Elizabeth of East Hampton (For the Love of Austen #2)

Chapter 9

CHAPTER 9

A part from Mary being escorted from the farmers market by police and Hank filing a restraining order against her, the next few weeks in the Bennet household were fairly uneventful. Lydia spent almost every night out at a different party, Kitty toiled away on her top secret business plan, and Mary continued to add to her climate change manifesto. Meanwhile, Lizzy spent all her time at the bakery. She had to. While business was negligible during the fall and winter months, summer held the best chance for profit.

The only real change to the Bennet dynamic was Jane’s sudden absence from it. As the school year at East Hampton Elementary wrapped up, it wasn’t unusual for the eldest Bennet daughter to spend more time at home, but now her days were filled with walks on the beach with Charlie, tours of the Gardner Windmill with Charlie, dinners and lunches and endless coffees with Charlie.

Lizzy couldn’t be happier for her, even though there was an inevitable issue ahead. Every summer, Jane picked up extra shifts at the bakery. She never missed one—she even showed up to help with others. But that was before she met Charlie, back when she had nothing better to do. And despite the extra strain it would inevitably put on Lizzy’s schedule, it would be up to her to convince Jane that she should be doing better things.

Such as spending the last Friday in June getting ready for a date rather than nailing plywood to the bakery’s front window.

“Hold it straight or I’m going to put this nail through my hand,” Mr. Bennet grumbled.

Lizzy rolled her eyes, even as she lifted her side of the wooden sheet up a few inches.

A tropical storm was barreling up the eastern seaboard, set to hit East Hampton that night. There was usually at least one every year, and they knew how to prepare. It was the same routine they followed for years, a fact Lizzy was reminded of when she dragged the large piece of plywood used to protect the front window up from the basement and found it still had ONE DIRECTION 4EVER scrawled on one side, right where she’d written it twelve years ago.

“I thought you were supposed to replace these after every storm,” she said.

“They’re fine,” Mr. Bennet said, waving her off. He pounded in another nail, then stepped back to observe his work. “All right, I think that’s it. Let’s go ahead and close up so we can get out of here.”

“You sure? What about those outstanding invoices? We have to pay those before the end of the day.”

He nodded. “I got it, kiddo.”

She hesitated. Did he?

“I got it,” he repeated, giving her a look from under his brow like he could read her mind. “You reel in the awning, and don’t forget to take off the crank wand.”

She gave him a small salute and was rewarded with a crooked smile before he disappeared inside.

A gust of wind sent strands of her red hair dancing across her face as she spun the hand crank for the awning. The blue-and-white-striped canopy slowly retracted, groaning with each turn. Did she want to think about how much this early closure was going to cost them? How one lost afternoon during their busiest time of year could set them back weeks? Or the financial hit the bakery would take if this tropical storm left any damage in its wake? No, not really. Lizzy already knew the worry would eventually come. For now, she wanted to focus on the fact that it was Friday, the impending storm was sending six-foot waves crashing onto the beach, and her surfboard was waiting in the flatbed of her truck.

Then Hank Donato’s voice called out behind her. “Lizzy!”

Lizzy closed her eyes, fortifying her patience. It wasn’t that she didn’t like Hank Donato—if anything, Piper’s father was more like family than anything else. It was just that he loved to talk and also had an uncanny ability to misread all social cues.

That’s why Lizzy took a deep breath before donning a smile and turning around to face him. “Hi, Hank.”

Sure enough, there he was, standing just a few feet away on the sidewalk. His belly was a bit rounder than it had been when Lizzy was a child, but otherwise he looked just about the same, thanks to what she could only assume was a monthly application of dark brown hair dye. She had seen photos of him in his youth, when he lived in the city and wore ripped jeans and T-shirts, but those had long been replaced with khakis and polo shirts.

But Hank wasn’t alone. There was someone else standing beside him, a tall someone with dark hair, green eyes…

“Lord Magnus,” Lizzy blurted out before she could stop herself.

Hank’s forehead wrinkled with confusion even as his companion’s mouth curved up into a smile.

“Sorry,” Lizzy continued, squeezing her eyes together for a moment before turning her attention back to Hank. “Um. How are you?”

“Good! I’m good!” His smile faltered slightly. “Mary’s not working today, is she?”

“Nope.”

His smile returned, even brighter than before. “Good! That’s great. Yes, well, I see you’re getting ready for the storm. We have the windows at the Lodge shuttered up, too, but I’m not worried. Maybe some flooding by the beach, but that’s to be expected, isn’t it?”

Silence as he stared at her, as if waiting for a reply. Then his companion cleared his throat.

“Oh! Of course. Lizzy Bennet! This is Tristan Cole. He’s come on board to help get HamptonFest off the ground.”

The memory of Piper’s comments from a few weeks ago, about how her father was expecting a potential new partner to come by the Lodge, and the image of the two men at the farmers market the following day, clicked into place in Lizzy’s mind.

“Oh right. I think Piper mentioned something,” Lizzy said, turning to Tristan. “You’re from the city.”

“Not exactly,” he replied, his head cocking to the side. “I live in the city now, but I’m from Long Island.”

“Where on Long Island?”

His mouth quirked up in a smile. “Queens.”

She couldn’t help but smile back. “That’s the city.”

“Not to people from the city.”

She almost laughed. He wasn’t wrong.

“Tristan is a party and events promoter, has some incredible connections,” Hank said with a satisfied nod. “After I convinced Marv to give HamptonFest a line in the town budget, Tristan here reached out and, let me tell you, he has some huge ideas. Really huge. I’ve hired him as a consultant to help grease a few wheels. He even has a plan to get those permits for Gretna Island so we can build a more permanent setup. Can you imagine? It’s going to be huge!”

“Huge, you say?” Lizzy said, unable to help her teasing tone.

Tristan mirrored it back. “No. Really huge.”

They stared at each other, each biting back their own grin, as Hank laughed. “Exactly!”

“It’s nice to meet you, Lizzy,” Tristan said, extending his hand.

She took it, letting his long fingers envelop hers for a moment longer than she probably should have. “You, too.”

“Like I said, huge ideas,” Hank continued. “We’re making the rounds, seeing if there are some opportunities for synergy. We have so many locals who have always wanted to get in on the ground floor of something like this.”

Tristan nodded as if he endorsed every word Hank was saying, even as he snuck a sly glance at Lizzy. Something in his gaze seemed brazen, and suddenly she felt a rush of warmth to her cheeks. Was she… blushing?

“I was thinking Tristan should meet your dad,” Hank said, oblivious. “Walk him through the whole proposal and see the big picture. Is he around?”

“You just missed him.” It was a blatant lie, but Lizzy was also under strict instructions to deflect as many of Hank’s visits as possible.

“Well, I could walk you through it,” Tristan said. His voice was deep and warm.

“Oh!” Hank’s eyes lit up. “Even better!”

“What do you say?” Tristan nodded down the street. “Want to grab a coffee before the storm sets in? I could give you a quick rundown of the project.”

Lizzy hesitated. She knew better than to get involved, but as Tristan’s full mouth ticked up in a playful grin, she convinced herself that she could at least listen. After all, she didn’t want to be rude. “Sure.”

Hank clapped. “Synergy!”

And then there was a loud ping, a text message alert from Lizzy’s back pocket. For a moment she debated ignoring it, but another rang out seconds later.

“Could you excuse me for a minute?” she asked, then turned around and pulled her phone out.

A message from Jane illuminated the screen.

JANE

Hey! Dad just called and said you’re closing early. Any chance you can drive me to Charlie’s?

JANE

Just wondering!

LIZZY

I thought you were borrowing Mom’s car so you could leave Charlie’s before the weather got bad?

JANE

She says she can’t spare it.

Lizzy blinked down at her phone. No, that couldn’t be right. Their mother rarely drove anywhere except to the bakery or Donna’s. How could she not spare it? But then Lizzy remembered who they were talking about. Nothing was beyond the realm of possibility where Joanne Bennet was concerned.

LIZZY

What’s her excuse?

JANE

She said she has errands? She offered to drop me off herself, though, so she could officially meet the Pierces… not sure I’m ready for that yet.

JANE

No worries if you can’t!

I can call Marv!

LIZZY

Wait right there. I’ll be home in 5.

She turned back to Tristan. “Sorry, minor emergency at home. Rain check?”

“Of course,” he said. He bowed his head and when he brought it back up again, another cheeky grin was on his lips. “I’m looking forward to it.”

Hank clapped his hands proudly again. “Synergy!”

“I can’t believe she wouldn’t just let you have the car,” Lizzy murmured, gripping the wheel of her truck tightly as she turned it down Lily Pond Lane.

Jane sighed as she checked her makeup in the visor’s cracked mirror again. “It’s not a big deal. I could’ve called Marv.”

“Marv doesn’t drive in the rain, Jane.”

“Oh. Right.” Jane blinked, then snapped the visor back up again. “Well, it all worked out. Worst-case scenario I had to walk, and you do it all the time.”

“Not right before a hurricane.”

“It’s not a hurricane. It’s a tropical storm.”

Lizzy rolled her eyes. “I’ll make sure to remind you of that when you drown in the middle of Main Street.”

When they reached the break in the hedges near the end of the lane, Lizzy turned down the long drive toward the house while Jane began fidgeting with the frayed string at the bottom of her bag. By the time she threw the truck into park outside the front door, Lizzy thought she might unravel the entire thing.

“Ready?” she asked carefully.

Jane nodded, her wide eyes locked on the house.

“Do you want me to walk you up?” Lizzy asked.

Jane shook her head as a weary smile tugged at her mouth. “I can handle it from here.”

“I know, but I can just say hi.”

“Lizzy.”

“Let them know about the storm. What to do if the roads close. Or—”

“Lizzy,” Jane repeated, resting a hand on Lizzy’s arm. “It’s fine. Really.”

Lizzy knew that tone. It was the one Jane reserved for when Lizzy was trying to control too much. When she needed to let go just a little bit.

“Okay,” she replied.

Jane nodded. “Okay.”

But then she didn’t move.

Lizzy’s eyes narrowed on her. “What’s wrong?”

“It’s nothing, just… I’ve been hanging out with Charlie all month, but I haven’t really spent much time with his sisters.” Jane kept her eyes glued on the looming house, her bottom lip trapped between her teeth.

“And?”

“What if they decide they don’t like me?”

Lizzy let a small smile turn up her lips. “I don’t think that’s possible.”

“I’m serious, Lizzy. What if—”

“I’m serious, too,” Lizzy replied. “You’re kind and thoughtful and you have no idea how gorgeous you are, which is a little annoying, if I’m honest, but it’s not enough for them not to like you.”

Jane didn’t look convinced.

“But more importantly, who cares if they don’t like you?” Lizzy continued, her voice softer. “Charlie likes you. As long as he’s there, how bad can it be?”

“Right.” Jane seemed to consider. “And if it is bad?”

“Then I promise to come save you so we can live the rest of our lives in an old mansion, where we’ll collect cats and hide from the outside world until they make a documentary about us.”

Jane fought her smile as she pretended to look exasperated. “Are you describing Grey Gardens again?”

“Of course not,” Lizzy replied. “They were mother and daughter. We’re sisters. Totally different.”

Jane laughed, then leaned across the truck’s console to give her sister a hug. “Love you.”

“Love you, too,” Lizzy whispered. “Now, go in there and blow Charlie away with your extensive knowledge of damasks.”

Jane groaned as she pulled away and opened the car door. “They’re called Daleks.”

“That’s what I said!” Lizzy yelled just before the door slammed shut behind her sister. Then she watched through the windshield as Jane threw her bag over her shoulder and started up the front steps to the door.

Jane was halfway there when Lizzy’s phone rang in the pocket of her overalls. She grabbed it and found her mom’s photo on the screen.

“Hello, Mom,” she answered.

“Did you drive your sister to Charlie’s?” Mrs. Bennet replied in greeting.

Lizzy sighed. “Yes, I drove her. Is that a problem?”

Mrs. Bennet tutted, as if the sound were the epitome of disgruntlement.

“Where are you right now?” Lizzy continued.

“Me? Oh, I’m… shopping. Grocery shopping. And errands. I’m very busy.”

Lizzy could clearly hear Donna Donato in the background, which meant she was actually at Donna’s and probably on her second round of margaritas. The sound of a blender coming to life a moment later only confirmed it.

“Mom.”

“What?”

“Did you tell Jane she couldn’t have your car just so she’d have to ask you for a ride? And then you could invite yourself in and meet Charlie?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she replied defiantly. Then she added, “Charlie doesn’t even own one store. Annabelle owns hundreds .”

Lizzy closed her eyes. “I appreciate your dedication to the success of Lux Leggings, Mom, but the storm is set to hit us in just a few hours. Jane could get stuck here. Charlie’s car isn’t four-wheel drive. If it rains more than three inches, Lily Pond Lane will flood, and then she’ll be stuck.”

“Well then, I guess we’ll kill two birds with one stone, won’t we?”

“What are you talking—” Even as the words left Lizzy’s mouth, her brain made the connection, recognizing the signature Joanne Bennet plot just under the surface. “Oh my God.”

Mrs. Bennet hummed, barely disguising her self-satisfaction.

“Mom.”

“Hm?”

“Please tell me you’re not purposely stranding your daughter at a stranger’s house during a hurricane.”

“It’s not a hurricane. It’s a tropical storm.”

Lizzy frowned. “I’m concerned that the only thing you find wrong about that statement is the category of the impending storm.”

Another tut. “Stop being so dramatic.”

“What if it’s worse than expected? Then she’s stuck—”

A tittering laugh filled the line. “Trust me, everything will work out. Just you wait.”

“Mom—”

“Lizzy, your sister is so introverted she’s almost a hermit. Now, you have your way of dealing with that and I have mine. M’kay?”

There was a peal of thunder in the distance as Lizzy watched her sister disappear inside the front door. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad, she rationalized. After all, the storm might already have been downgraded to a tropical depression. By the time it arrived, they would probably see a little rain and that would be it. She had nothing to worry about.