Chapter 20: A Little Bromance
Will Darcy stepped out of his private car on a remarkably sunny November afternoon. Although it was already two hours later, his mind was still reeling over his earlier conversation with Elizabeth. How did that phone call go downhill so quickly? You know, maybe she's just having a bad day at work…she couldn't have meant to sound so annoyed. He had laughed about it at the lounge, but he also had to admit; after hearing her call him "Will", her adieu of "Mr. Darcy" had seriously crept under his skin.
Suddenly, he found himself wishing he could see her sooner than the 17th. However, his visit to Gianna had been scheduled for some time now, and he had to admit that he was incredibly eager to see his sister again. The visit would also give him the opportunity to go over the details of the gag order with their lawyer. There was just one more thing that he had to do before he could leave for Vermont and her off-campus Norwich apartment…
Bingley smiled broadly when he saw his friend approach. Darcy released a breath and tried to silence his mind as he prepared for what lay ahead. Gripping Charlie's hand in a firm handshake, both men experienced that moment when it was time for a very important and serious conversation between close friends.
"Charles, I think I may already know the answer, but I have to do my diligence as a friend and ask: why are we standing outside of Tiffany & Co.?"
The grin that spread across Charlie's face was infectious. "Because I love her Darce. There is no other woman in the world for me. I think I knew it even when I first saw her, but I have no doubt about it now. I'm going to marry her."
"Don't you think it's a little soon to propose?"
"Rest easy old boy. I'm just getting prepared because you know how hectic my schedule can get. I'm planning to propose on New Year's. You know, make it really romantic. Instead of just giving her a kiss; giving her a ring with the kiss. Start the New Year off on the perfect event of becoming engaged to her. Something like that."
"What about your parents? Certainly they want to meet her?"
"Jane has already agreed to come with me to London at Christmastime."
Well, that's news to me. Darcy could admit to himself that he had never seen Bingley so serious about a woman before. Had the man been in love before? Absolutely. But no woman had ever taken an equal, if not closer standing to his heart, than Caroline. Since starting to date Jane, Darcy had only seen Bingley a couple of times per week. Before that, Will had pretty much lived at the Bingley Mansion even though he had his own penthouse in Manhattan.
No, the difficulty here was not Charlie, but Jane. Darcy had enormous respect for her, but didn't feel like he knew her all that well yet. Unlike Elizabeth, she was almost painfully private. She politely answered questions, but tended to smile and listen rather than actively engage in group conversation. Darcy had to be honest; she seemed happy enough for being in a new relationship, but wasn't that to be expected? It didn't mean that she was looking to get married already. Bingley, on the other hand, was definitely on an accelerated timeline.
"And are you sure, 100%, that she feels the same way? That she is absolutely ready and seeking to commit to a lifetime with you? It's a huge step that you're planning on taking Charles."
Charles shook his head at him, but nothing Darcy had said could touch his smile. "Darce, I really appreciate you looking out for me. I know that she loves me more than anything, and I feel the same about her. There are no questions left to be answered between us, and we're not getting any younger. I never knew anything was missing; but now, my soul only feels half alive until we're together again. She's my destiny, Will. I'm sure of it." He glanced down; a wind blowing his dirty blond curls as he thoughtfully chuckled and shook his head at himself. "Sorry to make this so deep."
"Well then," Darcy replied, clapping his friend's arm in a friendly gesture that returned energy to the conversation. How could he argue with fate? "Let's get you a ring."
An hour later, Bingley had selected a flawless, 3.2 carat round solitaire on a slim platinum band. Darcy thought he couldn't have done any better based on the little he knew of Jane's personality.
Before they left, Darcy's eyes had often times come back to an Emerald Cut ring that was under a nearby counter. Noticing his attention, the clerk informed him, "It's called the 'Tiffany Soleste.' Would you like to see it?"
Darcy declined the offer, but continued to admire the ring through the case. That is distinctive, he thought. The emerald cut diamond sparkled brilliantly above a halo of smaller round diamonds, and the band of the ring was also hand set with round stones. Glancing at it again, he knew immediately why it kept drawing his attention: it reminded him of Elizabeth.
The shape of the main diamond brought back the night he had met her in that striking Emerald colored ensemble. The layers of stones surrounding it symbolically reminded him of the complexity and depth of her personality; it still amazed him that the same person who had playfully pointed a plastic heart scepter at him on Friday had faulted him for 'hating everybody' earlier this afternoon.
Then, as a finishing touch to the intricate ring, the gallery was elevated. Darcy saw the raised setting as the perfect final detail: a representation of how she rose to the many challenges in her life with courage: her mother, her career; even sometimes - he fondly thought back to their dinner at Charlie's - himself.
An image floated through his mind of the ring on her hand, her sparkling eyes gratefully looking down at him as she accepted his proposal. The surroundings where dim; his entire focus was on her and the extreme satisfaction that filled his being. She was his. He stood and flung his arms around her, spinning her wildly before capturing that pert mouth in a passionate kiss.
"Darce?" That's odd, what is Charlie doing here? "Darce!" A force met with his shoulder that almost knocked him out of his seat. Shaking his head at himself, he blinked his eyes and looked up at his friend.
"I lost you for a minute there. Are you ready to go?"
"Of course."
"You're sure?"
"Yes, why not?"
"Well, it just looked like you were contemplating a purchase of your own all of a sudden."
Darcy looked at his friend and said nothing.
Bingley shook his head as a knowing smile spread across his face. "You fancy her, don't you?"
"Who?"
"Lizzy Bennet."
"What? What makes you say that?"
"I've known you a long time old boy. You've never asked me to find out what sort of drink a woman likes before. You've never cared enough to ask before."
Will had known that this conversation was coming sooner or later. "I looked at the wrong woman, Charlie."
"Pardon?"
"At Toshi's. When you wanted to introduce me to Jane's sister and I snapped at you. I looked at the wrong woman."
Charlie laughed heartily and shook his head. "Well, it's a good thing to know that I wasn't the crazy one. When you called her an 'ugly stepsister' I almost spilled my drink on you. I couldn't believe what a killjoy you were being that night."
"I said that?"
"You did. Good thing she didn't seem to hear you."
"Do you know how much trouble I could have saved myself?"
"Well, there's no time like the present. Go after her."
"Actually, I've asked her on a date for when I get back in town from visiting G. She said yes."
"Now that's what I'm talking about!" He clapped his friend on the back. "Darce, you've got to try to let her in. I know it's not what you do with people; hell, I don't even know how I made it into the Darcy 'Fortress of Solitude'. You have to understand me though – and I'm speaking from experience – there is nothing like this feeling Will."
Darcy didn't reply. His heart was already too full with the exact sentiment that Bingley was describing.
Bingley continued, "And you know? She definitely flirts with you sometimes."
"She does, right? It's not just in my head?"
Charlie widened his eyes and nodded his head both ways in agreement. "Do you want me to put in a good word to her sister?'
"No, for now I want to keep this between us."
"Ok then." He satisfactorily crossed his arms in front of himself. "You know? I'm excited for you Darce. I think that the two of you are well suited for each other; well, as long as you both can get a handle on the bloody bickering." He smiled at his next thought. "Actually, you already sound like an old married couple; that must mean the hard work is pretty much done."
Will mocked a punch at Charlie's shoulder as his friend playfully ducked away. "I'm going to remember you said that." Thinking once more about the reason for their trip, he said, "Congrats again on the ring, Bingley."
Bingley looked happy beyond words. "Thanks brother," he replied.
The door of Tiffany's swung open and both men headed towards their respective cars. Darcy stopped and took a deep breath while raising his face to the sun. The bright rays suddenly gave him hope that his chances for a deeply gratifying romantic relationship were just as optimistic as Bingley's.