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

Chapter 12

CHAPTER 12

“Have you heard from him since last weekend?” Jane asked, catching Lizzy’s eye in the bathroom mirror. The double vanity upstairs at the Bennet house was somehow accommodating all five sisters as they got ready for Charlie’s Fourth of July party. While Lizzy and Jane did their best to touch up their makeup on one side, Lydia and Kitty were fighting over counter space on the other. In the center, Mary brushed her teeth.

Lizzy tried to appear nonchalant, ignoring the flush in her cheeks as she finished applying her eyeliner. “Not yet. But he said he’d text today when he was leaving the city.”

“Who?” Kitty asked, focused on her reflection as she redid her center part.

“Tristan Cole. The guy Lizzy climbed at Donato’s last week,” Lydia said, putting the finishing touches on her cheek contour.

Mary spat a wad of toothpaste into the pink ceramic sink. “The capitalist.”

“I didn’t climb him,” Lizzy said, shooting Lydia a sharp glare. “We didn’t even kiss.”

“Right,” Lydia replied sarcastically. “You went outside to discuss the environmental impact of Hank’s wannabe Coachella.”

Mary paused. “You did?”

Lizzy shook her head. “No.”

Mary frowned and left the bathroom.

“So then, what’s the plan?” Jane asked Lizzy, forcing the conversation back on track.

“Tristan suggested we meet up after the party.”

Jane raised her eyebrow. “That’s kind of late for a date, don’t you think?”

Lizzy gave her sister a placating smile. “That’s why it’s not a date.”

“Whatever,” Lydia said. “I don’t care what’s going on with you two, as long as it doesn’t stop me from going to that party of his.”

Lizzy paused. “What party?”

A smug grin curled up Lydia’s lips. “Oh, he didn’t tell you? Apparently, he has an amazing place in the city and throws huge parties with all these celebrities and professional athletes. People he’s worked with, I guess. He promised to invite all of us.”

“When did he promise that?”

“At the Lodge,” Lydia said, shrugging. “You shouldn’t have left so early.”

Lizzy scowled at her.

“HURRY UP, LADIES!” Mrs. Bennet yelled from downstairs, hitting a decibel that seemed to resonate through the walls. “OR I’M LEAVING WITHOUT YOU!”

Kitty’s brow furrowed as she looked at Lizzy. “Aren’t you driving?”

Lizzy nodded, then focused on her reflection. When the official invitation arrived for the party, it described the dress code as “resort casual,” but after a week of research, she still had no idea what that meant. Her blue slip dress paired with her combat boots were probably nowhere near the ballpark but it was the nicest thing in her closet, and left her freckled shoulders exposed. Her hair was loose, falling around them in orange and crimson waves, and her dark eyes were accentuated by a slight cat eye. Whatever the dress code, Lizzy had to admit, she looked good. Over the past year, she’d barely had time to put on mascara, let alone wear anything other than her same small collection of band T-shirts and overalls. She hadn’t realized how much she had needed this refined view, so she took a moment to appreciate it, to finally—

“LET’S GO!”

Lizzy sighed. Never mind.

“You heard the woman,” she said, and began to shoo her sisters out of the bathroom.

“I’m not done with my lipstick!” Lydia moaned.

One by one they abandoned their tasks, disappearing out the door and down the stairs. Just as Lizzy was about to follow, Jane grabbed her hand, holding her back for a moment.

“Are you sure I look okay?” she said, her voice low again. “Is this dress too short? Maybe I should go try on—”

“Jane.” Lizzy cut her off with a smile. Her sister looked even more gorgeous than usual. Despite the fact that she barely had any makeup on, her red lip tint made her large eyes pop, and the square neckline of her cream-colored linen dress highlighted her long neck. If Charlie wasn’t already head-over-heels in love with her, he would be after tonight. “You looked amazing in all fifty outfits you tried on. You picked this one because you love it, right? That’s what matters.”

Her sister nodded, even though there was still a line of worry between her perfect eyebrows.

Before they could discuss further, Mrs. Bennet’s voice rattled the house again.

“THAT’S IT! I’M LEAVING!” Then, a moment later: “WHERE ARE THE CAR KEYS?”

Lizzy didn’t know what she expected from Charlie’s Fourth of July party, but it was definitely not this.

The driveway down to Marv’s Lament was lined with hundreds of small lanterns, each with its own candle inside, while every tree had at least a dozen white paper globes hanging from its branches. The house itself was illuminated by uplights hidden in the hydrangea bushes along the front, making the steel and glass look even more severe against the dark sky.

It was a slow approach thanks to the line of cars ahead of them, and by the time Lizzy pulled their parents’ old minivan up to the front door, Mrs. Bennet was swooning.

“Oh, it’s gorgeous!” she exclaimed from the passenger seat. “Just stunning!”

Lizzy was tempted to remind her mother that this was the same house she called “an abomination” just a couple of years ago, but she bit her tongue.

A valet opened the driver’s-side door, then the back to let Jane, Lydia, and Kitty pile out. Lizzy almost laughed as she handed over her keys, along with her I Got Crabs at Mike’s! key chain, to the valet. To his credit, he didn’t even crack a smile as he climbed into the driver’s seat just as a Bentley Continental pulled up behind them.

The house’s front doors were propped open, the inside ceiling decorated with the same paper lanterns as were on the trees outside. Beyond them, the sliding glass doors along the far wall were open to the pool, where it looked like the entire population of East Hampton had congregated.

“Just breathtaking!” Mrs. Bennet’s voice rang through the foyer. She was wearing her latest creation, the Disco Lux Leggings, which meant both of her rhinestone-covered legs reflected spots of light across the floor as she navigated all of them out to the verandah.

Outside, the party was already in full swing. There was a burst of color at every turn, from the glowing dance floor stretching over the pool to the cascade of fairy lights hanging from the roof of the house. Lizzy was sure she was missing a thousand details, but with so many people suddenly so close, she gave up trying to notice.

“I’m going to go find Donna,” Mrs. Bennet said, barely looking at her daughters as she surveyed the crowd. “You girls mingle. And remember: I have the valet ticket, so nobody even think about leaving early.”

Then she disappeared toward the bar, leaving them on the threshold to gape at the scene in front of them.

The Pierce Party, as it had begun to be called by locals, had been the most exclusive invite in town a few weeks ago. But after Charlie invited the Bennets, Mrs. Bennet began inviting anyone she ran into. But they weren’t the only guests. Amid the locals, there were tall, elegant women in impossibly white linen dresses, and gorgeous men in various shades of khakis paired with navy blazers. A Town & Country photoshoot dropped in the middle of this year’s county fair.

And then there was Will Darcy, standing near the edge of the crowd.

The last time Lizzy had seen him on this verandah, he had been in a T-shirt and sweatpants, but now he wore a linen button-down with the sleeves rolled up, revealing his tanned arms, and a pair of jeans that hung low on his hips.

So that’s resort casual , she thought.

He looked good, and she hated that he looked good. In fact, she hated that she had any reaction to him at all. He silently judged everyone around him, he actively sabotaged his friend’s career with seemingly no remorse… he was an asshole.

She scowled, even as she stole another glance at him. His blue eyes were locked on hers now, and his gaze was so intense that her heart stuttered, sending her pulse tripping through her veins. She hated that, too.

Was he mad at her? Judging her for what he’d seen outside the Lodge the other night? His expression gave nothing away, but she also couldn’t attribute anger to it. There was something else there, something just under the surface that felt like a challenge.

She ignored it as she reached into her small bag and pulled out her phone. Holding it close so her sisters wouldn’t see, she opened Tristan’s contact information and typed out a message.

LIZZY

Your former best friend is giving me a death stare and I need saving

See you soon xo

She smiled and pressed send just as her sisters pulled her attention back to their small group.

“How do I look?” Kitty asked.

“Like you’re about to audit somebody,” Lydia said, eyeing her sister’s pencil skirt and cardigan.

Kitty blanched. “It’s resort casual!”

“It’s lovely,” Jane assured her. “You look beautiful.”

“Professional?” Kitty asked.

“Very professional.”

Lizzy paused. “Why do you want to look professional?”

“Annabelle Pierce is over there, and I’m going to pick her brain about a business idea I’ve been working on.”

She disappeared into the crowd before Lizzy could stop her.

“This. Is. Amazing,” Lydia said, pulling her phone out of her bag, ready to record.

“Put away your phone, Lydia,” Lizzy said.

“Why? You just had yours out.”

“Yes, but the invite said no photos,” she explained.

Lydia scoffed. “I’m not taking photos. This is video .”

“Just be discreet,” Jane chimed in. “Annabelle doesn’t want anything to do with the party showing up online. I guess if Vivienne’s ex sees her spending any money, his lawyer could start making a fuss about alimony.”

Lizzy shot her sister a wry grin. “I didn’t realize you were spending every spare moment with the whole Pierce family now.”

Jane looked away, but Lizzy could still see her sister blush. “We don’t spend that much time together.”

“Whatever helps you sleep at night,” Lizzy said, patting Jane’s hand. “Or, you know, doesn’t.”

Jane’s rouged cheeks turned bright red as a laugh burst out of her.

“Lizzy!” Piper’s voice rang out over the music. A moment later, their friend emerged from the dance floor, unsteady in her heels as she threw an arm around Lizzy’s shoulder. She had an unnaturally blue drink in her hand, topped with a pink paper umbrella.

“Hey!” Lizzy replied, working to maintain her balance as her friend leaned against her. “What are you drinking?”

“I have no idea, but it’s delicious. And strong.” Piper took a deep sip from the small straw. “Very strong.”

Lizzy laughed.

The DJ transitioned to “The Tide Is High” by Blondie, and there was a collective cheer across the verandah. One voice rose above the rest, though, a shrill cry that made Lizzy cringe.

“Oh my God!” Mrs. Bennet screamed from somewhere in the crowd. “I love this song! Donna! Remember this song?”

Lizzy turned to Lydia. “Can you go make sure she doesn’t fall off the dance floor and into the pool?”

“Nope.” Lydia waltzed away. “I’m working. I need some content for the weekend, and this place is perfect!”

Lizzy let her head fall back in frustration. Tonight was shaping up to be exhausting.

“I’ll go check on your mom,” Piper said.

“Are you sure?” Jane asked.

Piper nodded, the small straw still in her mouth. “Gives me a good excuse to steal that drink out of my mom’s hand. She has absolutely zero tolerance.”

With that, Piper sucked up the last dregs of her drink, handed the empty glass to a passing waiter, then started forward to the dance floor.

“And then there were two,” Lizzy said with a sigh, leaning into Jane’s side.

Her sister rested her cheek against Lizzy’s red hair. “Has Tristan texted?”

“Not yet.” Lizzy didn’t point out that she had already texted him and he hadn’t replied yet.

“He will,” Jane said with an encouraging smile. “It might not have been an official date, but he wouldn’t just stand you up. Right?”

Lizzy nodded, even though she wasn’t entirely sure. Yes, Tristan had been the one to suggest getting together, but he hadn’t exactly committed to coming. Even now, she didn’t feel hurt, only a growing hole inside where disappointment should have been. The same hole that seemed to materialize when she’d deferred her acceptance to Columbia.

She shook the thought loose and turned back to her sister. Tonight wasn’t about her. At least, not anymore.

“What about Charlie?”

Jane sighed. Lizzy knew her sister wasn’t done prodding about Tristan, but she also knew that Charlie was probably the only topic that could delay that conversation until later.

“I haven’t seen him yet.”

“Well, he’s got to be here somewhere. It’s his house.” Lizzy craned her neck up to look over the crowd.

Her gaze found Charlie on the other side of the pool’s illuminated dance floor. He had caught sight of them, too, though it took less than a second for Lizzy to realize that it wasn’t so much the two of them that held his attention, but Jane. His omnipresent smile somehow grew even wider, while his expression… Something in Lizzy’s heart ached at the way his eyes softened, how his chest rose slowly and fell with a deep breath, like there was relief mixed in with his happiness. As if, despite the music and drinks and impending fireworks, this moment was what tonight had always been about.

She wondered if anyone would ever look at her like that.

Before she could squash the thought, Charlie was weaving through the crowd toward them.

“You made it,” he said, stopping within a few inches of Jane. The words were said in one long exhale of breath.

“You invited me,” her sister replied.

“I did, didn’t I?” It looked like he was trying to tamp down his grin, but it was a losing battle.

Lizzy bit back her own smile and melted into the crowd before Charlie had time to realize that he had completely ignored her. She didn’t want to be a third wheel. Not that they would have noticed anyway—they were caught in each other’s orbit, and Lizzy almost wondered if the whole house burned down right now, whether either of them would even notice.

Once she found her way to the other side of the dance floor, Lizzy pulled her phone from her bag again. No new text messages. She told herself to lock her screen and just have faith that Tristan would text. Unfortunately, she had never been good at waiting, which was why she typed out another quick message.

LIZZY

Hey! Party in full swing. Have you left the city yet?

She pressed send before she could think better of it.

The DJ transitioned seamlessly from song to song as Lizzy wandered through the party, chatting with familiar faces and bobbing her head to the beat. A waiter walked by with a tray of various cocktails, and she grabbed one with a yellow umbrella, walking to a quieter corner of the party and taking a small sip. It was bitingly sweet and she cringed, just as a deep voice spoke from behind her.

“Hello, Elizabeth.”

She turned to glance over her shoulder. Will Darcy stood near the edge of the yard, half-hidden in the shadows. Had he just been skulking around the perimeter all night?

“Hello,” she replied.

The party was a cacophony of sound, but somehow she could still feel the weight of the silence between them. She wanted to walk away—they had exchanged pleasantries, so there was nothing keeping her here. Still, she didn’t move. Neither did he.

“Hiding again?” she finally asked.

“Debating it.” A moment passed before he asked, “What about you?”

“What about me?”

“Are you leaving again?”

“I’m an East Hampton native, remember?” she replied with a plastic smile. “I laugh in the face of linen button-downs and disdain.”

He almost looked amused. His mouth was still a grim line across his face, but something in his eyes seemed to dance. Then he nodded to her glass. “What about rum and cocktail umbrellas?”

She rolled her eyes. “Well, this isn’t exactly a Hamptons staple.”

“None of this is,” he murmured. “It’s the same party, just in a different place.”

As much as Lizzy hated to admit it, she knew exactly what he meant. The party was beautiful and fun, but it was a bit like this house: impressive but impersonal, devoid of everything that made the Hamptons so special. They could have been anywhere in the world having the same drinks, listening to the same music. And tomorrow it would all go away again, leaving everyone with the same memories.

“If you hate it so much, why do you keep coming out here?” she asked.

The hard edge of his expression faltered. “What do you mean?”

“You come out here all the time, but you never seem to be enjoying yourself.”

He stared at her for a moment. “How do you know I’m not enjoying myself?”

The words hit low in her belly. Maybe it was because his voice was so deep, but she had heard deep voices before. No, his had an added layer, one that seemed to add physical weight to each syllable, like they were deliberately shaped on his tongue before being uttered.

Then Lydia’s shrill laugh cut through the air, snapping Lizzy’s attention back to the dance floor. Her sister was flanked by two men in the middle of the crowd. She had her phone held above her head, angling it down as she smiled up at it. “Hey, lovelies! Lydia here. Come with me as I celebrate the Fourth in the Hamptons!”

Lizzy cringed. “Oh my God.”

“What?” Will asked.

She turned to find him still watching her, his brow knitted together.

She offered a half-hearted smile. “Haven’t you ever been embarrassed by your family before?”

He glanced over to the dance floor, like he was noticing Lydia for the first time, and frowned. Then he brought his attention back to Lizzy. “No.”

Her smile fell as the heat of embarrassment rose in her cheeks. “Right.”

She didn’t bother excusing herself, just started forward, trying to escape the feel of his gaze on her back as she maneuvered through the throngs of partygoers toward her sister.

“Lydia!” she yelled.

Lydia ignored her, and Lizzy could only watch helplessly as she laughed and continued talking to the camera.

Oh God. The night was quickly getting out of control.

Knowing her sister was a lost cause, Lizzy gave up and headed toward the bar. Just as the bartender delivered her another drink, this one with a giant piece of pineapple on the rim, her phone pinged in her bag.

Tristan.

Her heart tripped as she reached for it, eager to see the glowing screen.

JANE

Hey! Charlie and I are going down to the beach to watch the fireworks. Want to come?

Disappointment landed heavy in her chest.

LIZZY

That’s okay

But have fun!

She pressed send, then scrolled back to her texts to Tristan. There was still no reply, but she did notice something written beneath the messages: Read 8:21 p.m.

He had seen her texts over an hour ago and still hadn’t written her back.

Lizzy looked up to survey the crowd. Mrs. Bennet and Donna were stationed next to the DJ booth, swinging their hips to the beat. The rhinestones on her mother’s leggings were almost blinding in the iridescent lights of the floor below her, and Lizzy could see other dancers pointing and snickering. Just beyond her, Kitty was standing beside Annabelle, talking animatedly while Annabelle listened, an unreadable expression on her face. Then Lydia’s laughter erupted from the dance floor again, and Lizzy turned just as her sister was hoisted into the air by the two men, grinning widely at her phone as they did so.

“THIS IS THE BEST NIGHT OF MY LIFE!” she cackled.

For a moment, Lizzy considered marching up to her again and telling her to control herself. But she was too tired to do anything but turn around and head straight through the house to the front door.

The driveway was empty when Lizzy walked out, not that she was surprised. All the guests had arrived, and the fireworks would be going off soon. She could slip away unnoticed—go home, crawl into bed, and forget this night ever happened.

“Where are you going?”

Will’s voice came from behind her, deep and gravelly. She hated how she recognized it, how it hit some hidden part in her chest that she wasn’t even aware of before him.

For a long moment, she didn’t move. Maybe if she stalled long enough, he would go away. Or, better yet, maybe she’d just imagined his voice so when she turned around she would find only an empty doorway.

But when she did look over her shoulder, there he was. His gaze was expectant, like the statement required a complicated answer.

Unfortunately for him, she didn’t have one. “Home.”

“The valet can get your car.”

The valet . It rolled off his tongue so easily, like he discussed valets as often as Lizzy did muffins.

She shook her head. Why was she even here? This was a different world, and she didn’t belong in it.

“Don’t worry about it. My sisters will grab it later. I can walk,” she said.

“You’re not walking home.”

“Really? Because I’m pretty sure I am.”

She didn’t wait for a reply, just turned and started forward. Yes, it was rude, but no more than he usually was. Besides, she knew he would inevitably turn around and disappear inside whether she was polite or not, leaving the appropriate level of disapproval in his wake.

Except she didn’t hear any movement from behind her. Then his voice rumbled to life again.

“I’ll give you a ride.”

She stopped. She must be imagining things, because she could have sworn Will Darcy just offered to drive her home. But when she turned, she found him still glaring at her from a few feet away.

“Why?” she asked.

The grimace deepened into a frown. “Why what?”

“Why are you offering me a ride?”

“Why aren’t you taking it?”

“Because I walk home all the time. It’s no big deal.”

“It’s after dark in a town that barely has working streetlights.”

She crossed her arms over her chest. “Did Charlie force you to come out here and do this?”

His expression changed again. It was slight—to anyone else it would just look like he was still frowning at her—but she could see a softening of the edges into something like confusion. Or maybe it was offense.

“You think Charlie made me come out here?”

“Why else would you?”

A muscle ticked in his jaw as he stared at her. It almost looked like he had something to say but was forcing himself to hold it back. Like the words tasted sour on his tongue.

She sighed. “Listen, I appreciate the offer, but I don’t want a ride. I want to go home.” She was too tired for this, and her exhaustion made her voice waver.

Another shift in his expression. She hated how she was already an expert in his looks, on how the subtle movements of his brow and jaw and mouth could convey a whole series of emotions. Right now it was the line between his eyebrows. It had deepened, like he was concerned. There was a hint of anger there, too, ready to be called up if needed.

“What happened?” His voice somehow sounded even gruffer than before.

She blinked. “Nothing happened. I’m fine.”

He didn’t move. It was like he could see right through her and already knew the truth. Her heart stuttered as the thought suddenly hit her: if she had unwittingly become an expert on his expressions, maybe he had become one on hers. He could tell when she was lying, when she was exhausted and so overwhelmed with disappointment and regret that she wanted to scream.

“Did Tristan do something?” he finally asked. Some sharp emotion tinged his deep voice.

She narrowed her eyes at him. “First of all, that’s none of your business. Second, even if he had, the last person I would want help from right now is you.”

Something flared in his eyes. “And why’s that?”

“Because I’ve heard about how you help people, and I’m not sure I’m that masochistic.”

That one hurt. She wished she hadn’t said it, but there was no other way to interpret the sting in his eyes.

She should apologize. Or at least tell him what she thought of how he had treated Tristan. Give her words some context. But just as quickly as the hurt had come, it was gone, shuttered behind a cold glare and hard frown.

So instead she said, “Good night, Will.”

She turned on her heel and started walking again, the gravel crunching under her combat boots as she made her way down the long driveway. Behind her, she heard Will curse, but his footsteps retreated in the opposite direction. Probably back inside, she thought. Sure enough, within a few seconds they faded altogether. It should have been a relief—she wanted to feel relief—but instead an odd disappointment swelled inside her, threatening to swallow her up, and she knew she had to keep moving to stop herself from collapsing.

Lizzy had just reached the end of the drive when headlights flared behind her. A car was approaching, its tires rolling along the gravel slowly to maintain its distance. She moved further to the side of the drive, but the car didn’t pass. And when she reached the street and turned right, it did the same.

No. There’s no way …

She glanced over her shoulder. Sure enough, there was Will Darcy, behind the wheel of Charlie’s BMW, following about ten feet behind.

Whatever regret she felt about what she’d said evaporated. What part of “I’m fine” did he not understand? Did he think that if he followed long enough, she’d finally concede and let him drive her home?

Absolutely fucking not.

Chin raised, she continued forward, her long shadow preceding her as she marched down Lily Pond Lane with a BMW sedan in tow. He could follow her home. He could follow her to the end of the earth. But she was never getting in that car.

BOOM .

An explosion of light erupted in the sky above. Yellows and reds sparkled, then fizzled out, replaced a moment later by another BOOM and a shower of electric blues and greens.

The fireworks illuminated the road, saturating the trees and grass in a rainbow of color. It was beautiful, something that Lizzy would have normally stopped to watch. If it was anyone else in the car behind her, she would have even made a joke about the ridiculousness of the situation, shared a laugh before enjoying the view. But it wasn’t just anyone.

It was Will Darcy.

Technicolor explosion after Technicolor explosion filled the sky as Lizzy walked down Lily Pond Lane, then up Ocean Avenue all the way into town. Even in her boots, her feet hurt by the time her house came into sight. But her steps didn’t falter as she finally turned down the driveway, past her father’s boat, and up the steps to the porch.

Will turned down the driveway, too, so the headlights lit up the front door. Lizzy would never admit that it made it much easier to find the spare key under the mat. And she would never tell a soul that she looked back at the car before unlocking the dead bolt.

Or that, despite all the anger and frustration still smoldering in her chest, her heart tripped when she found his gaze locked on her until she disappeared inside.

“Stubborn asshole,” she murmured, then slammed the door behind her.