Chapter 9
“Lizzy!” Gigi waved at me when I glanced up from putting a tray of maple pecan puff pastries in the display.
As soon as I slid the panel closed, I straightened and paused. Who was she with? He was older, more her brother’s age, and had his hand on her lower back while they waited in line—the placement a bit overly familiar for an acquaintance.
I stepped around the counter and walked over. “How are classes going?”
The man was attractive with dark eyes and longer dark hair that fell around his face in waves. He could model if he had the inclination.
“Classes are good,” said Gigi. “Lizzy, this is Greg. Once upon a time, his dad was an executive at Pemberley Books, and my dad was his godfather.” Okay, that could’ve explained the hand if the pinky side hadn’t been riding and even dipping a little below that line where Gigi’s ass began.
He removed his hand from Gigi’s back and extended it. “It’s nice to meet you, Lizzy. Gigi’s mentioned you and your bakery often enough that I decided I had to come give it a try.”
I smiled. “Gigi’s one of my best customers. She’s become a friend too.” Something about this guy made the hair on the back of my neck stand on end. His handshake gave me the urge to run and sanitize my palm before I so much as went to the bathroom. “Do you live in New York?” He had an accent similar to Will’s, or was that my imagination?
“I just moved back. I’ve been modeling in London for a while now. My agent got me a few jobs in New York that I couldn’t pass up.”
“No, I imagine not.”
They stepped up and ordered. Greg ordered the peaberry Will preferred, one of the most expensive drinks we offer, while Georgie ordered a latte and a slice of one of her favorite cakes. When Mia told them the total, Greg reached for his wallet, but Gigi set the chip of her card on the machine.
“Not on your life,” she said. “This is to welcome you back.”
Greg gave a lop-sided smirk until Gigi turned, then he grinned widely. “Thanks, love. I’m glad to be here.”
“I need to go to the ladies’ room. Greg, would you watch out for our drinks?”
“Of course.”
Before I could return to the kitchen, a hand on my arm made me turn to face Greg. “Can I help you with something? I do need to get back to work.”
“Oh, I don’t want to hold you up.”
“It’s fine. Like I said, Gigi has become a friend. I’ll always take a moment or two to say ‘hi’ when she comes in.”
His hands clenched and released. “It’s just Gigi mentioned that you know William.”
“Her brother? Yes, I do, but we’re not close. Why?”
“Well, he and I had a falling out when we were younger. It was so bad that William refused to honor his father’s wish for me to work for Pemberley and didn’t even give me the money set aside in my godfather’s will.”
I frowned. “His father ran Pemberley Books when he was alive. Why wouldn’t he have given you the job himself?”
“It was a letter included with Mr. Darcy’s will. I received one that was sent after his death, and when I came to ask for the job, William refused to honor his father’s last wishes. Mr. Darcy paid for my education at Eton with William and after at Harvard, although I didn’t finish my degree.”
Which was probably why Will wouldn’t hire him. How many jobs at Pemberley Books didn’t require a degree? “I don’t understand why you’re telling me any of this.”
“Because I’d rather you not tell William that Gigi and I are hanging out. Gigi has been like a little sister to me for as long as I can remember, and I don’t want to lose that again.”
Huh? An older brother that lets part of his hand slip to Gigi’s ass? I don’t think so. “I hardly speak to William, so I don’t think you need to worry.” There, not a promise of silence, but not a lie either.
Greg’s expression immediately brightened. “Brilliant! I knew you’d understand. After all, if you’ve met William, you know what a daft prick he is.”
“Yes. Yes, I do.” I couldn’t argue with the man there!
“Gigi!”
The man in front of me startled. “Ah, there’s our coffees. I better grab those.”
I pointed over my shoulder with my thumb. “And I should get back to the kitchen.”
“See ya,” said Greg.
“Hopefully not,” I retorted once the door swung closed behind me. Gigi could do better. Way better than Greg whatever his last name was!
A timer went off, and Char hurried in front of me to the ovens. “That’s another batch of pumpkin muffins. Last I looked, we were getting low in the front.”
Char placed them on the work surface, and we set to work removing them from the pan. I got one of the serving trays we used in the display and set to work ensuring the front was stocked while Char and our crew continued baking.
Every time I brought out more stock, my gaze landed on Gigi, who was laughing or talking to Greg at the table near the window—the one where Will and I sat two days ago. It was all I could do not to heave when Gigi fed Greg a piece of her cake from her fork. He grinned at her after and nodded, but that same heebie-jeebies sensation rocketed through me at the sight.
I shoved the door back into the kitchen harder than I’d intended, making it slam against the wall, and picked up a tray.
“Lizzy, wait!” Char rushed over and swapped the tin in my hand. I’d grabbed the cranberry spice muffins to replenish the plate, but not the cooked ones. “What’s wrong?”
“Gigi brought a guy into the shop.”
“Okay, yay, Gigi,” said Char with a shrug. “She comes in with her male friends all the time. What’s the big deal?”
“This one isn’t one of her friends from school. He’s a model—”
“Still not seeing the problem.”
“Let me finish then!” I huffed. “He’s a model, he’s also her brother’s age—”
“Ew,” said Char, her nose scrunched.
“Yeah, and he had his hand on her lower back when they walked in. At one point, she angled herself to the side some, and I could make out where his pinkie and ring fingers were both on the top of her ass. I’m telling you, Char, he makes the hair on the back of my neck prickle—and not in a good way.”
Char took the tray from my hands. “Give me this. I want to see.” She disappeared into the front. A few minutes later, she returned with the muffins gone from the tin and shaking her head.
“He’s good looking, but too old for her. Gigi’s mature in some ways and still very young in others.” Char shook her head. “I don’t like it either. What are you going to do?”
“What can I do? She’s an adult.”
“With a trust fund,” said Char. “What if he’s trying to get access to her money?”
I groaned. “He acted like he was going to pull out his wallet to pay but didn’t protest one bit when she put her card into the machine. Greg also asked me not to tell Will that I saw them together. Greg said they had a falling out, and Will denied him an inheritance from the elder Mr. Darcy.”
Char grabbed the tin with the uncooked muffins and headed for the ovens. “I don’t like it. Gigi’s gorgeous, but a man like that is not looking for a girl like her. You need to go to her brother.”
“And when she becomes furious with me? We’re not her keepers; we’re her friends.”
“And protecting her from tossers is part of being her friend. You have to admit she’s vulnerable to being scammed. She’s entirely too trusting. I love her for it, but we’ve both commented it’s going to get her into trouble one day.”
“But, Mom, I don’t want to see William Darcy!” I whined and stomped my foot for dramatic effect.
My friend laughed. “I get it, but I think you have to. I doubt I’d make it past the door, or I’d do it myself.”
“Fine,” I said low and drawled. If I didn’t care about Gigi so much, I’d have let it go. The girl was just too nice for her own good.
“Can I help you, miss?” asked the doorman when I approached the Midtown building where Will lived.
“Yes, I need to see William Darcy.”
“Your name?” He opened the door and held it for me while I entered with him right behind me.
“Elizabeth Bennet.”
He spoke to the attendant at the counter just like the last time I’d visited the building while the man placed a phone call. After a moment or two, the one behind the counter hung up and lifted his head. “Miss Bennet, you can go up. Mr. Darcy’s on the penthouse floor.”
Which I knew, but I still smiled. “Thank you.”
The elevator quickly took me to the top floor. When I stepped off, I walked to the door on the right and knocked. This building only had two penthouse units on the top floor. They both had to be huge compared to most of the apartments and homes near here.
“Miss Bennet,” said Mrs. Reynolds as she opened the door. “Was William expecting you?”
“No, I’m sorry. I didn’t think to call him first.”
“Oh, it’s no bother.” She shifted back as she allowed me to enter. “I did text him, and he’s on his way.”
I nodded.
“Would you like something to drink? Water or a glass of wine? It is after five.” She chuckled with the last.
“I don’t think I’ll be here long, but thank you.”
She brought me to the spacious and high-ceilinged living room where most of Gigi’s party had been spent. When I turned to face her, she had opened her mouth to speak, but the front door opening interrupted. “There he is. I’ll grab his coat and let the two of you talk.”
The older lady bustled out. Will’s deep voice carried into the living room from the entry, but nothing he said was clear enough to make out. When he entered, his eyebrows were drawn down in the middle.
“Would you like a drink?” He poured himself a Scotch. Why not? Maybe it would take the awkwardness out of this conversation.
“I’ll have whatever you’re having.” He still wore his sleek black suit from the office, which accentuated his broad shoulders and tall frame. When he turned his back to me to pour, my eyes wandered down his strong shoulders to the “v” of his waist. I ripped my gaze from the not-so-terrible view below. What was I doing? Yes, William Darcy was hot, but why was I checking him out? It wasn’t like we’d ever be so much as friends!
When he turned, he handed me a glass with two fingers of the amber liquid inside. I took a sip, but it did nothing to make that tight feeling in my stomach relax.
“I apologize for dropping in like this. Gigi came into the shop today, and she was with someone who made me uncomfortable.”
He frowned. “Uncomfortable? How do you mean?”
“Well, he was closer to your age than hers, for one. He made an act of reaching for his wallet to pay but didn’t argue when she put her card in the machine, which I know isn’t much, but it rubbed me the wrong way. Other than to say he set the hair on my neck on end, I can’t say that much against him. He did ask me not to tell you he and Gigi had been together—that the two of you had gone to school together but had a falling out.”
Will slammed his glass on a nearby table, making me jump. “His name. What was this man’s name?”
“Gigi didn’t give me a last name, but his first is Greg. He said his father worked for Pemberley Books, and that your father was his godfather.” That should be enough, shouldn’t it?
“His last name is Wickham, and I have to compliment your Spidey sense because he’s the last person I’d want hanging around you or Gi. For that matter, I wouldn’t trust him with just about any woman.” Will downed the remainder of his drink and bared his teeth when he swallowed. My stomach suddenly churned. What had this Greg done? Will didn’t like me, but I couldn’t imagine him ever having such a severe reaction to anything said about me.
“Thank you for letting me know,” he said. “Now I’ve got to figure out what to do about it. I don’t want my sister hurt, and he’d be happy to drive a wedge between us. This isn’t going to be easy.”
I swallowed the sip in my mouth and nodded. I had to get out of here. “If you need anything from me or Char, we’ll be happy to help. Neither of us wants your sister to get hurt. It’s why I’m here.”
He nodded. “I appreciate that. Thank you for looking out for her.”
“I’m happy to do it.” I set down my glass. “Look, I should go. I’ve told you what I came to tell you, and I’m sure you want me to leave. . .”
Will started as though he’d faded off somewhere else. “I’m sorry I’m not better company. You shocked me is all. I don’t know where Wickham got the money to travel here, but—”
“He said he had some modeling jobs in the city. I didn’t ask for specifics.”
While I spoke, Will straightened a little. “Modeling? Maybe you should take me bit by bit through your conversation.” But I didn’t want to give a play-by-play! What I needed was to go home.
“It truly wasn’t that much. Gigi introduced us and told me he was an old friend.” Will snorted. “I noticed he had a similar accent to yours, which is probably because you went to school together. They ordered; Greg got the peaberry coffee you like so much while Gigi got her usual order, a latte and a piece of gluten-free cake. She paid then went to the restroom.
“He then explained how he knew you and his claim of you not giving him his inheritance. Gi returned, and they sat at the table next to the window.”
“Where we sat a couple of days ago?” An image of Will licking his lips of his apple pie doughnut popped into my brain, and I shoved that down deep. That was the last thing I needed to think about at the moment!
“Yes,” I said. “I went in the back and told Char that he rubbed me the wrong way. One of the times I was putting muffins out, Gigi fed him a piece of cake from her fork. Char went out while refilling another plate of muffins to take a look. She insisted I tell you. I hope I don’t alienate Gigi by doing so.”
Will shook his head. “I should be able to separate them without bringing you into it.”
I exhaled heavily. “I’d appreciate it.”
He nodded again. “Of course.”
I lifted a hand. “I’ll leave you be then. Good night.”
Without looking back, I strode from the apartment and didn’t slow until my feet landed on the sidewalk outside where I could finally breathe again.
Thank heavens that was done!