Advent Calendar – Day 15 – Wrapping Up Charlotte

Happy Holidays! I hope everyone is having a great holiday season so far! I’ve had a few requests for a love story for Charlotte from Unwrapping Mr. Darcy, so I took a break from what I’ve been working on and whipped this little bit up for you. I only have the one post this year, so I had to make it pretty condensed. I hope no one minds. I also needed someone a bit strong willed to get under Charlotte’s skin. He’s pushy but I think Drew is fun. I hope you do too!

 

Part 1: The Introduction

Charlotte Lucas logged off the Darcy Holdings server and swiveled around in her chair. Lizzy had left an hour ago, but Charlotte had stayed to finish up her prep work for the next day. She hated coming in first thing Monday morning and playing catch-up. Well, it might not really be catch-up, but to her, it felt like it was.

She grabbed her purse from the file drawer where she stowed it every day and tugged it to her shoulder as she strode for the elevator, the doors opening not long after she pressed the button. When she stepped into the lobby, she glanced down at her phone to load the book she’d been reading for the subway ride home.

She’d just touched the app icon on the screen when her entire body smacked into something hard and fell backward, her butt stinging when it hit the cold, hard marble floor. “Crap! Why don’t you watch where you’re going?”

A hand appeared in front of her face. “I could say the same to you since your eyes were plastered to your phone.” With the help of the mysterious hand, she managed to stand but she scanned the floor instead of looking up. Her phone was gone.

“My phone? Did you see where it went?” She couldn’t lose it! Everything was on it! Her schedule, her lists, and every single contact! She splurged on the model with the most memory for that reason. She couldn’t afford another!

While her eyes traced every bit of tile she could see, her Harry Potter phone case appeared in front of her. Her breath left her all at once. Thank God!

“Ravenclaw, huh? I’m more of a Slytherin, but I promise I’m not an evil one.”

She started and her eyes traced their way up the mysterious arm to a face that wore the sexiest, lop-sided grin she’d ever seen. The heavy English accent didn’t hurt his sex appeal, either. “Well, you did knock me down?” she quipped.

“Only because I was looking at my mobile, too. If I’d seen you there, I wouldn’t have had the pleasure.”

Pleasure? She glanced behind her. He was talking to her? He had to be bullshitting her.

“I thought to surprise my cousin who works here but they told me he’d already left for the day.” He laughed and shook his head. “Look, I just got into town, and I’m starving. How about I buy you dinner to make up for the sore bum?”

Charlotte chuckled. “I don’t know you. You could be some psycho killer.”

His dimples deepened as he glanced out the bank of windows at the front of the building. “I’m not suggesting we go to a dark alley or catch a taxi together. If I remember correctly, there used to be a fairly decent steakhouse just around the corner.”

“Fairly decent?”

He gave a one-shouldered shrug. “Meh, I prefer British beef, but they do a good job with what they have.”

Her head hitched back. What a pretentious load of . . . well, she’d already said it! “Thanks, but no thanks. I need to get home. I have a boyfriend—a big one with muscles—waiting for me.”

“No worries. My apologies for knocking you down.”

She took a large step away from him and hurried through the door into the falling snow without peering over her shoulder. He wouldn’t follow her, would he?

When she hopped onto the subway, she watched the platform while the doors closed and they started off. No sign of him. She was safe. She’d never see that jerk again.

~ * ~

“Charlotte!” Lizzy’s voice echoed through the door and into the outer office. One day that woman would learn how to use the phone on her desk for something other than flirting with her husband, the big boss man, or ordering takeout.

“What do you want?” called Charlotte, getting up and walking through the door.

Her best friend and supervisor had a stack of papers in front of her while she bit her thumbnail. “Do you know where the property records are for the Mansfield transaction?”

“No, but I can check with Mr. Hurst. In the last meeting, Mr. Hurst indicated the merger was when he headed the department. Those files might still be in his cabinets.”

“Lizzy!” came a distinct voice from behind. Charlotte froze. No way! It couldn’t be!

She slowly turned to find the man who bowled her over the week before standing in the doorway. “You? What are you doing here?”

Mr. Tall, Blonde, and Mysterious gave that same devilish grin. “I told you I was here to see my cousin.”

She rolled her eyes. “Nice try. Lizzy isn’t your cousin.”

His smile deepened. “No, not by blood, but William has been my cousin since birth, so she is indeed my cousin—by marriage.”

At the big reveal, Charlotte turned and gaped. “What?”

Lizzy stood and crossed her arms over her chest. “Charlotte Lucas, this is Andrew Fitzwilliam, William’s cousin on his mother’s side.”

“But everyone calls me ‘Drew’,” he added, entirely too smug for his own good.

“Oh,” she said like the blooming idiot she was.

“He’s here to spend the holidays with us.”

Drew leaned against the doorframe. “I haven’t spent time with Will and Ana in a few years. I couldn’t wait to surprise them. I also wanted to meet the newest Darcy since I couldn’t make the wedding.”

Charlotte stared. “But you couldn’t see Darcy because he went home early, according to you.” She spoke almost like she was talking to herself and not someone else.

“Exactly,” he said in an entirely too cheerful voice. “Why don’t you join us for lunch? We’re going to some new place Mrs. Reynolds suggested. I can finally make up for the fact that I knocked you on your duff.”

Charlotte peered at Lizzy out of the corner of her eye. That one eyebrow arched almost up to her hairline, which wasn’t good. Lizzy would want to know everything that happened with this guy and why Charlotte was so defensive.

“You should come, Char. Ana and Will are joining us, too.”

“Miss Lucas should definitely join us,” said Mr. Darcy as he strode through the door. “Are you ready, Elizabeth. We have reservations in fifteen minutes. Mr. Hill is waiting downstairs in the company limo. The weather is too cold to walk today.”

Lizzy rolled her eyes. “It is not.”

He kissed her temple. “Humor me.”

Lizzy sighed. “Okay, but you’re being silly.”

At the sound of a chuckle from beside her, Charlotte turned and lifted her eyebrows. “How long are you staying in town?”

“For the next month.” Her eyes roved over the expensive grey suit that fit him like a glove. “I head up the London office with my younger brother, so I can work from here almost as easily as I can from my own office.”

“Let’s go.” Mr. Darcy waved them forward, so she fetched her purse and walked with Mr. Fitzwilliam toward the elevators. Every muscle in her body clenched in response to him. Why did he make her feel like a moron or like he was laughing at her?

When they were all in the warmth of the limo, Mr. Darcy took Lizzy’s hand while they spoke quietly. Something was up but Charlotte couldn’t put her finger on it. She’d have to keep an eye on the two of them.

“How long have you worked for Lizzy?”

She flinched and turned to face Mr. Fitzwilliam. “For as long as she’s been a lawyer. We’ve been best friends since we were little. I never thought she’d be my supervisor, but I love working for her.”

“That’s good. Not everyone can say that they love who they work for.”

“No, they can’t. Luckily Lizzy isn’t a moody boss and I don’t take advantage of our friendship.”

He nodded. “That’s a common problem when friends are in that position.”

Like Mr. Darcy said, Ana met them at the restaurant. Everyone appeared so laid back and relaxed. A fire burned merrily in a fireplace next to their table and a fully bedecked Christmas tree stood nearby, its lights twinkling merrily. The meal was delicious and Mr. Fitzwilliam insisted on paying her portion to make up for when they met, despite her protests that it wasn’t necessary.

When they returned to the office, Mr. Fitzwilliam lagged behind the others, grabbing her by the elbow before she could catch the elevator with Lizzy. “I wanted to ask you a question.”

“Me?” she said. “What could I know that you need?”

That wicked grin appeared on his face. “Nothing like that. I was hoping for someone to go sightseeing with me this weekend. What do you think?”

The tips of her fingers pressed against her chest. “Me? You want to see New York with me?”

“Yeah, you know, ice skate in Central park, see the tree in Rockefeller Center, maybe go to a show. I’ve never been in New York in December.”

She scraped her teeth along her bottom lip before she shook her head. “I shouldn’t date one of the big boss men.”

He gave a quick bark of a laugh. “I’m not your boss.”

“You aren’t far off.” Who was he kidding? His position with the company was lightyears higher than hers.

His grin widened. “I could fire you.”

“You think that will get me to go out with you?” She propped her hands on her hips. “I’d be more likely to kick your ass.”

“Very well, I’ll quit.” He started to walk toward the elevators, so she grabbed his arm.

“Are you crazy? You can’t quit!”

“Why not?”

“Because you run one of the major offices, because you’re the big boss man’s cousin, because . . . oh, I don’t know. Just because!”

“So, will you go?”

“No!”

He lifted his eyebrows and chuckled. “I won’t give up.”

“You should.”

The elevator dinged and he backed in while he pointed at her. “I’m not going anywhere you know.”

When the doors closed, her shoulders sagged. He would be here a month. She’d have to put up with his insufferable ass for a month? She was going to lose her mind!

 

Part 2: The Capitulation . . . Maybe?

 

“I’m coming!” Charlotte pulled on her sweater as she padded to the door. Who rang a buzzer like that? She couldn’t understand Morse Code for crying out loud! “Yes!” she yelled through the intercom system next to the front door.

“I hope you’re wearing your favorite Christmas jumper!”

She jerked back. What in the heck was he doing here? “How did you find out where I live?”

“Didn’t you know everything is on the internet these days?” She grumbled and wrapped her sweater tighter around her. “Let me in!”

“Are you stalking me?”

“Oh, good Lord no! I just want someone to sightsee with.”

“What about your cousin?” she said. “I bet he’d be willing to show you around.”

“He’s a bit busy at the moment.” She opened her mouth to speak. “Yes, he’s busy on a Saturday.”

Her finger hovered over the button that opened the front door of the building. Should she? Shouldn’t she? He was the most annoying man she’d ever met! With a groan, she let him into the building and sagged against the wall while she waited for him to knock. Her apartment was only on the second floor. It didn’t take long.

When she opened the door, he held out a tiny cell phone on a ribbon. “I saw it and thought of you.”

“Is that a cell phone Christmas ornament?”

“Yes, it is.” He stepped around her and strode toward her tree. “I think it’d go perfectly right here.” He hung it right in the middle on the front side of the tree. “Now, you still look like you’re in your jim jams. Hurry along and get dressed. We have a lot to do today.”

She laughed incredulously. “I never said I was going anywhere with you.”

“Perhaps I don’t take no for an answer.” He blinked and straightened. “Unless it’s the obvious, extremely important no, if you know what I mean.”

Charlotte closed her eyes. “Thank God for that, at least.” One thing she could promise herself, she would never, ever sleep with Drew Fitzwilliam!

“Well, come on. Get into your Christmas jumper and let’s go.”

She shook her head. “I’m not going.”

“Really? What else do you have to do today? Scrub toilets? Mop floors?” He propped his hands on his hips. “Take pity on a poor traveler and show him the city. Come on. You know you want to.”

“Fine, but you owe me coffee. I haven’t had any yet.”

He chuckled and held out his hand. “Deal!”

It didn’t take long at all for her to change. This wasn’t a date, so what she wore didn’t matter. She put on her favorite pair of jeans. They looked good but were still comfortable. Then she put on her emerald green turtleneck and her best brown boots.

Their first stop was to the local coffee shop on the corner. He bought her an espresso and chocolate croissant and drank his own flat white while she ate her breakfast. They took the subway to Rockefeller Center and saw the tree, then walked to Central park and Wollman Rink.

As she laced up her skates, she peered over at him. “Have you ever ice skated before?”

Drew gave that devastatingly cocky grin that made her stomach flip. “No, but it can’t be that hard.”

Why was she not surprised? True to his over-confident personality, he assumed he could do anything without effort. She’d seen it often enough the last week or so at work. How she looked forward to seeing him fall on his ass!

When his skates met the ice, he wobbled like a small child trying to stand for the first time. Charlotte followed him out and skated around him. “Are you going to make it?”

He waved her off. “No worries. I can do it.”

She skated backward while he awkwardly stepped forward and his feet slid right out from under him with a “oomph.”

“Are you okay?” She bit her cheek to keep from laughing.

“I might need a bit of help,” he said, rubbing his backside.

“You think so.” A wide grin lit her face.

“You don’t have to look so happy about it.”

She held out her hand to help him up. “I don’t mind anything that takes that overly large ego of yours down a notch.”

As he regained his footing, he furrowed his brow. “I don’t have a big ego.”

“I beg to differ.”

“Maybe you should get to know me. You might change your mind.”

She took both of his hands in hers and began to skate backwards, letting him slowly trail along and become accustomed to the ice. “I doubt it. Besides, I don’t date Slytherins.”

One side of his lips quirked up. “We’re not all evil, you know. We’re ambitious, which lumps some of us in when we merely want to be the best at everything.”

“No one can be the best at everything,” she said, looking down at his feet. That lop-sided smile did things to her and she couldn’t let him win. He was all wrong! He lived in England, he was a head of one of the company offices, and he was in the wrong Hogwarts house! Why couldn’t she find a nice guy who lived in New York City?

“I can try. I can be a stubborn git when I put my mind to something.”

“That doesn’t surprise me.”

“You could give me a chance.”

Her eyes lifted to his. “You’re not my type.”

“That’s just an excuse like that big boyfriend you had at home. I figured it was, but Lizzy was happy to tell me the truth. You’re free and single. I’m free and single. Have lunch with me?”

“When?”

“Every day that I’m here.”

She released his hands and threw hers up, dropping them to her sides. “Why me? Why have you decided that you have to pester me?”

“Because you’re the first woman in a long time who finds me annoying.”

She scrunched her forehead. “And you like that? Are you some sort of masochist?”

He laughed and managed to lean forward to grasp her hands. “Lord, no! I just find you interesting, and I want to learn more about you. Don’t you want to know more about me?”

“No.” She let one side of her lips curve up.

“No?” He narrowed his eyes a little then shook his head. “I don’t believe you. Nice try, love.” What was it about English accents? His had this deep quality that made her have to resist curling her toes.

“Why do you never believe me?”

“Because if you were really so dead set against me, I would’ve never gotten you out of your flat. I annoy you, but I think some small part of you likes me. Besides, you know your excuse about not dating me because I’m a ‘big boss man’ is bollox anyway. I’m not a supervisor in this office.”

“You’re still an executive.”

“So, by your reasoning, you couldn’t date someone in the mail room. That’s pretty limiting.”

She sighed and rolled her eyes. “I don’t date anyone I work with. It doesn’t matter the capacity.”

“Perfect,” he said, grinning. “You don’t work with me.”

She pressed her lips together and withheld a growl. He could be so infuriating!

 

Part 3 – The Revelation . . . Resolution . . . or whatever it is!

Charlotte stepped into the opulent ballroom and absorbed her surroundings. The splendor of the Darcy Holdings holiday party never failed to impress her. Tonight was no different.

She spotted Charlie and Jane Bingley near the bar, Jane sitting heavily on one of the stools. The poor thing was two weeks away from delivering their second child. Why she was at a holiday party instead of reclining comfortably in her husband’s La-z-boy at home?

“Jane,” she said to carry over the music when she neared them. “How are you feeling?”

“Like a balloon that has too much air in it.”

Charlie kissed his wife’s temple. “She insisted on coming. I don’t know why. I tried to get her to stay at home with Rosie.”

“Because our daughter wouldn’t have let me rest either.” She leaned closer to Charlotte. “Have you noticed anything odd about Lizzy lately?”

Charlotte lifted her eyebrows. “Like what?”

Jane’s husband rolled his eyes. “Jane’s convinced Lizzy is hiding something. Darcy is behaving oddly, too, but he’s also had a lot on his plate. Lizzy has too for that matter.”

Lizzy hadn’t had a cup of coffee in a month, and she’d been ordering odd lunches, too. One day, she would eat something so bland that Charlotte would wonder how she swallowed it. The next, she’d order a chili dog and onion rings. Charlotte had her suspicions, but if Lizzy wasn’t talking, neither was she. “No, I haven’t noticed anything.”

“Happy Christmas.” An arm rested over her shoulders and Charlie started to chuckle.

“You might lose that arm if you leave it there.”

She turned as Drew shrugged his free shoulder. “It’d be worth the loss.”

Jane’s tiny giggle carried over the music, but Charlotte stepped forward, letting Drew’s arm fall. “A glass of the red, please?” The bartender nodded and poured the glass. She took a gulp then turned to find Jane staring at her. “What?”

“Nothing.”

It wasn’t a secret that Drew had managed to talk her into lunch more often than she managed outwit him. At first, he brought lunch to her, which got the entire executive assistant pool talking, so she suggested they go somewhere else. If only he hadn’t worn that insufferable grin when she mentioned it!

She planned a lunch with Lizzy and Jane to avoid him, but the day after, he showed up like clockwork. She’d, at least, paid for her own—most of the time. Another swig of wine went down her throat.

His palm rested between her shoulder blades and she froze. “Why don’t we get you some food?” He glanced at Charlie and Jane. “Would you care to join us?” After they declined, Drew took her hand and pulled her toward the buffet while she gave Charlie and Jane a finger wave with the hand holding her wine.

Once she had a plate, Drew steered her to a table and pulled out her chair. She finished off her wine and set her glass on a passing tray, trading it for some champagne. He sat down beside her. “You’re a good assistant.”

“Why do you say that?” she asked, taking a drink while she watched him. Was he making a joke?

“Because you know as well as I do that Lizzy is pregnant.”

She gasped and the next thing she knew, she was coughing in an attempt to expel the champagne that went down the wrong way. “I beg your pardon?” The words were gasped out when she caught her breath.

“Well, I’ve seen her run for the closest water closet at the sight of breakfast. Mrs. Hill doesn’t get offended and simply hands Darcy a bag of saltines before he follows his wife out of the room. She also drinks copious amounts of ginger tea—vile stuff, that.” He picked up his knife and fork, but held them relaxed in his hands. “I don’t doubt you’ve noticed your own clues, but you didn’t say a word to Lizzy’s sister. I admire that.”

She chugged down her champagne and grabbed another glass. She really needed to get him on a plane to England! The sooner, the better!

~ * ~

Charlotte groaned and tried to swallow. Lord, her mouth was as dry as the Sahara! It tasted—was she sucking on sweaty socks? Yuck!

“Shh, love. Go back to sleep.”

Her eyes shot open. What the . . . ? It was dark, so she ran her hand down her body to find she was still in her dress from the party and her panties were still intact. She relaxed but her heart still raced from the shock. Why was he in her bed?

She remembered dinner, they’d danced to three songs, then everything went blank. One thing remained constant throughout the evening, the champagne.

Carefully, she pushed the covers back and started to pull herself to the edge, but a heavy arm over her middle created a problem. With two fingers, she picked up the arm by the wrist and slinked out from under it. When she rose, her head throbbed and she put a palm to it.

“Where are you going?” he asked.

“I need to use the bathroom, and I want to brush my teeth.”

“Where do you keep the paracetamol?”

“The what?” She started taking small steps toward the bathroom.

“Acetaminophen?”

“Oh, in the kitchen—the cabinet to the right of the sink.”

The sheets rustled, but she didn’t look back. She closed the door behind her, only opening it once she was brushing her teeth and he knocked. Once she rinsed her mouth, his hand appeared in front of her with a glass of water and the other contained two Tylenol. “Take these.” Then drink all of this. And no whinging.”

“I wasn’t going to.” Yes, she griped, but what did he expect? His low chuckle could be heard over her swallowing the water. “What are you doing here?”

He brushed her hair behind her ear. “You were drinking champagne like it was water and became pissed as a parrot. I made sure you got home then stayed to make sure you were okay. I didn’t want you getting sick in your sleep.”

“Oh.” She set the glass next to the sink. “Thank you.”

His fingers laced with hers. “Come on. Let’s get you back to bed. If I make you uncomfortable, I can go kip on the sofa.”

Once he tucked her in, she grabbed his wrist. “The sofa is lumpy. You might as well stay here.”

She couldn’t see his face, but when he curled behind her, his lips were definitely smiling as he pressed them where her neck and shoulder met.

The next time she woke the cool air of the room chilled her back so she rolled over. Drew sat on the side of the bed, his short blonde hair sticking up in all directions.

“Where are you going?” She glanced to the clock by her bed. Six a.m.? Why would he get up so early on Christmas? “Do you have somewhere you need to be?”

“Lizzy and Darcy will be expecting me when they open gifts.”

Charlotte laughed. “Which won’t be for another four or five hours. Trust me.” He looked over with his eyebrows lifted. “She’s the world’s worst at getting up early,” she said.

One side of his lips tugged upward in that sexy smile she’d been resisting since they met. His eyes held hers as she sat up. Why had she been holding him at bay? At the moment, all the reasons she’d been using didn’t seem to matter—not that he was a boss in the company, not that he lived in England, and certainly not that he was a Slytherin. He’d never listened to her reasons, anyway.

How many times had she wanted him to kiss her? This moment was one of them, but she wasn’t going to bite her lip and pretend it didn’t exist—not this time.

When she leaned closer, he sat stock still while her stomach was full of butterflies. He could at least help and meet her half-way! Eventually, his eyes fluttered closed and their lips touched. Her free hand curled around the back of his neck, and he groaned as she pulled him back down to the bed with her.

“Charlotte, are you sure?”

“Positive,” she whispered against his lips.

He lifted up and whipped off his t-shirt. As he settled back onto her, he lightly bit her neck, sending little sparks traveling through every nerve ending. “How long did you say we have again?”

“I don’t have anywhere to go. Do you?”

Drew lifted up and stared into her eyes. “Not for hours, yet.” He brushed a sweet kiss to her lips. “You’ll go with me, won’t you?”

She nodded. She wouldn’t admit it to him—not yet, at least, but she’d follow him anywhere.

 

 

If you haven’t been introduced to Charlotte yet, check out Unwrapping Mr. Darcy–now on Kindle, iBooks, Nook, Oyster, and Scribd!