smile on her face.
Jeremy’s walk back to where I stood was just as successful, and by the time he took my hand and we turned to take a final simultaneous bow, I was filled with pride. It turned out Jeremy Remington was a perfectly charming Mr. Darcy, and I was his Elizabeth. The man you’re going to marry is here. The import of those words hit me like a punch in the gut as I looked up at Jeremy, who was grinning from ear to ear.
Oh my God. Harrison wasn’t the only possibility.
Chapter 23
Still Friday
Despite the embroidery and the spectacles and the cheering, we still got an eight, the same as Lacey and Harrison and Migel did. That Mr. Periwinkle was a stickler. We remained tied with Lacey and Harrison for first place with Migel close behind us.
I’d changed out of my Regency gown and was on my way to the first floor to meet Jeremy for dinner. He’d undressed first and much more quickly and then helped me unbutton the back of my terribly authentic gown (that is to say it had a ton of buttons down the back) before leaving the room to give me privacy.
“I’ll just be downstairs getting drunk under the table by Patsy,” he’d said with a smile as he left, while I desperately wondered how we could possibly go from friends (one of whom had a BF) to married...ever.
The door shut behind Jeremy and I pulled my gown over my head and hung it up. Then I slowly loosened my front-fastening stays and pulled that contraption off too. All the while, I scolded myself for even considering that the man in Mr. P’s prediction wasn’t Harrison. Of course it was Harrison. It had to be Harrison.
I tossed on jeans and a T-shirt that had the P&P quote, “My Courage Always Rises with Every Attempt to Intimidate Me” on it and left the room, headed for the lift. As I strolled down the hallway, I scolded myself for giving any credence whatsoever to a psychic premonition—which was why I was already messed up in the head when I rounded the corner and saw Harrison and Lacey standing in front of the lift. Kissing!
Lacey was Harrison’s height due to her heels, and her lips were pressed to his. I gasped. Or at least I think I gasped. I’m pretty sure the noise that came out sounded more like someone strangling a cat. Lacey and Harrison quickly broke apart. Harrison pushed Lacey away and wiped his hand across this mouth.
“Meg.” He turned toward me. “Let me explain.”
Tears blurred my vision. In a panic, I turned and pushed open the door to the stairs and rushed down them and out into the hotel foyer. Jeremy was in the parlor with Patsy. He must have seen me hurry past and out the front door because he followed me. I dashed out into the cool night air and the lengthening shadows and quickly made my way toward the side of the building, my breathing coming in gasps and gulps. Was this what a panic attack felt like? I’d never had one before but I was pretty sure I was in the midst of one.
“Meg. Wait.”
At the sound of Jeremy’s voice, I stopped near a hedge that curved around the building’s edge. I leaned over and braced my palms on my knees, trying to right my erratic breathing.
Jeremy caught up to me and put his hand on my shoulder. “What happened?” His voice was caring. He leaned down and searched my face. “Are you all right?”
Still bending down, I swiped the tears from my eyes. “I’m fine,” I breathed, hoping that if I said it, I’d believe it myself.
“Are you crying?” He rubbed his hand in little circles over my back.
“No. I’m not!” I was too emphatic. Damn it. Plus, I was still staring into the hedge, which didn’t make my claim of being ‘fine’ all that believable.
“Meg, what happened?” he repeated. “Tell me.”
I expelled a long, deep breath before forcing myself to straighten to my full height. Jeremy’s hand fell away. What was there to tell? I pressed a hand to my forehead. “I saw Harrison and Lacey...together.”
Jeremy winced. “In bed?”
“No.” I drew up my shoulders. “Not in bed.” Oh, God. How awful would that have been? I closed my eyes. “They were...kissing. Near the lift.”
Harrison came around the side of the building and stopped short when he saw us. Guilt was plastered across his face. “Meg, I need to