Lynn chewed on a fingernail. “Huh. I don’t think he’s home yet. I’m sure he’ll be here soon. He never misses dinner. The way that boy can eat!”
“How many teens are in the shelter?” Jane asked as they carried the food down the hall.
“It varies,” Lynn said. “But it can hold as many as twenty-five, and we have a waiting list.”
“I can imagine,” Elizabeth said.
“I always wish we could reach more teens—” Before Lynn could say anything else, her phone rang, and she hurried into the hallway to take the call.
Ricky set the food down on the counter. “I don’t know what I would have done without True Colors. This place saved my life.”
“I think you were pretty damned brave,” Jane said to Ricky as she dropped the tomato sauce onto the counter. The lid must have been a little loose because the movement caused sauce to splatter across Jane’s face and shirt. “Oh!” She looked down in dismay and then started laughing. “I am such a klutz! I swear I could trip walking across a completely flat surface.”
Ricky smiled down at her. He was only a few inches taller, but the difference was noticeable. “It’s kind of cute.”
Jane blushed. “It’s good that I didn’t have my heart set on becoming a ballet dancer.” She grabbed a paper towel to wipe off her face.
“Allow me.” Ricky swiped a dribble of sauce from Jane’s cheek and licked his finger. “Um…delicious!”
“Really?” Jane asked. “I’ve never tried that recipe before.”
“See for yourself.” Stepping closer, he swiped his finger through another splatter and held it to Jane’s lips.
She hesitated for a minute. Then her lips caressed his finger, and her tongue reached out to lap up the sauce, taking far longer than the process would seem to require.
Ricky closed his eyes, apparently in the grip of strong emotion. “Oh God, Jane!” In the next second, he pulled Jane into his arms and kissed her, smearing spaghetti sauce all over his shirt and face.
Elizabeth was simultaneously elated and embarrassed. This is kind of awkward. Should I leave and draw attention to my presence, or should I stay and hope they forget about me?
Before Elizabeth could decide, a cell phone rang. Jane and Ricky jumped apart guiltily, both reaching into their pockets for their phones. Jane checked her screen and made a face but then answered. “Mom? Now’s not a good time to—” Her face grew pale. “What? Where?”
Elizabeth froze, feeling adrenaline surge through her veins even before she knew what the problem was.
“Okay,” Jane said. “I’m at the shelter with Lizzy. We’ll be there as soon as we can.” As she ended the call, the phone fell to her side as though it weighed down her hand.
“What is it?” Elizabeth’s heart was in her throat.
“Lydia. There’s been some sort of car accident. It sounds bad. She’s at the hospital.”
“We have to go.” Elizabeth was already moving toward the door, nearly colliding with Lynn as she returned to the kitchen.
Ricky put his hand on Jane’s shoulder. “I can drive you.”
“No, you should stay and help with the food,” Jane said.
“Don’t worry about that,” Lynn said. “The kids can serve themselves. You’ve done the hard part already. Please, go, and don’t worry about us.”
Jane still seemed undecided.
“You shouldn’t drive when you’re so distracted,” Ricky said. “Please, let me help.”
Jane handed him the keys to her car. “Okay, let’s go.”
***
The life of an international jet-setter was not all it was cracked up to be, Darcy thought wryly as he settled into the back of the limo. Two days ago, he had been slogging through rice paddies in Vietnam. Now he was in L.A., having had maybe five hours of sleep in the past 48 hours. He had only returned home in time for a shower and a change of clothing before crawling into the limo that would take him to the premiere of In the Shadows.
He leaned his head against the back of the seat, wishing there’d been time for at least a quick nap. Undoubtedly, Elizabeth—and her whole family—would be at the premiere. He hadn’t seen her for months, although it felt like years. He’d wanted to apologize to her in person before he’d left, but multiple texts and two calls had received no response. Maybe he should take it as a sign that she had no interest in even sustaining a friendship with him, but he wasn’t quite ready to give up on her.
The trip to Vietnam should have given him time to strategize and hone his apology, but he was still tied into knots of anxiety. This is my chance to show her that I’ve taken her words to heart. I can be a more considerate human being. I respect her and don’t assume that I’m God’s gift to women.
His apology needed to be abject, but how could he manage that?
If he passed that hurdle and she was still speaking with him, he would ask her questions about her life, her family, and her ambitions. Over the past months, he had realized how little he knew about her life—a pretty pathetic showing for a woman he thought he was in love with.
He’d realized some things about himself as well. Realizations he ached to share with Elizabeth. Hopefully she would hear him out.
If only he weren’t so jet-lagged. His thoughts were sluggish, like they were moving underwater. Why did it have to be today that he would see Elizabeth? But he couldn’t let this opportunity slip through his fingers; he didn’t know if he’d ever see her again.
The limo lurched to a stop in front of Charlie’s Hollywood Hills home. Charlie jumped into the back, freshly pressed and dashing in his tux. I hope Elizabeth isn’t interested in him; I probably resemble a dead sea creature by comparison.
Damn, there was another thing to worry about: what if Elizabeth had a boyfriend?
“Darcy! Dude!” Charlie gave Darcy a bro handshake. “Long time, no see! You psyched about the premiere?”
Truthfully, Darcy hadn’t given the movie itself much thought. “Yeah. It’ll be great, unless Roberta did a real butcher job in the editing room.”
“True that.” The limo lurched into motion, and Charlie slumped into his seat.
“Didn’t your manager want you to have a date for this?” Darcy couldn’t remember Charlie ever attending anything solo.
“Of course, he did.” Charlie poured some champagne from the built-in bar. “But I wanted to come alone.”
Darcy lifted an eyebrow.
“I…um…” Avoiding Darcy’s gaze, Charlie stared out the window at the passing scenery, which was gradually turning gray in the gathering twilight. “Jane won’t return my calls.”
That was a shame; Darcy had hoped his friend could supply some intel on Elizabeth. “Since when did you want Jane to return your calls?” he asked Charlie. “I thought it was over between you.”
Charlie shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “Yeah, I did, too. It was a reasonable assumption, what with her refusing to take my calls and, you know, returning my flowers to the florist and unfriending me and deleting all her social media accounts—and, you know, everything else. But I can’t stop thinking about her.”
“You’re kidding.” Charlie usually changed women the way most men changed socks. Darcy couldn’t remember his friend ever getting hung up on one particular woman before.
“Yeah. I mean…she’s like…and really…so…wow! You know? I’m never going to find another woman like that.”
“You went out on a date with another woman.”
Charlie rested his head against the back of the seat. “Yeah, I screwed up. Caroline set me up. But in my defense, I didn’t know how much I would miss Jane until she was gone.”
It wasn’t comforting to think that Darcy’s situation paralleled his friend’s. He couldn’t decide if he’d screwed up worse than Charlie or not. He hadn’t cheated on Elizabeth, so he wasn’t in the same doghouse as Charlie. But he had insulted her and made demeaning assumptions, so maybe that put him in a different doghouse.
He’d probably know
by the end of the evening. The thought gave him heart palpitations.
“So you were hoping that if you showed up alone you might be able to get something going with Jane again,” Darcy said.
“Yeah. Kinda pathetic, huh?”
Darcy could hardly tease his friend when he was flying solo for pretty much the same reason. Of course, Roy had thrown a fit, but Darcy simply hung up on him. “Nah. The right woman is worth making an effort for.”
“Do you think she’ll forgive me if I apologize?” Charlie’s forehead creased with worry.
Darcy wondered the same thing and desperately wished he knew the answer. “Jane strikes me as the forgiving type,” he said.
Charlie appeared slightly happier. Unfortunately, “forgiving” was not a word Darcy would use to describe Elizabeth.
It was pathetic, really. She’d rejected him in no uncertain terms, kicked him to the curb decisively, and yet she was all he could think of. Even if she never wanted him—which seemed likely—he’d never find someone to replace her.
He pictured her face wearing the kind of welcoming smile he was desperate to see—an affectionate smile just for him. If he saw that—if she gave him the slightest hint that she might return even a portion of his feelings—he’d do anything, pay anything, give up anything, even end his career…just for another chance with her. The thought was terrifying but not as terrifying as the idea that she would never want him.
The closer they drew to the theater, the more his stomach tied itself into knots. His mouth was dry, and his fists were clenched into tight balls. He might as well be facing a jury assigned to determine if he’d go free or live a life in prison.
Finally, the limo pulled up in front of the theater, right to the spot where the red carpet spilled down to the curb and crowds of eager fans strained behind velvet ropes. Darcy climbed out of the car and straightened his jacket. A huge wave of cheers and screams greeted him, only increasing in volume when Charlie emerged from the limo behind him. They smiled and waved. Darcy allowed the adulation to buoy his spirits while reminding himself not to let it go to his head.
Then it was time to work the red carpet. They posed for pictures, separately and together. Darcy spoke with a string of entertainment reporters about this momentous occasion and how he felt about the film. Charlie was pulled in a different direction to speak with other reporters.
While Darcy greeted his fellow In the Shadows actors and shook hands with other celebrities, he tried to focus on the task in front of him and not allow himself to be distracted. But his eyes couldn’t help seeking any sign of Elizabeth.
Upon reaching the lobby, he had a brief moment to himself and scanned the space, but he didn’t see her or any member of the Bennet family. However, near the restrooms Charlotte Lucas had pressed an unresisting Bill Collins against the wall as they made out like teenagers. Charlotte and Bill? He thought the woman had better taste than that.
I’m not desperate enough to…no, who am I kidding? I am.
Before anyone could stop him, Darcy darted toward the couple and tapped on Charlotte’s shoulder, causing them to jump apart with a nervous yelp. “Excuse me for interrupting, Ms. Lucas, but I was wondering if you’ve seen Elizabeth? Elizabeth Bennet?”
Given her red, swollen lips and disheveled hair, Charlotte probably hadn’t seen much of anything for the past ten minutes. “Uh, no.”
“Do you know if she’s coming tonight?”
She blushed a deep red. “No, I don’t.”
Collins had managed to collect himself and straighten his suit. He bowed to Darcy as if he were royalty. “Mr. Darcy, a pleasure to see you again.”
“Likewise,” Darcy said absently. Where was Elizabeth? “Uh, is my aunt attending the premiere?”
Collins shook his head slowly. “Unfortunately not. She had one of her spells this afternoon.”
That sounded rather alarming. “Spells? Like a seizure?”
“No, speaking in tongues,” Collins replied as if saying “head cold” or “back problems.”
“I…see. I didn’t know she suffered from that.”
“Indeed. I have frequently urged her to start her own cult. I believe she would make a most persuasive cult leader. But she is wary of the social stigma attached to the role.”
“Yes, I don’t suppose that’s common among her social set.” Darcy wondered if every discussion with Collins always went down a conversational rabbit hole. What did Charlotte talk to him about?
Charlie caught Darcy’s eye and gestured him toward the interior of the theater. “Very good. Er, carry on,” he said to the couple.
With a shrug, Charlotte resumed putting her tongue down her boyfriend’s throat as Darcy hastily joined his friend. “Have you seen Elizabeth?”
“Nobody from the Bennet family, but maybe they’re already seated.”
The ushers showed the two men to their seats in the front row, but they didn’t even have a chance to sit down. A steady stream of people wandered past, requiring handshakes, air kisses, and greetings. During his free moments, Darcy craned his neck, surveying the rest of the theater. Near the back, there were two rows of star-struck, selfie-taking kids from True Colors; Darcy exchanged waves with Garrett. He also spotted Caroline a few rows back with some Eurotrash guy as her date.
Tom and Franny Bennet occupied front-row seats on the other side of the aisle. He desperately wanted to greet them and ask about their daughter, but the procession of people made it impossible. Jane and two women he recognized as Mary and Kitty Bennet occupied seats further down the row. Darcy was a little surprised to see Ricky beside Jane and wished he’d had a chance to call his cousin after landing that afternoon.
But Elizabeth wasn’t sitting with her family, and he didn’t see her anywhere in the rest of the theater. Why wasn’t she there? She believed in this project as much as Roberta or Ricky or Jane did. And she would want to support her father and sisters. Anxiety over making an apology to Elizabeth began to give way to a more amorphous dread.
Belatedly Darcy realized that Lydia was also missing. What was up with that? She would never miss an opportunity to dress up and flirt. Of course, there were hundreds of people in the audience. It must be that they were sitting in the back for some reason, and Darcy just couldn’t see them. Nothing else made sense.
Less in demand than Darcy, Charlie had better luck at maneuvering through the crowds. Darcy noticed enviously that he managed to slip to the other side of the aisle for a brief conversation with Jane.
Darcy cursed his luck as the lights dimmed and he still hadn’t managed to speak with the Bennets. Right before they went to full dark, Charlie slid into the seat next to Darcy’s. “Any luck with Jane?” he asked.
“No.” Charlie looked disgusted. “She’s dating Ricky!”
“Huh.” Darcy twisted in his seat to catch a glimpse of the couple, who were indeed sitting side by side and chatting.
“I mean, I know he’s your cousin. But I never thought Jane would go for…you know?”
“Someone trans?”
“Yeah, I mean, even if he’s had surgery, the plumbing isn’t going to be exactly the same, you know?”
Darcy covered his eyes with his hand. “I do not want to think about my cousin’s plumbing, thank you very much.”
“But—”
“If it doesn’t bother Jane, it’s not really an issue, is it?” Darcy pointed out, and Charlie grumbled an incoherent response. “Maybe you’re just upset that she’s not still pining for you.”
“No way; I am so over her.” He folded his arms over his chest and slouched into his seat.
“Did she say anything about where Elizabeth and Lydia are?” Darcy asked him.
“No. Aren’t they here?”
“I haven’t seen them.”
“Huh.”
All conversation ceased as Roberta Perez walked out onto the stage to a round of enthusiastic applause. She gave a short introduction before the screen lit up with the opening credits.
&nb
sp; In the Shadows was magnificent, even better than Darcy had anticipated. Perez had managed to pull subtle performances from all the actors. Dialogue that had seemed hokey on the page worked far better on the screen. Moments that could have veered into sentimentality were handled deftly. The camera work was atmospheric and haunting in places.
Jane was terrific, as Darcy had known she’d be. He was happy that an actor of her caliber had been given a role that highlighted her talent. No doubt this performance would help her land higher-profile projects. Although Darcy found her annoying, Caroline had turned in a stunning performance. Maybe she was right about having a chance to win an Oscar. Darcy found it difficult to be objective about his own performance but believed he had done justice to the part.
As the movie ended, Darcy could practically hear the audience let out a collective sigh. The movie had cast a spell over everyone, even the hardened veterans of Hollywood. There was a pause as everyone processed what they had just seen, and then the audience burst into thunderous applause. It was immensely gratifying to hear. In the Shadows wasn’t a summer movie blockbuster, but the denizens of Hollywood recognized the quality of the work that had been created.
Perez got up on the stage and made a short speech. Then it was Tom Bennet’s turn. Tom climbed the steps to the stage with a stiffness Darcy didn’t remember seeing before. Was age catching up with him?
Tom smiled as the applause died down, but the grin didn’t seem to reach his eyes. His response was oddly muted for someone who surely had been dreaming of this moment for his whole life. “Thank you, thank you. It’s gratifying to hear our little film get such an enthusiastic reception. This film has been my dream for some time, but it also is the dream of many others who have worked hard to see it to fruition. I want to thank each and every member of the cast and crew. I couldn’t have asked for better people to work with.”
He paused as everyone applauded again.
“I had a longer speech planned out.” His voice cracked with emotion, and Darcy exchanged an alarmed look with Charlie. Something was definitely wrong. “But I don’t think I can deliver it now. Most of you don’t know that our daughter, Lydia, was in a horrific car accident about a month ago.” There was a collective gasp from the audience. “We managed to keep it out of the press until we knew that she would survive.”
Darcy in Hollywood Page 18
