Section I, Section II
Posted on Sunday, 6 January 2008
Chapter One
Charles Bingley stared his friend straight in the eye. “If you love her, then you have to tell her. You can’t stand by and do nothing, while she marries someone else!”
Will Darcy stroked his hair and shook his head. “It’s too late. She’s getting married next week, and I’m not invited to the wedding. What am I supposed to do? Barge in on the church and yell her name until she changes her mind?”
“This woman loved you! You were stupid enough to let her get away, but now you have this chance, this one and only chance, to tell her how you feel, how you’ve always felt, but you’re too much of a wimp to do it! Come on, get a backbone! Even if she rejects you, at least you can walk away knowing you fought hard to win her back. Think about it. You have nothing to lose!”
Will took off his reading glasses and frowned. “Those lines aren’t in the script.”
“Oh, I know. I was ad-libbing. It sounded good, don’t you think?”
He twirled his glasses around in his fingers. “I think you should stick to reading what’s in the script.”
“You’re in a cranky mood today.”
“Can you blame me? I have to memorize these lines by tomorrow morning, but I don’t know half of them yet!” Will cried as he put his glasses away and tossed the screenplay aside.
“Relax. You’ll learn all the lines by tomorrow. You always do.”
“This is a terrible script, by the way. I’m tired of these stupid romantic comedies with their boring, predictable storylines and their cliché dialogue. Why did I let you talk me into making another dumb chick flick?”
“I don’t know, but the hefty paycheck might have been a factor,” Charles said with a chuckle.
Will rolled his eyes. “Like I really needed more millions. God, what was I thinking? I hate filming in New York. I hate that hack of a director. I hate that wolf of a producer. And to top it all off, I’m stuck with your banshee of a sister as my co-star again.”
Charles grimaced. “I think you’ve said enough now.”
The inappropriateness of his last comment dawned on Will and he lowered his eyes in shame.
“Right…you’re right. I’m sorry,” he sighed and lifted his hand to his forehead, “I’m so frustrated right now, I can’t think straight.”
“Maybe you should lie down for a while. You look tired. Why don’t you give the memorizing thing a rest and take a nice long nap?”
Will laughed. “You sound like my housekeeper.”
“Don’t mock me, kid. I really think you need a break.”
Will balled his hand into a fist and pounded a pillow. “Ugh, stop nagging me! That’s not what I’m paying you for!”
“You should count your lucky stars that I work for you! I’m the best agent in the business. You wouldn't be so successful, if it wasn’t for all the great roles I snagged for you.”
“All right, I get it. You’re worth every penny, but I’m not paying you to fuss after me and tell me to take naps.”
“I wasn’t advising you as your agent. I’m looking out for you. You’re my client, but you’re my best friend too.”
Will sighed, his anger dissipating as he nestled his back against the cushions of the couch. “I guess this means you’re not going to help me memorize these lines anymore?”
Charles shook his head and stood up from his chair. “Sorry, kid, but I have to go. I need to get my paperwork done before eight o’clock. I’m meeting someone special tonight.”
Will’s eyebrows shot up. “You’re back together with Jessica? I thought you were over her.”
“Are you kidding me? I’m way over Jesse! I’ve met someone new, someone who is real, and someone who is beautiful inside and out. I’m so excited! Tonight will be our first date.”
“Who’s the unfortunate woman who was stupid enough to fall for you this time?”
“Her name is Jane. She’s a nurse at NYU Medical Center. Her sister owns a nightclub in Alphabet City, and I’m meeting Jane there tonight…hey, you want to come with me? I’m pretty sure Jane’s sister is single. I haven’t met her yet, but if she’s anything like Jane, you won’t regret tagging along!”
“Alphabet City? I wouldn’t be caught dead in that cheap, grimy stink-hole!”
Charles slapped his forehead. “Oh, how silly of me, I forgot. You’re Will Darcy! Anything outside your fifth avenue penthouse suite is a stinking pile of crap.”
“That’s right, and don’t you forget it!”
Charles shook his head and chuckled. He then grabbed his coat and walked out of the room. Will followed him.
“All right, I’ll see you later. Take care.”
“Don’t forget to call me tomorrow and tell me how your date went.”
“I won’t. See ya later.”
Will waved. “Later.”
After Charles left, Darcy lay down on the couch with his hands against the back of his head and his feet sitting on the armrest. It was nice to get a moment of peace and quiet after a long morning of hard work on the set of a new movie. He had yet to develop a rapport with the director and the only familiar face out of the cast was the one face he least wished to see…that of Caroline “Frigid Ice Queen” Bingley.
Caroline’s rude, arrogant, and all around diva-like behavior made the widespread use of such a nickname inevitable. Despite the huge popularity of the two films they had made together, Will had not enjoyed working with Caroline. He went crazy every time he passed by a newsstand and saw the false rumors of a romance between him and his recurring co-star featured in the magazines. His biggest pet peeve with fame, therefore, was the incessant tabloid fodder that came with it.
Will couldn’t deny that Caroline Bingley was a gorgeous woman, but her enormous ego, her lack of true talent, and her ill-treatment of everyone around her made working with her unbearable. Her persistent and overt attempts to attract him could only make matters worse. He went out of his way to make his disinterest towards her crystal clear, but Caroline would turn a blind eye to reality and continue her pursuit no matter what he did.
‘This is the last movie I make with her,’ Will decided as he reflected on the tumultuous events of the day.
Caroline’s temper had grown more unmanageable through the years, and today had not been an exception. The costume designer had made a beautiful orange silk gown for her to wear during the movie’s climactic party scene, but Caroline hated the color so much, she threw a fit. After berating the poor woman for many minutes, she grabbed the expensive, custom-made dress from the stricken designer’s hands and ripped it to shreds. It took three members of the film crew as well as her bulky bodyguard, her shrewd agent, and her ruthless publicist to calm Caroline down enough to forget about the dress and shoot the scene.
A knock on the door stopped Will’s thoughts dead in their tracks. He left the sofa and opened the door to find his personal assistant staring at him with her hands on her hips.
A sharp look of disapproval characterized her eyes. “What are you doing here? It’s 3:25. You were called onto the set twenty minutes ago. You better hurry up, or the director is going to throw a fit.”
“Oh man! I lost track of time. Thanks for reminding me, Georgie. You’re the best!”
Georgiana de Bourgh tilted her head to the side and smiled at her cousin. “Where would you be without me?”
Will laughed. “Don’t go there. I don’t want to think about it.”
Georgiana left a moment later, and Will hurried to his closet. He slapped on a pair of jeans and a navy blue polo shirt. He spent a few seconds combing his hair and fixing the collar of his shirt. He then ran out the door, skipped the elevator, and dashed down the stairs towards the hotel lobby.
Over the past couple of weeks, New York City’s Waldorf Astoria had been turned into a makeshift movie set, with the lobby as the center of all the action. Filming in a hotel had proven to be challenging, however, and Will had yet to adjust himself to the routine of going up and down various floors instead of in and out of trailers. By the time he reached the lobby, where the director stood waiting for him, Will was disheveled and out of breath.
“You’re late.”
“I know. I’m sorry. I was studying my lines so hard that I lost my sense of time. It won’t happen again, I promise.”
“You better keep your word. You may be the next big thing, Darcy, but you’re no Tom Cruise. I’m the one who pulls the strings here, and there are plenty of other actors chomping at the bit to get this part.”
Will knew the director told the truth. Romantic comedies were cheap to produce and made a large amount of revenue for Pemberley studios. Furthermore, despite her constant bitchiness, Caroline Bingley was a popular movie star. She had gained a reputation as the biggest female moneymaker since Julia Roberts and her ruthless publicist, Louisa Hurst, kept a tight grip on her client’s public image. This movie had the potential to be huge and Will knew better than to take it for granted.
He nodded. “Yes sir, I understand that.” He restrained his annoyance until the director walked away from him. He then made a gesture worthy of his complete frustration at the director's back.
Will was relieved when shooting ended for the day, setting him free to go home for the night. All he wanted to do was kick back on the couch, set his feet up, and lose the remains of his brain cells to the all-important television. He entered his sprawling luxury suite to find his two lovely cousins grinning at him.
He slammed the door. “What are you so happy about?”
Anne de Bourgh’s sly grin grew wider. “I have a present for you.”
He took off his jacket and threw it onto a chair. “If it’s another blind date, then I’m not interested.”
Anne rolled her eyes and tossed a magazine towards him. It fell on the marble floor. Will glared at his cousin and huffed as he bent over to pick it up. He flipped the magazine to its front page and saw his face on the cover, under a headline that read, “The 25 Hottest Stars Under 25.”
“Aw, thanks Annie! You have perfect timing. I needed an ego boost.” His frustration melted and he kissed his cousin’s cheek.
Anne patted him on the back. “Don't thank me, this is what publicists are for!”
“Don’t let it get to your head. Anne doesn’t approve of you. She was only doing her job.”
“Thanks, Georgie. It’s good to know my closest living relatives only pretend to care about me.”
“Hmm, speaking of that…what happened to you? Did the director chew you out for being late? You look miserable.”
Will’s eyes widened. “Georgie! You had to go and spill the beans to Anne, huh? Now I’m in for another lecture.”
“Don’t worry. I won’t scold you this time. I just want to know why you came in here looking like you couldn’t stomach your life anymore.”
Will stroked his hair and sighed. “I don’t know. I guess I’m sick of my job, that’s all.”
“I can’t say I blame you. I would feel miserable too, if I had to pretend to be madly in love with the Frigid Ice Queen all day,” Georgiana said with a shudder.
Will laughed. “Believe it or not, Caroline is not the worst of my problems! I was awful at work today. I couldn’t remember my lines. The director got angry and made me do take after take of the same line reading, but I still didn’t get it the way he wanted it. He insisted on shooting that one line again tomorrow…I don’t know what’s going on with me. I feel like I’m in decline as an actor, when I haven’t even hit my peak yet!”
“Don’t be silly. You’re very good at what you do and you can only get better. So you had an off day, you shouldn’t stress yourself out about it.”
“Annie, you said you wouldn’t lecture me!”
“You brought that on yourself!” Georgiana answered for her older sister.
Will’s cell phone rang before he could defend himself against the onslaught of the tag-teaming sisters. His caller id told him his agent had called, so he knew he had to answer it despite his wishes to the contrary.
“Talk to me … yeah, I’m home right now…no, I said I don’t want to go to Alphabet City, remember…what are you talking about? I have plenty of things to do tonight…no, I am not going to sit at home and watch television,” Will rolled his eyes as his cousins giggled, “I don’t want to go… I did think about it and I’ve decided not to go …all right, fine, I’ll think about it some more and call you back later, okay? Bye.”
Anne raised an eyebrow at her cousin. “What’s up?”
“Chuck wants me to go to some night club in a bad neighborhood with him. He’s meeting his new girlfriend there, since her sister owns the place.”
“You should go. It could be fun, and you need to let off some steam tonight,” Georgiana argued.
“We could go with you, if you want. I’ll call Richard. I’m sure he’s willing to drive us there,” Anne added.
“Hey, hold on a minute. I didn’t say I was going.”
Anne put her hands on her hips as she always did when Will debated with her. “Why not? It’s better than staying here and wallowing in self-pity.”
“I will not wallow in self-pity!”
“Oh yes you will,” Georgiana countered.
Will crossed his arms and stamped his foot. “I’m not going! I don’t care what you two say. I know I won’t like any club in Alphabet City. I bet it’s nothing but a nasty hole in the ground full of those punk-rock freaks. I can think of a million better ways to spend my Friday night.”
After laughing for a while, Anne and Georgiana exchanged mischievous glances before seizing their stubborn cousin and dragging him to his bedroom.
“Stop whining and put these on!” Anne demanded as she threw a silver dress shirt, black leather jacket, and black slacks at him.
Will knew when he was defeated. He gave up trying to squirm his way out of his cousins’ clutches and changed his clothes. He put on his customary black shades and a black hat for disguise. Taking a deep breath as he examined his five, going on ten, o’clock shadow in the mirror, he could only hope nobody out of the crowd of East Village club-goers would recognize him.
Anne approached him from behind and put her hand on his shoulder. “Ready to go?”
Will shrugged as he continued to stare at his reflection.
“As ready as I’ll ever be.”
Anne removed her hand from his shoulder and placed it into his palm instead. “Loosen up. We’re going to have some fun tonight.”
Will stepped away from the mirror. Before leaving the room, however, he turned around and gazed at Georgiana.
He turned back towards Anne. “Are you sure you want to let her come along?”
“Will, don’t be a grouch. I can go if I want to. I’m twenty-one!”
“Yeah, but I have no idea what this place is like. It might not be safe. As far as I know, Alphabet City is a seedy area.”
“No, it’s not half as bad as it used to be. It may not be rich enough for a snob like you, but I have no worries about Georgiana coming with us.”
With her sister on her side, Georgiana gloated with a triumphant glance at Will. Will swallowed his pride once again and aborted the subject.
“So is Rick coming to?”
“Yep, he’s on his way here.”
“Good. At least I’ll have someone to talk to, while you girls dance the night away.”
Georgiana pouted. “You’re not going to dance with us?”
“No! It’s bad enough you’re dragging me to this stupid club in the first place. There’s no way you’re getting me to dance too.”
The sisters rolled their eyes at the same time. As soon as Anne’s husband, Richard, arrived, the three cousins hopped into the car and headed to the East Village.
Chapter Two
“This is it?” Will wrinkled his nose in disgust.
He stood in front of a dirty brick building with no adornments other than a sign that read “The Beat and Bop.” The black door blocked the street lights from shining in, but it was not thick enough to keep the music from bursting out. The crunching of a guitar, the thumping of drums, and the wails of a mad woman battered his senses as he stared in bewilderment at the tiny building before him.
Anne took his arm and dragged him towards the door. Will resisted her grasp and pulled away from her.
“Oh no, I’m not going in there.”
Richard Fitzwilliam patted his shoulder. “Yes you are. I didn’t drive you all the way here for you to back out now.”
Anne grabbed Will’s arm again and Georgiana took the other one. Richard opened the door with one hand and used his other hand to push Will forward. The club was as tiny and crowded as Will had expected. The bar stood across from the door. Off to the right of the bar, there was an open dance floor and a stage featuring a live band. The band included three fearsome women with long, black hair and tons of jewelry. They seemed intent on making as loud and obnoxious a noise as they could. Will guessed Anne and Georgiana would be disappointed by the lack of dancing. The club had a definite rock and roll bent. The only dancing to be found amongst the crowd was the rabid jumping up and down and banging of heads. To the left of the bar, there was a lounge area with a few couches and an abundance of bean bags. Will cringed at the sight of an amorous couple taking advantage of the small size of a bean bag in the corner of the room.
Will was also irritated to find the bar held a long line of customers waiting to order their drinks. Anne, Georgiana, and Richard went to the lounge to look for Charles. Will remained at the bar and offered to hold their place in line. After waiting in a line that would not budge for several minutes, he lost his patience.
“Excuse me, can you tell me why this line is so long?” he asked the burly man beside him.
The man laughed. “You’re not from around here, are you, kid?”
Will figured the man was one of those crazy bikers. He and his friends were all dressed in leather jackets and jeans, with their long hair covered by black bandanas. The man also had the distinctive, nauseating smell of cigarettes to recommend him.
Will refused to let the man intimidate him. He clenched his jaw and stood to his full height, “No, but I don’t see why that should matter to you.”
Despite his efforts, the man continued to sneer at him.
“This bar has the best drinks in town. Anything that good is worth waiting for!”
The man turned back towards his friends and Will decided not to talk to anyone else. They were all freaks, anyway. Besides the bikers, there were punk kids with dyed hair and a million different tattoos covering their heavily pierced bodies. There were also many old, fat men wearing t-shirts from the 1970s and pumping their fists in the air as though time had not changed. Will grew fed up with his surroundings and left the line. He pushed his way to the front and sat on a bar stool. Once he had a good look at the bar, he was no longer surprised by the long line. There were only two bartenders and they were slow in serving drinks. One woman seemed to chit chat with the customers as much as she worked on making their cocktails. The other bartender was a thin, pale girl who coughed a great deal. She did not look old enough to drink alcohol, let alone serve it to others.
Will put his elbow on the bar and cleared his throat to get attention. “I’ll have a gin and tonic, please.”
To his astonishment, the woman at the bar ignored his order. Instead, she served the man standing behind him.
“Excuse me, I was next.”
The woman turned to him with a glare shooting through her dark eyes. “Yes, but only because you cut in front of everyone else. Sorry, but in this bar, the patient customers come first. You will have to wait your turn.”
Will frowned, but restrained himself from arguing further. She didn’t seem to be a shrinking violet, so he thought a debate with her could get ugly. He waited until she finished serving the man his drink. When she ignored him again, however, his self-control fell. His anger grew as he watched the maddening woman take her sweet time in mixing a martini.
“For God’s sake, it shouldn’t take this long to make a martini. What kind of a bartender are you? You’re lucky these people don’t know better. You would be out of a job if you were this slow in serving drinks at a bar in the Upper West Side.”
The woman did not acknowledge his disparagement and delivered the martini to her customer. She then proceeded to grab a bottle of gin from the shelf.
She made Will his drink and then turned to him with a smile.
“On second thought, here is your gin and tonic.”
Will grinned, relieved that the bartender was made to see reason. He looked at her for a moment and could not escape the thought that she had beautiful eyes. Her body was not bad either. He lifted his glass up, thanked her with a nod of his head, and then took a sip of his drink.
The next moment, he spit it out onto the bar. The extreme bitterness of the gin and tonic was so disgusting; he could not have swallowed it. His face flushed with fury as he set the glass down and glared at the audacious bartender. The other customers laughed at him, but the woman responsible for his humiliation had the gall to stare at him with feigned innocence.
“I’m sorry, sir, did you not enjoy your drink?”
“You little...I’m not letting you get away with that. Where’s the owner? I demand to speak with her.”
The woman laughed. “I’m sorry. The owner is a little busy at the moment. You might want to come back later.”
“Oh, I’ll come back, all right. You bet I will. You won’t be seeing the last of me.”
Will could no longer bear the indignity he felt and stormed out of the club. It didn’t take long for his friends to find him. Charles and Anne called his name, but he made no reply. He walked further away from the club, but Charles rushed after him.
He put an arm around his shoulder. “What’s the matter? You want to leave now?”
“I hate this place! The music is bad, the people are all weirdoes, and I can’t believe the nerve of that stupid little... Where’s your girlfriend’s sister? I have a complaint against one of her bartenders.”
Charles frowned. “Which one?”
“The one who looks old enough to be here.”
Georgiana giggled. “I’m guessing you mean the woman wearing the black halter top.”
“Yeah, that one.”
Charles raised his eyebrows. “What did she do?”
“She ripped me off! She gave me the nastiest gin and tonic I’ve ever had. I know she did it on purpose. She got mad, because I didn’t want to wait in that long line. Can you believe that? Who does she think she is?”
Charles laughed. “Uh Will, you might not want to talk to the owner.”
“Why not? I’m not afraid of an insignificant little bartender. I don’t take crap from anyone.”
Without allowing a reply, Will marched back into the club and walked straight up to the bar. The bartender smirked at his approach.
Will slammed his hand down to show he meant business. “You owe me an apology.”
“I don’t think so.”
“Oh, really? Listen, if you don’t apologize, then I’ll make you sorry you ever crossed the likes of me. Where’s your boss? I want to talk to her.”
The insolent girl dared to smirk at him again. “I don’t have a boss.”
“What do you mean, you don’t have a boss? Of course, you do. This club has to have an owner. Where is she?”
A man standing in line poked Will in the shoulder. Will turned towards him and the man shouted. “You’re talking to her, idiot!”
Will’s jaw dropped as his eyes returned to the woman behind the bar. Everyone near enough to hear this exchange broke into hysterical laughter. Will wallowed in misery, since his hopes for some peace of mind were dashed and his bad day had become an awful night. The woman he had insulted turned out to be the owner of the place and the sister of his friend’s girlfriend. She would get the wrong impression of him and there was nothing he could do about it. Any apology from him would seem paltry and would arrive too late. He watched her with increasing mortification, while she laughed and whispered something into another woman’s ear. Will could not stop his deep blush as it crept up his neck and covered his face.
The woman took a few bills out of the cash register and slapped them onto the bar. “Here’s your money back, sweetheart. Sorry for your troubles,” she taunted. She then drew away from him and served the next customer in line.
Will stalked off towards a corner of the club in a huff. His bad mood consumed him. Anne and Georgiana did everything they could to cheer him up, but it was all in vain. He leaned against the wall and brooded, while Charles introduced the others to his girlfriend and her sister. Richard gestured for Will to join them, but he ignored him. He stepped outside instead.
The wind slapped his face as he rushed out into the dark. The frost of winter had approached the city earlier than usual and Will had not dressed for the occasion. He rubbed his hands together and blew into them to warm his body up, but his shivers did not die down. He knew he should go back inside, but the idea of seeing the owner again kept him out. He felt humiliated and wanted nothing more than to go back home, where he would be safe from the ridicule of strangers.
Anne’s voice interrupted his reflections. “Will, are you okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine. Don’t worry about me. Go back in and have fun. I’m going to stay out here for a while.”
“Are you sure? Because if you want to go, then I’ll let Richard know and he’ll drive us back.”
“No, it’s okay. I don’t want to ruin your night. I’ll be fine.”
“Don’t you want to meet Charlie’s girlfriend?”
Will shrugged. “Not really.”
“Okay then.” She went inside and Will continued to pace back and forth on the sidewalk.
When he tired of pacing, he decided to swallow his wounded pride and return to the club. There was no sense in freezing outside over a silly argument with a stranger. He realized he had let his temper get the better of him. He was behaving as a child, throwing tantrums and then choosing to run away from his problem instead of tackling it head on. He took a deep breath, steeled his nerves, and went back into “The Beat and Bop,” ready to face whatever life chose to toss at him.
Charles gave him a wide smile when he entered the lounge and sat beside him. “Hey kid, I’m glad you decided to join us. This is my girl, Jane. Jane, this is my good friend…”
“Billy, my name is Billy. It’s nice to meet you.” Will ignored Charles’ confused glance and offered Jane his hand.
Jane took his hand and shook it. “It’s very nice to meet you, Billy,” she said with a smile.
“This is Jane’s sister, Elizabeth.”
Will grimaced and cut his friend’s speech short. “We’ve met.”
He did not look at Elizabeth, but he heard her laughter. He stiffened, wishing he had stayed outside. He didn’t want to deal with her again. She had an inexplicable knack for getting under his skin and he was not happy about it.
To his surprise, Elizabeth addressed him. “Here’s your gin and tonic, by the way.”
Will held up his hand. “No, thanks. I don’t want it anymore.”
Elizabeth smiled. “This one tastes good, trust me.”
Will shook his head, but Elizabeth insisted. “Come on, take it. It’s on the house.”
Will relented and grabbed the drink from her hands. He glanced at her and grew uncomfortable under her steady gaze. She was gorgeous, with expressive eyes and sharp features that distinguished her from the standard Hollywood beauties he was accustomed to. She had an air of fierce independence and rebelliousness about her that he found intimidating yet appealing at the same time. His contradictory reactions to her presence made it difficult to manage his behavior around her. He, therefore, stopped thinking and gulped the alcohol down.
“Whoa, slow down. That’s not a shot!”
Will ignored Elizabeth’s warning and kept chugging the gin and tonic. When he drained his glass, he asked her for another drink.
“You’ll have to go to the bar for that. I’m off duty now.”
Will grunted and went to the bar. This time he waited in line. He drank throughout the night, paying little attention to his friends, and pushing them away whenever they tried to get him to stop drinking. Anne did not give up her crusade, however. She came up to him again and grabbed his shoulder.
“Okay, kid. You’ve had way too many drinks. It’s time to go home.”
Will toppled off the bar stool. Anne caught his arm before he could fall onto the floor. Richard joined his wife at the bar and supported her efforts.
Will took hold of the table in an attempt to shield his body from the onslaught of his cousin and her husband. “I don’t want to go home yet. Hey, you, get me another shot of vodka, will ya?”
Anne and Richard were too strong for him. They took hold of him and dragged him out of the bar. Charles, Georgiana, and Jane were waiting for them outside.
Will saw them and grinned. “Oh, I get it. The party moved out here! Awesome!”
He staggered along the sidewalk, tripping on his feet and stumbling towards the street until he found himself in a woman’s arms. He gazed up and was greeted by Elizabeth’s earnest stare.
He blinked. “Your eyes are pretty.”
Elizabeth grimaced. “Thanks, but no thanks. Are you all right?”
“No, I won’t be all right until I get my vodka.”
“Oh no, no more vodka for you. You’re plastered.”
“I am not plastered. I’m wasted. There’s a difference.”
“You almost walked into a lamp post, buddy. I would call that plastered, and I know these things. I own a bar.”
Will released himself from her arms and stepped forward. His head spun and he thrust his arms out to the sides in a vain attempt to regain his balance. Richard sprinted towards him and held him at his waist to stop him from falling over.
Will did not comprehend the vulnerability of his drunken state. He grunted and tried to push Richard away, but the bigger man would not relinquish his tight grip. Will, therefore, occupied himself with other distractions. He grabbed his shades and started to take them off.
“Why do I have these glasses on?”
“They’re your shades. I would leave them on, if I were you,” Anne replied.
“I can’t see. I’m gonna take them off.”
Anne ran over to him with widened eyes. “Don’t do that, somebody will recognize you.”
Will paid her no heed and took his shades off. “Oh man, I’m so wasted!” he yelled as he swiped at the blurs popping up before his eyes.
Richard tightened his hold on Will and pushed him to the car. Will heard a gasp come from behind him and turned around.
He noticed Jane staring at him with her jaw dropped. “Oh my God! Liz, isn’t that Will Darcy?”
“You mean the guy Lydia always gushes about? I think so. It looks like him.”
“Yeah, that’s him. That has to be him. Wow, I can’t believe it. Will Darcy is Charlie’s best friend!”
“I wouldn’t put him in the car yet, if I were you,” Elizabeth shouted, her face turning grim.
Richard let go of Will and addressed her. “Why not?”
Without knowing what he did, Will hunched over and vomited in front of Richard’s Mercedes.
“Oh,” Richard said as his cousin-in-law puked his brains out. He patted Will on his back and held his arm to make sure he didn’t topple over.
“Better?” he asked when Will stood up straight.
“Huh? Oh, yeah,” Will muttered.
Anne came over and ushered Will into the car. The others bid the Bennet girls a quick farewell. Will didn’t bother with such civilities. He shut his eyes and fell asleep.
Posted on Sunday, 13 January 2008
Chapter Three
“No way!” Lydia Phillips dropped her fork and stopped chewing her omelet.
“Trust me, it was him,” Jane told her cousin.
Elizabeth Bennet took a sip of her coffee. She then put the mug down on the table and smirked at the awestruck Lydia.
“It’s too bad you decided to ditch work yesterday. You could have been the one to serve Will Darcy his drink.”
Lydia’s eyes widened further. “I didn’t ditch! I was sick. Oh my God, I can’t believe I missed him! I could have gotten his autograph! Oh, Jane, you have to tell me everything. What was he like? What did he wear? Was he as hot in person as he is in his movies?”
Elizabeth grimaced. “I hate to break it to you, Lyds, but your idol is a drunken egomaniac.”
Lydia narrowed her eyes. “Why should I believe you? You never like anyone! Jane, what did you think of him?”
Jane hesitated. “Well, I did not get to interact with him much. He introduced himself as Billy, so I did not know it was him until late into the night. He did not seem to enjoy himself and he did get very drunk.”
“He’s a stuck up, spoiled brat who thought he was too good to be there. I was this close to kicking him out of my bar. If I wasn’t convinced he’d sue me, I would have done it!”
Lydia rolled her eyes. “You’re just jealous, because he’s rich and famous, and you’re not.”
“Since when did I want to be rich and famous?”
“Since always! You were going to be a rock star, remember? You had a band and a plan for an album and everything. But that didn’t work out, so you gave up and bought this dumb club instead.”
“I wanted to be a musician, not a rock star. I did not give up and I don’t regret buying the club. Unlike some people, I’m happy with my lot in life.”
Elizabeth finished her breakfast and left the kitchen before Lydia could extend their argument. She was in no mood to deal with her bratty younger cousin. It was Lydia’s fault the night before had drained her of all her energy. Had she not been called upon to fill in as a substitute bartender for her absent cousin, she would have been able to enjoy the great music and mingle with her customers as she did every night.
These reflections led to thoughts of Charles Bingley and his arrogant friend, which hit a nerve in Elizabeth. She was worried about Jane. Jane liked Charles very much, perhaps more so than any man she had ever met. Though she only knew him for a few weeks, Jane would not talk of anyone else. Her head was filled with thoughts of Charles Bingley and her heart had been touched as well. Now that she knew Charles worked in show business, Elizabeth had begun to fear for Jane. She did not trust Charles’ intentions, and he had not given her any reason to. He was charming and friendly, but that did not mean he was good enough for her darling Jane. There was no such thing as a man without fault, and Elizabeth was loath to discover the skeletons in Charles Bingley’s closet. She needed to, however, for Jane’s sake.
As if on cue, Jane walked into Elizabeth’s bedroom. Elizabeth smiled at her, concealing the dark direction of her thoughts. Jane grinned and took a seat on the bed, next to her sister.
“So, what do you think of Charlie?”
Elizabeth forced herself to sound cheerful. “He seems nice, but he has bad taste in friends.”
“I was afraid you would say something like that. I don’t think you should judge Will Darcy yet. You don’t know him. Charles has said such wonderful things about his best friend that I can’t help but think his behavior last night was unusual for him. He must have been in a terrible mood.”
Elizabeth laughed. “Oh Jane, only you would be sweet enough to feel sorry for a man who has everything.”
“I didn’t say I felt sorry for him. He is lucky to be so successful at such a young age and his problems can never be as pressing as someone who earns just enough money to live off of, but I don’t think he is immune to suffering. I don’t resent him for his fortune and I hope you don’t either.”
“I don’t resent him, but I do think he’s a worthless jerk. He’s done nothing to prove he’s worth knowing. His behavior last night was beyond ridiculous. I wish I would never have to see him again, but I realize that is not likely. He’s a good friend of the man you are smitten with, and so I have no choice but to endure his odious presence.”
Jane blushed. “I wouldn’t say I’m smitten with Charlie.”
Elizabeth grinned. “Then why do you blush every time his name comes up, hmm?”
Jane blushed again and shrugged. “I don’t know…I do like him. I like him very much. He’s a sweet person, with kind manners and intelligence…but I do not think I’m in love, at least, not yet.”
Elizabeth sighed. “Jane, dear, take care. I don’t ever want to see you heartbroken.”
Jane shook her head and changed the topic. Elizabeth, therefore, let her concerns for her impressionable younger sister recede to the back of her mind. Her worries were not suppressed for long. Jane went out with Charles Bingley again that night. She came back to the apartment she shared with Elizabeth in a love-struck daze. Everything Charles had done was perfect and everything he had said was fascinating. She could not think of a more wonderful man than Charles Bingley. Elizabeth listened to all this with a heavy heart. She knew that soon, it would be too late for her to protect Jane from heartbreak. To make matters worse, Charles had not resisted Jane’s inquiries about his job, as Elizabeth thought he would.
With Jane’s prompting, Charles revealed he was Will Darcy’s and Caroline Bingley’s agent. He invited Jane and Elizabeth to visit the Waldorf Astoria, where his two clients had begun filming a new movie. Elizabeth did not like the idea, but Jane was so excited to see the movie-making process that she gave in under the weight of her sister’s happiness and agreed to accompany her.
The next day, Elizabeth felt like a fish out of water as she walked into the extravagant lobby of the Waldorf Astoria. She didn’t fail to notice the sneers she received from people. It must have been the first time a woman with a hot pink t-shirt with the phrase ‘bite me’ front and center and a black mini-skirt had visited such a ritzy hotel. The women in their fashionable dresses and men in designer suits stared at her as though she was a monstrosity. Elizabeth did not allow their scorn to bother her, however. She smirked and delivered a mischievous wink or two as she passed by the rich snobs.
One hotel employee had the gall to approach her and ask her to leave, saying she did not belong there. Elizabeth controlled her anger and held up the exclusive pass Charles Bingley had given her. The woman sniffed and Elizabeth laughed as she stomped off with her nose held towards the sky.
A moment later, Elizabeth and Jane were joined by Charles. He grinned and put his arm around Jane’s shoulder. He led them to the elevator, where a bellhop pushed the button for the fourth floor. People scurried about all over the place as the director called out orders from behind the camera. Elizabeth stepped aside just in time to prevent a collision with a large man sprinting down the hall with a thick cable in his hands. The crush of bodies and the loud noises overwhelmed the narrow hallway in which the movie-shoot took place. Charles guided Elizabeth and Jane down the hall, to a large suite where all the cameras were focused.
“They’re in the middle of a scene,” he whispered to Jane.
Elizabeth looked into the room and recognized Will Darcy. He wore a black suit with a loosened blue tie and a white shirt unbuttoned at the collar. Across from him, sitting on the queen sized bed with her head held high was none other than Caroline Bingley. Her arms were crossed in front of her and her eyes followed Will as he paced back and forth across the room.
Will placed his hands behind him and came to a sudden stop. He started to turn towards Caroline, but halted midway. Elizabeth grew uneasy as his eyes made direct contact with hers. He stood there and stared at her for so long that other people in the room started to turn their eyes in her direction. Elizabeth felt stuck, her greatest desire was to flee, but she knew that would only draw more attention to her self.
The director became irritated and yelled. “Cut!”
He stood up from his chair and approached Will. “Darcy, what is the problem?”
Will drew his eyes away from Elizabeth and faced the director. “Oh, I’m sorry. I…uh…I forgot my lines.”
The director rolled his eyes. “Will somebody hand this kid a script?”
Georgiana de Bourgh did the director’s bidding and Will accepted the screenplay with a relieved smile. Elizabeth started to leave the room, but stopped when she felt a hand on her shoulder.
Jane gave her a confused glance. “Where are you going?”
“I’m sorry. I need to get out of here,” Elizabeth whispered.
“But why?”
“Because I don’t belong here.”
Elizabeth went out the door and down the hall. She sat down on the stairs, bent her elbows, and leaned her head against her hands, hoping her discomfort would die down with the return of peace and quiet. She could not understand what had unnerved her so much. So Will Darcy was staring at her, so what? What was she so wound up about? She had no time to discover an answer.
She stiffened and stood up at the sound of footsteps approaching. She frowned, thinking it was unlike Jane to argue with her. Her confusion was complete when she turned around to find Will Darcy standing near her.
“Shouldn’t you be working right now?” she asked with widened eyes.
He smiled. “The director called for a break.”
“Oh…so, what do you want?”
He put his hands in his pockets and shrugged. Elizabeth smiled, thinking his boyish expression clashed with the strictly business aura of his fancy suit. Despite her strong dislike of the man, Elizabeth couldn’t deny he looked rather adorable at the moment.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to stare so much back there. I was caught off guard by seeing you here, of all places.”
Elizabeth raised her eyebrows. “You managed to remember Friday night?”
Will laughed. “Yeah…well, no, not all of it. I kind of blacked out near the end. Anyway, I guess Charles invited you and your sister to visit the set.”
“Yes he did. It’s funny you call this expensive hotel a set.”
Will shrugged. “That’s what it is to me.”
Elizabeth waited for him to say something else, but he only stared at her. With no other choice before her, Elizabeth stared back at him. She hated to admit it, but he was very handsome. His well tailored apparel highlighted his tall, lean figure and the look of mingled curiosity and embarrassment in his eyes fascinated her. Her reverie, however, was interrupted by the sudden appearance of Caroline Bingley at his side.
She touched his cheek and turned his face towards her. “Will, darling, aren’t you going to have lunch with me?”
Will grimaced and stepped away from Caroline. “I’m not hungry at the moment. Why don’t you go on ahead and I’ll catch up with you later.”
Caroline smiled, but her eyes revealed her insincerity. “Okay then, as you wish” she said and stalked out of the room.
Elizabeth laughed when she spotted Will rolling his eyes. She felt an instant happiness for her cousin Lydia, who would jump for joy at the news that the rumors about Will Darcy’s torrid love affair with his co-star may not be true.
Will approached her. “You know, your club really does have the best drinks in town.”
Elizabeth raised her eyebrows and gave him a sarcastic thumb up.
Will’s eyes widened and he slapped his hand over his mouth.
“That came out wrong. I know what you’re thinking. I’m not an alcoholic! In fact, I don’t get drunk all that often. I just got carried away Friday night...speaking of that, I know I acted like a jerk. I was not in the best mood and…okay, it’s not much of an excuse, but my cousins dragged me to your club when I didn’t want to go and…uh, anyway, I don’t want you to have the wrong impression of me, because you’re my friend’s girlfriend’s sister and we’ll probably see each other a lot and…uh, yeah, that’s it.”
Elizabeth smirked. “Was that supposed to be an apology?”
He chuckled. “Yeah, sort of.”
“You couldn’t bring yourself to say the words so you weaved around them instead.”
Will threw his hands up in the air. “What can I say? You got me!”
“Well then, I don’t see why I should forgive you.”
“You want an outright apology.”
Elizabeth crossed her arms and stared at him in silence.
Will sighed. “Okay, I’m sorry.”
“Sorry about what?”
Will rolled his eyes.
“You don’t look very sorry.”
“I am sorry about my bad behavior at your club. I am sorry I made a poor first impression. If I could do the night all over again, I would do everything differently. Is that good enough?”
Elizabeth smiled. “You still don’t look like you mean it, but I’m not one to hold a grudge. So, I’ll forgive you anyway.”
Will grinned. “Thanks. I hope we can have a fresh start.”
“We might, but you’ll have to work for it.”
“So, I was lying about not being hungry. I’m starving. Have you had lunch yet?” Will said after an awkward pause.
“No.”
“Great. You want to have lunch with me?”
Elizabeth froze. She would never have expected a world famous celebrity to ask her to lunch, and with such a hopeful look in his eyes! She was as surprised by his lack of arrogance as she was by his question. He must have been a much better actor than she thought.
What was he up to? Perhaps, he had made some sort of bet with a friend and needed her to go out with him in order to win. Or, maybe he just wanted to get in her pants. Or, maybe he made a bet that he could get in her pants. Or maybe he was just trying to be nice and make up for his earlier behavior...nah, he was trying to get in her pants.
Will furrowed his eyebrows. “Uh…yeah, so…I was wondering if you might…”
“I heard you the first time.”
“Oh.”
He stared at her in obvious confusion as she tried to think of a decent answer. She figured his huge ego would require a blunt response. She, therefore, determined not to beat around the bush.
“No, I’m not interested in you, but thanks anyway.”
His reaction was hilarious. His face turned scarlet and his body straightened into extreme rigidity.
“Oh. Okay. I’m sorry I asked.” He whirled around and rushed away from her.
After laughing at his embarrassment, Elizabeth felt a slight pang of remorse. She did not regret rejecting him, but she realized she could have been gentler. His unchecked ego needed to be bruised, but her harshness must have put the poor thing on life support.
Elizabeth remained unsure of her next move. Standing alone in the hallway was no longer an option, but she felt reluctant to rejoin Jane and Charles. Her presence on the set would be further punishment for Darcy. She longed to go home and get some sleep, but she didn’t want to deprive Jane of her enjoyment. She pondered the matter for a few minutes and then decided to return to the set. Before she reached it, however, she spotted Jane and Charles.
Jane came up to her and smiled. “Want to have lunch with us?”
Elizabeth grinned and nodded. The three of them had lunch at the hotel’s lovely yet pricey restaurant. Charles insisted on paying for the three of them. Elizabeth and Jane resisted, but he would not allow them to touch the bill and so they were forced to accept his charity.
They did not linger in the dining area for long. Charles guessed the break would be over soon and he wanted to continue watching his clients’ in action. Jane admitted her eagerness to go back to the set as well. Elizabeth repressed her reluctance to see Will Darcy again and agreed to follow them, all the while wondering how she had ever become mixed up in the peculiar world of show business.
Her predicament was a strange one. She was not enamored of the ins and outs of the film industry like so many of her friends and relatives. Though aware of the fact that she had been given an opportunity others would kill for, she could not find much to excite her. She held on to a sliver of optimism, however. There was a bright side to stumbling upon the lives of the rich and famous. Her father’s daughter in every way imaginable, Elizabeth Bennet had never been one to turn down a chance for amusement.
Chapter Four
Elizabeth, Jane, and Charles walked in on a familiar scene. Will Darcy was pacing back and forth and Caroline had resumed her earlier pose on the bed. Will once again came to an abrupt halt and turned towards Caroline. He did not seem to notice Elizabeth’s presence and proceeded to recite his lines.
“Please, tell me how I can fix this.”
Caroline shook her head. “There is nothing left to fix, Joseph. I might have forgiven you, if you had apologized years ago. But, it’s too late now! I’m getting married in two days, and there is nothing left for you to do, but move on with your life,” she shouted.
Will stroked his hair and sauntered to where Caroline sat on the bed. He kneeled before her and took her hands.
“Tell me the truth. Will you be happy with him?”
Caroline bit her lip and freed her hands from his grasp. She turned her face away and closed her eyes. Will lowered his eyes and withdrew from her. He turned his back on Caroline and stared into the camera. Caroline stood up and began to pace around the room, while wringing her hands.
She stopped after a while. “Yes.”
The director’s voice sounded loud and clear. “Cut! All right, that was much better. Caroline, you were perfect. Will, I need more emotion from you. You’re too wooden. I didn’t like how you walked up to Caroline. You were too slow and reserved. Next time, run up to her and after you take her hands, let out a deep breath like you’ve been holding it all your life. I want to see your face in utter turmoil when you ask her that last question, understand?”
Will frowned. “Sir, I thought this was a romantic comedy, not a melodrama.”
“Excuse me? I can’t believe this! Who do you think you are? You show up late one day, you come here with a hangover the next day, and then you forget your lines and yet you have the gall to criticize me with wisecracks? You better learn how to shut your mouth, kid. I call the shots here, and you are skating on thin ice.”
Will grimaced and nodded his head in insincere meekness. The room grew silent for a long moment until the director yelled “Action!”
As she watched him do another take of the same scene, Elizabeth was surprised to find herself impressed by Will Darcy. The kid had good instincts. He displayed subtlety and keen intelligence. He also acted circles around Caroline Bingley, whose overblown mannerisms and ridiculous whining made it impossible for Elizabeth to stop laughing out loud.
Elizabeth thought the director was wrong. Will’s understated manner of delivering the lines during the previous take was more effective and realistic than the forced emotion of the next take. The director remained unsatisfied with Will’s acting and called for another take. Will’s face tensed with obvious anger and he recited the lines his way despite the director’s protests. Elizabeth was amused by his defiance of the director’s orders. The kid was arrogant, but at least he had some spunk.
They did several more takes, and then the director called for a break. He wanted to move on to the next scene, but the actors needed to change their wardrobe first. Elizabeth was relieved; she didn’t think she could stand watching the stupid scene one more time. She couldn’t wait to go home and tell Lydia that movie-making was not as glamorous and exciting as it was cracked up to be.
Will sprinted out of the room and down the hallway. Caroline followed after him, and so did Elizabeth, Jane, and Charles. Charles was explaining the story to Jane when they reached the dressing room. Elizabeth halted; surprised Charles would take them there.
“Um, are you sure we can go in? Aren’t they dressing right now?”
Charles shrugged. “Yeah, probably.”
Elizabeth grew flustered as Charles started to turn the knob. “Don’t you think they want some privacy?”
Charles turned around and laughed. “Liz, they’re actors, and this is a movie set. There is no privacy here. Actors dress in front the film crew all the time. They won’t even notice us...you’re not uncomfortable, are you?”
Liz shook her head, unwilling to raise unwanted suspicions. “Oh, no! No, of course not.”
Charles smiled and opened the door. Jane hesitated, but walked in after Charles put an arm around her shoulder. Elizabeth entered the room to find Will Darcy zipping up his jeans. She let out a sigh of relief that she had missed the worst of it; he was only half-naked. He didn’t seem to hear their entrance. He dressed in a rush in one corner of the room, while Caroline dressed in the opposite corner. Both actors were attended to by several assistants, who styled their hair and applied their make up with rapid precision. Elizabeth tried hard not to stare at Will, but her eyes betrayed her.
As she watched him put on a t-shirt, she came to understand why Will Darcy graced the cover of so many magazines. He was impossibly attractive, with gorgeous eyes and a hot body. His arrogance, however, was repulsive. Elizabeth knew better than to fall for another empty pretty face. She refused to hurt herself that way again.
Will was oblivious to Elizabeth’s jumbled feelings. He did notice her, he saw her out of the corner of his eyes as she came into the room with Charles and Jane. He remained irritated over her rejection, but he could not find it in his heart to despise her. His behavior towards her when they had first met had been awful, and he knew he needed to fight to make it up to her. For some strange reason that he did not yet understand, he could not let her go. He wanted her, but there was more to it than that. He also wanted her respect and approval. She was a challenge. She refused to fawn over him, because of his wealth and stardom. She was someone who seemed to have good values, as well as a good head on her shoulders. He desired to know her better and spend more time with her. He found himself unable to think of anyone else. He knew he had to impress her, he only needed to discover how.
Will did not get the chance to speak to her again that day. She left soon after she saw him dressing. He hoped she wasn’t repulsed by him. It didn’t seem likely, he sensed her staring at his body, but a niggling feeling of doubt in the back of his mind would not go away, regardless of the evidence to the contrary.
Determined to improve her impression of him, Will took to haunting her neighborhood during his breaks. He needed to see her again, but not at her bar. It was too loud and crowded for him to make any headway with her there. He hoped to catch her alone, where he could have a conversation with her.
The perfect opportunity fell into his lap, while he walked down Second Avenue. He had a couple of hours to himself before he was required to appear on the set, and he had determined to make the most of it. He spotted Elizabeth coming out of a grocery store with a ton of bags in her hands. He restrained the urge to run to her and kept his cool. He caught up to her with ease, for she was weighed down by her groceries.
He approached her from behind. “Here, let me get that for you.”
She whirled around and her eyes widened in surprise as they landed on him. He grinned and took the bags out of her hands.
She smiled, still looking at him with shock in her eyes. “Thank you,” she murmured.
“No problem. Are you going home?”
“Yes, it’s a few blocks this way,” she said as she made a left on Eighth Street.
He followed her in silence, cheered by her acceptance of his assistance, but fearful of pushing his luck too far. After a while, she turned to him with a bemused expression.
“Are you going to carry all those bags the whole way?”
“Sure. It’s no trouble.”
Elizabeth chuckled. “You’re such a show off.”
He grinned. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”
Elizabeth rolled her eyes.
“You’re hard to impress, aren’t you?”
Elizabeth smirked. “Where on Earth would you get that idea?”
Will laughed. “I don’t know. It must have come out of nowhere.”
Will was buoyed by her laughter. For once, she seemed to enjoy his company. It gave him the push he needed to go forward.
“So, I guess you don’t work during the day, since you work at your club all night.”
“It depends. Sometimes, I need to come to the club during the day to help a live act prepare for their show, but for the most part, I sleep in the morning, run errands in the afternoon, and work at night.”
“It must be hard to sleep when the sun is still up.”
“Not really. By the time I get home, I’m exhausted. It doesn’t take me long to fall asleep.”
“Do you shop around here a lot?” Will asked after a few minutes of silence.
Elizabeth quirked an eyebrow. “Does it matter to you where I shop?”
Will shrugged. “Not really. I was just trying to make conversation.”
“I would have expected better from an actor.”
“You don’t seem very fond of actors,” Will said with a frown, his hope waning.
“I don’t care for them either way. I don’t hold a grudge against them, but I don’t put them on a pedestal.”
Will grimaced. “Yeah, I found that out the hard way.”
Elizabeth turned around to face him. “What do you want from me?”
Will started at her frankness. “Nothing! Can’t a guy talk to a girl without getting his head bit off?”
Elizabeth smiled, her expression softening. “In general, yes, but in this case, no. A guy like you can’t talk to a girl like me without raising her suspicions.”
Will stared into her eyes. “And what are those suspicions?”
He stepped closer to her, still making eye contact. Elizabeth backed away from him with a frown. She turned around and quickened her pace.
“Darn it,” Will muttered, knowing he had screwed up again.
“Can we start over?”
“I thought we tried that before.”
Will sprinted to catch up to her. “This will be the last time, I promise.”
Elizabeth made a sharp turn towards an apartment building. She went up the steps and then turned around.
“This is my place. Thanks for carrying my groceries. I can take over from here.”
Will frowned, unable to hide his disappointment that she wouldn’t invite him in.
“Are you sure? I don’t mind carrying these up the stairs.”
Elizabeth bit her lip. She looked at him for a long moment and then sighed. “Oh okay, follow me.”
She opened the door and hurried down the hall. Will struggled to catch up to her, huffing and puffing as his body grew tired from carrying a large weight around for so long.
“Would you mind walking a little slower? These bags are kind of heavy,” he shouted, hoping she would hear him.
Elizabeth stopped and turned around. Will was surprised to see she was blushing.
She cast her eyes down. “I’m sorry, I’ve been very rude.”
Will smiled, unable to hold a grudge against her when she looked so sweet. “It’s okay.”
“Here it is. Apartment B12.” Elizabeth opened the door and gestured for Will to come in. He followed her into the kitchen.
She looked up at him with another adorable blush on her face. “My kitchen is a mess. I hardly ever use it.”
Will laughed. “That’s all right. You don’t want to know how disgusting my kitchen would be if I had to clean it myself.”
He plopped the bags down on the counter and faced Elizabeth.
She crossed her arms. “I guess I’ll see you later.”
“Oh…uh…yeah, I guess so.”
Unwilling to leave, Will approached her. She backed away, but he kept stepping forward.
“Thanks…again.”
“Don’t mention it.”
He took another step towards her. She stood still and looked up at him with those lovely, expressive eyes of hers. Without thinking, Will leaned forward and kissed her. To his surprise, she responded, raising her hands to his face as he pulled her into his arms. Their kiss deepened for the briefest of moments, but Elizabeth pushed him away.
Will stared at her in shock, his chest heaving up and down from the excitement of the moment. She turned her back to him and crossed her arms.
“I think you should go now,” she said in a trembling voice.
Will couldn’t leave her. He went up to her and put his hand on her shoulder. She stiffened at his touch.
“Please leave.”
Will removed his hand from her shoulder and stroked her hair with his fingers. “I’m sorry,” he whispered into her ear, hoping she would look at him once more. She remained motionless and Will despaired of ever having a chance with her. He stepped away from her and left her apartment without saying goodbye.
Will returned to the Waldorf Astoria in a dark mood. An only child born to a wealthy family, he had not yet grown accustomed to the misfortune of wanting something he could not have. This unwelcome sensation threatened to swallow him whole. He stalked down the hall with a sullen expression, his eyes glaring at the floor. He entered his room and slammed the door shut, throwing himself on the bed in frustration.
Will shut his eyes and took a deep breath. A moment later, he heard a knock on the door. He jumped up and went to the door, hoping to see a friend. His mood brightened at the sight of his cousin, Georgiana.
She smiled. “Hey, you’re back! Where have you been all day?”
Will grimaced. “Just walking around.”
Georgiana furrowed her eyebrows. “Walking around? Alone?”
“Yeah, pretty much.”
Georgiana’s eyes widened. “Without your hat and shades?”
Will laughed. “Yeah, I left in such a hurry this morning that I forgot all about that.”
“Wow! That’s amazing. What could be so important that you forget to wear your disguise before going out?”
“Guess.”
Georgiana smirked. “It has to be a woman.”
Will smiled at her perceptiveness.
“I think I know which woman, too. Elizabeth Bennet, right?”
Will sighed. “Right.”
“So did you see her?”
“Yes I saw her,” he said as he sat down on his bed.
Georgiana sat beside him with an eager look. “How did it go?”
Will shook his head. “I screwed up.”
“Again? What did you do this time?”
Will reddened. “I kissed her.”
Georgiana rolled her eyes. “Will! Why did you that? You know she’s not like other girls. She doesn’t trust you, because she doesn’t know you well enough yet. You needed to be patient and pace yourself with her. Now, she’ll think you’re looking for a fling!”
“I know, I know…but I couldn’t help it! We were in her kitchen and she looked so sweet and vulnerable and…it just happened.”
Georgiana frowned. “How did you end up in her kitchen?”
“I saw her as she was leaving a grocery store. I carried her bags for her, and she let me into her apartment to set the bags down.”
“Oh…well, that was sweet of you, so all is not lost. She might regret her actions later.”
“You really think so?”
Georgiana shrugged. “I don’t know. I’m not a mind reader!”
“Georgie, you’re getting my hopes up for no reason,” Will whined.
“Don’t get mad at me. I’m only trying to make you feel better.”
“I really like her, Georgie.”
Georgiana smirked. “I know. It’s about time you get crossed in love.”
Will tossed a pillow at her. “You are so mean! Just like your sister.”
Georgiana laughed. “Grow up, Will. It’s just a crush. You’re not in love with her. You’ll get over it.”
Will frowned, wondering if his cousin was right. He couldn’t decide at the moment. His emotions were still too strong. He needed time and distance to think about it.
Will was called onto the set an hour later. Forcing thoughts of Elizabeth out of his mind, he determined to concentrate on his job. He needed this movie to be a big hit to launch him into superstardom, and he wasn’t about to let some self-righteous punk girl get the best of him.
“Ready to go?” the director asked.
Will nodded.
“All right, quiet on the set…and action!”
“I can’t let her marry him.”
“What are you going to do?” asked George Hurst, the actor playing Joseph’s (Will’s character’s) best friend.
Will sighed. “I don’t know. I have to figure out a plan.”
“You only have two days left.”
Will rolled his eyes. “I know I don’t have much time, Alan. You don’t have to keep reminding me.”
“Okay, okay, I’m sorry. I’m just trying to show you reason.”
“Reason? What does reason have to do with matters of the heart?”
“Will you calm down? All this yelling won’t get you anywhere!”
“Cut! That wasn’t good enough, Darcy. I didn’t hear the anger in your voice. This character is about to lose the woman of his dreams. He’s supposed to be desperate. You’re acting as though he doesn’t care at all,” said the director.
“But he does care. He cares a great deal. He just doesn’t feel the need to let the whole world know how he feels!”
The director raised one eyebrow. “Why not?”
“Because he’s a private person. That’s why Caroline’s character doesn’t understand him. She always wears her heart on her sleeve, but Joseph is the opposite. He internalizes everything.”
The director shook his head. “None of that is in the script.”
“I know it’s not in the script. It’s my interpretation of the character.”
The director approached Will and glared at him. “Listen, kid, do yourself a favor and drop the method crap. You’re not Robert De Niro. Just say the lines!”
Will did as he was told, but his resentment could not be erased. He couldn’t wait until this stupid movie was finished, so he could work with a better director. This hack didn’t know what he was doing, and Will was sick and tired of it. He decided to tell Charlie to get him a deal with a good director. Someone who would make a great film and someone he could learn from, like Martin Scorsese or Mike Nichols. He didn’t want to get stuck doing romantic comedies with Caroline “Frigid Ice Queen” Bingley for the rest of his career.