Fitzwilliam Darcy, Rock Star (50 page)

“I take it things worked out?” Caroline sounded pleased.

“Well, let’s just say we are in the process of working things out.” He looked down and grinned. “But things are looking good.”

“Where do you want to be?” Caroline asked.

“I don’t care, just someplace nice and close.”

“Okay, I’ll get you something.”

Asking her to call him back, Charles hung up just as Jane was coming down the stairs.

“Will you be all right?” Elizabeth asked her, appearing again from the family room.

Jane felt an odd sensation of dreaminess. She had no idea what was going to happen, but she knew these next few hours were going to affect her for the rest of her life. She looked at Charles, who held her hand, and then back to Elizabeth. “I think so. Thank you.” She hugged her sister, who hugged her back.

“Call me,” Elizabeth said in farewell.

Jane nodded and walked out the door with Charles. He helped her into the passenger side of the SUV and stored her bag in the back before taking his place in the driver’s seat. He put the keys in the ignition, then stopped and looked at her, as if he suddenly couldn’t believe it was real.

Jane looked at him and took his hand. “I do love you, Charles,” she said simply, her smile radiant.

Charles planted a quick, earnest kiss on her lips and started up the Denali. Jane didn’t know where they were going or what was going to happen, but she had her trust back, and that was enough.

Elizabeth heard her aunt calling to her to pick up the phone. Glancing at the clock, she smiled in anticipation. “Hello?” she sang happily into the phone.

“Lizzy!”

It was not Jane as she expected. Quickly shifting mental gears, Elizabeth replied to her best friend.

“Char! How are you?”

“I’m good, how are you? Have those little monsters made you crazy yet?”

Elizabeth laughed and spent a few minutes talking about the Gardiners.

“So, I was wondering how’s Jane doing? She seemed pretty upset last time I saw her.”

Pleased to have good news for once, Elizabeth announced excitedly, “Oh Char! She made up with Charles!”

“She did?” Charlotte replied in a shocked voice. “Wow! I’m so happy for them. I thought it was over.”

Elizabeth laughed. “I know. I did too.” Elizabeth went on to tell a quick version of the story. “As a matter of fact, I thought that it was her when you called.”

“Wow,” Charlotte said, a bit thoughtfully. “I’m really happy for them.”

“What’s wrong, Char?”

“Nothing’s wrong; it’s just, well, Richard’s been calling me.”

“No.”

“Yeah.”

“Tell me what happened.”

Charlotte giggled at the excitement in Elizabeth’s voice. “Well, nothing really happened. He’s just been calling me. We talk.”

Elizabeth could hear Charlotte shrugging. “And what do you talk about?”

“Oh, just stuff. It’s nice, you know?”

Elizabeth felt a pang, because she didn’t know. “Yeah,” she agreed. “So, are you two getting back together?”

“I’m not sure, really. It’s not like we ever really had a clear definition of our relationship, so I don’t think you can say we are getting ‘back’ together. But we talk, and it’s good. You know, no pressure.”

Elizabeth had the clear feeling that there was more to it. “How often does he call?” she asked simply, scouting around for details.

“Every night.”

“What?”

“Yeah.” She laughed.

“Char,” Elizabeth’s voice held a note of significance. “Is this serious?”

“Um, yeah. I think it might be,” Charlotte answered, her confidence suddenly gone.

“How do you feel about it?”

“I’m not sure. We talk a lot, but we haven’t talked about us. It’s like he’s purposefully avoiding that topic. So I’m not sure what to think.” She paused. “Lizzy?”

“Yeah?”

“He really wants us to go back on the tour with them.”

“Oh.”

“But I don’t want to do it if you and Jane aren’t fully behind the idea,” she added quickly. “It has to be all of us.”

“Well,” said Elizabeth pragmatically, “I don’t think you have to worry about Jane.”

“True, but what about you, Lizzy? I saw Darcy at the VMAs. What’s going on with you two?”

“I don’t know,” Elizabeth said dumbly. “I haven’t spoken to him at all. I even went to his loft, and the doorman told me he would be gone for a few weeks, so I’m stuck waiting.”

“Do you even want to see him again after all that?” Charlotte was skeptical.

“I do,” Elizabeth said softly. “I really do, Char. I can’t explain it, but I want to talk to him at least.”

“Okay, I get that.” Charlotte understood better than anyone what it was like to have feelings for someone you couldn’t rationally explain. “So, what are we going to do about the tour?”

“Well, I have to talk to Jane, but I say we go for it. It’s only four more months, and if things don’t work out with Darcy, I can just ignore him again.” She was struck by how pathetic her own joke was.

“Are you sure, Lizzy?” Charlotte asked.

“I’m sure,” Elizabeth said quickly and decisively. “So will I see you on Monday for the video shoot?”

“Yep. Have a good time at Tanglewood.”

“Thanks, I will.”

They both said good-bye and hung up. A minute later the phone rang again. This time it was Jane.

“Oh Lizzy! I have wonderful news!”

Elizabeth smiled at Jane’s infectious joy. “Tell me.”

“We’re going to California tomorrow!”

“Really?”

“Charles wants me to see his house and meet his father,” she said somewhat shyly.

“That’s great! I’m so happy for you,” Elizabeth cooed. “Oh! I just got off the phone with Charlotte and you’ll never guess who she’s been talking to!”

“Richard?”

“How did you guess?”

Jane laughed. “So how are they doing?”

“Charlotte says it’s good. They have just been talking, friendly like, but she seems pretty happy about it. Jane?”

“What?”

“Char wants to go back on tour with them. She wanted to know what we think.”

Jane smiled. “Oh Lizzy! That’s great news. Yes, I want to go back on tour.” She slowed down a bit. “Charles and I are very worried about this all. It’s one thing for us to be back together as a couple, but it’s not good if the two bands are still having trouble.”

Once again, Elizabeth found herself in the uncomfortable situation of being the one without a relationship. “I think for now we should plan on going back.”

“Are you going to be okay, Lizzy?” Jane asked, her concern apparent.

“I’m not sure, but I’m going to try. That’s all I can do.”

“It’ll work out for you. I know it will.”

Elizabeth smiled wanly. “Now, you are going to be back in time for Tuesday, right?”

“Yes, we’re coming back Sunday night. Are you going to be okay working with George again?”

Elizabeth sighed. Again, she wasn’t sure. Knowing what she knew now, the last thing she wanted to do was make that second video with him, but she couldn’t suddenly refuse to do it. Not without revealing Georgiana’s secret, something she could never do. And if she did back out, she would be liable for all that money. There was nothing to do but grit her teeth and make the video with him, hopefully as quickly as possible.

“I’ll be okay, Jane,” she told her sister.

“Oh, Charles is back. I got to go. Take care, Lizzy. Say hi to Mary for me.”

Elizabeth said good-bye and hung up the phone. She sat down with a sigh on her bed. It had been six days since she sent the email, and still she had no response. After biting her lip and thinking for a long moment, she found herself looking a number up and dialing.

“Hello,” a crisp male voice answered.

“Oh, um, Faust, hi, it’s Lizzy Bennet.” Elizabeth found herself blushing furiously.

“Hello, Lizzy, how are you? Are you enjoying your holiday?” Faust seemed perfectly relaxed, and his ease helped Elizabeth.

“I am, thank you. And you?”

“Very nice, thanks. Caro is,” he paused, as if he was looking around himself, “um, not available right now. Can I take a message?”

Elizabeth heard Caroline’s voice calling out from a distance, “Who is it?”

“Hang on,” Faust told her. A half minute later, he returned to the phone. “Lizzy? Caro said that she did forward your email to Darcy. Is that what you called about?”

Elizabeth smiled. “Yes, it is. Thanks.”

“Oh good. Glad to be of service, Lizzy. See you soon.”

Elizabeth sighed. She had her answer now, but she wasn’t at all sure if she liked it. Darcy had her song, but he hadn’t replied to it. That meant either he had rejected it and her or… or what? She tried to come up with a reason, other than he wanted nothing to do with her, and failed utterly.

But despite the fairly damning evidence, Elizabeth still couldn’t give up hope. Maybe it was the way he had looked at her when he sang “Feel Me,” or maybe it was Caro’s advice to not give up. Or maybe it was just plain stubbornness. But Elizabeth was not ready to quit yet. She had been too blind in this relationship before, and she had made too many wrong assumptions. She wasn’t going to do that again. She was going to go back on tour, and she was going to tell him what she felt. At least she could do that much.

It was with a heavy heart she tucked herself into bed. She might tell Darcy she loved him, and he might laugh in her face. After what happened in the loft and at the rehearsal, it wouldn’t be impossible.

She wished she could just see him. Every day of waiting just became longer and longer. She closed her eyes and again imagined herself back in his arms. It might be nothing more than a fantasy at this point, but it was the most comforting one she had.

***

Elizabeth enjoyed the two-hour drive to Tanglewood. She loved looking out the window at the beautiful scenery. The Berkshire Mountains rose up tall and green on either side of the highway. The summer sunlight was fading, but Elizabeth was still struck by the natural wonder of the place.

She exited the Mass Pike at Lee and quickly made her way to the hotel. Elizabeth had hoped to stay someplace nicer, but at this late date, the Day’s Inn was the only place with rooms available.

It didn’t matter; it was close to Tanglewood and it was clean, Elizabeth told herself. She couldn’t help but smile as she realized that the hotels they generally stayed in while on tour were nicer than this. From the tour, her mind made the short hop to Darcy, a subject her mind spent so much of its time on lately.

Elizabeth allowed herself a quick fantasy that she was actually checking in with Darcy, rather than by herself. She knew it was foolish. Darcy would never stay in such a humble establishment. But it amused her briefly and made her feel less uncomfortable about being alone.

***

Tanglewood was the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Nestled in the Berkshire Mountains of Western Massachusetts, the large campus hosted performances daily in the two concert halls, and provided educational experiences for young musicians.

As Fitzwilliam Darcy walked along the path with his sister on the warm July morning, he found himself imagining a third member of their party. She was there again, his Shadow Elizabeth, who went with him everywhere and with whom he shared his favorite moments. Darcy could see in his mind’s eye her smile as she took in the beautiful campus. He knew it was a hopeless fantasy, but he found comfort in it, imagining what she might say and listening to her laugh.

He paused in his steps. For a second he could have sworn he had actually heard her laugh. He worried that he was spending too much time in his fantasy when he heard her voice.

“Darcy?” she called. “Will?”

Darcy spun around and found himself looking at the surprised face of his love.

“Elizabeth?”

He took three steps closer to her without knowing he did so. She was there. She was real. She was wearing a summer dress in a soft melon color and her hair was arranged in a graceful cascade.

A similar look of shocked surprise had graced Elizabeth’s face. She moved closer to him, and it was only when she stopped that Darcy was able to control himself and stop himself from embracing her. His awareness of where he was returned with a flash, and with it came the memories of their last parting.

Darcy smiled nervously. “What are you doing here?”

Elizabeth smiled with equal trepidation. “Mary,” she indicated her sister, “is here for the summer on a conducting fellowship.”

Darcy’s eyes flicked to the younger woman. “Mary, it’s nice to see you again,” he said warmly.

“It’s nice to see you, Darcy,” she said easily.

“Um, call me Will, please,” he replied awkwardly as he took a quick look at Elizabeth and then shook Mary’s hand.