She took off at a sprint and slowed only slightly when she reached Madison Road. So Jane was pregnant and Chip was no longer interested in her; Charlotte Lucas and Cousin Willie were a couple; Mr. and Mrs. Bennet were broke, as, by extension, were all four of Liz’s sisters. She needed to extract herself, she thought. She needed to go back to New York. It crossed her mind to make her own reservation on Jasper’s return flight, but with Jane leaving, Liz had no faith in her other family members’ abilities to fend for themselves.
She was passing the pharmacy and then the animal hospital and was deep in thought when someone said, “Twice in one day—you’re everywhere.” Liz blinked, and just a few feet away, coming toward her, she saw a tall, dark-haired man who also was running; he wore navy shorts, a plain gray T-shirt, and earbuds that he withdrew as he said, “I wonder if I’m following you or you’re following me.”
So preoccupied had Liz been that even though she recognized Darcy, she had trouble forming a coherent response. Finally, querulously, she said, “I’m not following you. I usually run in the morning.” They both were by this point jogging in place, and Liz heard herself announce, “And anyway, Charlotte Lucas is moving to Palo Alto to live with my cousin Willie.”
Even in her agitated state, it occurred to Liz that Darcy might consider the divulgence a kind of village gossip on which he’d frown, yet the animosity between them was also strangely liberating; offending each other had never posed a hypothetical threat but, rather, was the basis of their relationship. And in any case, his expression when he spoke was more pensive than judgmental. He said, “I didn’t realize they were a couple.”
“They’re not. At least they weren’t. I mean, literally, less than three weeks ago, Willie tried to kiss me. After he left Cincinnati, he and Charlotte had a bunch of phone conversations, she went to Palo Alto for the weekend, and now supposedly they’re in love. Which is insane, right?”
After a few seconds’ consideration, Darcy said, “I’ll turn around and run with you. I live near Rookwood Commons, so it’s not out of my way.”
“I was never dating Willie,” Liz said. “He’s my step-cousin, but still, it was so weird that he kissed me. And I’m not jealous of Charlotte. I’m only worried about how miserable she’ll be as his girlfriend.”
Darcy said in a level tone, “Though jealousy would be understandable—not of Willie per se but of Charlotte finding a partner she wants to be with.”
“Is she that desperate to have kids? Because they don’t know each other at all.”
“They met when he was in Cincinnati?” Darcy glanced over, and Liz nodded.
“Then she went to visit him, and that’s the sum total of their interactions. I’ve always thought of Charlotte as down-to-earth, but this is just batshit.”
“I take it you don’t believe in love at first sight.”
“Does anyone over the age of thirteen? Do you?”
“I don’t, no,” Darcy said. “But I don’t rule out for others what I haven’t experienced firsthand.”
“Oh, please,” Liz said. “Don’t pretend to be more-open-minded-than-thou. If they’re so sure their destiny is to be together, why not date long-distance for a few months? Or, hell, Charlotte can move out there and get her own place.” She turned her head to look at Darcy. “By the way, you know how you think my family is a trashy mess? You haven’t heard the least of it. Apparently, my dad has burned through all the money he inherited, he has huge bills from his time in the hospital, and no one except Jane and me has health insurance or a job. My mom was hoping Willie would become my boyfriend and bail us out of debt. Oh, and I think she’s a compulsive shopper.”
“I’m sorry to hear all that.” Darcy was somber.
“Chip really dodged a bullet, huh?” They had reached the intersection of Madison Road and Observatory Avenue, and without discussion, they cut right onto Observatory. Liz didn’t attempt to conceal her resentment as she added, “Is he enjoying himself in L.A.?”
“I haven’t been in touch with him since he left. I’m under the impression that the show doesn’t let people communicate with the outside world.” Darcy sounded as if he were discussing a subject no more fraught than the weather.
“Isn’t the Christ ER furious with Chip? How can they not be?”
“I doubt they’re happy.”
“Would you ditch your job like that?”
“I don’t know that medicine has ever been the right fit for Chip. Good people can go into it for the wrong reasons.”
Liz snorted. “And Chip’s such a good guy. It must be nice to get to walk all over people and then be let off the hook because of how sensitive and confused you are.”
Darcy appeared unfazed. “Speaking of moral paragons,” he said, “how’s Jasper?”
“I’m not sure he liked Skyline as much as you do.”