Free Waiting for Mr. Darcy by Chamein Canton Page A

you too much. Give Lauren a call and let her fill in the rest of the details for you.”
    â€œYou can bet I will, now that you’ve whetted my appetite.”
    â€œBut you’re going to have to wait until tomorrow to call her. She has a date with Chef Rivera tonight.”
    â€œWhat a difference twenty-four hours makes.”
    â€œI know. The same goes for you, too. Nigel certainly doesn’t sound like the usual hair club rejects your mother tries to pawn off on you.”
    Bunny Blanchard’s second mission in life was to find another appropriate suitor for her only daughter. Bunny had taken the divorce harder than Gabby or even her grandchildren did. She mostly wanted to save face amongst her friends, so she set Gabby up with their boring-as-melba-toast sons, much to her daughter’s chagrin. Gabby was sure that Nigel wouldn’t pass muster with Bunny, but as far as she was concerned, he passed with flying colors with her and that’s what mattered.
    â€œThank God.” She paused. “You know, he might even be a little younger than me.”
    â€œOh, you naughty little cougar,” Alicia teased.
    Gabby laughed.
    â€œAll kidding aside, I am happy for you.”
    â€œThanks. You know you can get in on this action, too.”
    â€œAre you proposing a ménage a trois , Gabby? I’m shocked,” she said facetiously.
    â€œHa, ha, very funny. You know what, or should I say who, I’m talking about.”
    â€œIf you say Nathaniel Becker, I’ll scream.”
    â€œThen go ahead and scream because I don’t think he’s all that bad.” She sighed. “Do you want to be single for the rest of your life?”
    â€œI’m a widow, remember? I’m not exactly an old maid.”
    â€œI know, Alicia. Still it would be nice to have someone to snuggle up to at night.”
    â€œAs Emma said, ‘It is only poverty that makes celibacy contemptible. A single woman of good fortune is always respectable.’ In other words, I have all I need to keep me happy.”
    â€œI still think you’d be happier with Nate.”
    â€œWhy does everyone assume he likes me? The man goes out of his way to antagonize me.”
    â€œRight. Why would he bother if he didn’t feel something for you? Besides, he is cute.”
    She relented. “I’ll give him that. He has all his own hair, teeth and he’s in pretty good shape.”
    â€œSounds like the perfect man to me.”
    â€œI already met and married my perfect man.”
    â€œI loved Kurt, too, Alicia, but I’m sure he wouldn’t want to see you cooped up in an ivory tower for the rest of your life. He’d want you to move on. Besides, if I remember correctly, despite her proclamation of being a single woman of good fortune, Emma wound up marrying Mr. Knightley. Isn’t that right?”
    â€œYou know how much I hate it when you use Jane against me.”
    â€œI’m not so much using it against you as I am trying to make a point. I know you’ve got your media empire, but would it hurt to have love in your life?”
    â€œI do have love in my life. I’ve got Kurt Jr., Harrison, Lauren, my parents and you. What more could a girl ask for?”
    â€œYou’re impossible.”
    â€œYou love me anyway.”
    â€œGod help us.” Gabby heard the doorbell ring and glanced at her watch. “Who in the world would come by now?”
    â€œWhat’s going on?”
    â€œSomeone just rang the doorbell.”
    â€œWere you expecting anyone?”
    â€œNo.”
    A minute later she heard Victor’s distinctive voice.
    â€œOh, boy,” she sighed. “Victor is here.”
    â€œOh, dear, I’d better let you go see what has his silk boxers in a knot tonight. Good luck.”
    â€œThanks. I’m going to need it. I’ll talk to you later.”
    â€œOkay, baby.”
    Gabby hung up and made her way to the foyer where