Summer love or Tech Pride and Prejudice

hi, there!

I see Pride and Prejudice everywhere. Really!

The other day I accidentally caught a TV movie that resembles P&P plot and more, has uncanny coincidences with my first novel, 'Friendship of a special kind'.

imdb

The movie is called 'Summer love' and only now watching in for the sencond time I found out it's a Hallmark production. Then it gave me a certainty that it had some Austen flavor because this channel has already given us so many modern adaptations as P&P Atlanta, P&P& mistletoe, Unleashing Mr Darcy, Scents and sensibility...
Let me tell you what rang a bell to me:

hallmark channel

- The characters' names:

Maya, Will, Collin, Chantal. 

Maya is the main character, at first when she is introduced at her daughter Addison's summer camp, her name didn't remind me much of Lizzy but then she meets her new boss Colin. Huh. Colin, Collins. Ok, it's a common name. I let it pass. And in the next scene she meets the other boss, Will. Oah! Plus, she talks to her best friend Chantal. 
Ok, that's a bit too much.
Colin is a brooding guy, serious and attentive. Will is a good-humored, laid back guy who you distrust from the first moment. Chantal is the voice of reason, a practical person. The personalities match P&P's main characters, you see?
Colin - Darcy
Will - Wickham
Chantal - Charlotte
Maya... Lizzy!

Darcy and Lizzy - oops! Colin and Maya
pic from imdb

- The plot:

classical meet-hate-love

Maya needs an internship to garantee her Account school's final grades and starts a summer job at a tech company owned by partners Colin (CFO) and Will (CEO). She starts with the wrong foot when she arrives a bit lost and Colin offers to help her find her way. They chat and she babbles about the boss' fame of being harsh without knowing she spoke to the man himself. Ha! Classical P&P foot-in-the-mouth. 

Wickham and Lizzy or... Will and Maya
pic from imdb

The other boss - Will- is charming and good-humored, almost immediately makes a move on her. She resists, he insists. Meanwhile, she is obviously attracted to Colin who is obviously falling for her. But he is reserved and she is a widow. Huh... Here I stopped short. 
What? 
A widow, accountant, resisting a rich CFO?
That's so similar to my novel... and more?
The CEO hacks into her cell phone!
NO! THAT'S TOO MUCH!

imdb

Of course, these are lovely coincidences, 

but from this moment on, the movie was a bit special to me.

Check out the movie's plot

hallmark channel

‘SUMMER LOVE’ found here
Maya Sulliway is a struggling single mom who’s studying to become an accountant. When her young daughter goes off to sleepaway camp, Maya accepts a summer internship at Kizzmit, a tech company known for developing a popular social app, in order to receive college credit. There, the thirtysomething Maya feels out of place among the company’s hip millennial interns and feels even more intimidated when she meets Colin Fitzgerald, Kizzmit’s strait-laced CFO, who has a reputation for being a highly demanding boss. When she’s introduced to Will Martin, the company’s handsome and charismatic CEO, Maya learns about Pitch-Fest, an upcoming contest designed to determine who among Kizzmit’s staff can come up with the best idea for a new app.
Before long, Will and Colin both take a liking to Maya and a competition heats up between them. As she starts becoming attracted to each of them — and agrees to a date with Will — Maya
overhears a conversation revealing that Kizzmit is having financial problems and the company’s investors are threatening to cut financing unless a lucrative new app is created.
Combining her passion for outdoor activities and charity, Maya comes up with an idea for an app that would allow its users to donate to charitable organizations while they exercise. Though he
knows Kizzmit would greatly benefit from her app, Colin, having fallen for Maya, tells her to keep the idea for herself and not give it away at Pitch-Fest. He also expresses concern that Will, a known womanizer, is going to end up breaking Maya’s heart. Later, when Will unscrupulously steals Maya’s app idea — falsely accusing Colin of being the thief — and publicly declares it Kizzmit’s latest creation, Maya is devastated. Furious at Will and Colin, she quits her internship and storms off. But when she discovers that Will stole her idea and that Colin was not involved, the industrious accounting student wonders if there’s a way she can complete her internship and reclaim the app she invented. Along the way, she just might find a summer love.

oh, my! Lucas Bryant does make a charming Darcy...
pic from the book of esther

The app stealing by the Wickham-like guy 

could be Lydia subplot, couldn't it? Ha!

Check out my novel's plot

'FRIENDSHIP OF A SPECIAL KIND' more here

Elizabeth Bennett, 32, is a widow and a financial whiz, a first-class auditor husband's demise, she decided avoid relationships. Addicted to fashion, with a mania for running and pilates, she strained to stay in shape and keep sane.
William Darcy, 38, is a bachelor and CFO of his family businesses living in Seattle. Due to innumerable romantic fall outs, he preferred to avoid serious relationships. Handsome and millionaire, Darcy never had trouble wooing a woman. Until then.
When Darcy accepts the invitation of his childhood friends to spend a few days relaxing at the Netherfield farm in Meryton - Massachusetts, he could never have imagined that he would meet a beautiful girl who was going to mess him up.

It’s not a sequel, but an inspired story, modern and full of Pride and Prejudice’s standards. Here Lizzy is a young widow scared of another serious relationship fearing another unhappy marriage as she had with Collins. Darcy is a millionaire bachelor who spends his life dedicated to work and dodging the attempts of gold diggers.
They meet in Meryton, he is attracted to her pleasant figure, unintentional flirt and sharp tongue. When she escapes him, he seeks her out through her friends. Lizzy decides that if a hot guy as Darcy is making an effort to reach out for her, she could as well have some fun. Absolutely no strings attached no phone numbers or any other contacts exchanged. But she wasn’t counting on Darcy’s will and - believing himself righteous - he hacks into her smart phone to steal all her contacts. 
she is furious, he apologizes, she escapes again. Darcy is unable to forget Lizzy’s fine eyes, arts and allurements used so masterfully in that only one hot afternoon. She also misses the handsome man, enough to accept a second date. Then another one, another, one more...

In canon it’s Darcy’s lust that propels him to action ‘against his will, his family, his better judgment’ and he proposes to Lizzy. In ‘Friendship of a special kind’ she lets her lust take over as well. It’s a sexy and touching story where Ms. Austen’s fabulous characters get to have a bit of Brazil in them. They are impulsive and hot blooded; forward and a bit naughty sometimes; certainly more opened to one another and always very strong minded.

How cool is that?

summer time, widow, CFO, phone hacking, afraid of relationships,

very smart mind for her, accountant, sleaky partner...

soooo much in common!

imdb

My Lizzy doesn't have a daughter, 

but a kid sister young enough to be her daughter!

The movie is very entertaining, the actors are cute, the ending is a bit abrupt but all in all, it's nice to watch it.

My novel is here

My new JAFF novel, a Regency P&P sequel, is here

And I'll keep watching Hallmark movies sniffing for hidden Austen bits. 

See ya

Sanditon: the TV SHOW's characters

hello!

The so talked about TV show is finally on in the US!

Oh boy, I am still not sure what to say about it!
The first episode is sooo all-over-the-place!...

Here in Brazil we watched it through streaming and it caused quite a stir... Fanfics, petitions for another season, swwons for gorgeous men...
You see, SANDITON is not very known here, few people recognized the title as a Jane Austen work. Before it started, I composed a juicy translated abridgement with quotes to introduce the smallish novel to anyone interested to read it. I presented it in two parts: chapters and characters.
For me it was specially fun because I got to study Austen's work before Mr. Andrew Davies showed his view and I must say I was very surprised with the comparison. 

So, curious as I was, I found on Hello! magazine site a listing of the show's characters to which I'll add my personal view - since now I have watched it all. 
CAREFUL: spoilers ahead.

You'll find the original here. 'The ultimate Sanditon character guide - from Charlotte Heywood to Sidney Parker' or you may come with me with all my comments. In the end, Sanditon TV is kind of a salad of fanfics and mad theories of what Austen thought seasoned to please contemporary viewers/readers. 

Well, of that I can admit a certain guilt...    

Here you go, the TV characters compared to Austen's.

Let's go!

This scene, so much fun...
Ah!... Au mer, allons y!

Charlotte Heywood

The main character is a mix of Northanger Abbey's naive Catherine with P&P's headstrong Lizzy. 
Adorable girl from a small village enchanted with society and meeting new people. She has a keen sence of observation, sharp tongue she can't control, and is silly enough to say whatever comes to her mind as any heart of gold girl should have.
Charlotte likes Sanditon very much, enjoys the company of her guests, the Parkers, (who she has met a few days before her parents allowed her to set off with them), and as she is from a very confined society, she has no high expectations of how rich life is supposed to be. Neither of the dealings with cunning folks.
A modern heroine - let me not fail to repeat MODERN - with opinions and risk-taking. At some point she is a working girl, even if still irresponsible and gullible.
>> Well, in Austen's canon, she makes it very clear how simple minded Charlotte is, I agree with the Catherine Morland comparison. Maybe not as gullible, but still so much so. I'd say  Catherine + Fanny Price.

Sidney Parker

His indifference and haughtiness are all from P&P's Mr. Darcy, but he is prone to jokes and teasings as Northanger Abbey's Henry Tilney. Prepair to swoon. especially for his... mmm... figure!) In spite of a brief meeting of him with Charlotte in canon, Sidney was created to be her romantic interest. Very handsome and clever, rich, he is the perfect Austen hero. The black sheep of the Parker family, impredictable, restless, mysterious, and back at Sanditon. His history includes business in the Antilles and a broken heart.
He is often put out with Charlotte's way of saying what she thinks, but that is exactly what attracts him.
>> Sidney has no voice in canon, he appears at the last moment before Austen stopped. But, by the manner she paints him, he has NOTHING of Darcy, Brandon, Wentworth or Knightley. Nothing at all of the most famous heroes of Austen. He is said to be fun, teasing, full of jokes and good humor all the time. Maybe Tilney meeting Bingley. I thought his brooding very exagerated on the first episodes. 
Handsome, oh yes! Furious for no reason too. You didn't need to be so rude, darling... Really. 

This five-o'clock-shadow - Was it fashionable in Regency era?...

Lady Denham

Kind of  P&P's Lady Catherine de Bourgh, overbearing and rude an all, but also Mansfield Park's Mrs. Norris, with her cruelty and love for riches. The great dame of Sanditon, Lady Denham has 2 deceased husbands, a title and fortune that many young relatives want to get once she passes away. Seems foolish, but is an eagle. Well sketched in the canon, she would be a great oponent to the best Austen female vilains. 
>> I agree, but she is also a gossip; could well fit in Emma's Highbury. Too rude, though, excessively so. I bet she believes that once a person has passed a certain age, everything is allowed. It's not, milady. One has always to care for words are swords.

Tom Parker & Mary Parker

Tom is kind and trusting as P&P's Bingley, while Mary is a mix of Northanger Abbey's Mrs. Allen + Persuasion's Lady Russell. 
He is head of the family and town, its biggest investor and master mind. Rich by inheritance, he takes too many risks. The wife is suportive even if sometimes she needs to take the reins. 
>> IMO, he has a lot of the good in Lady Susan's Mr. Vernon. Bingley, I'm not sure. Not so many smiles and easy laughs, I suppose. Enthusiastically, yeah... As for the wife, in canon it is hinted she is the lucid one in this marriage. 

Young Stringer

The magazine compared his good intentions to Emma's Mr. Knightley, although I find it odd because the main characteristic of Mr K for me is seriousness and Stringer is charming. Lovely dude, he is. Tom Parker's contractor is ambitious and competent, drawn to Charlotte's open nature. They surely cause a stir in one another... I'd say they fit. And form a kind of a triangle with Sidney.
>> In canon it's only mentioned that's he and his father have a fruit shop or something like it. But they actually got quite a good spot in the TV show and frankly, Charlotte would do well with him... I can even concoct a nice fanfic for them.

Diana Parker & Arthur Parker

Of the 3 sickly siblings, only Arthur & Diana lasted, and they got a humorous coloring. He is a good guy, she is a gossip. The magazine compared them to Persuasion's Mr Elliot and P&P's Mrs Bennet but I see them both as Emma's Harriet: naive and good-at-heart. They live together, repeat to be invalid for their many illnesses that are never proven, but drink, eat and exercise as normal people. Maybe a bit too much at times. Hypocondryacs as Emma's Mr. Woodhouse, you'll see. 
>> The most sickly sister, Susan, was cut and joined in them both. In a way it was for the good because she used rather extreme health methods in canon. Here in Brazil Arthur was seen as victim of fat phobia, real prejudice against him. 

Sir Edward Denham & Esther Denham

The worst in Mansfield Park's Henry Crawford and Northanger Abbey's Isabella Thorpe. Half siblings with something more, greed, evil machinations, spiteful grudges all mixed up. Do not let me give out their secret here - although it'spretty clear. Plus, they have something of S&S's John & Fanny Dashwood, in avarice. Sir Edward and Esther are half brothers in line to inherited Lady Denham fortune (her late husband was the baronet whose money she kept and title passed to the nephew). He is handsome, vain, obviously whicked. She is also handsome, sour, constantly in a bad mood. We only have to wonder why...
>> Well... Right from the start these two take us by surprise and, oh dear! He does have a lot of Anne Elliot's father (Persuasion) since he is a broke baronet, also a lot of Emma's Frank Churchil - have I told you I consider this to be Austen's greatest vilain? Oh, well, here I go telling you spoilers... And, of course, last but not least, P&P's Wickham! 
Edward and Clara on the green... urgh! Please, don't! It's disgusting.
Esther is a hurricane at first, but then... Ah! *delighted smile*

Clara Brereton

Mansfield Park's Fanny Price in status since she is an inpoverished niece but, do not fool yourself, very S&S's Lucy Steele underneath. Seems to be a good girl, but is determined and fights with arms and teeth to get her share of the old lady's fortune. Is a good oponent to the Denham brothers. 
>> In canon she promises to be much of a wallflower, like a P&P's Jane Bennet, although she can see through Sir Edward's schemes. Maybe a mix o Jane and Charlotte. That'd be nice, right? Anyway, in canon, her scene on the green with the baronet is not so... graphic. Almost compromising, but not quite. Could be, though. here on TV... Why, why, why?... 

Miss Lambe

Persuasion's Louisa Musgrove, the crazy gal who wants it all, and wants it now! She's the 'half-mulatto' from the Indies, rich as Emma or P&P's Georgiana Darcy, also as naive as both. Right, a young girl with so much money, she had to be guarded. She has open animonisity to her guardian, Sidney, and hates Sanditon so she is ready to cause trouble. Just wait and see. Of course, befriends Charlotte. Ha! 
>> In canon she is said to have lighter skin, and do not see any prejudice in me, please. Half mulato I understood as my color, deep browned or something. But in this TV show she is black and the reason to go to Sanditon is related to Sidney, not to the school of refinement. In canon it could have had something to do with him too since he arrives in town shortly after her, but it is not said. Let me tell you that, this show has a few moments of extremely bad taste in prejudice, they forget prejudice sometimes and then, suddenly, they remember it with a vengeance... Weird!  Anyway, it's said she's worth 100.000, as much as Mr Darcy. A girl worth that much would have to go down many people's throat, huh?

Also, these characters are not in canon nor the magazine article, but keep them in mind:

A happy widow that appears out of nowhere and decides everything at the last moment.

A rich know-it-all that also appears as magic and is barely used in plot. A pity.

hello

This is it.

for now.

I've made several posts as I watched it, later I'll work on those.

The last episode is already in English, if you (like me) enjoy a spoiler. Here.

hello!

This city maquette is awesome!

...

I'm about to realease a new JAFF
while I don't, check out my last one...

a free read

9 ways to live Pride and Prejudiciously - Epilogue 2, the end!

hello, hello.
I thought so much about posting this epilogue with the other last week and didn't because Lottie and her granny needed their time. But then, work got me and suddenly it's friday...
Anyway, here it is, the final chapter, the happy ending all romances should have. right?

Let me take the time to thank you for your company along this ride with me, even though it took me so long to close this story. Hope you had a good time, laughed a little, smiled a bit, dreamt about Austen's P&P too. 

I'll have news soon, remember to return here to check!
Also, you can follow me on my facebook fanpage, profile, instagram and twitter.

Maybe someday this story will find its way into a neat brochure version, revised and extended... Who knows?
See ya!

Nine ways to live Pride and Prejudiciously

COMPLETE, modern (mostly), adult (you know me...), fun, fluff, heart healing stuff.
read chapter 13
or START from CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER 14
Advice for the young at heart 

‘And what is this dirt in your wedding album, daddy?’

wedding scrapbook

Williams smiled, lowered the tablet, pointed. ‘Love potion.’ He said sipping his morning coffee.

‘Be serious.’ Elizabeth, Lizzy, twisted her pretty nose. ‘Between wedding pictures, no one keeps a bag of dirt.’ The eight-year-old insisted. ‘I'll ask mommy.’ She twisted to dangle her little legs and jump from the kitchen counter’s tall stool. 

‘Let her sleep, Lizzy. When we return from the beach, we can wake them her up for lunch. Fitz kept her awake the whole night and she has important meetings at her office later today.’

‘Today is Saturday.’

‘She is her own boss, as I have my own clinic. We can choose our schedules.’

‘The baby whines too much.’

‘Because he is a baby, babies only know how to cry. You, the big sister, will have to teach him to speak, to ask these many questions…’

‘When will he grow enough to my school?’

‘Only when he turns 4. That’s the age accepted at Islamorata Kindergaten.’

‘I told everyone about him.’

‘Good!’ Williams smiled. ‘Now eat your french toast.’

She did for a while. ‘No one understood what is that mommy does in her office when she explained in Career day.’ She pursed her lips, her dad rose an eyebrow. ‘You should have been there instead; every day someone loses a tooth in my class, everyone would understand a dentist.’

‘But you do understand what Bertha does, don’t you?’

‘She thinks things for people who can’t think straight.’

‘She makes detailed plans for people who only have an idea but can’t make a business work, like a shop, a school, a restaurant. She imagines a problem and when it happens, she already has a solution.’

That satisfied her for a while.

‘Mommy always tells me about your surprise wedding.’ A pout. ‘She will tell me what is this in the bag.’

‘She'll say it's love potion because that’s what it is.’

‘Dirt? Ew!’

‘Herbs that grew too old, not dirt. Mom used to brew a magical tea to call me closer.’

‘You're kidding!’

‘No, absolutely true.’

The girl seemed suspicious, but her dad never lied…

‘Ask your godmother, she gave it to us.’ He challenged.

‘Auntie Lottie?’ Lizzy’s face lighted. ‘Uncle Finn said he’d bring her and cousin Charlotte to spend vacations with us.’

happy summers

‘If he said, they’ll come.’ Williams shrugged. ‘Then you can ask her about the love potion.’

‘Mommy likes to read bed time stories about good witches with love potions to me.’ She was still suspicious.

With a straight face, making an effort not to laugh, Williams nodded. ‘Exactly like those.’

‘And it worked, you married mommy.’

‘I was already near.’ He shrugged.  ‘But the tea helped dissolve her prejudice. It persuaded her we belonged together.’

‘I don't get it…’

‘Let me tell you when I met mom.’ He sighed choosing words. ‘We were in a reality TV show and I fell for her almost instantly.  Love at first sight thing.’

‘Lier, lier, pants on fire!’ Lizzy giggled.

‘Am not!’

‘Is too! Mommy told me you bought coffee from the shop where she worked!…’

‘Ah, but that's another story. The one I'm about to tell you is how I conquered her heart when she was wary and stubborn.’

‘When will you tell me the story where you and mom took our names from?’

Austen for kiddies

‘Ah, that’s a book, a romance.’ He smiled. ‘Quite thick.’ The girl pulled a face. ‘In a few years, you’ll love it.’

‘Mommy says that.’ The girl blinked in expectancy.

His smile grew. ‘So, we were on an island just like this one here where we live and…’

gfycat

~ the end ~

9 ways to live Pride and Prejudiciously - Epilogue 1

hello, hello.
It rains and the weather is awful here in Rio today, winter is here! Not even close to Winterfell, Rio is a lot closer to King's Landing - maybe the whole country, these days. Wonder when Drogon will want to show up here...

Anyway, this gloomy weather kind of mirrows Lottie's Epilogue the first of the two we'll have in this story.  

Have I mentioned the previous chapter wasn't really the finale?
Well, it kinda is of wasn't...  
*grin*

Nine ways to live Pride and Prejudiciously

COMPLETE, modern (mostly), adult (you know me...), fun, fluff, heart healing stuff.
read Epilogue 1
or START from CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER 13
So long, farewell 

A good night's sleep was heaven-sent, worth a king's ransom, Lottie always thought when she woke up rested and satisfied after a long and peaceful Belladama ride. 

It had been two nights and almost three days' sleep, but since she didn't have to worry about Bertha's shenanigans, Lottie felt perfectly rested. 

Maybe the wine she had before the ride didn't quite agree with her, she had an after-taste in her mouth. A finish as the experts say. A faded tang, not unpleasant, just… just melancholy of sorts.

A warm shower, a full breakfast, a heartburn tablet, clean perfumed clothes and she was ready to face humanity as a margarine commercial character wanders through springtime streets.

yoga pants with pockets!

Almost an hour later she perused the malls’ beautiful windows after running her errands considering the need for a new pair of yoga pants when she saw Bertha's mom inside a jewelry shop with a friend, a woman about her age. Not half a second later Janet stormed off the shop with a wailing toddler by the hand.

‘Oh, Lottie, thank God you are here! Bertha trusts you.’

‘Hi, Jan, what a coincidence…’ She answered in a grimace fearing the indignant child would be passed to her care.

‘Please, help my mom. I need to buy an ice-cream cone right this moment!’ Janet said in despair and was pulled away by the 40" tyrant. 

‘What do I know of jewelry?’ Lottie pursed her lips thinking about escaping before being called inside, but curiosity won. The importance of Bertha's trust was very intriguing in this scenario, indeed! ‘Hi.’ She smiled shyly.

‘Oh, dear Lord, Lottie!’ Bertha's mom raised her hands upwards. ‘Heaven sent you, girl!’ She leaned closer to the other woman. ‘She's Bertha's best friend since kindergarten, she'll know.’

‘Oh, how lovely!’ The woman sighed obviously relieved. ‘She'll know.’ A smile for the sales lady on the other side of the small table.  Between them, a velvet tray full of rings.

‘Bertha needs an engagement ring, Lottie. Which one of these?’

Astonished, Lottie frowned. ‘Wouldn't she need a fiancé first?’

‘My son!’ The other woman smiled. 

‘Are you Darrygh's mother?’

‘You know Junior! Of course, Bertha's friend!’ A face splitting smile. ‘Aren't they perfect for each other? We hooked them up, right?’ The women high fived chuckling. ‘I'm so happy for them!’

‘Is he proposing? Why won't he choose a ring himself?’ Lottie still puzzled. ‘ In Europe. Have they returned already? She didn't call me…’

‘Next week.’ Bertha's mom shoved her cellphone on Lottie's face. ‘Tell me if these aren't wedding bands!’

‘What?’

‘These two traitors married in England! Alone! After more than a year abroad, out of nowhere, last week she phoned me, Junior phoned her, both at the same time, to say that they were coming back. Like this!’ She snapped her fingers. ‘And will have an important thing to tell us in a family lunch, both families together. When they arrive here, they'll find a wedding ceremony waiting for them. Flowers, minister, guests - you'll get your invitation. We’re inviting all their friends, her coffee house colleagues, his associates at the clinic, sister who lives in Florida is already on her way. Everyone will be here.’

focus on the ring, the ring!

The women were in the brink of despair, Lottie felt something nag on her faded memory. The tang in her mouth returned. ‘Maybe you thought about wedding bands because Bertha has…’ She forced her sight, zoomed in the image. ‘Eight rings together on her left hand. Isn’t that weird for an engagement?’ She mumbled looking at the smiling couple in front of a big manor house, maybe Chatsworth. They hugged, he was behind her, only her hands were visible because she was holding his over her belly- Lottie's legs failed her as her grandmother's voice from the last dream she had just woken up a few hours earlier returned to her head.

‘I won't return, Carlota, yeens won't see me here in dreams anymore. But I'll be there.’

‘Why, gran? I love belladama rides because we can be together again!…’

‘Yeens love because of the romances, fool! Don't pull my leg!’

They chuckled together. 

‘Yeens will see me, but not here.’

‘It's safe. Bertha doesn't have any more belladama.’

‘Purdy girl let belladama fix her life. She listened, realized that she wanted the little family life she thought hindered her mother and sister. Allowed a good man reach her. Yeens deaf, she listened. I like them couple. 

‘Bertha and Darrygh?’

‘Bee and Dar.’

‘B and D. That's what you'll want engraved on the ring?’ The sales lady asked.

‘Yes. Now which one, Lottie. Help us choose!’

BellaDama. B and D. Lottie blinked. ‘Belladama.’ 

Eight rings, eight rides Bertha had had…

Holding her belly, a very happy handsome couple.

lovely

‘This one.’ The sales lady smiled pushing a thick gold band with tiny diamonds and a big rose colored pearl. ‘The Lady Susan ring.’

The women frowned.

‘That's what she said, Bela Dama, Fair lady. All our rings are named after great characters, and in this collection, the fairest of them all is Lady Susan. A classic, surely will please everyone. Excessively pretty, an uncommon union of symmetry, brilliancy, and grace.’

‘She's reincarnating.’ Lottie whispered. And shed a tear.

rebloggy

~ one more epilogue to go ~

9 ways to live Pride and Prejudiciously - chapter 11_ PART II

hi, there.
So, Williams is tripping belladama and we have P&p in reverse. How does it feel? Darcy is vulnerable, and still haughty. Lizzy here has the secret to hide, so she's a little less smiley - do we want to discover what is it?

Yeah, right?!


Here's the last part of HIS SIDE OF THE STORY... Enjoy.

Nine ways to live Pride and Prejudiciously

WIP, modern (mostly), adult (you know me...), fun, fluff, heart healing stuff.
read chapter 11 _PART 1
or START from CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER 11
VII- Head over heels - part 2

The next week, at Charlotte and Collin’s engagement luncheon, Lizzy arrived a bit late ready to spend as little time as necessary. The bride was her longtime friend and worked at Longbourn for years, she had to be there. But knowing the groom’s family, she imagined the menu and imagined it would be a mine field.

As she entered the old farmhouse, the sweet smell of vegetable soup engulfed her. At the first table she found a tall glass with her name pyrocrafted on a charm of rustic wood slice tied to the stem. Cute and highly appropriate to the place. She smiled.

But as she was about to serve herself of the available beer tap, she heard a rich voice advise against it.

‘Better not, Miss Bennett.’

‘I’m sorry, what?’

‘My dad brewed that, this is our brewery.’ The young man gestured widely around them. ‘I’ll fetch you the right drinks.’

She united her brows. One of the brothers, of course, the youngest, what was his name?...

‘Here.’ He filled her a glass with golden beer and showed a paper wrist tag. ‘May I?’

‘What is this?’

‘An identification for everyone who needs special service.’

She nodded. ‘You’re a Mr. Darcy, am I right?’

‘I’m Burgess Darcy.’ He tied the bracelet. ‘Hope you enjoy the party.’

Well impressed, she found her friend to congratulate her and was amused to find Charlotte already a bit drunk.

‘I want to talk to you, Lizzy!’ A tight hug. ‘You and Jane and all our friends!’ Charlotte laughed.

‘I can hear you!’ Lizzy smiled sideways and while waiting for Charlotte to gather the other girls in shouts and giggles, she saw the Warlord looking at her from afar. Handsome, he was, no doubt. A violent tug distracted her and soon she was in a cozy living room with the other women.

‘I brought you here for an invitation!’ Charlotte laughed. ‘A very important one!’

‘Bridesmaids!’ One of the girls laughed as well.

‘Yes!’ They hugged and jumped on the spot together.

‘Why did you wait so long, Char?’

‘Collin didn’t know if he’d invite all his brothers to the altar, and there was this who lives abroad cousin too. Now we know all five men stand with him and I want the five of you with me!’

There was another happy collective hug and the bride took a champagne bottle from the hidden ice bucket.

‘Will you be my maid of honor, Lizzy?’ She asked offering a small mini bottle.

‘Oh, how sweet!’ They hugged. ‘Of course!’

‘Why does she get a special booze?’ One of the girls whined.

‘My future husband’s best man thinks she is a vegan.’ Charlotte shrugged. ‘He took care of special food for her.’

‘The hot chef?’

‘William.’

Lizzy blushed. ‘Thank him for me.’

‘You do it! Show him appreciation by eating what he cooks.’

‘He is an excellent cook!’

‘Oh, my, he is so talented!...’

‘Anyone can see the size of his talent!’

They all giggled like school girls.

‘What are you talking about? The man’s cookery or beauty?’ Lizzy laughed. ‘There is something in the tone of his voice, his address… I don’t know.’

‘She knows! That’s why she hated his food last week!’ Jane giggled.

the vegan company

‘It wasn’t like this. They presented a lousy job, we need to care for our standards.’

‘Blah, blah, blah, the guy moved her.’

Lizzy blushed, sipped her mini vegan champagne bottle and chose not to answer.


During the party, tempted by the friends’ teasing, Lizzy decided to give the finger food a chance. Everything seemed delicious but as she had already eaten, she chose fruits from the side table as appetizers.

‘Hello.’

She jumped, took a napkin and pressed to her lips. ‘Hi!’

‘Fruits have seduced women since the birth of times.’

A moment was necessary for her to understand. ‘The Bible, you mean? Eve and the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.’ She asked, the chef nodded beside her. Why would that man bring that up, of all things he could talk to her about?

‘I do not trust my own partiality, but I’ve been told figs are risky for vegans.’ 

She looked at the fruit in her hand, then back at his face, and suddenly the aggravated look made sense. He had overheard her talk to Jane. ‘As delicious as this fruit is, a pity isn’t it? Do you like it?’

‘With prosciutto.’ He said sourly.

‘I’m a vegetarian; and follow a much less rigid diet. The natural enzymes of the plant that consume the insect are a vital process to me. But I prefer to enjoy it without a corpse.’ She raised her shoulders, he didn’t answer. ‘Perhaps you thought I were a vegan because I defended Longbourn’s good name. We can’t always care about arts in my business, Mr. Darcy, at times we need to let go of poetry and focus on mundane concerns.’ She bit into the fig.

‘So ends the emotions.’ William felt a little impatient by her side. ‘There are many form of arts in mundane business, I fancy. In mine, it’s said that poetry is the food of love.’

‘Some say it drives love away.’

‘In any case, poetry is always connected to love.’ He defied her.
‘Poetry is not my business. Since I started working on my father’s legacy I learned that business, more often than not, can’t be always connected to emotions.’

‘I say potato; you say potahto.’

The old song surprised her. ‘You like this and the other, while I go for this and that…’ 

They shared a funny little smile that she considered confirmation of his understanding of her explanations and apology; he, on the other hand, thought it meant she acknowledged her rudeness and the grudge he carried for the disrespect suffered.

‘Maid-oh-honor and Best man together, perfect!’ Charlotte called out. ‘Saves us a lot of time, right, Collin?’

‘Yeah, honey.’

‘You two need to give us a speech!’

‘What?’ Lizzy looked from one person to another. ‘Without preparing anything?’

‘That can’t be so difficult.’ Darcy answered before the bride and groom. ‘I’ll start with a few stories about our childhood and then, in your turn to say something pleasant, you ought to make some sort of remark on the size of the Pemberley estate that inspires our catering business, or the number of people we fed today. Quite a venue it is.’

She nodded. Her polite manners would never allow her to respond to this nitpicking. 

Someone caught his eye attention and William reluctantly averted his gaze from the appealing figure of the rich woman, so pretty with those fine eyes blinking to him in a most unreadable manner. But his cousin was waving, pointing at the very woman, mouthing ‘It’s her!’ . He furrowed his brows. 

In few steps he was close to the distant relative. ‘Lizzy Bennett is who, Wilker?’

‘Lizzy Bennett is the girl who broke my heart in college, remember? I was even jailed because of her, she used me while I kept her amused and when she was through with the poor dude, she kicked me in the head.’

William looked at Lizzy from another perspective, she seemed sexier, prettier, more instigating. ‘You never mentioned her name before.’

‘Bennett from the Longbourn Trust fund who’s here in this paradise of homemade beer and heavenly food without even tasting anything.’

‘I see… She vetoed our catering, for the Institute she runs.’
‘She doesn’t run anything, she only gavottes around in her designer clothes and shoes-’ Wilker sniggered. ‘She must be famished enough, look. She’s eating your excellent food.’

William turned fast enough to see her bite into the tiny Portobello and avocado taco. She was graceful, was having fun with the food and the napkin until… She winced, covered her mouth with a hand, wrapped the taco in the napkin, tossing it in the bin half hidden behind the table and moving to the bar to get a bottle of water out of the ice bucket.

‘Not good enough for her, it seems.’ Wilker snorted. ‘Still the snob beauty I knew. The taco is great, lots of lemon, cousin. Pepper and salt. Perfect for beer.’

Pepper, lemon, salt! William walked directly to side of the table from where she had chosen the taco, took one and atr in one single bite. The deepest shame consumed him, he wanted to disappear. It was inedible.

During the speech, he had no chance to apologize; after it he did try, but a mere glance at his cousin made Lizzy lose the color on his face. In a second he watched her make a phone call and in the other she was gone.
---
Lizzy needed a few weeks to make peace to the visit of her past. A haunting image she wished to never see again took her over. Work distracted her enough to calm her heart.

She was surprised with the request to host an impromptu fashion show with very little advance. Regularly the Longbourn Institute would deny such situations, but both Lizzy and Jane were costumers of the renowned brand, the event would bring them great positive media coverage.

The after party should be of their producing and caught unawares, her regular caterer wasn’t available. Her sister and friend suggested, she accepted the idea of paying what the Darcys from Pemberley asked for the job.

‘They are here, Lizzy.’ Jane said smiling. Standing at the door of her sister’s office, she admired the image. ‘You look so amazing… I wish mom could see you from Heaven.’

A pressed smile. ‘I’ll be right there.’ Lizzy waved her sister off. To herself she chuckled remembering the last time she met the Warlord chef. ‘My father loved to listen Louis Armstrong sing this song about potatos and tomatos, you know which one?’ She asked and the designer’s assistants nodded.

‘Harry Connick Jr. sang that, didn’t he?’ One of the assistants said.
She was still smiling when the door opened again, she heard her cell phone buzz and her table phone rang at the same time. ‘Coming, coming, coming.’ She answered with eyes on her phone to check a last e-mail, stepped into her shoes.

‘Hello.’

The rich voice filled her office and heart. She stumbled to find balance and stood up straight.

‘Funny outfit for a work day!’ William said seriously.

‘Oh.’ Lizzy looked at herself and pointed at the assistants. ‘It’s theirs, I’ll be a model at the fashion show.’

‘Gorgeous.’

‘Thank you.’ Lizzy made a small curtsey making the beige bridal gown that could easily be an evening gown dance around her figure. ‘It’s part of the summer collection.’ Her heart jumped to her throat seeing William’s eyes on her. ‘Hi.’

‘I’m searching the conference room, someone said it was around here.’

‘It is.’ She pointed the door on her left. ‘You can use this door.’ She pointed to the one only for her.

Around the big meeting room table were Collin with Charlotte, Jane sipped fragrant coffee with Brinley by the window waiting William and Lizzy to start discussing business even though they already talked details. The side door opened and they were amused to watch the ones missing walk in together, the pretty girl dressed to be married, the man in jeans and a t-shirt. 

‘Would three Darcys do today?’ Lizzy smiled.

‘For what we came to decide, I think there are too many of us.’ William answered, his brothers shook their heads or coughed.

‘Let’s start then.’ Charlotte tried to call their attention. ‘The luxury brand begged us to host their fashion show, and we accepted for the collateral repercussion. International guests, all the major TV stations and bloggers, beautiful influential people will be here for a night. As it is last minute, our regular crew is not all available. We needed to find a new flower artist, DJ, etc.’

‘And caterer, I suppose.’

‘Of course.’

‘You want my food in your business.’ Williams asked Lizzy directly.

‘If you are up to the task, yes.’

‘Won’t you ask if we are available?’

‘Would you let such an opportunity pass you by?’ She raised an eyebrow. ‘Name your price.’

‘Too valuable to you.’

‘Excuse me?’

‘You can’t afford me.’

Lizzy tilted her head. ‘I don’t want you, Chef Darcy. We need a caterer, so we intent to make business with your firm.’

He shook his head. ‘You can’t afford.’

She looked at Charlotte and Jane with pursed lips, showed her palms and stood. ‘If you excuse me, sirs, I need to tend to urgent calls in my office. This dress being one.’ A nod, a graceful hold of the long skirts and she left.

‘Hi, guys, help me out of your dress, please?’ She said entering her office but before the couturier’s assistants could help, the door behind her opened again. ‘What?’

‘I need to speak to you.’ William said. ‘Alone.’

She could ask him to wait until she got out of the bridal dress, but that would delay whatever silliness he needed to tell her. ‘Would you guys allow me to stay in this divine creation for a few more minutes?’

‘Sure, Lizzy.’ The assistants left.

‘Tell me what’s eating you, Mr. Darcy.’ She smiled sideways.

‘Funny.’

Second times he said that, she counted. ‘Please, I do have several problems to take care.’

‘Excuse me for taking you time, but I need to tell you why Pemberley won’t work with Longbourn Institute.’ He looked her intently, she waited. ‘First, I do owe you apologies for the taco at my brother’s engagement party, maybe it was too seasoned.’

She didn’t know how he knew she had eaten that. ‘It happens.’
‘Mistakes happen; you mean?’

‘Yes…’

‘I noticed you barely tried anything besides fruit and that taco.’

‘Had little appetite, I usually eat before parties because not everyone cares for vegetarian food.’

‘You admit the prejudice. You planned to avoid eating at my brother’s engagement party, he who is partner of a caterer business.’ He endured the humiliation feeling stung. ‘People should apologize, Miss Bennett.’

‘I’m sorry, but I’ve starved in several parties before. You were not obligated to provide special food for me.’

‘Times and times again you imply that I cannot cook to your standards.’

She blinked several times, stood to her height. ‘This is not personal, Mr. Darcy. Your firm offered us vegan food without proof of origins, maybe you thought it necessary to impress me. I can only believe the prejudice is yours believing the choice of veganism is silliness. Correct me if I am wrong.’

He couldn’t.

‘At your brother’s party, my friend’s too by the way, the food I tasted was not tasty to my liking and a caterer has to care for the average of consumers. You can offer seasoning aside; people can choose to use more pepper or lemon or what else but you cannot force me to eat anything.’

‘You didn’t eat.’

She pulled a face. ‘No, heavens!’ Shook her head. ‘And the decisions here are made between me and my sister. It would be enough to impress Jane.’

‘I could present the certificate of origins of all ingredients if only you had asked with civility.’

‘Was I uncivil?’

‘Again, one should apologize for mistakes. That is what we discuss in the family, even outside the firm. My cousin Wilker, you met him at the luncheon, has interesting ideas on that.’ 

She waited. He waited as well.

‘Whatever passed between me and that… person belongs in the past. It is forgotten.’ She said through her teeth.
‘Not for him.’

‘Oh, really?’

‘I see a pattern in you, too squeamish, snob, consider a humble man your servant.’

‘Sorry, I don’t know what you’re talking about.’

‘Wilker was a boyfriend you used in college, Pemberley is a caterer you want to hire when it suits you.’

‘Mr. Darcy, you clearly know nothing about anything. I suggest you leave before any incivility takes place. Please, leave.’ She pointed the door. 


Once freed of the expensive couture dress, breathing still altered, she had her eyes on the computer intent on ordering her printer to work on super speed.

‘Lizzy, let me tell you about the meeting.’ Jane entered the office. ‘We have a problem, but I think I know how to handle-’

‘Not now.’ Lizzy showed her a hand. ‘Stop, go away, don’t want to know.’

‘Wow, why this sweetness?’

‘I am terribly busy, sister. We can talk later.’
She needed just one more print before closing the file and driving all the way to Pemberley Brewery.


William was in his brother’s car when they entered their home and felt a strange pang in his heart when he saw the sleek sports car parked in the driveway. Then she stepped outside, the pretty sexy woman, walked to him, delivered a manila envelope, returned to her car and drove away.

‘What was that?’ Brinley asked.

‘Have no idea.’ William answered opening the envelope.

Next few minutes he wanted to punch a wall.


He had never worked so hard in his life, tried and measured and arranged recipes several times; offered mini dinner parties to friends at home to make sure all the food would be delicious. And then came the fashion show.

William was locked in the kitchen; could only hope she would come to see him. But would Lizzy make the first move? 

When it came to how he felt towards her, vulnerability and insecurity were top of the list, close to much hotter feelings – what proposed an impossible conundrum. His pride hurt, ashamed by what he thought she thought of him, of his shortcomings. It’d be better to be unloved.

But she didn’t visit the kitchen, she wasn’t seen backstage, the gorgeous beige bride’s dress was worn by a model and her pretty face didn’t brighten the party he catered.

When he asked, her sister smiled and avoided answering. His soon-to-be sister-in-law was the one to tell him.

‘She is abroad, William. Lizzy needed to get out of here for a while and there is a Museum in Europe that wants to send us a big exposition. She’s taking care of all negotiations.’

He imagined the real reason for her absence.


During the months until his brother’s wedding, William often returned to the letter Lizzy had included in the envelope with the record of a harassment court case.

‘Mr. Darcy- I believe I can call you William if I am about to give you these documents. I apologize if my extreme care with quality control resonated to you as something personal. It seems to me that you work with emotions more than technic and while it helps me understand your business, it also makes me believe I made the right choice in voting against hiring you.
Had I been insincere and praised your creations, given you a rigid menu to work from, you would have probably made it clear to our upscale customers an inaptitude that would prevent any further jobs. In my opinion, that I gave Charlotte who is to be part of your family, you need to pay attention to formality both in cooking and in management.
But all this could be overseen if the presence of a certain person, Wilker who you just told me is your cousin, hadn’t surprised me at the engagement party. I don’t want to relieve the pain he caused me and tried to inflict on my sister as well, but in case you are misinformed of it – as I suspect you are- Longbourn Institute cannot hire Pemberley Caterers if there is any connection with this man.
This is final.
Certain of your comprehension,
Lizzy Bennett

Sexual Harassment Case Bennett x Wilker
-Complaint harassment
-Testimony of victim Bennett, Lizzy taken at College Campus’ Hospital ER 
-Transcription of electronic communication recognized as threaten to expose intimate content
-Transcription of electronic communication recognized as harassment
-Restraining order against Wilker


 Finally, the wedding arrived. 

debrett's

William was assured Lizzy wouldn’t be present. One of the bridesmaids stood with him during rehearsals, Jane shied from personal comments even though she seemed to be interested in a serious relationship with Brinley, and the bride – turned into bridezilla – had no time to waste.

More interested in guaranteeing the quality of the food he would be serving at the party, William arrived at the church in time with the bride.

‘Where were you?’ She asked in a frown. ‘Go! We’re only waiting for you to start this show.’

‘Wedding is not supposed to be a show, future sister.’ William pulled on his jacket and closed his collar’s button. ‘It’s the beginning of your future life.’

‘Yeah, yeah, Lizzy.’ She waved impatiently making her bouquet loose a few petals. ‘Go!’

Hearing her name, he perked up. ‘Why did you say that?’

‘Don’t stall, future brother, go! I’m already a couple short at the altar, had to dismiss a bridesmaid. Nothing more can go wrong.’

He walked thinking she meant Lizzy who was still abroad, then realized it was his cousin and then he saw her in line giggling with the other bridesmaids.

‘Miss Bennett!’

‘Mr. Darcy.’ Lizzy pressed a smile.

‘Hello, Lizzy. It’s good to see you.’

She averted her eyes, fumbled with the bouquet. ‘William, hi. I heard the dinner menu is superb.’ She felt very embarrassed. The story she had told him in documents was a spot in her past she never talked about simply because deep down, in spite of all the post-traumatic treatment, she still felt unreasonable guilt. As most victims of abuse.

‘No one could tell me if you’d make it, but your meal was carefully planned. Red beet tartare with fresh tomato bruschetta, gazpacho, stuffed butternut squash, Mediterranean grilled seitan and caramel banana bread cake donuts with pecans.’

‘Oh, Lord! That sounds wonderful!’

‘I can guarantee everything is perfectly edible, seasoned to please all tastes, cooked with special care.’

‘I appreciate it.’

‘Hope you didn’t have dinner before arriving today.’

She chuckled. ‘No, came straight from the airport.’

‘Look, Lizzy, I’d like to talk to you later. You gave me a lot to think about and I have to thank you. If you hadn’t shared your history with me, my youngest brother might be in trouble now, he was becoming very close to our cousin.’

She shifted from foot to foot. The first accords of the Wedding March filled the air.

He reached out to hold her hand and marveled at how soft it was, small, flawless. ‘As the only son who inherited his talent in the kitchen, I was spoilt by my father. He taught me his ways with food, encouraged me to be inventive, I believed I was better than anyone. I only saw how selfish and overbearing that was when you crossed paths with me. Such I was and might still be if not for you, dearest, loveliest Lizzy!’

She blinked surprised.

‘Hard lessons I had to learn, over and over. By you, I was properly humbled. I came to that first meeting without a doubt of my reception and found the ugly reality of how insufficient were all my pretensions to please a woman worthy of being pleased.’ William paused to breathe, he had been wanting to say those words to that beautiful woman for a long time. ‘And when I saw you in a wedding dress, I felt deeply greedy because you looked so fine and it was a pity the occasion wasn’t related to me.’

She gasped.

‘I had time to think about what to say to you, there’s more. Please, allow me to explain everything and talk more calmly during the party.’

‘Hey, you two!’ An ugly shout from the bridezilla. ‘You are ruining my wedding!’

William and Lizzy snapped out of their particular haze and realized the wedding procession had already started, the groom was waiting for his best man, all bridesmaids with ushers behind him while the couple talked almost touching faces standing aside.

‘Later?’ He insisted.

‘Yes.’ She smiled sweetly.

‘I’ll be at the altar, waiting for you.’

She blushed.

William walked beside his brother and took his place at the altar. Anxiously he saw his other three brothers walk towards him with bridesmaids on their arms until finally she came, the most perfect, pretty, sexy, appealing woman he had ever met, came walking graciously before the bride.

He had considered their difference in social status, the burden of not being able to be the provider in case they married, but no pressure would prevent him from trying to win her heart.

When she was close enough, he descended one step to offer her his hand, she took it, he brought her to his side and tucked her hand on the crook of his arm. Eye to eye, he could see the promise of a real relationship with a desirable intelligent woman. Being by her side boosted his pride, virility, vanity.

What a vision she was… 

Lizzy raised on her toes to reach his ear. ‘Stop looking at me this way.’

‘A single man of vast talent is certainly in search of a girlfriend.’

‘Me, you mean?’

‘Allow me the chance to win your heart?’


Williams woke up on his living room floor feeling incredibly rested, pleased with himself, contented. As if he had just returned from an extended vacation somewhere very pleasant.

With someone he cared about. 

It was the dream, of course. He remembered it vividly, perfectly. Every detail, sensation, feeling.

cosmic minds

‘Bertha, it was you, my darling… Another name, different hair, an attitude to aggravate me, but you.’ He chuckled holding his chest still laying on the floor.

The morning light filtered directly on the sofa, it must have passed his usual hour. He was late for his date with her!

Williams stood, felt a little groggy as if in a hangover, noticed his friend’s paraphernalia still on his table, his cell phone dead and marched to a shower. When he left minutes later refreshed and famished, his phone already had some power and-

‘Damn it! I slept for two days!’

.

~ continues ~