michchick's meanderings & missives

Sorry for the massive delays… life gets byond my control. Sometimes I need some extreme motivation. My DH has given me a deadline to get OoR finished. I’m posting this tonight for Lucy Parker’s birthday. Happy Birthday, Lucy! Thanks for reading OoR and for your encouraging comments.

*Chapter Sixty-Eight*

 

Since Liz seemed to have lost her powers of speech, Will decided to break the silence. He stepped inside, set the bag on the counter and said, “I was just in the neighborhood…”

Overjoyed that he’d flown in all the way from New York, Liz couldn’t stop grinning. “And decided to take up pizza delivery? I guess you weren’t kidding when you said Pemberley was in trouble.”

“It’s nice to have options,” Will answered with a hint of a smile before he kissed her.

“Mmn, so it is.” Liz, afraid to let go, held on to him tightly. “You really are here… right now, in the flesh?”

He leaned in and kissed her again, leaving her in no doubt that he was really there, flesh and all. “I missed you, Love. And you did say to come home…”

Lessening her hold on Will, she wiped a happy tear from her eye. “I did. I’m so happy you’re here!”

“Me too.” He pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Congratulations, Elisabeth. I knew you could do it.”

“Now that you’re here, it finally all seems real.” Suddenly self-conscious, she said, “That sounds silly, right?”

“Not at all. I like knowing that you need me. It’s only fair, since you’ve become so completely necessary to me that I can’t seem to string any coherent thoughts together without you nearby.” He then grinned and added, “Why should I be the only one to suffer?”

She laughed. “Oh? So it’s a misery loves company thing? That explains so much.”

“It does,” Will agreed. “Now, seeing that we have a limited amount of time here, I suggest we eat and then…”

Liz tried to prompt Will’s unfinished thought. “And then?”

Will blushed, embarrassed by his presumption. “And then I thought we might turn in, but you weren’t feeling well before and I don’t know if you’re still unwell…” His eyes searched hers, as if trying to gauge her health. “You know what? It doesn’t matter. That’s not why I came to see you tonight. I’m here because I missed you and wanted to spend time with you, all the rest doesn’t matter.”

“I love you, Will. I beg your pardon, but the rest does matter! I think eating and taking you to bed sounds wonderful.” She began pulling plates and glasses down from the cabinets so they could eat dinner. Will, in an effort to be helpful, gathered together silverware and napkins and joined her at the kitchen table.

As they sat down, a much happier Will said, “All I could think about today was how good it would be to come home to you. What have you done to me?”

She understood. “Nothing more than what you’ve done to me! I never would, in a million years, have imagined that I was the sort of girl who could suddenly stop caring about everything except what her man was doing… yet that’s exactly what’s happened to me! All I could think of the entire time you were gone was whether you were doing alright, eating enough, dressed warmly enough… I have to tell you, it’s kind of frightening!”

“If it helps, everything I did while I was gone I asked myself if it was something of which you’d approve. I very much like that, by the way.”

“What do you like?”

“That I’m ‘your man’.” He reached for her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. “I like that you worry about me, and want to take care of me. God knows that I feel the same about you. I know I’ve said this before, Love, but we’re quite a pair, are we not?”

“Yes, yes we are,” Liz grinned, basking in Will’s open affection. She noticed he seemed very hungry by the way he was devouring his share of dinner. He was eating so quickly that Liz wondered if he even really tasted his meal and asked, “How’s your food?”

“It’s very good. I think this pizza is perfectly fine.” He took another bite and, after a moment’s thought, added, “I think you may be a bit of a pizza snob.”

Liz laughed. “I freely admit it.”

They shared good conversation as they finished up their dinner. Afterwards they cleared the table; then stood in the hallway awkwardly, as though neither had the first clue what to do.

“Well…” Will finally broke the silence. “Perhaps I ought to clean up a bit. It was a long day, what with the travelling and all.”

Liz considered what he said. “I bet you have a lot of tension from all your negotiations, don’t you?”

Will rubbed his shoulder. “Now that you mention it, I suppose I do.” Remembering their past treatments for tension, he grinned and asked, “What might one do for such a problem?”

Liz stood behind Will and reached up to knead his neck and shoulders. “Oh, I think we can come up with something to relax you. I think we need to start with a long, hot, steamy shower.” She eased his suit jacket off and continued to work his tightened muscles. “If that’s agreeable to you?”

Will groaned and answered. “That depends.”

“On what?”

“On you! I’m only going to find a shower agreeable if you join me.”

Liz smiled, took his hand and led him down the hall where she helped Will have the most agreeable shower of his life.

That evening, as they lay exhausted in bed, Will had an idea. “We didn’t have plans for this weekend, did we?”

“No, none that I know of. Denny is coming Monday afternoon sometime, but we’re free this weekend. Why? What are you thinking?”

“Just that maybe you might want to come along with me in the morning. To New York. If you’d like to, that is.”

“I’d love that! Are you sure I wouldn’t distract you or anything?”

“Love, you are the biggest distraction in the world! However, I think having you near would be better than having you so far away. Besides, I have something that I need to tell you.” He wasn’t sure what to say, and said the only thing he could think of. “I met someone in New York.”

Liz immediately tensed in his arms and he instantly realized he’d chosen the wrong way to begin. “Bloody hell, I’m bollocks at this.” He kissed her cheek and tried again. “Liz, I met your grandfather. Seems he’s the chief shareholder of Axiom and he’s very keen on meeting you. I told him I would tell you everything when I saw you, and, so, now I am. Alton Gardiner said he’d like nothing more in this world than another chance to be your grandfather, but I want you to know that I’ve made him no promises to that end. If you want to meet him and his wife, that’s well and good… but if you want to tell him to go to hell, that’s fine too. I’ll support whatever decision you make.”

Turning so she could prop herself on her elbow, Liz asked hopefully, “Maybe it’s a different Alton Gardiner?”

Amused by her denial, Will tried to make light of the situation. “Certainly. There must be a hundred Alton Gardiners married to Elsbeths that had daughters named Elise who, in turn, had daughters name Elisabeth.”

“Smart aleck,” she quipped as she poked him in the ribs. Will could see her mind racing and he wondered how long it would take her to ask what he knew was coming. “So what happened? Did you ask if he was my grandpa? Does he look like me? Or, I guess I want to know, do I look like him? I mean, it’s not like I really care all that much anyways. I’m just a little curious.”

He smiled at her eagerness. “Of course. I heard Alton’s name and wondered if, indeed, he was one and the same. He had looked familiar somehow before we were introduced, and so yes, one can tell you two are related. However, I decided it was none of my affair and that I would tell you what I’d learned and leave it to you to decide what needs, if anything, be done. Alton, it seems, had other plans. He addressed me after the conference yesterday and he knew who I was.”

Liz interrupted, “Of course he did! His company had asked for this meeting, didn’t they?”

“Love, that’s not what I meant. Yes, he knew I was William Darcy, head of Pemberley; but he also knew I was William Darcy, fiancé of Elisabeth Gardiner.”

She turned pale and sat upright. “But… how could he know that? JJ, Bil and Henry are really the only ones who know! I mean, aside from my father… and he surely wouldn’t tell the Gardiners. Will, tell me… what has he been doing? Has he been spying on me? I need to know, Will!”

Will also sat up, putting a comforting arm around her shoulder in order to pull her close. “He has people, so he says. I have no idea how many, or just how closely they’re watching you, but your man Hill? He’s also on Alton’s payroll.”

“How can that be? What about client confidentiality and all that? He can’t spy on me to my grandpa, can he?”

“I don’t know. I would hope not, but that’s no guarantee that it hasn’t happened. If you don’t mind, I’d like to have my people take a look through your affairs and make sure there are no entanglements that you’re unaware of. As to how he knew about us, I have no idea… he wouldn’t say. What I do know is that he’s had a hand in your investments and has made sure that your money grew and that he tried to make things easier for you.”

She began to panic. “What? How?”

“Remember how you told me that you were surprised by getting that summer internship at the planetarium when you were young? Seems he had a hand in recommending you and his word did the trick.”

Liz felt sick. “What else? What else did he fix?” Her mind whirled at the implications. “Did he help with school? This is terrible…”

“No, he swears he didn’t alter anything that wasn’t already going to happen. He claims he just eased the way for some things. Like making sure your apartments were secure and in good neighborhoods and such. I imagine that was where having your solicitor on his payroll came in handy.”

“I don’t know if I want to meet him… he spied on me! Why? If he wanted to be a part of my life so badly, why didn’t he just come forward instead of stalking me? He’s no better than Thorpe!”

“I don’t believe I would go that far. His excuses for why he never came forward seemed weak, but he swears that if he could have, he and your grandmother would have been a part of your life all along.”

“What were his excuses? Oh! Never mind. I don’t really care… well, you know that’s not entirely true, I shouldn’t care, but I do. What do you think I should do? Should I meet him? If I meet him, would you come with me?”

He kissed her brow. “If I were you, I think I would meet him. Just to let him have his say, for the record, and then go from there. However, whatever you wish to do, or not, is fine by me. And should you choose to meet him, of course I’ll go with you. Liz, I love you. You never have to deal with any of them alone again.”

His words had reassured her and she kissed his cheek in return. “Thank you, Will. You always just know what to say.”

The laugh that erupted from Will was so strong, it shook the bed. “Hardly! I cock things up so often, it amazes me that you haven’t yet thrown me over. I was telling Max, he’s the head of operations here in the States, that the only flaw I can find in you is that you love me.”

Will’s diversion worked. She decided not to think on her estranged family any more for the time being. Liz pinned him down and began to kiss him. “Flaw? Oh, so that’s what we’re calling it now? Well, if the way that I love you is flawed, as you say, then the only thing left is for me to practice some more. After all, they do say that practice makes perfect.”

They practiced some more until they each agreed they were quite proficient.

 

 

In the morning, Liz packed her bag to accompany Will to New York. She primarily chose casual clothes, but made certain to add a dress that would be appropriate for the promised evening out on the town. As she zipped her bag, Liz spoke to Will, “You know, I suppose I really should meet my grandpa, don’t you think? I mean, it’s not like he can really do anything to hurt me. He doesn’t have that kind of power over me. Will you… would you do me a favor and call him for me?”

Will had been sitting in the corner on the ottoman, watching in wonder as Liz had been scurrying about between the loo, her closet and the bed where her suitcase was open. Hearing the uncertainty in her voice, he rose and crossed the room to take her in his arms. “Of course I will. If you like, I’ll make arrangements to meet with him tomorrow. When would you like to see him?”

“In the morning, after all your dealings with him are complete. I think that would be best. You’ll go with me, right?”

“Absolutely.” Indicating the leftover piles of clothes on the bed, he added, “I’ll leave you to this while I go and ring him to set up a time and ring Wentworth to let him know we’ll be off shortly.”

 

Secluded in the backseat of Will’s chauffeured car, Liz began to feel the excitement of being whisked off for a romantic weekend away in the city. Will was reviewing notes for his morning meeting, hoping that he would finish what he termed “the Axiom nonsense” early because he promised he had a few surprises in store. Sitting across from him to give him space to work, Liz stared at Will with open admiration. He’s got to be the most thoughtful man on the planet. He’s always surprising me, doing whatever he can to help me, no matter how uncomfortable it makes him. Maybe I can come up with a surprise or two for him…

Having the distinct feeling he was being watched, Will looked up from his papers to find Liz brilliantly smiling at him. “What a beautiful sight you are. Might I ask what has caused such a grin?”

“I was just thinking about something JJ told me once.”

Curious about the sparkle in her eye, he asked, “Well? What did she say?”

She shook her head and teased, “That’s for me to know, and you to find out.”

He laughed. “My, Dr. Gardiner, what a very mature response! I suppose next you’ll be sticking your tongue out at me?”

“No,” she tried to say seriously. When she failed at trying to appear serious, she laughed, stuck out her tongue and said, “Yes!”

Will put his papers back in the folder and set it aside. “Oh? Is that so?”

Liz ignored his question and instead directed his attention to their location. They were turning onto the road the hanger was on. “Did you see, Sweetheart? We’re here already.”

“So we are,” he acknowledged. Still curious about what set her in such a playful mood, he moved across the car to sit beside her. “I’ll let you play your little game, Liz.” Will kissed her cheek and gently warned her, “But you need to remember to play fair.”

Liz flew out of the car the moment they stopped, calling over her shoulder, “I think this game is definitely in your favor!”

Will watched as she ran to the plane, greeted Wentworth and took the steps as quickly as possible. Wondering what the hurry was, he quickly gave directions to the driver and after conferring for a moment with his captain, he followed Liz. When he arrived in the main cabin, she wasn’t there. He knocked on the forward door and called, “Elisabeth?” There was no answer. He then noticed her coat had been tossed haphazardly in one of the chairs. Will picked it up before it fell to the floor and called again, “Liz?” Then he spied a boot, then another, followed by her socks trailing towards the aft of the cabin. Next he found her sweater and jeans. On the handle to the stateroom was the t-shirt she’d been wearing.

With one armful of Liz’s clothing, Will used his free hand to knock on the door. Liz’s voice sang out, “Who is it?”

Torn between frustration and amusement, Will answered, “Who the bloody hell do you think it is?”

Liz quipped, “Pizza delivery guy?”

“What? A bloody delivery boy? What are you…” Will suddenly stopped. He dropped her clothes in the nearest chair and went to the cabin where he explained to Wentworth that they were to be in no way disturbed until they reached LaGuardia. Returning to the still-closed stateroom door, Will picked up her clothes once more and knocked again. He was ready this time when Liz asked, “Who is it?”

“I have a special delivery here for Miss Gardiner.”

Instead of opening the door like he thought she would, Liz said, “Come on in, I’ve been expecting you.”

Will carefully balanced his load so he could open the door. When he did, he was treated to the sight of Liz comfortably reclined across the double bed in a very pretty lace camisole with matching panties. Will took a deep breath, tossed Liz her clothes and said, “Laundry delivery for Miss Gardiner.”

Surprised by the clothing assault, Liz sat up and pretended to pout. “Hey! Not exactly the reaction I was hoping for.”

Knocking the clothes off the bed and then pressing Liz into the mattress, Will passionately kissed her senseless. When he allowed her a moment to recover, he asked, “Is this more like what you had in mind?”

Barely coherent, Liz nodded, “Uh-huh. But, here you are again, overdressed!” She started to tug at his tie and unbutton his shirt. “These need to come off, pronto!”

Shrugging off his jacket, he let it and the rest of his clothing join hers on the floor. “I think you were right, Love.”

Liz paused her attention to his neck to ask, “Right about what?”

“This game is most definitely in my favor.”

“So it is. Though I feel like we’re cheating a bit.”

He stopped nuzzling her neck to ask, “Cheating? You’re not making any sense, Love. Explain what you mean.”

“Well, it’s about what JJ told me.”

“Sorry, Love, I don’t follow.”

“Charlie wrote this book a while ago called Atlantic Panic where this guy- a real lothario type- gets falsely accused of being a terrorist on a trans-Atlantic flight and then helps take down the actual terrorists, but not before he and his blonde bombshell seatmate join the mile high club.”

“Still not following.”

“That’s because I didn’t get there yet! Have patience! So, my dear Bil likes to do research on his books whenever possible. Back when JJ was still modeling for Carrie, Charlie accompanied her home from Paris on a flight and they, well… let’s just say they’re now members of that particular club. It seems JJ and Charlie had argued over whether such a thing was even possible in such a tiny spot. Apparently, turns out it is.”

“Bloody hell! That’s so much more than I ever wished to know about my friend and your sister.” He buried his head in his pillow. “Wait, you said you felt like we were cheating. I still don’t understand. Cheating on what?”

Liz waved her hand around the stateroom. “I’m pretty sure most inductees into the mile high club don’t have their own flying bedrooms to do it in.” She leaned in close to whisper in his ear. “So, William, the big question is: are you game?”

Just then, they felt the plane begin to move on the tarmac. Will pulled her into his arms and smiled. “With you, my dearest Elisabeth, I’m game for anything.”

Some forty minutes later they touched down at Logan. Only when the plane stopped moving did Captain Wentworth’s voice come over the intercom. “Mr. Darcy, Miss Gardiner, welcome to New York. I trust you found your flight… satisfactory.”

Will had just finished with his tie. “I’m going to bloody kill him, that smart arse!”

Liz smoothed down his lapels and kissed his nose. “You’ll do no such thing and you know it. He’s a good man. It’s not like I left a lot of doubt about what I was up to… plus, you seem to forget this is your private plane! You can do whatever you like in it, including me.”

He pulled her onto his lap and asked. “What happened to the demure girl I met a few weeks ago?”

“Demure? You must be confusing me with some other girl. I’m the girl who dropped her towel because she wanted you so badly. Demented, maybe. But demure? I don’t think so.”

“Ah, yes,” he remembered it all too well. “That was the first of many delightful surprises you’ve given me, my dear, sweet Elisabeth.”

“What on earth are we going to tell our children about how we met?”

Will helped her slip her sweater back on. “The truth?”

“Right. Great example for the next generation… sex immediately and figure out the rest later.”

“Liz, I meant that we fell in love during a snowstorm. I swear to you, I think I loved you from the first. Besides, it wasn’t immediately… I mean, technically, it was the next day, and then only after I had actually met your family and had told you I loved you. See, Love? We weren’t completely rash.”

“Just mostly,” she laughed. “I have never been so impetuous like I have been with you. All the things I always hoped I could be, but never dared, I am with you.”

He was about to protest, say that she was perfect just as she was, but the look of love reflected in her eyes brought him up short. In an instant, he understood; in fact, he felt the same way. Taking her hand, he brushed a kiss across her knuckles and said, “I love you, Liz.”

 

In no time, they were in the car on the way to the apartment and it was Liz’s turn to be amused by Will’s smile. Finally her curiosity won and she inquired, “What is the ever-so-serious William Darcy grinning about?”

“I was thinking about what you said earlier. I like myself better when I’m with you. I don’t have to be concerned with what sort of impression I make, or whether I’m living up to my press, I don’t need to isolate myself away from everything… I can just be who I am. Thank you for that. It’s rather an exhilarating feeling.”

Liz could only imagine what the media would think if they knew what the “real” William Darcy was like. “Are you so very different with your sister?”

“Yes and no. I’ve been the only father figure she’s ever really known. For so long, I was making it up as I went and probably went a little overboard with being protective.”

“Rightly so!” Liz interjected, thinking of the near disaster she’d faced with Wickham.

“That may be, but it still doesn’t change that I am not Georgie’s father. For these last few months, we’ve struck a new balance that’s been more brother-sister than father-daughter and I think she’s all the happier for it. It was hard at first, but not having to be infallible all of the time has been a tremendous relief.”

Liz couldn’t resist. “What? You’re not infallible?”

Will laughed. “Hardly. But I must beg your silence on this matter, as it wouldn’t do for that fact to become widely known.”

Pleased he was able to make light of himself, Liz agreed to his request. “I promise… you have my allegiance. Heaven forbid it should get out that the great and powerful Mr. Darcy has a chink in his armor.”

“Several chinks, actually,” he corrected. “My sister and you.”

Touched, she rewarded him with a kiss for such a sweet answer.

They arrived at Will’s building and Liz took note of the place. Though both condos were housed in exclusive buildings, she couldn’t help but notice that the cold and austere interior of Will’s building was in stark contrast to the warm environment of her own. Will nodded to the doorman and they were, in turn, acknowledged when the man brushed the tip of his hat. As they rode up to his penthouse, Liz forced herself to remember that this was New York and Will was rarely here. Of course he wouldn’t have a friendly relationship with his doorman. She smiled as she thought about Guillermo.

Will had noticed Liz being unusually quiet. He was about to ask if anything was wrong when she smiled. Liz fascinated him and had since the moment she called out his boorish behavior in Chicago. Will loved watching her, the expression of her eyes and the way she looked at him as though he was her favorite thing in the world. The smile she wore now was lovely and the look on her face was wistful, as if she was remembering something. Curious about her thoughts, he asked, “What are you thinking about, Love?”

“Oh, I was just thinking about Guillermo and how he seems to be a pretty unusual character for a doorman.”

“I think he’s terrific, if a little scary. I believe you’ll appreciate Edward, the main doorman in London. He’s been there for nearly thirty years. While he’s nowhere near as loquacious as your Guillermo, Edward is a pleasant enough fellow. I highly suspect you’ll like the staff at Pemberley. Most have them have been with my family for ages. Mrs. Evans, who is a wonder, has been there since I was a boy and she will love you almost as much as I do.”

Hearing Will speak so warmly about his staff and other servants who attend him reassured her, though she couldn’t explain why she had even been worried in the first place. Over and over again, Will had proven that the sum of his worth had nothing to do with his wealth. She was curious about this woman who Will obviously held in high esteem. “Tell me about Mrs. Evans.”

“She’s in charge of everything at Pemberley and, honestly, I don’t know what I would have done without her all these years. I made a lot of mistakes when I was first learning to take over the estate and she was there to gently prod me, all the while encouraging me. She helped me hire the steward, whom I’d be lost without, and she keeps everything very homey for me and Georgie. I can’t even begin to explain what a Godsend she was when Georgie became a teenager. I was ready for Bedlam, but she helped smooth things out between us and I just know that you will love her as well as I do.”

Liz was only half-joking when she said, “This is very high praise, indeed! Should I be jealous?”

The door opened to Darcy’s suite and he motioned for her to exit. He picked up her suitcase and said, “Give me a moment to put this away for you and I’ll be right back to answer you.”

Wondering why he side-stepped her question, she took a seat on the very modern-looking leather sofa to await his return. He was gone only a minute. Will sat on the coffee table so he could directly face her. “Now, I believe the question was if you should be jealous of Mrs. Evans?” The disbelief on his face made her feel ridiculous. “Are you serious, Love? Evelyn- yes, her name is Evelyn Evans- is at least sixty, and very likely more. Her age aside, she’s been nothing but motherly to me for most all my life. What I find worrisome is that I can’t recall anything I have done in the time we’ve been together that might cause you to be jealous, even a little, like this.”

Feeling every bit a fool, Liz blushed with embarrassment as she admitted the truth. “Because you haven’t. I know I’m being absurd… but there are moments when I still can’t believe that you want to be with me. I worry- and yes, I know it’s totally irrational- that I’m going to lose you or that you’re going to change your mind about me.”

Will raised his head, closing his eyes as he pictured strangling the Bennets for the all the years they spent making Elisabeth listen to absurd lies about how unworthy she was of ever being loved like she deserved. When his mind was satisfied with his imaginary revenge, he took a deep breath and looked into the eyes of the woman he’d grown to love beyond anything he’d ever believed was possible. “Love, it seems I’ve been remiss if you don’t yet have a full understanding that I could never, not even remotely, change my mind about you. I don’t just want you, I need you. You are necessary to me; like food, water, or oxygen. Without you, I would simply cease to be.”

She wiped a tear and Will groaned. “Good God, Liz, I hadn’t meant to make you cry. I’m sorry I’m such a bloody idiot and seem to always say the wrong thing.”

Her eyes widened in surprise at his apology, then took his hand and squeezed reassuringly. “Will, these are the good kind of tears and you’re no more an idiot than I am.”

“Still… I didn’t intend to bring you to tears. I only wish for you to be happy.”

Liz rolled her eyes in exasperation. “I take it back. You are an idiot. But, you’re my idiot, and I love you very much.” She tugged on his hand to pull him over to sit beside her on the couch. She gently cupped his cheek and tried to explain what she was feeling. “Sometimes I will cry. Weirdly, you’ll find that most of the time when I cry, I cry because I’m supremely happy. Seems being supremely happy makes me emotional and I cry. There might be, no… there will be times when I get sad. I might get angry. I might get quiet, I might get loud… I might do or say a lot of things. What you need to remember is that above all, no matter what is going on in our lives, I love you. We, you and me, are going to argue and fight and make up and be happy and sad and take everything that life offers us and deal with things as they come… and we’re going to get through anything thrown at us because we’ll be together. I love you, Fitzwilliam George Darcy and I know that we are meant to be. I get that and I promise that I will do my best to not freak out anymore.”

His hand reached up and to catch hers. He then placed their joined hands over his heart. “I love you, and I now understand.” She looked relieved and he couldn’t resist teasing her just a little. “I understand that sometimes you will ramble on incoherently.”

She used the position of her hand on his chest to give him a small shove. “Well, we can’t all number and prioritize things in our brains before we speak. I’m not a Franklin planner for crying out loud.”

Will kissed her cheek and chuckled as he replied, “And that is something for which I am highly thankful.”

Before Liz could make another quick-witted reply, Will’s mobile rang. “It’s Reynolds,” he said by way of apology for needing to answer it. “Morning, Reynolds.”

Liz spoke loud enough to be heard. “Hello, Henry! I’ll see you later.”

“Meet me downstairs in ten, Reynolds.” Will switched off his mobile. “Reynolds gives his warmest salutations. Sadly, it is time for me to go.” He stood up and grabbed his briefcase.  “I must be off now to Axiom. Will you be okay on your own today?”

“Sure. I need to get settled in here. After that, I have a few stops to make before lunch with Denny. What time do you think we’ll meet with my grandfather?”

“If all goes today as planned, then I suspect sometime around four, if it suits you.”

“Four is fine. Have a good meeting, Sweetheart.”

“You have a good day as well, Love.”

They kissed goodbye and then Liz watched as Will walked out the door.

~Home~

~Previous Chapter~

~Next Chapter~

This is still pretty raw. Any glaring errors fall squarely on my shoulders. Next chapter begins a series of confrontations. mwah!ha!ha!

Out of Reservations by michchick aka Jennifer Hickling is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.