Chapter Three

I found Lydia at the bar having a great time with a man. She was flirting and giggling with him for everything she was worth. I wanted to warn her, but she waved me away before I could get close. I just hoped that she knew the man she was flirting with wasn't rich and famous. He was the other hospital winner of tickets to tonight's event. He worked on the floor below me as a transport technician. If she was hoping he was her ticket to fame and fortune, she was in for a surprise.

I picked up a fresh drink while she glared daggers at me to leave her alone. She mouthed the words, “go away,” leaving no doubt that she didn't want my interference. I gave her a friendly wave and headed off to see the rest of the party.

It was amazing. There was a live band, amazing food, free drinks, and beautiful people everywhere. For the night, I felt like I'd been transported to a different world. I rubbed elbows with the rich and famous. I found myself having a wonderful conversation with an older woman who owned my favorite restaurant and her husband who ran my favorite shopping center.

It was a wonderful party.

“Just an announcement folks,” the singer of the band called out. “The silent auction will be ending in ten minutes. If you want to make some last minute bids on some amazing items, now is the time to do so. Remember, all proceeds go to these amazing hospitals.”

I thought about the journal. It wouldn't hurt to see if anyone else had bid on it. If someone had, then I would find something else for my dad, but if it was available, that journal was mine. The more I thought about it, the more perfect I realized it would be for him.

I said goodbye to my conversation and hurried over to the journal. I found that no one had bid on it and I grinned. It was a little more than I wanted to spend, but it was mine for the taking. I quickly wrote down my name with my bid, feeling confident that I would win.

I felt rather proud of myself as I stood back and waited for the end of bidding so I could claim my prize. I could already imagine my dad's face when he opened the gift. His eyes would go wide, and his jaw would drop. He might even cry. It was going to be amazing.

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed someone writing a bid on my journal. Not only that, it was the jerk who ran into me earlier at the bar. Of all the people at the party, he had to bid on my item. My hand tightened around my empty martini glass, and I had to stop and take a deep breath.

Once he set the pen down, I was there. The journal was now way above what I should spend on a gift, but I didn't care. It was a matter of principle now. I couldn't let that jerk take my father's present. I signed my name with a flourish.

"Lizzie, there you are," Jane called to me as I finished signing. There were only a few minutes left in the auction, and the jerk was off bidding on a different item. I felt confident I had won. He wouldn't come back in the last few minutes and steal my dad's journal.

Jane still stood next to the Loiseau. Her cheeks were flushed with excitement and she still only had her first drink in her hand. I wondered if she had ever even left this room, or if she and Charles had just stood here and talked about the paintings for the entire party. While that sounded terrible to me, I knew that it would be Jane's ideal way to spend the evening.

“Where's Charles?” I asked, looking around for her handsome conversation partner.

“He's getting me a drink and looking for his friend,” she replied. “He'll be back in a moment. Did you find anything to bid on?”

“An antique journal,” I told her. “And, I'm pretty sure I've won it.”

“Oh, that would be perfect for your dad,” Jane agreed. “I know you've been looking for something special for him. I'm sure he'll love it.”

“I think so, too,” I replied. Jane's approval made me even more glad I had bid on it. “Did you bid on anything?”

Jane laughed and carefully pushed a blonde strand of hair back into place. “No, but more because Charles and I just talked. I completely lost track of time with him.”

I grinned and gave my beautiful friend a hug. I couldn't have been happier for her. If she met someone who shared her passion for art, then I considered tonight a roaring success. The fact that her new friend happened to be very wealthy was just a perk.

“Bidding has now ended,” someone announced. I grinned. That journal was mine.

“I'll be right back,” I told Jane. “I'm going to check on my fancy journal. I have to figure out how to wrap it.”

“Gold ribbon and red wrapping,” Jane informed me with a smile. “And let me make the card. You always butcher the letters.”

I laughed as I walked over to the table with the journal, feeling light and happy. Until I looked at the bidding sheet, that is.

My name was no longer last.

His was.

William Darcy.

He stole my journal.

The dirt-bag must have come back while I was talking to Jane and outbid me. All my dreams of surprising my father and making him smile vanished. I was no longer the hero of Christmas. I was a loser.

I stomped back to Jane, nearly tripping over my heels in the long skirt of my fancy gown.

“You okay?” Jane asked, taking one look at my face.

“I didn't win it,” I said simply.

“Oh, Lizzie, I'm so sorry,” Jane replied. “I'm sure you'll think of something else for your dad.”

“Yeah.” I sighed. “If not, I can always resort to my classic mug and funny t-shirt gift.”

Jane patted my shoulder and gave me a commiserating look.

"Jane, I'd like to introduce you to someone," Charles said, coming up beside her. He was smiling, and his cheeks were just as flushed with pleasure as Jane's. If anything could make me feel better, it was that. He liked her as much as she liked him.

“Of course,” Jane agreed, her own smile getting brighter.

“Jane, this is my friend, William Darcy,” Charles announced. He turned and motioned to the man who stole my journal. “Will, this is Jane and her roommate, Elizabeth.”

It took everything I had not to slap his smug face.

But, then I decided to be the bigger person. Maybe he had a father that loved antiques as well. Perhaps he was a collector and had finally found his dream piece. If the journal were going to a good home, I could bare it.

Maybe he wasn't evil. I could at least give him the benefit of the doubt now that I had to meet him.

“It's nice to meet you both,” the man replied. He spoke with a British accent that immediately made me think of a Bond villain. It probably helped that he held himself like one too. He was all aloof and high and mighty.

“Likewise,” I replied with as genuine a smile as I could muster. “I saw you won the antique journal. Congratulations, William.”

“What?” Confusion crossed his handsome features. “And please, call me Mr. Darcy.”

I did a small double take and felt like an admonished child. Apparently, we weren't on a first name basis despite being introduced as such. I didn't realize we were still in grade-school and he was the teacher.

“Okay, then, Mr. Darcy. The antique journal. Item number thirty-two,” I explained, trying to remain patient. “You outbid me and won.”

“Oh. That.” He shrugged. His attention seemed to be elsewhere. “I just tried to buy up anything that wasn't selling. It's all for a good cause.”

“You mean, you didn't want the journal?” I asked, my temper starting to rise.

“Why in the world would I want an antique journal?” he replied, looking at me like I was the crazy one.

“I wanted that journal,” I told him. My face felt hot. “I bid on it. Twice.”

“Then you should have bid higher,” he told me flatly. “I'm very sorry, but that's just how it works.”

My fingers clenched into a ball. Jane was giving me a death glare to behave and not cause a scene. I took a deep breath. We were in public and getting angry wasn't going to solve anything.

“Excuse me. I need to go check on my sister,” I told him. I smiled and nodded politely to Jane and Charles before swiveling on my heels and walking out. I could feel them all looking at me. Mr. Darcy's eyes felt like hot lasers.

So, I walked as sexy as possible.

Stare away, Mr. Darcy, I said in my head. Eat your heart out, because there is no way in heaven or hell that you get anywhere near me ever again.