Page 3 of First Impressions
~ Sure. Be home soon.Beth typed back as she got up and got back in line to order her sister’s drink.
She was back at her apartment ten minutes later, met by a sister eager for her morning tea. “Thanks so much for grabbing this for me. I needed a treat this morning, mom’s been texting me about tonight - what I’m wearing, what I should say, how I should act, if I’ve googled what Charles Bingley looks like; she’s starting to make me nervous.”
“Well, that’s mom. Just tell her what she wants to hear and forget about it - you’ll be fine.” Beth plopped down on their couch and opened up her laptop to check her email.
“Do you know anything about him? Charles Bingley?” Jane asked hesitantly as she followed Beth into their living room, trying not to give away that she might have gotten her hopes up about meeting him.
“Really not a whole lot, I’m sorry.” Looking up from her computer she gave Jane an apologetic face. “Since he’s lived in Boston until now he hasn’t really entered into my work world. I know that they asked him to be on theBachelora couple of months ago and he turned it down to focus on his career. There was some speculation that maybe he was already in a relationship and that’s why he didn’t accept, but I don’t think they had any clue about who he might be dating.”
“Oh. Ok… That’s all?”
“Pretty much, sorry. I’m sure he’s available and if dad was impressed by him then I’m doubly sure that he is worth your interest. Not that I actually enjoy agreeing with mom butwhy don’t you google him? Wikipedia will probably be able to give you more information than I can.”
“I already did.” Even though she only said it to her sister, Jane blushed at her admission before lamenting, “I don’t know why but I feel like I’ve gotten my hopes up about him for no particular reason; it’s probably mom’s fault.”
“Well, it makes sense that meeting him is weighing more on you since dad really liked the first impression he got of Charles – and you know dad is much more discerning of someone’s character than most people. Plus, top that off with the fact that he might be taking over our family’s firm…that’s also probably why mom’s hopes are unrealistically high; I mean, it would basically be right out of a storybook if you ended up together.” Seeing her sister’s anxiety building, she closed her computer, stood up and put her hands on her sister’s shoulders. “Don’t let mom pressure you into anything; it’s YOUR life and he is just one guy. If he’s as smart as they say, though, he’ll realize that you’re the best thing that could happen to him.”
“If you say so,” Jane reluctantly agreed.
Beth gave her a small smile as she headed down the hall to the bathroom to shower.
Chapter Three
Jane had chosena navy-blue silk dress with delicate lace detailing on the bodice and sleeves for the Gala. It fit her personality perfectly: classy, elegant, reserved. It was something she had worn a few years ago and had selectively recycled it for a few events since. Out of all the sisters, Jane was the most traditionally beautiful; she was 5’7” with long blond hair and a slender, hourglass figure. Her looks alone had gotten her on more dates in the past few years than Beth had ever been asked, but her personality was very quiet and timid and none of the men she dated had really been able to break through that exterior to get her to open up fully.
Beth on the other hand, after being a publicist for almost eight years, was outgoing and always willing to speak her mind – maybe because she was never looking for a relationship, she never attempted to censor her thoughts or opinions. Her high standards for herself made it very rare for her to be impressed by a man, which, for better or worse, usually came across pretty obviously to them. Physically, she and Jane were also opposites; she was shorter than Jane by a few inches; at just under 5’3”, her hips and chest were smaller than she would have liked, and she had non-distinct brown hair, which she had dyed in a variety of different ways over the years; inevitably, she found that she never wanted to deal with the maintenance and had gave up coloring it almost a year ago. She thought her eyes were one of her most attractive features even though they too were brown; almost like a mood ring, the color would change depending on her emotional state. The brown would deepen when she experienced any intense anger or frustration; when she was happy, little gold flecks would appear everywhere, lightening them to match her mood. Her dad had always said that if he could get a good look at her eyes, he would be able to read her mind. When she cared to put in the effort, she cleaned up well - but most would agree thatwhile she was pretty, neither she nor any of her other sisters were as stunning as Jane.
Tonight, even though she wasn’t quite sure why, she tried a little harder to stand out against her sister – admittedly, a near impossibility. As she curled her hair and pulled it back, she attributed the extra effort to wanting to make the best impression on the man who might be buying her family’s firm. As she had predicted, the dress she rented fit perfectly and highlighted her features. The spaghetti straps and low-cut back showed off her toned arms and back, and the silk material of the gown clung to her curves and made them look better than they probably were. Earrings and a simple gold chain necklace topped off the look. As she looked in the mirror, she saw that the red of the dress made her eyes appear like warm chocolate, an overall very sultry look.
Taking stock of the finished product, she believed that tonight she actually looked beautiful. That notion was quickly suppressed as Jane appeared in her doorway, her deep navy gown accentuating perfectly her pale, delicate features as well as highlighting her sky-blue eyes. With her hair was in loose, long curls and her makeup very natural, she looked effortlessly stunning. It was hard not to be jealous of Jane, and others like her, who could look like a model in sweatpants and a t-shirt, but Beth could never really resent her for it. Thankfully, she was always in too fierce a competition with herself to compare herself to others, much less her sister whom she adored.
“Wow, Beth! You look gorgeous, is that dress new?”
“Thanks! You too. Yeah, kind of. I just rented it this morning - thank God for same-day delivery on Rent the Runway. I completely forgot about getting something for tonight, but it worked out really well.”
“Definitely, it’s beautiful. Anyway, mom just texted me that they are in the limo and will meet us at the Plaza.”
“Alright, I’ll call a black car now then.”
They arrived at the Plaza a little after seven-thirty because of Saturday night traffic, but then again, it was always fashionable to be late. The Gala was held in the Terrace Room, one of the smaller celebration rooms that they offered. It was one of Beth’s favorite venues; reminiscent of the ItalianRenaissance, with figures painted on the ceiling and crystal chandeliers crafted by Charles Winston (the brother of Harry Winston) as replicas of those that hung in Versailles, it exuded elegance. As they entered the room, the cocktail reception was already in full swing and they were each greeted with a generous glass of champagne from a passing waiter. A brief survey of the space told Beth that the Association’s Events Committee hadn’t changed the layout much since last year - a sizable dance floor in the center of the back of the room accentuated by decorative, ivy-covered columns at each corner; the live band was off to the left of the floor playing some classical pieces as people drank and mingled, and an L-shaped bar sat off the right, also adorned with columns at each end and at the corner of the ‘L’. Interspersed on the tables, as well as decoratively on the floor, were large vases with abundant and expensive flower arrangements - filled with peonies, hydrangeas, and roses.
As only the most distinguished New York City lawyers were invited to the gala, the room wasn’t too crowded and Beth spotted many familiar faces from previous years. Everyone seemed to be more energized than usual and Beth wondered if it was due to Charles Bingley being in town and the corresponding speculation of what business he had here, whom he might be partnering with, etc. A few steps and sips into the room and she spotted her friend Char excitedly approaching her.
“Beth! I’m so happy to see you. Wow! You really outdid yourself tonight - you are looking hot! Hi Jane, you look gorgeous as always.” Jane muttered a quiet ‘thank you’ as Char hugged her and continued, “anyway, you will never guess who is here! Charles Bingley, the son from the famous Bingley & Associates, is down from Boston. Word is that he is thinking of opening up shop here in the immediate future; but that isn’t even the most interesting news, he brought —” Char was cut off by the arrival of Mrs. Bennet who appeared just at the precise moment to steal the thunder from her story.
“There you girls are! I’ve been waiting. You will never guess who is here. I can’t believe your father didn’t tell me. Charles’ ‘associate’ is none other than William Darcy! He is theCEO of Fitz Corporation - one the most successful investment banking firms in the world. Can you believe it? How your father did not recognize him is beyond me,” Mrs. Bennet exclaimed, in a frenzy over what this connection could mean for her family. “And you know, Beth, I have it on good authority that he is single, so make sure that you pay extra attention to him.”
“Seriously,” Beth mumbled as she rolled her eyes at her friends.
Fitz Corp was an international investment bank, started by George Darcy and now owned by his son, William. On a whole different scale than Bingley, William Darcy was one of the most eligible bachelors and one of the richest men in the world. Fitz Corp was headquartered in NYC but had many locations throughout the world, and even though he was technically a resident of New York, Beth doubted he spent much time here at all. Considering her years of PR work in the city, she still didn’t know very much about him; she’d only seen him in a few photos, mostly related to his business successes. He usually managed to stay out of the spotlight - probably with the help of some not insubstantial bribes. The only story that had really managed to be leaked involving him was about two years ago, claiming that he and Anne DeBourgh were in a serious relationship and that there were speculations of a secret engagement; however, the story quickly died with no definitive outcome. Ironically, Anne DeBourgh was the daughter of Mrs. Catherine DeBourgh and therefore a diamond heiress, as well as Beth’s potential new client.
With Mrs. Bennet’s revelation, the room appeared in a whole new light. While everyone still looked to be jovially enjoying themselves, there was a clear distraction and conscious focus on a small group of gentlemen who had congregated between the dance floor and the bar. Beth saw her father and Char’s dad, Mr. Lucas, talking with two other gentlemen whom she assumed must be Charles and William. The room seemed to be focused on these two dangerously handsome men.
As Beth took a closer look, she realized that the taller gentleman was possibly the hottest man she had ever seen.With perfectly styled dark hair and an impeccably tailored suit that probably cost more than everything she owned combined, he looked like he had been ripped out of a GQ magazine. From her recollection of the photos of William Darcy, which hadn’t prepared her at all for the man she was looking at now, she surmised that this must be him. That left the other gentleman to be Charles Bingley, who, while still very good-looking and well-dressed, had wavy, dirty-blond hair and a lighter complexion; his appearance less harsh than his guest’s.
“Jane, Beth, you have to come over and be introduced. I’ve been talking to Charles about you, Jane, and he seems very eager to meet you. He is just the nicest young man, I could not be more pleased – and very handsome, too,” Mrs. Bennet continued as she began to usher them over to where the group was standing.
Beth sent an apologetic stare to Char, who laughed and mouthed ‘I’ll see you later.’ Knowing what she was walking into, she felt like she should really be on her second glass of champagne for this meeting to go over smoothly. As they passed the bar, Beth chugged the rest of her glass and exchanged it quickly for a fresh one.
