Page 20 of A Searing Acquaintance
“I know. Well, it’s nice Dad is so involved.”
Elizabeth rolled her eyes. “Like Barbara gives him any choice. I guess being told what to do and where to go and what to wear and what to order for an entrée is easier than having to make the effort to think for himself.”
“That’s not fair, Lizzy. He’s passive; she’s aggressive. It works for them.”
Elizabeth didn’t say anything.
“Lizzy?”
“Why can’t two people just be attuned to each other and love each other? Be a team?”
“Oh, you and your romantic sports metaphors.”
“Shut up, Janey,” Elizabeth said lightly. “Youhave a man calling you his ‘angel.’” She squinted up at the ceiling; a few glow-in-the-dark stars remained from the kit she’d used the day they moved into their stepmother’s house. Jane had wanted to stick them up there to spell out N’Sync. Elizabeth, who preferred the Backstreet Boys, refused and arranged them into the correct constellations.
“I’m sorry I’ve been a bad sister lately. I know I’ve left you hanging a few times because of Charles, and I feel terrible about it.”
Elizabeth sighed. “I know. And you haven’t been a bad sister. You’re in love, and it’s the real thing, isn’t it?”
“It is. Finally. Just like in fairy tales.”
She could hear the tremor in Jane’s voice. “I’m glad. You deserve it. You deserve a man as good as Charles. In fact, I believe I even deem him worthy of you.”
“He has some cute friends. We could double date…”
Elizabeth turned over and looked at the clock. “I’ve met his best friend, and he’s not my type. And right now, I don’t have time, okay?”
“Actually, you sound like Darcy. All he does is work too.” Jane sighed. “Why were you so quiet about your book?”
“I don’t know. Superstitious? And it’s notmybook. I’m doing it for the company.”
“Because they helped pay for your master’s?”
“Any marketing firm that pays a still-wet-behind-the-ears, social media-averse employee to go to grad school can put me to work on whatever they want. And since I’m a ‘creative writer,’ according to Mr. Philips, I’m handling most of the interviews, writing the copy, and editing the submissions. Plus, I get credit in the acknowledgements.”
“What, no byline?” Jane asked, incredulous.
“No, but that’s okay,” Elizabeth said quickly. “It’s not a bad deal, other than the endless phone calls and schmoozing the famous and the infamous for their contributions. Amazing how guys who can sink twenty-five foot putts or throw a baseball ninety-five miles an hour can’t spell or even write coherently.”
Jane sat up on one elbow. “You mean Jared?” she asked, ruminating on the last-minute addition to their Christmas Eve dinner. “He seemed a little thick to me.”
Elizabeth giggled. “Yeah. Jared might be the greatest Greco-Roman wrestler in the history of the world, but they sure never made him attend English class.” She sighed ruefully. “I was working with him this morning, and he didn’t have any place to go tonight. I hope Dad and Barbara didn’t get the wrong idea.”
“Oh, I think Dad was having fun trying to envision your wedding. He was mumbling about triple-X size tuxes.”
“Jane!”
“Don’t worry. We’re used to you bringing home strays. Besides, I think Dad’s decided no one is good enough for you. Promise me you haven’t decided that too.”
Elizabeth rolled away from her sister and stared up at the plastic stars. “You know, just because you’ve metyourPrince Charming doesn’t mean there isn’t one out there for me, somewhere, someday. Maybe I’m picky. I bet there’s even one out there for Mary, for God’s sake.” She yawned.
“That girl needs to work on her social skills,” Jane replied with an answering yawn. “Did Lydia tell you what she said to Darcy? ‘You are not my Chinese.’”
Elizabeth laughed. “Bad enough the high and mighty had to drive to Queens, but that’s the greeting he gets?”
“Be nice,” Jane scolded. “He drove here to drop off gifts, not to get paid in Christmas cookies. Actually, he was embarrassed about the cookies. But he seemed pretty happy too.”
“Well, he should be happy; you gave him half of my best batch. I’m a mighty fine baker, and so are you.”
