by Kristi Rose
“What do you do for a living, Geo?” She gestured again.
Yes! That was the question. “I’m an actor. You may have seen me on a popular daytime drama. I’m also the guy in a few foreign motorcycle commercials.”
“I’ve seen those. You speak French in them. How many other languages do you know?”
None, only bits and pieces, and only because Darcy had a nanny fluent in several languages, and every few years the focus was learning a new one. Geo could get by in French, Spanish, and Italian, though he couldn’t read or write them.
“I can tell a woman she’s beautiful in four languages. ‘Tu es une belle femme, Eres una bella mujer, and sei una bella donna.’”
“That’s three.”
“Well, don’t forget English.” He winked and then laughed.
“Why did you come to Meryton, Geo?” Lydia adjusted her glasses and stared at him through the large lenses.
To meet you. Of course, he had no idea she would be here.
The truth was to figure out what Darcy was up to and screw him royally. To deliver Darcy’s just desserts, and maybe Geo could get a little something out of it as well. Any chance he could find to stick a knife into Darcy, he would take it. He hated how Darcy lorded his money and opportunity over him, how Hollywood knew of their connection, and how it never failed to come up at auditions. How many times had he been told he was given a chance only because of his link to the Darcy family? When he first had started acting, the kindness and understanding he was shown from Darcy’s father were amazing. Just enough guidance, no overbearing pushes, and Geo still had felt as if he was in charge of his destiny, not Darcy.
Not any longer. All had changed after their fathers passed.
He hated how everything came easy for good old William, and nothing was easy for naughty old George. Because the industry always saw him as bad, he was type casted. Well, fine. If that was the role they wanted him to play, he would. The bad boy was an act that produced results, and one thing he would never be accused of was being dumb and ignoring an opportunity, no matter how tired he was of it.
But he couldn't tell her that was why he'd come here.
“I came to Meryton because being an actor and dating is difficult.” He ducked his head and gave it a slight shake. Following a chuckle he said, “I know, I sound like I’m whining. People have worse problems.” He leaned forward and looked directly at Lydia. “But with a lifestyle where very little is real and everything is constantly changing, I wouldn’t mind a…”
“Rock? A constant that would keep it real?” she said in her sweeter than honey voice while blinking her large blue eyes at him. She was disarming, talking to the lonely parts of his soul, and all he could do was nod. He never admitted before that having such a calm, steady person in his life would be amazing. Shoot, he'd just realized the appeal when Lydia said it. What would people say about bad boy Geo Wickham then? He tried to picture it, but couldn’t.
He shook off Lydia’s magnetic appeal and got back to task. Using his best rakish, crooked smile, he shifted his focus from her to the camera.
“I’m looking for real women to date. Women who know who they are and are confident in their skin. I’ve had my share of fluffy wannabe actresses, and I’m looking for something more substantial, authentic. In full disclosure, I’m not looking to get married. Just date. I don’t really see myself as the husband and father type.” He winked at the camera.
Lydia jumped from the stool and switched off the camera. “I think we should leave it at that. If interested women want to know more about you, they can read your questionnaire or meet you at the next get-together.”
“We didn’t really say much.”
Lydia pulled off her glasses and beamed at him. “Oh, Geo. You said a ton. You said enough. Women are going to trip over themselves to get to you.”
His brows shot up. “Really?”
“Oh, yeah. We ladies love a fixer-upper.” She laughed, gave him a thumbs up, and then swiveled on her heel and walked out the door. Before she exited, she said, “You’re all done. You don’t have to hang around here anymore.”
Geo stared at the empty doorway and wished he knew what had just happened.
Chapter Five
Once he made it down the mountain and into Seattle, Darcy grabbed some of his sister’s favorite chocolate then flew home. He had planned to be up on the mountain longer and do some more hiking in the Olympics, but the unrest within him forced him home.
At his ranch in Montana, Darcy tried to work. There were several contracts to review, property to buy and sell, and his aunt wanted him to get involved with dismantling another one of her small business investments, but he’d lost the taste for such things. After attempting the takeover of Meryton Matchmakers, the desire to tear down and rebuild someone else’s company was gone. He’d stick to his holdings from now on.
He was standing in his office, attempting to read another pitch of some sort, when his sister, Georgiana, came into the room. She brushed a kiss across his cheek, looked at the paper in his hand, and then moved to sit on the arm of his leather couch.
“How’s it going?” She nodded to the paper. It never ceased to amaze him how much she looked like their mother. Fair complexion and caramel-colored hair. He long ago stopped telling her, though, since it made her sad.
“Great. Great. Just getting stuff done here. Is there something you need?”
She smiled. “Whatever is on your mind, you need to address it and take action. It’s got you all hung up and hanging around here for the last few days. Doing nothing but sighing and grunting isn’t working.”
He furrowed his brow and frowned. “I’m not doing nothing. I’m going through contracts.” He waved the paper at her.
Georgiana laughed. “Dear brother, that contract you are so carefully scrutinizing is in fact an order for some undergarments for me.”
Darcy flipped through the pages. “Jeez, how much did you get?” How had he missed this? He’d been looking at the stupid sheet for the last fifteen minutes and hadn’t figured it out. Frustrated, he thrust the pages to his sister.
“Whatever it is, whoever she is, don’t just stand here. Do something. Clearly, you are not acting like yourself. If you were, you wouldn’t have been hung up on an order form. This is not like you, Wills.”
He sighed, tucked a hand in his pocket, and leaned against his heavy wood desk. “I’m not sure if I should be doing something. I might be making things worse.” He rubbed a hand over his mouth, surprised to meet bristly skin, and realized he hadn’t shaved today. He tried to remember the last time he shaved but couldn’t.
“Is there anything I can do to help?” She slid onto the couch seat and put her feet on his coffee table. “You know I’m not a child anymore. I’ve nearly completed my masters. I’ll be hiking Europe in a few months, and I have some life experience behind me.”
He shook his head.
“You could give me a try.”
If this issue didn’t have Wickham at its core, then he might do as she suggested and “give her try.” He knew the simple act of trust would go a long way with her, but he hated to bring Wickham’s name up. He never wanted to cause her angst.
“I’m not a fragile flower, Wills, and one day I will be working for Pemberley International. Don’t you think I should start learning a little bit?”
“This has nothing to do with PI.”
Georgiana dropped her feet from the table and sat forward. “Oh, now I’m intrigued. Come on. Spill.”
He met her gaze, slightly lifting one brow, and sighed.
Georgiana nodded. “So this is about George.” She crossed her arms over her chest and looked away for a brief moment before turning her attention back to him. “Whenever we talk about George, which is almost never, I get so embarrassed. I was such a fool. But then, I was also younger, and he took advantage of my limited experience, our connections, and my broken heart from missing mom and dad. That said, it doesn’t mean I don’t want to talk ab
out any shenanigans he’s up to. And I do have some personal experience with him and could lend a females perspective.”
Darcy rubbed his chin, catching himself mid-exhalation on a second heavy sigh. His sister's lips twitched in an I-told-you-so manner. He said, “Remember the matchmaker company I was supposed to either automate or sell?”
Georgiana nodded. “Yes, took a fair amount of your time, though I recall you saying it would be an easy project.”
Darcy tossed the papers on his desk, then crossed his arms and one ankle over the other. “I became personally invested in their success. I even went as far as to call in a favor with Miles in New York. They are using his hotel as a venue. While there, George saw us.” Truth be told, having bartered with hotel owner and college friend, Miles Chamberlain, to allow Meryton Matchmakers the use of his event’s room at a steep discount had benefited Darcy as well. He'd negotiated the sale of one of his entertainment companies that Miles would enjoy running far more than Darcy would.
“Us?” She twirled a long strand of hair around her finger.
“Elizabeth Bennet and I. She is one half owner of the company. Her sister is the other. Apparently George befriended her, and now he’s gone to Meryton.”
Georgiana let her hair slip through her fingers and sat up tall. “What do you think he wants? I don’t believe his presence there is strictly coincidental.”
“Neither do I.” Darcy felt wholly responsible for this turn of events. “But the question is—should I get involved? I am no longer assisting with the development of the company. There is no point in me going other than to interfere where I truly believe I would not be welcome in the least.”
Georgiana met his gaze. “I’ve never seen you hesitate because you felt unwelcome. Awkward as it may be. This is George Wickham we’re talking about. They have no idea what they’re facing.”
Darcy didn’t have the heart to tell her Elizabeth did know of George’s past. That he'd shared Georgiana’s deep secret. He looked away, directing his attention to the large family picture over the study’s fireplace.
Georgiana rose and moved to stand before him. “You told them, didn’t you? About me and George? How many people know?” Her cheeks were flushed. With anger or embarrassment, he wasn’t sure. She was of such an even nature that it was hard to ascertain her moods.
“I only told Elizabeth Bennet. She accused me of egregious acts against George, and I could not stand the thought of…” He shook his head and rubbed the ache in his chest with his knuckles.
Georgiana narrowed her gaze as if inspecting him. “If she knows of his nature, then you have nothing to worry about. She’ll need to handle it. It’s her company, after all.”
Darcy gave a slight nod.
“Though, only you and I really know how George works. We’ve had years of experience that Elizabeth hasn’t had with him. Is your Elizabeth Bennet a daft woman?”
“She most certainly is not. She has a cunning business mind, an ethical work practice, a strong dedication to her––and this is my opinion of course––undeserving family members. Her mother is Joanna Bennet.” He gave a sad shake of his head. Her family was quite a turn off. “Elizabeth is an exceptional runner with an amazing pair of fine eyes.”
Georgiana smiled widely. “You like her eyes and her legs?”
Darcy struggled for the words to convey to his sister his feelings, but there were so many to sort through, and he knew what he'd just said had not done justice to the depth of his feelings.
“Not that I believe you should be a knight in shining armor and go in and save the day, but perhaps you should keep an eye on the situation. Just in case.” Georgiana reached around him and slid the paper from his desk. “Going might improve your productivity with work.”
There was no way he’d go to Meryton where he was certain he was unwelcome. He glanced at his watch to make certain of the date. However, he could go to New York and check in on some minor business transactions. Happily, he was selling off most of his shares in entertainment companies. He pressed his lips together, his hand on his hip, and dug deep for the will to resist the desire to go to Meryton. No, there was no reason for him to go. If he did, it would be clear he was checking up on her, and he knew her well enough to guess that would not go over well. “I have Anne there keeping an eye on the situation. She can let me know if George goes too far.”
“Which, by then, it could be too late. So unlike you to gamble.”
He cut his gaze to his sister while reaching for his phone vibrating in his front jean’s pocket. “It is also unlike me to interfere where I am not welcome.” He scanned the email from his administrative assistant, who funnily enough was with Chaz overseeing the sales of aforementioned entertainment and media businesses.
Georgiana huffed. “Maybe I should go. Do you think seeing me would throw George a curve?”
William glanced at her, eyes narrowed. “Why are you so invested in this?”
She shrugged. “It feels personal.”
Yes, George being at Meryton most certainly did feel personal, he couldn’t agree more. Darcy scanned the email and then reread it a second time. From the looks of things, George's life just took a downward turn, likely making him a whole lot more desperate. He thrust his phone toward his sister. “I’m going to Meryton.”
Chapter Six
Restless from being cooped up in the house most of the morning, Lydia decided to walk into town for lunch. Lizzy, probably hoping to avoid Geo, had closed the office under the guise of preparing for their trip into the city for the upcoming meet-and-greet.
Lydia snorted, then looked around to see if anyone on the street had heard her, pleased to discover no one had. If the office was closed so they all could pack and stuff, then why was everyone, Anne included, sitting around Lizzy's large harvest-style dining table doing work? Sure, Lizzy was most likely tidying up some last-minute details for the event, but most of the work was on new clients and scheduling interviews and such, which was typically done in the office.
Geo was definitely the reason for her sister's strange behavior. Lydia chewed her lower lip and tried to work out why Lizzy was going to such lengths to avoid one person. She despised Darcy but never avoided him. Usually she'd picked a fight with him. She couldn't imagine it was because Lizzy liked Geo. Lydia snorted again and followed it with a chuckle, not caring if anyone heard this time. The thought of Elizabeth Bennet liking Wickham was...
Perhaps not as farfetched as Lydia initially thought. She tried to picture the two together and simply couldn't. Were Geo and Lizzy strangers to her, she might imagine them paired together based on their physical appearance, but knowing them, their personalities, made the match ridiculous.
Yet, Lizzy had said she found Geo’s company in New York pleasant, though Lydia had assumed anyone would seem that way after spending hours with William Darcy. The man was a stiff. A boring, unemotional stiff.
The local coffee house cafe was swamped so Lydia decided to get something from Lottie's kitchen, another cafe that employed homeless teens, taught them a trade, and set them out into the world with the hopes they would be able to care for themselves. The food was remarkable as Lottie Lucas was an amazing pastry chef. Her sweets made people moan with pleasure, but her savories were get-out-of-town-mouth-watering-to-die-for bites of heaven. Lydia's mouth was already salivating as she anticipated Lottie's Croissant Au Jambon with béchamel sauce. The line was slightly longer but she didn't mind waiting, and when it was her turn, grabbed two sandwiches and drinks to go. Once out the door, she walked around the corner and headed to the lake. Eating alone with time to reflect on life's current issues was all well and good, but Lydia was not one to dwell. She was a take-action kinda girl, and she needed to know the answer to the burning question that had kept her up most of the night.
Why did she find Geo Wickham so intriguing?
And maybe get to the bottom of whether or not he was here for Lizzy.
The town's sole hotel was a ten-room inn. Part
of downtown, Hotel Meryton was comprised of three connecting brownstones on one street behind Main. It sat on the corner and faced the lake across the street while one side looked out onto pastures. This was where Geo was staying. Other than the few Bed and Breakfasts that had rooms to let, Hotel Meryton was the only place to stay. He wouldn't be anywhere else.
Lydia approached the hotel and considered her game plan. It wouldn't do for her to go in and ask which room Geo was in. Word that the Bennet's youngest child was visiting a man in his hotel room would spread to her mother faster than Lydia could scroll through a video on YouTube. No, she would need to be clever about this. Lydia chewed her lip and scanned the area. She could go back to the office, get his cell number from the file, and call him up to invite him out. Her stomach growled, and she agreed. She was too hungry for that option.
She could go back to Lottie's and ask Bill, Lottie's husband, to go get Geo, but Lydia nixed that idea as well. She wanted to laugh at the ridiculousness of it all. It was not the stone ages yet, she, Lydia-grab-life-by-the-shirt-collar, was standing outside trying to figure out how to get to a guy.
Her attention caught a movement across the street, and she narrowed her gaze on the backside of a bent head of someone sitting on a bench by the lake. She stepped off the sidewalk to cross the street, instinct telling her it was Geo. As she got closer, she could hear the soft strumming of a guitar. It was Geo! She paused, not wanting to interrupt. When he stopped strumming, she waited a beat too long to move or call out because he popped an earbud in one ear. That's when she realized there was one in the other ear already. She stepped to the side to make sure she was out of his side vision, curious to hear more of his playing. He began nodding his head in time to whatever was playing. Lydia wondered if she should call out.
Moments later he pulled one side of the cord, causing the tiny bud to fall to his shoulder. He began to play chords, slowly at first, with stops and starts, as if he was practicing them. Then he put them together and Lydia was awed, so much that her mouth fell open. It was beautiful, the piece he played. He repeated the chords a few more times then stopped to tuck the earbud back in to start the process all over again.
