirt with her! No man could be attracted to her otherwise, right? Deflated, Elizabeth did not even know why she was fighting with him over this. If she had bothered to look further, she would have discovered the women in the back of the book on her own, and would have more than likely selected one for herself anyway. At least the one he selected appeared normal, not a creature from the Steroid Lagoon, and she was near her age so they might have some things in common.

"I'm sure Sierra and I will get along just fine," she admitted begrudgingly. "Who knows, by this time next week, maybe we will be each other's newest BFFs."

"Elizabeth, this is not a joke." He pointed at her. "You will take your health seriously, even if I have to be present for each and every one of your workouts. I insist you focus as hard on this as you will our music. It's just as important. Do you understand?"

She nodded solemnly suddenly feeling guilty. Darcy was only trying to make decisions for her that he felt would make her successful. He was the experienced one in this process. "If you haven't guessed, I'm not really a morning person."

"You? Not a morning person? You hide it so well." She laughed at his teasing. Then, there was that smile again. Just as quickly, as if he realized he was smiling, he stopped. He got the same strange look from the day before when they signed the contract. His serious, no nonsense look. "Look, you're not used to all of this, and our partnership will require compromises from each of us from time to time." Consulting his watch, he searched the street. "We should have enough time to grab lunch before we have to meet with Paul at the studio."

Not able to think of a plausible excuse not to join him, Elizabeth followed him to a bistro nearby that had a wide variety of sandwiches, soups and salads. What she really wanted was a juicy hamburger and fries, her normal comfort food, but, conscious of the disapproval such an order would garner, she ordered a sensible salad with light dressing and water. He ordered the same.

While they waited, Darcy leaned forward, "You said you were going home for Thanksgiving. Do you have much family back home?"

"Yes. There are my parents and my three sisters. I also have a collection of about forty cousins, aunts and uncles that always seem to descend at our house. Never a dull moment, especially around the holidays. I can't wait to see them all again."

"Sounds like Richard's side of the family." Their order arrived and he prodded, "Tell me about your sisters."

She knew he couldn't possibly be interested in her siblings, but Elizabeth humored him anyway. "Nearest to me in age is Mary. She's more serious than anyone has any right being at twenty-four. She wants to be a minister. Trust me, even as a kid, she liked sermon making."

Another hint of a smile graced his lips. "And your other sisters?"

"Lydia and Kitty. Kitty is a senior at UC. She's like you, trying to please my dad by doing something she doesn't like." His eyebrows shot up at this pronouncement and she clarified. "She's studying Early Childhood Education, but what she really wants to be is an artist. She's been painting since she was old enough to put her finger into the stuff. And, she's very good." Relaxing, she told him about the time Kitty decorated the living room drapes when she was seven. The paint was a hideous green and the curtains were white. Elizabeth had tried to salvage them by washing them before her mom found out, but her intervention had ended up turning them the color of pea soup. Her father had hung the curtains in her bedroom as punishment until she made enough money babysitting her monster cousins to buy a new pair. "Green curtains still give me nightmares."

Darcy laughed at her story, and she felt more comfortable, encouraged by his reaction. "And, Lydia is the baby. My father completely ignores her and my mother absolutely dotes on her. The result, as you can imagine, is that she's a real nightmare. It doesn't help that she is at that age—you know the one, between thirteen and eighteen—when you think you know everything, but are too stupid to realize you don't."

"Ah, I remember those years with Georgie. Fun times." He chewed slowly, thoughtfully. "You clearly love your sisters, but I suspect, you're not as close to them as you were to Jane."

The breath was knocked out of her for a moment. "Jane was more than a sister to me. She was my best friend. She knew me better than anyone." It had felt those first few months like she had been missing a limb—alternating rounds of numbness and pain.

He looked down at his plate for a moment. "I think losing my sister would devastate me."

"Georgie looks a little like Jane. All blonde hair and blue eyes. Delicate." Elizabeth sighed, "But, my sister was an absolute angel. I don't think I'll ever forgive God for taking her from me."

Darcy's eyes hardened, "I felt the same way when my parents died."

"How old were you when it happened?"

"Thirteen, when my mom passed." Elizabeth looked, really looked, at the man before her trying to imagine the damage such a blow would cause a teenage boy. "I was twenty-one when my father died. Massive heart attack. He was stubborn and thought he knew more than his doctors. The week Georgie turned fourteen I became her sole guardian."

Well, one thing was apparent, her lunch companion wasn't just angry at God. He was angry at his father too, for not attending to his health. No wonder he was fit as a fiddle. "That must have been some type of adjustment for you and your sister."

He shrugged, noncommittally.

"No special woman in your life at that time to help you with your sister?"

He stared at her for a long moment. "No, there was no one special. Then or now."

Elizabeth waited for him to ask her if she was dating someone. It would have been the polite thing to do in a conversation, but he did not ask, further reinforcing her belief that he thought she couldn't get a man. Losing her appetite suddenly, she covered the remains of her salad with her napkin signaling she was done. Darcy asked for the check, paid it promptly, and then escorted her back to Sal.

In silence, they drove back to Darcy Building for the awaited auditions. Anxious to hide her preference, Elizabeth tried to mask her enthusiasm for The Hole House. While the musicians Paul picked out were technicians at their craft, there was a familiarity with her band that the other professionals lacked. Simply put, she sounded better jamming with her friends than she ever could performing with strangers. There was a trust between them that could not be concealed. Paul agreed with her, but Darcy seemed unconvinced.

As he drove her back to The Hole after the auditions, he suggested, "We should have you work with the group Paul put together a few hours this week to make a fair assessment."

Elizabeth was convinced that wouldn't be necessary. She tried to be persuasive, bragging on her group's abilities and their flexibility to play any genre of music that Darcy selected for her to do. Quickly, she saw that she was not winning him over and wondered aloud, "It's almost like you are determined to not like them."

"I don't have an opinion one way or the other. I don't make business decisions based on emotion." Frowning deeply, she crossed her arms and sulked on her side of the seat. He shut his eyes muttering something, and then he retrieved his phone. "Paul, it's Will. We'll go forward with The Hole House for the time being. Can you have them ready for the date we agreed?"

When they pulled up to The Hole, Elizabeth scrambled out the door Sal held open for her, not able to wait to tell her friends. Then, she stopped suddenly, hugged the driver impulsively, giggling happily before turning back to a stunned Darcy. Leaning back into the car, she kissed his cheek and felt him stiffen in disgust.

"You won't regret this." She pulled back from him, excited by his unexpected agreement. "Come to The Hole tonight. I want you to hear the song we've been working on. I promise you won't be disappointed."

*(*

Elizabeth watched with trepidation as the house filled up quickly. Darcy wasn't here. She tried to temper her disappointment with the fact he hadn't exactly promised her that he would come. She'd been too thrilled by his agreement to permit The Hole House perform on the CD to secure it from him. It was ironic she admitted to herself. The last time she'd known he was in the audience she had not wanted him there. Now she couldn't wait to see him again.

Then, as if conjured by her wish, Darcy arrived. He was deep in discussion with Phillip at the door, before he slid into a booth near the bar. She was pleased to see he wasn't alone. He had brought Richard and a petite woman with long black hair who took the free seat next to the handsome attorney.

Anxious to make sure everything was in place, Elizabeth took the stage as soon as the previous act exited. She wanted their first public performance of the Howie Day song, Collide1, to be perfect. She selected it because it highlighted all of the band's strong suits. It showcased Tara's prowess on the guitar and Doty's singing on backup vocals. In addition, during Sunday's rehearsal, Ricky had made the brilliant suggestion they turn the song into a duet. She bullied Max who had a very nice baritone voice into singing it with her.

"He's here," she told the band enthusiastically as she took the stage.

"So, what?" Max responded.

It was a stroke of exceptional bad luck that Max and Darcy seemed to have an innate dislike for one another. In the studio, Darcy had stopped them more than once because the bassist was overpowering or rushing the music. Already sensitive to the fact he had to audition for a job he already had, Max dealt with the criticism with increasingly decreasing patience.

"Give him a chance." Elizabeth begged him. Her friend ran his nimble fingers over his strings making sure they were taut and ready. She touched his arm. "For me?"

Max looked at her deliberately. "I'll do it for you, but you have to know he's a jerk. He was completely out of line today. We sounded great and everyone knows it."

"Darcy hears great every day. He's looking for extraordinary." Even though she agreed with Max's assessment, she knew she was biased. Darcy definitely had more knowledge of what success sounded like than any of them did. "He's really not so bad, once you get to know him better."

"I'll have to take your word on that," Max said, adjusting his microphone before moving close to her. "He obviously seems to want to get to know you better. Since when did producing a record require going to the doctor with you? To the gym? It makes no sense, Lizzy."

Doty clacked her drum sticks together to signal the beginning of the countdown for their opening song. It reminded Elizabeth to get back on task. After Tara started the familiar guitar riff and Ricky took care of the violin effects with his keyboard, Max looked to her and nailed the intro.

"The dawn is breaking. A light shining through. You're barely waking and I'm tangled up in you. Yeah." He cocked an eyebrow in her direction before giving her a slow smile. In that moment, he transformed into the epitome of a sexy lead singer, bass hanging loose around his neck, one hand draped around his microphone as if it were a woman.

She sang to the audience. "But I'm open, you're closed. Where I follow, you'll go. I worry I won't see your face light up again."

Their voices merged on the chorus.

"I'm quiet, you know." He laughed outright as if she was really describing herself, then she continued, "You make a first impression."

He crooned directly at her. "Well, I've found I'm scared to know you're always on my mind."

"Even the best fall down sometimes. Even the stars refuse to shine. Out of the vacuum you fall in time. I somehow find, you and I collide."

"Don't stop here." Max sounded almost pained, and a woman catcalled from the audience. "I lost my place."

Elizabeth voice was sultry as she answered back. "I'm close behind." Another catcall from the audience.

When they finished Collide, Max wrapped her in a tight hug of relief twirling her in the air as the crowd clapped enthusiastically. When he put her back down, he grabbed her microphone, beaming, "The one and only Elizabeth Bennet, folks!"

The audience responded favorably. Laughing, Elizabeth curtsied before she launched into one of three original songs in succession. They finished with her most recent newly written Things I Never Had about growing up poor but with the things that people truly should value - respect, love of family. By the time she sang the chorus for the second time, the crowd was singing along with her. Done, she surrendered the stage for the band to back the next performer. It had taken some convincing but Elizabeth made Malcolm and Phillip name a different group as the headliner when she signed with Darcy. Someone else deserved to have their moment.

Rushing to remove her makeup but deciding to keep her dress on, Elizabeth could not wait to hear Darcy's opinion of Collide. She wanted the song on her album. Tonight confirmed it. In fact, it was going to be her first selection. In her excited haste, Elizabeth made a beeline to his table. She dropped into the chair next to him, electrified by the performance. Not able to wait any longer, she asked, "Did you like the duet?"

"No, I can't say I did." Without looking at her, he emptied the contents of his drink in one gulp. He held up the glass and nodded to Daisy who went to get him a refill. He seemed far away. "Tell me. Did Max mess up the lyrics or was the change intentional?"

"What change?"

"He sang, 'I'm scared to know you're always on my mind' when the correct lyric is 'I'm scared to know I'm always on your mind.'"

"I hadn't noticed," Elizabeth admitted. Darcy chuckled meanly. She straightened in her chair, becoming defensive, "Cut him some slack. It was Max's first time singing the song live. He was a little nervous."

"Which is why I have concerns about not only him but all of the members of The Hole House backing you. They don't have enough professional experience. If they can get rattled in front of a few hundred people, what are they going to do in front of thousands?" When he got the drink he requested, Darcy threw it back, grimaced and shook his head. He added the empty glass to the three already in front of him. "I won't put a substandard product on the market with my label on it." His blue eyes flared. "Even for you."

Elizabeth felt the eagerness she had earlier to see him vanish in the face of such a response.

"I think Will is probably the only person here who noticed the mistake." Richard said, obviously trying to deflect some of the sting of Darcy's criticism. He wrapped an arm around the lovely woman at his side, who was eyeing her with open curiosity. "Elizabeth, let me introduce you to my wife. Esme, our newest act, Elizabeth Bennet."

"I don't know much about music, but I thought Collide was great!" Esme seconded her husband's opinion, giving him a quick peck on his cheek. "In fact, when we leave here, I intend to get very tangled up in my man."

Abruptly, Darcy stood up and without excusing himself left the table. Elizabeth rose to follow him, but Richard put a staying hand on her arm. "Let me go." Kissing his wife on her cheek, he whispered something in her ear and then went after his mercurial cousin.

"Why do I feel like I did something wrong?" Elizabeth asked, watching the men exit the club.

"You shouldn't feel that way. Will's been rather temperamental for the past few months. It is really surprising when you consider he is usually as steady as a board. I've known him for six years now and I've never seen him act the way he has been lately." Esme sipped her drink, somehow believing Darcy's distress was funny. Richard's wife added, "My husband and Georgie are starting to get quite worried."

Elizabeth was confused by this woman's reaction. If Darcy were her family, she wouldn't think it was funny to see him like this. 'Is there something wrong with the business?"

"No, business is really good. Trust me, Richard would've told me if it wasn't. No, I think what's bothering Will is very personal. I suspect a woman might be involved." Esme winked. Elizabeth glanced behind her again. Will Darcy was hung up on some woman? Unlikely. And the same woman for months? That seemed even less likely. Esme pulled the umbrella from her drink and twirled it between her fingers. "Don't listen to Will. Your duet was hot as hell."

"Did you really like it?"

"Yes, I really did." Esme bit into her pineapple garnish. "What about you and the guy? Are you two dating?"

Elizabeth shook her head. "No, we're just really good friends."

"Never tried for anything more with him?" Esme persisted, licking her fingers.

She shrugged. "We did go out once."

"And?" She leaned forward, clearly interested in the answer to the question.

"And, nothing," Elizabeth admitted. It would have been so easy with Max. They were friends, and got along great. He was easy going and a fan of her music. Plus, he thought she was pretty. "We kissed once, but there was absolutely no chemistry between us."

"Ah, and we both know there needs to be chemistry." Esme glanced at the stage where Max was still playing.

Elizabeth decided she liked the woman across from her. "So what do you do, Esme?"

"I'm a psychologist." Elizabeth grimaced and her new acquaintance laughed. "Did you like Dr. Tanner?" She realized Richard's wife must have been the one to refer the amiable dietician to Darcy. After sharing the story of her first appointment, Esme was wiping at her eyes. "You are hilarious. I hope you can teach Will to loosen up and laugh at himself."

Elizabeth seriously doubted any one laughed at Darcy, at least to his face, and said so earning another laugh from Esme. "Oh, I'm going to like having you around, Lizzy!"

Daisy stopped by to see if their drinks needed to be refilled. Elizabeth was grateful for the distraction. "So, tell me, how did you and Richard meet?"

Esme told Elizabeth that she was on the board of one of the small private schools in the area, and Richard had attended their annual fundraiser. "I'll never forget when I saw him coming into the ballroom in his tuxedo. He literally took my breath away, and he never gave it back. It was love at first sight for me."

"And for him?"

A different type of smile curled Esme's lips. "We've been together since that night."

They fell into an easy discussion about music, men and medicine until an apologetic Richard returned some time later, alone, to collect Esme. Feeling disappointed that Darcy had left, and had left without saying goodbye, Elizabeth thanked them both for coming to see her performance.

As Richard helped his wife with her coat, he pointed a finger at her. "You, young lady, need to make an early night of it." He looked meaningfully at the stage which confused Elizabeth. She wasn't going back on. "Will has a big day planned for tomorrow. He wanted me to remind you that he'll be by your apartment to pick you up first thing in the morning."

*(*(*

Promptly at six-thirty the following morning, her cell phone sprang to life. Anticipating this possibility, she had moved the phone from the kitchen table to her night stand. She would not have to get up even if she was woken up.

"Elizabeth?" He didn't sound as chipper this morning and she wondered if he had a hangover. He deserved one if he did. "Did you sleep well?"

"Yes." She was still smarting by his abandonment the previous night. She could hear the sound of running water and curiosity got the better of her. "What are you doing?"

"Shaving. You?"

"Not shaving, obviously." She couldn't make him out for anything. "Well, if you must know, I'm doing what most normal people in New York are doing right now. I'm still contently curled up in bed."

She heard the water stop, heard a muffled sound and then he said, "On that little cot of yours? You must be all alone."

She hadn't been with a man since coming to New York, not that she'd ever admit that to him. It would only reinforce her undesirability. It was a statement that bore no additional comment. "Where'd you get to last night?"

"I needed some air." She wondered if perhaps he'd gotten sick. Being drunk and loud music was not a fun combination. No wonder Richard hadn't shared much information when he returned to pick up his wife. Darcy didn't say anything for a long time and she nearly nodded off. "Are you still there?"

She yawned. "Just barely. I worked last night, remember?"

"Your meeting with Sierra is today at ten. I'll pick you up a little after nine to make sure we can get uptown in time. Then, we'll grab some lunch. Maggie texted me yesterday that she has scheduled your appointments and Suzzanne should be getting in touch with you about your shopping expeditions." She was not looking forward to either meeting and groaned.

"Elizabeth, you agreed to this," He reminded unnecessarily.

She knew she had. Her obligations regarding her personal trainer and personal stylist were outlined in paragraph six and seven of Part B of the infernal contract she'd signed. She'd checked when she got home the previous night.

"I'll be there at nine. Make sure you're ready."

"Yes, Master!"

At the appointed time, she smiled gratefully at Sal who held the door open for her and handed her a coffee. Delighted, she slid into the dark interior of the town car and was immediately assaulted with Darcy's unique scent, a delicious mixture of woods and spice.

He was bathed in shadow. When her eyes adjusted, she saw he was indeed suffering the effects of his drinking last night. His hand was shielding his eyes from the bright morning sunshine.

When they arrived at the gym, Darcy excused himself immediately, heading for Pike's office to work on some documents. He looked unnaturally pale, and she suspected he needed to put his head on something solid with easy access to a waste basket.

Elizabeth waited fifteen minutes until Sierra arrived on time, and the manager introduced them. She was as advertised—beautiful, toned and fit with a genuine supportive and helpful go-get-'em attitude.

Their first session was spent introducing Elizabeth to the various pieces of equipment she would use during their workouts. Gasping after only ten minutes on a treadmill, she was forced to face the ugly truth when she had to stop to grab at her sides.

"Whew, I didn't realize I was so out of shape."

"Well, now that you know, Lizzy, what are we going to do about it?"

"Get into shape?" she panted weakly, hoping that was the right answer.

While she was working on her last set of chest pulls, Darcy re-emerged from the office looking as if he felt better and came directly to her side. He frowned. Elizabeth didn't know why he looked so; she was the one whose arms felt like they were burning from the inside out. To Sierra's back, he said, "Ms. Kelly, you shouldn't be pushing Elizabeth so hard on her first day. She needs to pace herself. It's been well over an hour."

"We're just finishing up," Sierra said turning.

Elizabeth was nearly pulled to the ground when her trainer let go of the counterweight. She couldn't blame Sierra. She wondered herself if there was any woman with a pulse who could look at William Darcy without reacting. Standing on her own, Elizabeth had never felt as particularly unattractive as she did standing next to the young trainer. She could feel the heat in her face, knew it was an alarming shade of red. Her comfy sweats were nothing compared to Sierra's fit, tight body encased in a matching black spandex bra and shorts. Not able to avoid it, Elizabeth introduced the woman to Darcy.

He nodded curtly, before he glanced quickly at his expensive watch. "I've got meetings the rest of the afternoon, so you'll have to meet with Suzzanne by yourself, but if we hurry, we can still have lunch together. I'll wait for you in the car while you clean up."

Sierra recovered the minute he was out of sight. "Jesus, that man of yours is a stunner."

"Oh, no. He's not my man. He's my producer."

"Uh huh." Her trainer handed her a towel as she led the way to the showers. "Believe me when I tell you that I'm not used to being completely ignored by a man."

"Will's just like that when you first meet him. He doesn't exactly make a very great first impression. Especially, when he opens his mouth." Elizabeth proceeded to amuse Sierra with the story of their meeting.

"How did he end up as your record producer?"

"That's a story for another day," Elizabeth said as she gratefully stepped under jets of hot water. She felt like a sweaty pig and lunch was beckoning.

For the next three days, she did not see Darcy in person, but she did continue to receive his six-thirty a.m. phone calls. On Friday when she entered the gym punctually at 10 a.m., Darcy was already there talking with Sierra. Waving at the two and not wanting to intrude on a private conversation, Elizabeth located a treadmill to begin warming up. She was still sore from the day before, and she knew the best cure for her stiff muscles was to get them moving again.

After she programmed her course into the electronic computer, she split her concentration between the belt moving beneath her feet and the blinking light tracking her progress on her monitor. It was still difficult for her to get her bearings on the high tech machine.

Darcy took the treadmill to her right. "Good morning, Elizabeth."

"Morning." Not even a minute on her machine and she was breathless. How pathetic! Turning on her iPod, she redoubled her focus on her goal. She was determined to go five miles today. Five miles on the Alps setting. She hadn't gone a mile before the burn started in her thighs and sweat started accumulating on her forehead. She felt good watching her progress on the monitor. The blinking light going up and over the electronic peaks. She felt like the little guy going up the Alps game on the Price is Right.

After the treadmill, Elizabeth moved to working with weights, with Sierra spotting for her. Every time she looked up, no matter what equipment she moved to or what exercise they did, Darcy was just visible in her line of sight in the many mirrors at the establishment. His attention made her feel strangely discombobulated. Even more uncoordinated. Did he not think she would follow through on her contractual obligations? When she finished, she showered and dressed. Outside, she found him obviously waiting on her.

Waving off Sal, he opened the car door himself. "I thought we could go to lunch together and catch up." Before she could complain about being monitored so closely, her stomach growled at his suggestion. Without waiting for her agreement, he turned to Sal, giving him instructions to take them to Bar Marsa. They had reservations.

"No, I'd rather not go there." She resisted against his hand at her waist, wrinkling her nose at his suggestion. "I'm not a big fan of caviar, Will. Fish eggs. It's kinda disgusting."

His lips quirked, but then firmed. "Where would you like to go? I have some time this afternoon. Just name the place."

She thought on it some, then shrugged. "How about the place down the street?" It really didn't matter where they ate as long as it was soon. She was suddenly starving.

When they were seated in a sunny section of the bistro, the waiter from their previous visit materialized. He remembered them, probably because of Darcy's obscene tips and asked if they wanted the same order. Reluctantly, she agreed and tried not to whimper when the gentleman at the table next to her received the hamburger she really wanted.

Darcy noticed what drew her attention. "You worked hard today. Order what you want."

She was tempted. "No, I'll stick with the rabbit food. Dr. T gave me my test results yesterday and a full report on my cholesterol." Real concern spread over his face and she wondered if she had reminded him of his father. She tapped his hand reassuringly. "My numbers aren't that bad, but they are high enough for me to take them seriously and make some changes before there's a real problem. Besides, after the workout with Sierra, it would probably make me sick to eat something that heavy."

"You seem to like her."

"She's nice." Elizabeth moved the croutons she didn't like to the side and began organizing the perfect bite starting with the fresh cherry tomatoes. He watched her preparations with barely concealed interest. "She's coming to The Hole tonight to hear me sing and meet the band. Then, we're supposed to go clubbing tomorrow night."

"Clubbing?" Darcy lowered his drink to ask the question. His water had been served in an expensive, pretty blue bottle. No plain Evian for him.

"I know you're ancient and all, but you remember what clubbing is. Don't act like you don't," she sassed him, enjoying the shock that played out on his face. Esme was right, he took himself entirely too seriously. "I think it'll be fun. Sierra's bringing Sam, and she's gonna introduce me to Kyle."

"Sam? Kyle?" The spot above his nose puckered.

"Sam is Sierra's boyfriend. He's some big shot attorney with a firm with a long name downtown somewhere. He makes loads of money or, so Sierra says. And Kyle is Mr. Urban Captain America."

"Is this like a double date?"

"More like a blind date, since I've never met Kyle and he's never met me."

"What about Max?"

"Max?" She popped a thin slice of cucumber in her mouth. "Max isn't coming with us." She was confused at his question and he didn't elaborate. "Well, anyway, Kyle's single, and lucky for me, he likes his woman with a little meat on their bones."

"A little meat?"

She stabbed her fork in her half-eaten salad. "Well, I guess, in my case, a lot of meat."

"That's not what I meant." He tapped a long finger on the table, clearly agitated about something. He sipped his water, then lowered the bottle again. "Are you planning on drinking on your date?"

She wondered if he was reacting this way from his recent experience. "I might. I've had a really rough week, and I need to unwind. I don't usually drink, so it doesn't take much to get a buzz going." His expression darkened. What the hell was she doing? Darcy was her boss. "Look, I'll be responsible. It's a first date. It's not like I'm trying to see Captain America's flag at full mast or anything."

He choked on his water. Boss, Lizzy! While it was fun to push his buttons, she needed to remember that. When he recovered, he seemed concerned. "You have every day booked solid next week, and you're already tired from the late nights at The Hole. I have business out of town this coming week and won't be here to watch over you. Do you really think going out on Saturday makes sense?"

Elizabeth decided a subject change was needed in order to avoid a fight. "When do you leave for your trip?"

"Sunday." He frowned, "I'll be returning next Saturday."

"A business trip?" She chewed her lip, waggling her eyebrows playfully. "Or is it for pleasure?"

"Mostly business." He did not look enthusiastic. He looked like he was discussing an upcoming root canal rather than a vacation.

"Surely, it can't be all that bad. Maybe you'll have more fun than you think you will." He said nothing as he moved his salad around with his fork. He was sulking. "Where are you going?"

"London on Sunday, Paris on Tuesday, Rome on Wednesday."

"Oh, poor you!" Sometimes she forgot exactly how different their worlds really were. "That sounds like a dream vacation. I've never been out of the States, and I've always wanted to travel."

He looked at her with that strange look again. "Do you have a passport?"

"Yes, I got one in college. My best friend, Charlotte, and I were going to go backpacking through Europe after graduation. But, in the end, we didn't go. "

"Why didn't you go?"

"A man came along." Elizabeth popped the last cherry tomato in her mouth.

"I see. And, your new boyfriend wouldn't let you go?"

"Not mine." She rolled her eyes, "Charlotte met her fiancé our senior year, and she went with him instead. So, boo, no Europe for me. I still dream about going some day."

"If we rearranged some of your appointments, you could come with me on my trip."

She laughed at the very idea. Who knew? Darcy did have a sense of humor.

After lunch, he insisted on giving her a ride to her meeting with Suzzanne before he returned to the office. Along the way, he seemed strangely pensive. Not for the first time, she realized that Darcy was a private, complex man. His businesses extended beyond the record studio, and he had hundreds of employees that looked to him to keep food on their tables. It would only stand to reason he had troubles from time to time that she would never be able to comprehend.

When Sal opened her door, Elizabeth impulsively kissed Darcy's cheek lightly. He stiffened in disgust. Still, even with all of his idiosyncrasies, she felt she was beginning to think of him as a good friend.

"Have a safe trip, Will. I'll see you next week."

*(*

Trying in vain, Darcy could not sleep on Saturday night. He tossed and turned in his bed for hours when he admitted to himself what he really wanted to do was get in his car and camp out outside of Elizabeth's door until she arrived home. He just kept seeing that picture of the impressively built man from Pike's book. She was out with that. The thought of her out with some strange man—no, he corrected himself—the thought of her out drinking with that hulk of a man did something to his sanity. Somehow, he restrained himself patiently until six-thirty to call her, as usual.

"Will!" she complained loudly, and his heart literally skipped a beat. She wouldn't have answered his call if she was entertaining a man in her bed, right? "It's Sunday. Couldn't you have found someone else to pester this morning?"

"I tried Georgie first, but she hung up on me."

Her laugh was husky with sleep and extremely arousing. "Do you know nothing about women? You can't go around waking them at the crack of dawn and expect them to be pleased about it."

Darcy didn't know about that. The very few women he had spent an entire night with never complained if he woke them up. Instead of defending himself, he stated plainly, "I just need to make sure that you are on track for the week before I leave town."

As she provided him a rundown of her plans for the week, he fought the urge to bring up her date. He wondered if it was a violation of the trainer's contract to date a member. Maybe he should call Pike and voice his displeasure. As if she sensed his curiosity, Elizabeth said mournfully, "My date last night was a dud."

"Oh, that's right. You did mention something about going out last night. I'd forgotten." He shut his eyes, cursing himself. He'd laid it on too thick. "Why do think the date was a dud?"

"We really don't have much in common. The only topics Kyle seemed to have anything worth talking about were pumping iron, the Jets and the benefits of protein powders." The disappointment in her voice gave him relief. "Besides, he kisses like a fish."

He didn't want to think about how she obtained that information, but her description of the man's failings made him smile. "I didn't think your feelings about caviar extended to all seafood."

"I guess so!" Elizabeth giggled at his joke.

His mind conjured up what she would look like—her smile curling up the edges of her bow mouth snuggling on that little cot. If he were with her right now, he would have found a way to make them both fit in her tiny bed no matter how creative they had to be. He looked at his suitcase with even less interest and he contemplated canceling the trip all together.

"What are you doing today, Lizzy?"

"Sleeping in, first and foremost," she stated. "If I feel motivated, I might tackle some laundry. Probably not, though, since I'm meeting the fellas for lunch."

"The fellas?" Please God, no more men! She seemed to attract them everywhere she went.

"Phillip and Malcolm—the owners of The Hole. Then I'm coming home and sleeping some more. I'm going to need to be rested for what Suzzanne has planned for us. Body waxing—I'm not exactly sure what that means, by the way—and I'm going to get my nails done. I'm looking forward to the pedicure, though. I love foot massages!" He'd massage anything she let him. "Oh, and on Tuesday, we're going shopping for six hours. I already dread it."

"Well, I'll see your beauty treatments and shopping and raise you an intervention with Salvatore on Monday."

It was all over the news that the young rocker had been arrested in London for urinating in a public street. Just the latest in a long line of increasingly erratic behavior from the young man. Darcy had just gotten off the phone with Salvatore's sweet mother who had asked him to join her and the family in trying to get her son back on the straight and narrow. He couldn't very well say no to her when she was in tears on the phone. He was going to London in the first place to organize the mess that had become Salvatore's tour. Two concert dates had to be rescheduled due to his recent bout of exhaustion. He hoped to get to spend at least a day at Pemberley before having to go on to Paris.

"That's very nice of you."

"I'm not doing it to be nice. It makes sense financially for me to rein him in. I need to protect the label."

"You can't convince me that's the only reason you're doing it. Don't bother even trying." There was no humor in her voice. "I'm sure if he doesn't now, he'll appreciate your efforts later." He shut his eyes. How could he miss her already when he hadn't even left yet?

Spending time with her would've been preferable to meeting with shareholders of the small winery he partly owned in France. Maybe they could have even gone on a tour of the winery. He'd love to expose her to his favorite vintages. Did she really need to spend the week with Sierra and Suzzanne? Yes, some changes were needed, he told himself, but nothing drastic. In fact, the more time he spent with Elizabeth, the more her little imperfections seemed to become charmingly perfect. Inexplicitly Elizabeth.

"You're going to Paris? I've always wanted to see the Louvre."

Because she was interested, for the next half hour, Darcy shared everything he could remember about his past trips to the famous museum with her. It surprised him how little, sadly, Elizabeth knew of the world. Part of him longed to complete her education, explore with her and see things anew through her eyes.

"It sounds amazing. Maybe I'll get to see it myself someday."

As tempted as he was, Darcy did not repeat his earlier invitation. The memory of the last time he'd asked was firmly on his mind. How could it not be? He'd never had a woman laugh outright in his face before when he asked them out.

1 Howie Day 'Collide'