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Elizabeth woke slowly the next morning. It was only eight o’clock, so she didn't have to get up just yet, and she closed her eyes again and snuggled under the covers, letting her mind wander back over the events of the previous day.
As she and William had walked up the beach after their impromptu dance in the water, they’d both realized he was still grasping her hand. To call it an awkward moment would be an understatement, but they broke apart and dealt with it in the easiest way possible—by ignoring it.
She’d spent as much time with Jane as possible, as she wanted to get to know Charles better. He seemed smitten; the couple danced quite a bit, and during the faster songs, Elizabeth and Charlotte would inevitably end up dancing with them. During one particularly popular song, there were more people dancing than standing still.
“Come on, Darcy!” Charles had yelled to William, but William only shook his head and raised his beer in a mock salute.
Charlotte had seen that as her opening, and had attempted to persuade William to dance. Like many of the Cape’s residents, Charlotte was of Cape Verdean descent, and she was a stunning girl, with a warm, fawn-colored complexion and a smattering of freckles sprinkled across her nose and cheeks. But what stood out most was her long, lush mane of jet-black ringlets and her distinctive eyes; Charlotte’s mother had passed on her heterochromia to her daughter, giving Charlotte one blue eye and one brown eye. Her striking appearance often caused men and women alike to look twice, and when she approached a man to ask for a dance—or pretty much anything else—she was rarely refused.
But Will was having none of dancing, and Elizabeth couldn't help but chuckle. She couldn't hear their conversation but could read his body language loud and clear; he would not be persuaded.
Charlotte soon gave up and wandered back to Elizabeth. “You're right, he’s a little rude. But he still smells good!”
The band shifted into something slower, and Elizabeth watched Charles pull Jane into his arms and give her a lengthy kiss. She and Charlotte were having a conversation about the lovebirds when William approached.
“Is this the kind of music you can dance to?” Charlotte asked him sweetly.
“Yes.” Smiling, he turned to Elizabeth and held out his hand. “One more time?”
Elizabeth took his hand, and with only a quick glance at Charlotte—whose jaw hung open—she and William joined several couples who were swaying to the music.
Once again he sang along as they danced, and he smiled and thanked her when the dance ended. Somehow they ended up hanging out together for the rest of the cookout, and even when he was talking with other people, she’d catch him watching her. It was a little disconcerting, and still made her feel a bit self-conscious.
Before she knew it the night was over, and he’d offered to escort her and Charlotte to Charlotte's car. He walked Elizabeth to the passenger door, and she smiled up at him.
“I’m glad—” she began, just as he said, “Do you think—?”
They laughed, and the awkwardness dissipated.
“You first,” he said.
“I was just going to say, I'm glad we had the chance to clear the air. You're not half as bad as your first impression suggests.”
He chuckled and held up his hands. “I thought we agreed to a truce? Do you always have to have the last word?”
“It depends. But in this case, yes.”
“All right then, let’s change the subject. I thought maybe…I was wondering if you'd want to get together this week, maybe for dinner?”
She was surprised, but then thought,why not?She was curious about him, now that she’d seen a glimpse of a different side of him.
“I would like that,” she answered.
He smiled. “Great. I'll call you. I still have your number.”
As Charlotte drove away, Elizabeth turned to peer out the rear window and saw him standing in the driveway, watching the car as it disappeared.
Coming back to the present, she looked at her clock.Nine!Had she really been dawdling for an hour? She got out of bed and thought about Bill’s party. She was dreading it, but knew that when he called, she would tell him she would be there. Thankfully, Charlotte had agreed to go with her.
I’m sure today's party won't be nearly as interesting as yesterday’s.
* * *
Will satat his desk Sunday morning, reading the same lines of a financial report over and over without absorbing any of it, because he couldn't get Elizabeth Bennet out of his head. He kept replaying their walk, their dances, her smile, her laugh, her beautiful eyes… How had he gone from annoyed to entranced in such a short period of time?
He’d told her he would call her soon; he wanted to call hernow. He tapped his fingers on his desk and stared at his cell phone, then finally gave up on work and left his office, heading down the hallway toward the smell of fresh coffee.
