First Impressions: A Modern Retelling of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice (Meryton Medical Romances Book 1)

by Ruby Cruz

  Darcy barely spoke to me through the dance and the alcohol and fatigue succeeded in preventing me from becoming confrontational. I was content to float away in my mind and allow Darcy to lead. A small part of me was disconcerted to find that he was actually a very good dancer; during our dance at the gala I’d been so busy arguing with him that I’d completely overlooked that fact. Maybe it was the alcohol, the atmosphere, but an even smaller part of me didn’t balk at the feel of his hand at my waist, the close proximity of our bodies, the way his eyes appeared intensely black in the dim light. When the song ended, he bowed slightly to me, and then headed to the bar for another drink.

  Ed joined me again on the dance floor. “Are you enjoying yourself?”

  “Yes, of course. I don’t think you’ll ever get Luke to leave here,” I added, gesturing to where Luke had started chatting with a couple of good-looking guys.

  “I’m glad he’s having a good time.” The music, loud as it was, prevented much more conversation. I noticed Darcy leaning against a post and regarding his surroundings with a sardonic glare.

  After the song, Ed led me to the bar and bought me another drink. “So, Elizabeth Bennett, have you been able to do any sightseeing while here?”

  “Considering I’ve been here less than 12 hours, I think I’ve done pretty well.” At Ed’s raised eyebrows, I added, “Well, since arriving here this afternoon, I’ve gone shopping on Fifth Avenue, I’ve had dinner at the Dakota, and I’m at one of the hottest clubs in the city. I’m considering calling it a weekend and just heading home now because it can only go downhill from here.” And aside from not spending nearly as much time with Luke as I would have liked, I was being sincere.

  Ed regarded me for a moment before saying, “You’re really different, you know.”

  “How’s that?”

  “You say what’s on your mind. Like with Will at dinner. You’re not afraid to tell him exactly what you think. Most women I know would be fawning all over him.”

  “Why, because he’s rich?” Ed appeared mildly surprised. “Look, I’m a nurse, and one thing I’ve learned from being a nurse is that it doesn’t matter how much money you have or how much power you have, sooner or later people have to face who they are underneath all that. A lot of times, the people with the money and the power don’t necessarily like what they see.”

  “You mean when they’re sick?”

  “You’d be surprised at how many high powered executives I’ve treated who think that they can just snap their fingers and order their illness away.” My mind flashed briefly to Darcy’s comment about the hospital being dubbed the “Meryton Marriott.”

  “You think Will is like that, too?”

  “He certainly acts that way with many of the nurses I work with. Look, I know he’s your friend but he does have an awfully large chip on his shoulder.” Ed pensively sipped his bourbon. Feeling uncomfortable, I sidestepped. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said anything.”

  “No, don’t be. I just find your opinion of Will very interesting. Like I said, there are very few women who would agree with you.”

  “Well, putting my personal policy against workplace romances aside, I’m not interested in dating Dr. Darcy. He’s not my type.”

  “And what is your type?” Ed’s eyes twinkled at me.

  I thought of George and immediately wished I hadn’t because the humiliation and disappointment threatened to ruin my good mood. “You know, the funny thing is, my criteria is actually very simple, which, if you think about it, the fact that I’m still looking doesn’t say much for the male gender as a whole.”

  “Please elaborate.”

  “He just has to be open and honest. Looks aren’t a deal breaker but can weigh in his favor. A sense of humor, intelligence, integrity, gainful and legal employment…I think that’s it. Like I said, it shouldn’t be too much to ask.”

  “Well, Lizzy Bennett, I’m afraid your search is over.”

  “Oh, really?”

  “You’ve just described me to a T.” His eyes twinkled at me.

  “Is that so? Unfortunately, I don’t do long-distance relationships.”

  “Who says we have to have a relationship,” Ed teased me. “Didn’t you know that weekend flings are all the rage?”

  “If that’s the case, why even invest a whole weekend? We could just have one night of wild and crazy sex. That corner over there is looking pretty cozy.” I gestured vaguely to a darkened booth.

  “Now we’re talking.” Ed spun me then led me into an extravagant dip. “Tell me, Lizzy Bennett, what are your plans for the rest of your stay? Seriously.”

  “Plans?” Ed righted me and looked at me expectantly. I glanced at Luke who was too busy flirting to notice my look. “I was just going to hang with Luke, maybe check out his new workplace, see some sights. Nothing concrete.”

  “If your friend will allow, I’d like to hang out before you leave. Here’s my card.” He pulled out a business card from his wallet and wrote on the back. “That’s my personal cell. Text me if you’re game.”

  I took the card from him and placed it in my purse.

  ~

  We stayed at the club until closing. Ed and Darcy assisted me in walking the staggering Luke back to the apartment. Darcy had offered to call us a cab but Ed insisted that the fresh air would do Luke some good.

  “Lizzy, I’m so glad you’re here. You’re the best,” Luke slurred as he stumbled up Ninth Ave with Darcy and Ed flanking him.

  “I know,” I assured him. It took us twenty minutes for us to walk back to the apartment, mostly because Luke would sit to take breaks on the curb every couple minutes and we had to stop one time so he could empty his stomach contents into a gutter. By the time we reached the apartment, fished out Luke’s keys, and poured him into bed, it was nearly four in the morning.

  “Thanks, guys, you really didn’t have to. It probably would’ve been much quicker if we’d just called a cab.”

  “There was no way you were getting Luke in and out of a cab by yourself. He’s twice your size. Not to mention the mess he probably would’ve caused.”

  Ed had a point there so I wasn’t going to argue with him. There was an awkward silence as we stood in the living room. “Do you guys want something to drink? Water, I mean, before you head back?” I offered.

  Darcy roused himself to speak. “No, thank you. It’s late and I’m sure you’d like to get some sleep.”

  Ed appeared reluctant but he also declined. “I should head back to my hotel.” He took my hand and did a formal little bow. “It was a pleasure to meet you, Miss Elizabeth Bennett. Text me before you head back to Jersey. We can hang out before you go.”

  I gave a noncommittal smile, then said, “Good-bye, Dr. Darcy. I guess I’ll see you back at work.”

  “Have a safe trip home, Lizzy. Enjoy the rest of your stay in the city.”

  After the guys left, I changed and settled myself on the couch. Luke was snoring so loudly there was no way I would be able to fall asleep on the little air mattress beside his bed, no matter how tired I was. The couch was small and somewhat lumpy, but I managed to contort myself into a semi-comfortable position beneath the small throw blanket and fall asleep.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  Venti Soy Caramel Macchiato

  When I awoke later that morning, Colin was in the kitchen making tea. “Good morning, Lizzy. I take it you had a nice time at the club. I was sleeping so soundly I didn’t even hear you and Luke come home.”

  Colin’s voice sounded like gunshots in my ears. Why did he always have to talk so loudly? “We didn’t get home until almost four. What time is it?”

  “Seven-thirty. I have a breakfast appointment with one of our administrators from Atlanta. She is in town the entire weekend and I was hoping to discuss with her the finer details of...”

  “Do you have coffee?” I interrupted.

  “Coffee? No. I prefer green tea. Dr. DeBourgh insists that the an
ti-oxidant properties of green tea...”

  “Where can I get coffee?” My head was pounding so much I added, “And a couple ibuprofen?”

  “Well, Luke frequents the Starbucks down the street, just a block from here.”

  “Thank God.” I bolted from the couch as quickly as my body would allow. I wasn’t hungover, not really, but I suspected my headache was due to moderate dehydration and a severe lack of sleep. I considered walking down the street in my pajama pants and T-shirt, but thought better of it. As Luke was still snoring loudly in his bedroom, I sneaked in to get my clothes and changed in the bathroom. I found a bottle of aspirin in the medicine cabinet and downed two pills quickly, my stomach roiling slightly in protest. As I glanced in the mirror I was mildly horrified to see that I’d neglected to remove my makeup, so my smudged mascara coupled with my bed hair made me look like a drowned raccoon.

  I pulled my hair into a quick ponytail and did my best to make my eyes look more “smoky” than “raccoon-y.” By the time I emerged from the bathroom, Colin had finished his tea and offered to walk with me to Starbucks. I declined, stating I was going to check my phone messages first, which was only a partial truth as I didn’t think my pounding head could bear to hear another word from his verbose mouth.

  I waited for him to walk about halfway down the block before I started outside. I really desperately needed some coffee and fresh air as well as to stretch the aching muscles in my back. The thought of lying down on that couch again made my lower back cramp in protest.

  The aroma of coffee reached me before I could fully read the Starbucks sign. The shop wasn’t overly crowded at that time and it was just a couple minutes before I reached the cashier and placed my order. As I waited for my drink to be made, I glanced out the window to watch the pedestrians on the street, then nearly did a double take as I saw Darcy striding down the sidewalk, directly towards the shop. I doubted he’d seen me yet and I briefly entertained the thought of leaving my Venti Soy Caramel Macchiato with no whip and hiding in the bathroom until he left. My pounding head was screaming for caffeine but it also screamed more at the notion of once again encountering Darcy.

  Darcy’s long strides reached the shop and before I’d reached a decision, he was there, three people behind me. I decided to play dumb and maybe try to sneak out before he’d seen me. My coffee came up and I grabbed it, slipped a cardboard sleeve around the cup and turned swiftly away. I thought I’d made it but then I heard the deep voice, “Lizzy?”

  Caught. Turning, I schooled my face into what I hoped was a surprised expression. “Dr. Darcy. Good morning.” I clutched my coffee cup, desperate to take a sip, but didn’t want to risk scalding myself. “You’re up early. Did the hotel not have room service?”

  Darcy appeared discomfited to see me and he took a moment before replying, “I’m accustomed to lack of sleep, as you probably know, on-call hours and such, but it’s been…awhile since I’ve had a night out like that. I needed the walk.” He glanced at my coffee cup. “I see we were of the same mind this morning.”

  “Colin was up early and I needed the caffeine hit. Luke is still back at the apartment sleeping things off.”

  “I suppose he’ll be needing more than coffee when he wakes up later.”

  “He’ll probably need an IV infusion of caffeine and fluids. He doesn’t hold his liquor very well, which you already know having witnessed his gastric pyrotechnics last night.”

  “It happens to the best of us.”

  I couldn’t read Darcy’s expression but, somehow, he appeared different this morning, pensive and a little uncomfortable, not at all the arrogant and self-confident man I’d come to expect him to be. Despite his assertion of being accustomed to lack of sleep, dark circles smudged the skin below his eyes and his complexion had taken on a sallow tone.

  I was just about to excuse myself when he asked, “May I walk you back to the apartment?”

  Because I was astonished Darcy would ask and because I had no excuse to decline, I answered, “Sure. Why not?”

  Once out of Starbucks, we walked about half a block in silence. Suddenly, he asked, “What are your plans for later? With Luke?”

  I shrugged. “I don’t know. Some sightseeing, I think. We didn’t really discuss things. What about you? You mentioned you had some friends to visit here.”

  Darcy appeared confused for a moment, then he replied, “Oh, yes. Right. Yes, there are some people from college I’m to meet with later.” Another awkward pause. “How do you like the apartment? I believe my aunt arranged for renovations before Colin and Luke moved in.”

  “It’s really nice. Luke is thrilled to have a space larger than a roach-infested shoebox and Colin…well, your aunt couldn’t have bestowed her kindness on a more grateful subject.”

  “So, it seems the arrangement between Luke and Colin is working nicely.”

  “Yes, I’m pretty sure there are few other people who would have tolerated living in such close quarters with Colin, but Luke is an easy-going guy, and I think he’d tolerate much more than a few annoying monologues in order to be in his present situation. He loves living in the city.”

  “It must be nice for him living and working so close to his hometown friends.”

  “I wouldn’t exactly say we’re close. It’s a two-hour train ride one way.”

  “I suppose anything beyond a twenty-minute drive should appear far for someone from a small town like Meryton.”

  I bristled a bit at the implication. “I’m just saying that for people who are used to seeing and working with each other nearly every day, being separated by even just two hours seems long. It hardly allows for frequent visits when the parties in question are both working and living separate lives.”

  “Is that why you declined the offer to work with my aunt in the city?”

  “Well, I couldn’t exactly abandon Jane and Chloe. They depend on me. Plus, I’m not Luke. The city is a nice place to visit, but I have no desire to live here.”

  We stopped in front of the apartment building. I was wondering if I was obligated to invite Darcy inside when he announced abruptly, “Well, Lizzy, I’d best let you go and drink your coffee before it gets cold. Have a good day.”

  Having been dismissed, I murmured a good-bye before escaping into the apartment.

  ~

  Luke was still snoring loudly when I let myself into the apartment. I set my coffee on the breakfast bar and retrieved my phone. I wanted to call Jane and check on her and Chloe and also to update her on my evening, but a glance at the time made me decide that it might be too early, even for Jane. Instead, I opted for a hot shower after checking my email and letting the coffee and aspirin take effect.

  I nearly felt refreshed when I emerged from the shower and pulled on some fresh clothes. Luke was beginning to stir so I took pity on him and searched the kitchen for hangover-friendly items. I found the tray Colin had used for the wine and placed the bottle of aspirin and a glass of water on it, then carried it to Luke’s bedroom where he was moaning and clutching his head.

  “God, Lizzy, what time is it?”

  “Time to get up and entertain me. I’m not going to let you sleep the day away and waste my hard-earned vacation.” At Luke’s moaned protest, I added, “Come on, I brought you some water and aspirin. I’ll give you some time to fully emerge from your hangover cocoon but don’t take too long. And don’t you dare fall back asleep.”

  Luke’s hair stood crazily on his head as he sat up and gulped down some aspirin and the entire glass of water. I thought he would lose the entire contents again when he gagged, but he managed to keep it down and flopped back on the bed.

  Satisfied, I went back to the kitchen and finished the rest of my coffee as I called Jane. “Hey, how’s the munchkin?” I asked when I heard her voice.

  “She loves it here. Aunt Jo seems to be enjoying having Chloe around, you know how she is, and even her cat is more tolerant than usual. We’re planning on going to th
e children’s park later and tomorrow we’ll probably check out the Franklin museum. She’s probably too young to appreciate it but there are supposed to be some interactive exhibits for younger kids.”

  “I’m sure she’ll have a blast.”

  Jane put Chloe on the phone for a moment and, after a mostly one-sided conversation in toddler babble, Jane retrieved the phone and asked, “What about you? How was your night? Did Luke take you out?”

  I described the previous night to Jane, including our trip to the club and Luke’s subsequent hangover. “Wow, I’m surprised you’re up early yourself.”

  “Comes with helping to take care of a baby. I think I do better when I don’t sleep as long as I have my coffee.”

  “You keep telling yourself that,” Jane joked. “And how was Dr. Darcy through all this?”

  I heard the unspoken question in Jane’s voice, the hope that there might be some news from Charlie. “He was his usual, arrogant self,” I answered dismissively. “He did mention Charlie, said he was doing well at Princeton, enjoying things there.”

  “Oh. Well, I’m glad he was able to settle in so quickly.”

  “Jane…”

  “No, Lizzy, it’s fine. It’s probably better this way. Charlie probably just wasn’t ready to take on…I mean, I shouldn’t have expected him to.”

  “Jane, he loved you, I know he did, and he adored Chloe. Darcy said he’d been wanting to do his residency at Princeton from the get-go, you know, bigger hospital and all that, but he was waitlisted. It didn’t have anything to do with you.”

  “Yes, but then why didn’t he say anything? Why didn’t he say good-bye?” I heard Jane’s shaky breath over the phone and wished more than anything that I could hug her. “Okay, this is old news. I need to stop. Charles Bingley made his choice and obviously Chloe and I didn’t figure into it.” I heard a cry in the background. “Look, I’d better go. Talk to you later?”

  After we hung up, fresh ire for Charlie filled me. How could he have been so cruel to Jane? How could he just leave without saying good-bye or at least telling her he was planning to leave? I wished I could see him in person just so I could punch him in the gut and finish with a roundhouse kick to the head. The image was satisfying and energized me enough to leave the apartment for a walk and a second round of coffee.