Hiring Mr. Darcy - Valerie Bowman Page 0,61

didn’t feel up to trading barbs with Lacey and her manicure today.

“No,” Jeremy said, already pulling off his seatbelt. “We have an appointment, don’t we?”

“Yeah, I’m going to kill Mitchell for this. This is exactly the type of drama he’s into.” I glanced down at my clothing. No maxi-dress for Lacey to mock. You’d have to be truly sinister to mock jeans and a black T-shirt. Still, I wouldn’t put it past her.

“Let’s go.” Jeremy opened the door and unfolded his six-foot-three-inch body from my tiny car.

I reluctantly unbuckled my seatbelt and followed him, locking the car with my fob on my way in and dragging my feet.

The bell on the door jangled when Jeremy opened it for me. I winced as both Mitchell and Lacey (who was standing next to him near the counter) turned to look at us. Harrison was nowhere to be seen. The dressing room curtains were closed. I suspected he was in there.

“Hi, Mitchell,” I said in as bright as voice as I could muster.

“Sorry!” Mitchell mouthed. He was standing behind Lacey so she couldn’t see him. “Hi, Meggie,” he said aloud for her benefit.

“Dr. Knightley, what are you doing here?” Lacey asked me, although she wasn’t looking at me, she was too busy eyeing Jeremy like a hungry predator again. I couldn’t exactly blame her. Mitchell and I had eyed him too.

“It’s time for our fitting.” I glanced at my phone. “You said ten o’clock, didn’t you, Mitchell?”

Lacey turned to Mitchell with one eyebrow arched. “And ours was at nine thirty?”

“Sorry, y’all,” Mitchell said. “I don’t know what I was thinking.” He patted his head with his hands.

I knew what he’d been thinking: Days of Our Lives being played out live in his shop would be fun to watch.

Ms. Julia ran up to Jeremy and scratched at his leg, obviously wanting to be picked up and petted.

“Harrison’s just finishing up,” Lacey explained. “We should be gone soon.”

“Don’t rush on our account.” Jeremy scooped up the dog and patted her on the mobcap.

We all stood there in awkward silence for a few minutes before Harrison pushed open the curtains of the dressing room and came out wearing his J.Crew-type clothing. “It all looks adequate—” he said to Mitchell before he stopped short at the sight of us.

“Meg.” He said my name with no emotion.

“Harrison,” I tried to mimic the same hollow voice.

His gaze jumped back and forth between me and Jeremy. Harrison cleared his throat. “Meg, may I have a word with you...privately?”

My gaze flew to Jeremy’s. I didn’t need his approval, but for some reason I wanted it. He nodded nearly imperceptibly. “Okay,” I said to Harrison.

Lacey’s eyes narrowed to slits and she folded her arms across her chest as she watched Harrison and me walk to the front door and jangle our way outside.

Once the door closed behind us, he turned to me. “Do you really think you can make this construction worker into Mr. Darcy?” When he sneered the words “construction worker,” my nostrils flared.

“What?” Of all the things I thought he might say to me at this moment, somehow, I hadn’t expected this. “Who told you he’s a construction worker?”

“Mitchell did, not that it matters. I’m serious, Meg. I don’t think you’ve thought this through all the way.”

“First of all, he already told you he’s a woodworker, not a construction worker, and even if he was, what’s it to you? Secondly, I’ve thought it through plenty.”

“No, you haven’t. You’ve made a rash decision, and Dr. Holmes and I are worried for you. You tend to let emotions overrule your better judgment at times.”

“Sometimes judgment sucks.”

“What?” The look he gave me indicated that he clearly thought I’d lost my mind.

“Are you sure you don’t just want me to quit so I won’t beat you?” I countered, righteous indignation making my voice higher than it should be.

Harrison pushed his hands into the pockets of his blazer. “That’s ludicrous. You don’t have a chance of beating us. I want you to quit so you don’t humiliate yourself and our department.”

“That’s really kind of you, but I’ll take my chances.” Besides, I thought, Harrison hadn’t seen Jeremy in his Regency gear. He might be way more worried if he had.

“Look, Meg, I know you’re competitive...often to a fault, but I don’t want to see you hurt. I don’t want to see you humiliated.”

“I’m not going to be humiliated. Jeremy’s really good.”

Harrison’s voice was tight. “How much can he possibly know about the Regency?”

“As much as