I'm back!!!!!!!!!! I'm soooooo sorry that I took so long, I was in the middle of summer classes and just finished exams and then there was work, and . . . well you guys don't want to hear my excuses. But I'm still writing, I haven't abandoned the story at all - tons of great stuff coming!
As promised, as a prize for winning my contest, wannabehermy got to contribute ideas to this chapter and got a sneak peak of the chapter in advance to make some adjustments that were very warranted. Wannabehermy, you did an awesome job assisting with this chapter, and therefore this chapter is dedicated to you.
Without further ado . . .
Chapter 12:
I was able to convince Jane to let me borrow the wine chiffon gown that I had mentioned to Charlotte. Once I reminded Jane that she still owed me for accompanying her to Caroline's birthday party it didn't really take much convincing on my part.
So I was wearing the gown, which had a halter style top and fell straight to the floor, clinging to my curves along the way. There was one ruffle that started where the halter ends met in the front of the dress and ran straight down the front of the dress and ended just above my knees where the dress split into two to provide a peek-a-boo front slit. My hair was blown and then I pulled it up into a chignon to show off my back, the back of my neck and the brooch that I had pinned over the clasp of the halter over there. The chignon was loose though, so a few tendrils of hair had escaped, giving me a windblown look. I kept my makeup to a minimum, opting for a natural look and letting the dress speak for itself.
Once I decided that I was ready, and I had my clutch packed and in hand, I stepped out into the living area. It was empty. Which, of course, made sense considering that Charlie picked up Jane for the bash 15 minutes ago. His eyes nearly popped out when he saw her, she looked so lovely in her seafoam colored strapless gown, her blond hair waving everywhere.
My cell phone rang, it was Josh, calling to tell me that he was here. Rather than make him come all the way upstairs, I told him I would meet him in the lobby in a minute.
When I got off the elevator in the lobby, I was met by a wolf whistle.
"Damn, you sure know how to clean up nice." Josh stated.
I twirled and then cocked my hip and struck a pose.
"Thanks. I can say the same about you."
I then gave him an obvious once over. He was wearing a tux, and looked pretty good in it. No monkey suit here.
"Shall we?" he asked, as he offered me the crook of his elbow and escorted me to his car to drive to the Bash.
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We arrived at the Bash, where the party was already in full swing. If I thought that Caroline's party was Aladdin's cave from all the jewels, this was ten times more so. If a thief were to go to heaven, this would be it. That, combined with the rainbow of colors in various expensive fabrics set the overall tone of a stylish, chic affair.
"Liz, I'm going to go get us some drinks. Being that I'm bound to get stopped by the most boring people in the world along the way, I'll see you in about a half hour, okay?"
I nodded and off he went. I began to wander a bit further into the room and bumped straight into Charlotte. She was wearing a classic black evening gown, with her hair pulled up into an elegant twist.
"Charlotte! You look absolutely wonderful!"
She gave me a quick hug.
"So do you. Especially for a dress you borrowed from your sister."
I shrugged.
"How's your evening going?"
"Really well. Billy has only stepped on my toes six times this evening." She flashed me one of her unique grins.
"So, no 'Lizzie to the rescue' yet?"
She shook her head.
"That's good to know."
Suddenly, Billy was by her side, joining in the conversation.
"Ah, Elizabeth. I thought you said you had alternative plans tonight."
"I did. They changed."
"Yes, well I'm sure that had nothing to do with the fact that I brought lovely Charlotte here as my date." I opened my mouth to speak. "However, Elizabeth, you had your chance with me, and you ruined it by rendezvousing with other men. This ship has sailed. I'm happy with someone else now."
What the hell, when in Rome . . .
"You're right Billy, I did lose my chance. I guess I'll have to settle for second best."
"You will?"
I nodded.
"I'm glad you'll be able to move on eventually, I know it will be hard for you Elizabeth. Now if you'll excuse me, I must dance with this delicate flower." With that he led Charlotte out to the dance floor. I just stood there and watched them go.
"Well, it didn't take nearly as long as I thought it would. Who knew that the boring people wouldn't talk with me tonight." Josh stated as he handed me a champagne flute.
"Why? Are you too much energy for them?"
"Perhaps. The more likely answer is that they are more interested in talking to my cousin, who arrived a few minutes before us." Josh gestured to a general area of the room as he spoke. I gazed over, and searched the crowd. Low and behold there he was, Will Darcy. Lord, he fills out his tux nicely, even better than Josh did. Although he normally exerted a powerful presence, tonight in his tux, combined with his tall frame, it gave him the aura of being all-powerful. I let out a sigh. Too bad he is such an egotistical idiot.
And then, as if he heard my sigh, his head snapped up and his eyes locked on mine. After holding my gaze for about a minute, his head darted from me, to Josh, and then back to me. He then turned back to the person he was speaking with, finished his conversation, and then made his way over to us.
"Will! Happy you could tear yourself away from the piranhas and join the fun crowd for a while. Now, where is Charlie . . ."
I took a glance at Darcy's face from up close. His jaw was clenched, his eyes hard. He appeared to be the kind of person you didn't want to cross when he looked like that.
"He's dancing with his date." Darcy bit out. "Josh, you brought a date?"
Josh gave Darcy a sheepish look.
"Yes, well, I know we have an agreement cous, no bringing women to this thing, but you had ditched me at the time! You honestly didn't expect me to suffer the night alone did you?"
"Thanks Josh for the high opinion of me." I said.
Josh turned around as if to explain himself, but then he caught the smirk on my face indicating that I was kidding and he relaxed.
"Yes, but seriously Josh, an employee of the firm?! And of all the people you can choose . . . "
"Hey! Said person is standing right here! Oh, wait I forgot, you like to make a habit of insulting people when you are sure that they are within hearing distance." I said, referring to what he said about me at Caroline's birthday party.
Darcy blushed. Seriously, he blushed! I'll admit, I did get some pleasure out of that.
"Come on Will. Just because you decided to be an ass to Liz –" The look on Darcy's face turned to sheer horror. "- no she didn't tell me what you said to her, she has way more class than that -" I beamed at Josh. "- it doesn't mean that nobody else can enjoy her company. She's smart, a good conversationalist and has a great sense of humor, of course I invited her to keep me company tonight."
At that point I felt a tap on my shoulder, it was Anthony from the office.
"Liz, would you care to dance?"
"I'd love to, just hold on a second." I turned back to Darcy and Josh, Josh standing there with a look of amusement on his face, Darcy looking like he would kill the next person who spoke to him the wrong way. "If you'll excuse me, gentlemen, I'm going to go dance. Feel free to continue on with your 'manly' argument in my absence. Only one condition, no killing each other. Darcy currently signs my paychecks, and well, I've grown too fond of Josh to lose him." And with that I went off to dance with Anthony.
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While dancing with Anthony, although it was a fast number, I had the opportunity to observe several people that I knew at the Bash. There were a number of students from school who had managed to secure invitations. Jane and Charlie were dancing together, laughing as they went at it, Charlie looking a bit like a lovesick puppy at times.
Billy and Charlotte were also dancing, Billy trying to get into it, but using unconventional moves, and Charlotte was trying her hardest to dance gracefully while avoiding having Billy step on her toes. She seemed to be succeeding and I smiled at that.
Caroline was there, wearing some dress that seemed to be spray-painted onto her from bust to ankle, save a VERY large slit in the back, and was bright orange. She was on the side, sipping from a glass of champagne, and talking to a tall handsome man I had never met.
Of course, there was Josh and Darcy, still talking. As I watched, Darcy suddenly whirled away from Josh and stalked off. Well then, isn't he 'Mr. Cranky-pants' tonight.
The song ended, and I practically collapsed from the exertion. Anthony looked like he was about to ask me if I wanted to dance the next song with him, but a deep voice behind me spoke first.
"Do you mind if I cut in?"
Anthony's eyes went as wide as saucers and he shook his head no and ran off. I turned around and, of course, who else would it be but Darcy. He took my hands and placed them on his shoulders as, even better, a slow song started.
"What do you think you're doing?" I hissed.
"I believe it is called dancing. You do know how to slow dance, right? Not just jump around to the beat of the music?" He said with a smirk.
"Who ever said I wanted to dance with the likes of you?!" That wiped the smirk off his face.
"You're here aren't you?"
"Cause you scared Anthony half to death and then practically dragged me into your arms like a caveman." I turned away from him to leave, but he just caught my hand and jerked it, causing me to twirl back into him. Anyone else would have just thought it to be a dance move. "Excuse me?! What the hell do you think you are doing?!"
"It is fine for you to speak your mind Liz when we are in private, but right now we are in public and I have appearances to maintain with these people and I cannot be embarrassed by you."
"I beg your pardon?"
"You've already made a fool of me with Josh. That alone is hypocritical. I thought you don't date co-workers Liz . . . " His smirk was back, slightly.
"I don't, you arrogant egotistical –"
"Shhh! Keep your voice down."
"I have a mind to slap you again right now. Josh and I came as friendly acquaintances, nothing more. I have not and will not date a co-worker. I stick to my word. Unlike, other people who make plans and then back out of them for the first wayward reason."
"I didn't know you were my employee!!!"
"That is still no excuse to treat me and speak to me the way you did. Now let me go."
Darcy blanched.
"Liz, please, my former girlfriend is here. I'm asking you to please just finish the damn dance with me. I can't be that bad."
"Wanna bet?"
"Do you find me that repulsive?"
"Um, let me think about it. Yes"
"Look I know that I didn't exactly phrase the conversation in my office on Monday the right way."
I merely gave him a look. He looked toward the ceiling for a moment.
"All right! I was a buffoon Liz. You did not deserve to be spoken to the way I spoke to you. I'm sorry."
"Ok"
"Ok?"
"Yes, ok."
He just stared at me.
"I'm not a hard person, Darcy. I just deserve to be spoken to like any other human being. And when you screwed up, I deserved an apology. Now that you've done that, ok."
"I still can't date you Liz."
"I don't want to date you Darcy. You're the goddamn boss."
"Friends?"
I thought about it for a minute.
"I guess to the extent that one could be friends with the boss." I subconsciously noticed that the dance ended and another slow song began. We were still shuffling back and forth, his arms around my waist, mine around his neck.
I then grinned. "So what's the deal with the ex-girlfriend. She dump you?"
Darcy looked at me in horror.
"Absolutely not. Melissa and I were together for about four months, but then she began to get clingy, and the next thing I knew, she was using our relationship as an in to a higher position at DarBing than she was at in her current firm. Given everything combined, I ended the relationship."
"So, why the fear of me leaving you in the middle of the dance floor?"
"She's the kind who would swoop in to 'save me'. Kind of like Caroline."
I laughed.
"I see."
"What is your sister doing?" Darcy asked, abruptly switching the topic.
"Hmmm?"
"Your sister. What is she doing?" he repeated.
As we turned I was able to get a better view of Charlie and Jane. They were dancing, and she had her head laying on his shoulder, her eyes closed. Charlie's cheek was laying upon the top of her hair, a smile playing on his face, looking content.
"She's just in the moment, dancing."
"It looks like she's trying to sleep."
"I can assure you that isn't the case."
He gave me a dubious look.
"You can believe whatever you'd like Darcy, but I'm telling you she isn't sleeping."
He looked like he didn't believe me. I just shook my head. At that point the song ended.
"Fitzwilliam! I've been looking EVERYWHERE for you!" A woman, dressed in powder blue, said. Her chin-length blond hair was unnaturally curled, to the point where it frizzed out in every direction. "Who in the world are you?!" she said, glancing at me. "I don't know you, I certainly didn't invite you! I don't tolerate party crashers, I suggest you leave before I call security."
"I haven't gone anywhere Aunt Cathy" he then looked at me. "Aunt, this is Elizabeth Bennett, an employee in my firm. She's Josh's date for the evening. Liz, may I introduce my aunt, Catherine DeBourgh."
She harrumphed. I didn't realize people actually did that.
"Josh always did go for 'cheap' women." My mouth gaped open. I was too stunned at the blunt statement to respond. "Why are you over here, dancing with an employee of yours? Surely Josh could entertain his date, or better yet, I would think that Josh would make sure that his date was entertaining him rather than you. There are important people who want to speak to you. Not to mention that you haven't danced with Diana once tonight."
"I have no obligation to dance with Diana, Aunt."
"Well, you should rather want to dance with Diana than to spend your time in the company of the common class. Besides, you do have an obligation to speak to the partners from the other big firms about business. Now, come along, they've been waiting patiently for you." And with that his Aunt immediately spun on her heel and left, headed to a group of haughty business people on the other side of the room.
Darcy spared a look for me before doing anything.
"Go ahead, go talk to the upper crust people. I should probably spend some time with Josh and make sure he's entertained before I turn into a pumpkin at midnight anyway."
"Liz, it's better that you didn't stick up for yourself and that I didn't say anything on your behalf either. My aunt is a bit deranged, and you'll probably never see her again, it is better not to cause a scene with her at her party."
"Better for you is what you mean."
"Liz – "
"Go on" Darcy looked unsure. "I don't blame you for your aunt's behavior Darcy and you are still the boss and there are people you need to speak to. Go."
Still looking like he'd rather not, he left me and joined his aunt on the other side of the room. So I made my way back to Josh, and spent the remainder of the evening in his company as well as Jane, Charlie, Charlotte, and unfortunately Billy.
My longest chapter to date!! ; ) (for those of you who complain that every one of them are too short) Loved it? Hated it? Let me know and review!!!!!!!!!!!!!