Page 3 of Perfectly Right

“My sister has the most exacting standards for men.”

“Jane, half the guys you thought I’d like were still living in their childhood bedrooms and the other half were more interested in discussing bourbon than books. That site should be called RedFlags/RunFast.”

He cleared his throat. “Wait, you’re on a dating app?”

“More headline news.” Elizabeth’s lips quirked in that charming way they did when she teased someone. “Thanks to mysister, who fears I will curl up in a miserable, lonely ball and knit sweaters from the fur of rescue cats, I was forced onto a dating app, for all of one week.” She playfully made a face at Jane. “She’s convinced stilted conversations with men who like big dogs or have nineteenth-century beards or are getting over bad relationships—or all three—are just the thing for my happiness.”

Following boardroom debates was a lot easier than catching the gist of this conversation. Before he could ask the first of his many, many questions, Charlie spoke up.

“You don’t like beards?”

Elizabeth shook her head. “There have been a lot of swipe lefts.”

Jane shook her head. “Her standards are too high.”

“Or my taste is too normal.”

“Charlotte Lucas met a doctor on that app and he didn’t have a dog or a beard,” Jane said smugly.

“No, he had a man-bun and neck tattoos and was an unemployed doctor of philosophy who needed a partner with a steady income.” Elizabeth smiled—the simple beauty of it briefly stunning Darcy—before continuing. “Not everyone thinks three hookups, a thousand texts, and a declaration of love on social media leads to a fairy tale wedding.”

“Agreed.” Darcy said, eager to support her assertions. “Romance is not an algorithm.”

Elizabeth stared at him, looking bemused before giving him a small smile. “Exactly.”

“Not that Darcy has tested it, of course.” Charlie drew Jane closer to him and gave her an annoyingly moony smile. “Love is as likely to happen online as at a pub or party.”

CHAPTER THREE

The conversation was so friendly, so easy, that Darcy didn’t even think back tohisone and only declaration of love. Instead, he smirked at Charlie, and was happy to see Elizabeth doing the same thing. “A connection of a different sort can certainly be made online,” he said to her quietly, “but it is the in-person meeting that determines the certainty of a true meeting of minds and hearts. It certainly worked for them,” he added, nodding at the canoodling couple.

“It did, and I am very happy to see their happiness.” A server appeared and handed Elizabeth her club soda. She lifted it up, gave Darcy a nod, and took a sip.

“As am I.” He’d done what he could to make amends and encourage Charlie—after apologizing for his own bad judgment and stupid advice. Glad as he was for his friend and Jane, it was the warmth in Elizabeth’s smile that made it worth it. He took a sip of the Riesling that Charlie was excited about and frowned at its overly sweet taste.

Elizabeth gestured to the couple. “Not everyone has the good fortune of a meet-cute like these two, and not many men have the good sense and humility to realize when they’ve made the biggest mistake of their lives and fix it.”

She leaned over to Charlie and threw an arm around him affectionately. “You’re the best.”

No, he was the worst, getting Elizabeth’s hugs and smiles and compliments. Darcy scowled but before he could say something regrettable, Jane reached for Charlie’s hand; he turned and grinned at her. The saccharine overload was almost too much. Then Jane tipped it over into the kind of sentimental soppiness Darcy couldn’t bear.

“Charlie is the best, Lizzy, and so are you. Now we just need you to find your own perfect man.”

“And you need to try this great pinot gris. I ordered you a glass,” added Charlie.

Desperate to regain Elizabeth’s attention, Darcy burst out, “Online dating is not the answer for everyone. People have different standards and distinct interests and desires. I think most men still prefer the traditional manner of meeting a woman at work or through friends.”

Charlie, still flanked by the two Bennet sisters, gave him an odd look. Darcy braced himself for whatever joke his friend was formulating. Instead, it was Elizabeth who laughed.

“You are a great defender of the status quo in romance. Do these men wear hoodies on first dates or live in their parents’ basements? If not,” she added, winking at Jane, “then where are they hiding?”

Chuckling, Charlie waved to someone across the room. He and Jane stood and disappeared into the crowd.

“And they are off to mingle.” Elizabeth smiled. “Charlie really cannot sit still, can he?”

Darcy shook his head impatiently. Maybe Charlie couldn’t sit still, buthehad an issue getting his mind to slow down. And he had an idea, one that might give him a chance to prove to Elizabeth that he was, if not a perfect man, a better man for her than anyone else.

“Not that Jane complains,” Elizabeth continued. “Their happiness and energy levels are in sync.” The gaiety in her eyes faded when he failed to respond. She took a long drink of her club soda. “I should probably get going.”

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