Chapter 26
The days leading up to Christmas were interminable. I spent my days, from early in the morning until late at night, in the bakery. Our business this year was booming, so I stayed busy even though Char busted my ass about not taking my breaks. Mary, who’d offered to help, joined Char’s chorus of entreaties to pause and catch my breath, but I hugged them for their efforts and kept going. I needed to keep busy. I needed to not think about the case, which I’d heard precious little about since Mr. Goulding left three days ago. Today was Christmas Eve. Nothing would happen now.
I also needed to not think about Will. God, I missed him! When I left work, I trudged through the back of the shops to go upstairs, then up to my bathroom where I leaned against the shower wall and let the hot water wash away the day. Most nights, I was so exhausted, I was asleep before my head hit the pillow.
That didn’t stop Will, though. Every morning when I woke, I had a new voicemail on my phone. As I dragged myself up to sit on the edge of the bed, I grabbed my phone off the mattress. As there had been each morning, a notification let me know I had a voicemail. I pressed the play symbol and put it on speakerphone.
“ Good morning, beautiful. I just finished a long day at work and wanted to hear your voice. Yes, I know you aren’t going to answer. You’re probably asleep after a long day in the bakery, but even the short message on here helps calm my soul. If this is the only way I can hear your voice and speak to you, then this is what I have to do. I can’t wait for this to be over. I want to see you, I want to hold you in my arms, and I want to press my lips to yours. Hopefully, you’ll be returned to me soon. I love you .”
“You should call him.”
I shifted on the bed to face Mary in the doorway. “I can’t let him be dragged into what’s going on.”
She shrugged. “Maybe you should let him decide for himself. He’s a big boy, you know.
“I was going to head down. I think I can manage the blueberry muffins on my own this morning.” She turned but must’ve thought better of it since she turned back around. “Thanks for letting me have the job. If I’m not helping, you can always fire me. I won’t hold it against you.”
Poor Mary. She’d been treated like a pain in the ass for so long, she truly thought of herself in those terms. “You’ve been doing a fantastic job. I can’t wait to taste the muffins. I’m sure they’ll be amazing.”
She beamed as she disappeared down the hallway. I’d had Zio, and I’d honor him by being exactly what Mary so desperately required, for as long as she needed me.
As I had every day before, I operated on autopilot once I rose from the bed. Get dressed, brush my teeth, pull up my hair, and go to work: new day, same old routine.
By the time I entered the kitchen, Mary was mixing the muffins while Char was pulling out a brioche dough she’d made yesterday before leaving. Her entire morning would be spent making her star-shaped cinnamon pastry. We’d advertised the sinful family-sized sweet roll and had a multitude of orders. We’d also accounted for how many people would want to pick up one at the last minute. She’d made some yesterday and had wrapped them well, not to mention the huge bowls of dough she’d prepped for today. They’d been popular last year. We’d planned ahead for them being just as sought after this year.
With the blueberry muffins in hand, I started on the other varieties, including a white chocolate cranberry I’d been alternating into the rotation this past week. They were so good!
The day dragged on and on while I finished the muffins and moved on to cakes and cupcakes. I’d zoned out while decorating my last chocolate Yule Log when the door to the kitchens slammed open.
“Lizzy! You’ve got to see this!” Char charged in, grabbed the remote off the shelf, and turned on a television we kept in the corner. We didn’t use it often, except when something big was happening, like a disaster or an election, and we wanted to keep tabs on it.
When the screen came to life, Char changed the channel. “Annie called me and told me what’s going on. You’re not going to believe it.”
My jaw dropped at the video of my father, my mother, and Jane being led up the stairs of a big building in handcuffs. They all had their heads down while trying to avoid the constant flashes of the photographers.
“. . .Henry Bennet is accused of embezzling four point five million dollars, some of which he deposited into a bank account in the Cayman Islands. With the other portion, he wrote out checks that his family cashed at various businesses around New York while posing as his estranged daughter Elizabeth Bennet, owner of Manhattan bookstore, Novel Books, and The Buttercream Beanery in the Upper West Side. An undisclosed source on the case claimed he did this in an attempt to make the authorities believe his daughter was the person who actually perpetrated the crime . . .”
As I watched, I set the piping bag on the work surface and stood, then stepped around the corner and drew closer to the TV. No freaking way!
“Lizzy?”
“Am I dreaming?” I pointed to the person on the portico of the courthouse. He stood with Mr. Goulding and several other suit-clad men and women, his expensive suit fitting him like a glove.
Char gasped. “That’s William? I wonder what he’s doing there.”
I gave her a side-eye. “You don’t know? You swear?”
She crossed her chest with her finger. “Yes, I promise I don’t know what’s going on. But doesn’t this mean it’s over?”
“I don’t know. I need to call Mr. Goulding.”
“Well? What are you waiting for? I’ll finish that, and you go make that phone call.”
My best friend shoved me toward my office before she headed to the sink to wash her hands. When I stepped into the small space I used for nothing more than making schedules and submitting payroll to the accountant, I closed the door and hit send on Mr. Goulding’s number.
“Miss Bennet! You must’ve seen the news!”
“I have so many questions.” Like what in the name of all that was holy was Will doing there?
“I’m sure you have a litany of questions, but I can’t answer them right this moment. We’re finishing up everything. Your family will be held until they can be arraigned. It’s over. As it turns out, they’d been channeling the funds into an account in your name and writing checks made out to you that were being cashed all over town. They’d gotten their hand on fake IDs with your name. All our people had to do was pull the security footage from the bank as well as the different check cashing locations to find out who was truly claiming the money. You’re cleared.”
My eyes stung. “Mr. Goulding, what was William Darcy doing there—at the courthouse?”
My attorney went quiet for a moment and some of the background noise faded. “Well, when he called and offered the help of his own attorneys as well as the investigation service he’d hired, I wasn’t about to turn him down. It was his investigators that tracked down the offshore account where your father’s hidden almost three and a half million. They also followed your parents and Jane. They have evidence galore implicating each and every one of them.”
I rested my head in my hand. “Good Lord.” I’d have to repay him—every cent.
“Tell me about it! Like I said, we’ll meet up after Christmas and I’ll give you a summary of the last few days. It’s been a whirlwind! Oh! And while I’m thinking about it. Mr. Darcy seemed pretty adamant you not know he had any part in clearing you. Of course, it’s his own fault he got caught on the news. My wife will never forgive me but I’m going straight to bed when I get home and not getting up for a week! Happy Holidays, Miss Bennet!”
“Happy Holidays.”
The line clicked, and I sat staring at the bulletin board in front of me for God only knew how long before I stood, slipped my phone into my pocket, and walked like a zombie into the kitchens.
“What happened?” asked Mary.
“It’s over. My name is cleared. It’s all good.” I could hardly believe it.
Several of my employees hugged me. Char hugged me. When Mary wrapped her arms around me, I heaved in a shuddering breath. “Mary—”
“You need to go to him, don’t you?”
“I do.”
“Then don’t let us stop you,” she said as she stepped back.
I grabbed my bag and made for the door.
“Lizzy,” said Mary, making me turn back.
“Yes?”
“I won’t expect you home tonight.”
Char guffawed while my cheeks burned. My little and typically quiet sister had a sense of humor!
“I can’t believe you just said that.”
“I definitely like you, Mary Bennet,” said Char.
I didn’t stick around to listen to their ensuing conversation. I had a man to meet about. . .well, about the fact that I loved him and he loved me. We needed to have a conversation about where we were going from here and it couldn’t wait. At least I hoped we were going somewhere. I didn’t see much point in staying in the same place, figuratively that is.
The third taxi I hailed stopped, and I hopped into the backseat. As soon as I gave him the address, he merged back into traffic in the direction of Midtown. I turned my phone over in my hand and opened the screen.
When I opened the messaging app and tapped on Will’s name, a page of little messages he’d sent me over the past few days popped up.
“I need to talk to you. I’m on my way to your penthouse.”
Three dots flashed below my message indicating he was responding.
“I need to finish up something here, but I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
It wasn’t “hurry” or “I’ve missed you desperately,” but given the circumstances, I guess it’s what he could manage. He’d not held back over the last couple of days, so I could get over that my announcement didn’t garner a gushy response, especially since he was probably at work.
Security for his building called up, and I was admitted easily. Mrs. Reynolds was waiting for me when I reached the door.
“William texted that you’d be on your way. Come on in.” As she led me through the house, she peered over her shoulder. “Would you like some water or tea? I can make coffee.”
I shook my head. “No, thank you.” I glanced at what I was wearing. “I apologize. I’m a mess. I came straight from work.”
“No worries. I’m sure William won’t notice a thing.”
I stared after her when she smiled and excused herself. We’d never spent the night in his place. How did she know?
The view from the window interested me for a bit, then I wandered the room. He had several pieces of art that were intriguing but didn’t hold my attention for long. I peeked through an open door. “This must be his office.” I spoke softly as I looked over my shoulder and slipped inside.
The room boasted of tall glass windows like the rest of the apartment but with a bit more than the minimalistic design the rest of the house had. He had shelves of books lining the walls with a sleek desk. A table stood in one corner of the room and was covered in what appeared to be papers. When I approached the window, a picture on the top caught my eye. It was my mother at a counter while a cashier counted out bills.
I turned it over.
The next was of Charlie Bingley entering Longbourn. I shook my head. It just went to prove that Jane was a siren. Her beauty called to men, but whether they’d survive her song was another matter.
“It was Jane’s idea to put your name on the local bank account, but Charlie came on board with cashing checks so they could access some of the money as well as ideas to ensure you were the only one implicated.”
I startled and backed from the table. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have been snooping.” Here I was in William Darcy’s pristine study with my Buttercream Beanery polo on, baggy and ripped jeans, and low-quarter Dr. Martens, all covered in flour.
He stepped further into the room. “Gigi called me and told me I’d made the news. You already knew I helped out with the investigation, didn’t you?”
After I nodded, I set my bag on the chair. “Char turned on the news in the kitchen, and I saw you. Mr. Goulding told me about your attorneys and the investigators. You couldn’t leave well enough alone, could you?” I let a hint of a smile peek through.
“Of course not. I love you. Besides, you wouldn’t last a day in prison.”
I barked out a laugh. “I bet you’re wrong.”
He wrapped an arm around me and tugged me to him. “We won’t have a chance to test that out. Thank heavens!”
“You’re going to be covered in flour.”
He laughed. “The only thing better would be to cover myself in you.”
I buried my face into his neck and inhaled deeply. When I looked up and our gazes caught, I smoothed some of the hair back from his face. That was when he claimed my lips and kissed me as though his life depended upon it. When he finally drew back, I bit my lip.
“Your attorney tried to help frame me.” I still needed to wrap my head around that part.
Will nodded. “He thought I’d be thrilled. You’d go to jail, and the court would seize everything. I could buy Novel Books and the café if I wanted it. He was stunned when I fired him. He’ll be tried as an accomplice. He’ll never work in corporate law again, although I should never say never.” He kissed my forehead. “I don’t want to talk about them anymore. Please tell me we don’t have to spend another night apart.”
I grinned. “But Will, we hardly know each other.” I totally faked my shocked voice.
His fingers tickled my sides while he growled in my ear. “I don’t care how long we’ve been seeing each other. I’m in love with you, and I don’t want to be separated from you again. If that means I have to move in with you because of Atticus and your sister, I can live with that.”
“What about this place?” One thing was certain: I couldn’t live here. It was beautiful, but it didn’t feed my soul.
“I initially bought it as an investment. When my parents died, I needed to get out of their home. I loved it, but their ghosts lurked around every corner. Now, I just want to be with you whether it’s at your home or whether you want to move into my parents’ home one day.”
As much as giving over so much to him should terrify me, I had no trembling and no uncomfortable quivering in my belly—other than the usual butterflies Will caused.
I donned what I hoped was a thoughtful expression. “Before you start packing, I require a bit more persuading.”
“Persuading?”
“Yes, Will.” I shoved his coat off his shoulders. “You’ll need to plead your case.”
I backed away and pulled my shirt over my head.
He grinned. “I think I can manage that.”