UNWRAPPING MR DARCY BLOG TOUR - GUEST POST & GIVEAWAY

Hello! Thanks so much Maria Grazia for having me today! I can’t wait for everyone to read Unwrapping Mr. Darcy, but in the meantime, I have an extra scene for you. When I first posted the prologue of Unwrapping Mr. Darcy as a sneak peek, someone wished they knew what Charlie said to Lizzy to keep her from quitting on her first day. I liked the idea so much, I wrote it. I’ve overlapped a little and added some in so Darcy’s insult is in the clip. I hope you enjoy it!

L.L. Diamond

Charlie exhaled, sounding a lot like a growl. “You always make a point of meeting new employees. Why are you being so stubborn about this one?”

Darcy slapped the papers in his hand on the work surface. “I’m busy, Bingley. If you haven’t noticed, I have a mountain of paperwork on my desk. I can’t be expected to take the time to welcome a new company attorney—especially one who required her sister’s boyfriend to get her the job. You hired her, Bingley. You make her feel welcome.”

What? Elizabeth gasped, they both looked up, but she backed from the door. She couldn’t stay—not in his office and certainly not at this job! She walked as fast as she could to the elevator. What a mess! Charlie insisted Darcy Holdings needed her, but apparently, he created the position for her. She never asked him for special treatment—after all, he’d been the one who bugged her for months about “moving to the dark side” as he liked to joke. She touched the down button, and thankfully, the door opened quickly.

Charlotte wasn’t around when Elizabeth returned, so she went into the office where her briefcase still remained sitting wide open on the desk. That would definitely make things easier! She reached up over the computer, pulled down her calendar, and threw it inside.

She certainly wasn’t staying where she wasn’t wanted! Charlie had sworn they needed someone with her skills. Why would he lie? She hadn’t been looking for a new job. She’d been happy where she was, but working for Darcy Holdings was a move up she couldn’t ignore. The company was larger than the law firm, and the position held more room for advancement.

“Don’t you dare put another thing back in the case!”

When she looked up, he stood in the door with his hands on his hips. “I don’t need this, Charlie! I won’t stay where I’m not wanted. I’ll go back to Longbourn, or I’ll find another job. Fortunately, I have some savings put aside. Don’t worry, I’ll be fine.”

With two strides forward, he closed her briefcase and leaned over her desk. “You’re staying right here at Darcy Holdings, and I’m going to tell you why.”

She gave an incredulous laugh. “I’m not staying. If I can’t find a new job, Longbourn was upset when I resigned and told me I was always welcome to come back at any time. I doubt they’ve even replaced me yet.”

Charlie’s hands didn’t move from her case even though she held her framed photo of Grunt, ready to shove inside. “Whether Darcy’s stubborn ass recognizes it or not, we do need you,” he said. “I didn’t work for all these months to get you to defect just to have you leave. Hurst never hired an assistant when he became head of the department, and I intend for you to learn that role until he retires. Most of our attorneys have their little niche in the company and have never exerted themselves to step out of their comfort zone. You’re different. You won’t be satisfied with doing the same thing day in and day out. You want more.”

“It sounds like Mr. Hurst handled everything well enough if an assistant was never hired. I doubt he suddenly needs me.”

Charlie held her gaze. “He doesn’t know he needs you, but in a few months, he’ll wonder how he ever managed without you.”

She set the picture on the desk, backed a few steps away, and put her hands on her hips. “You’re so sure this will all work out but what about Mr. Darcy?”

“Let me handle him,” said Charlie in a low tone. “He sees the numbers and makes plans, but he doesn’t always know what’s best. I’m here to make sure he doesn’t miss a thing—and if he let you pass us by, then we’d be missing something great.”

She shook her head and fought a smile. “Are you trying to make my ego so big I won’t fit through the door?”

As he relaxed, a chuckle came from his lips. “I wish it was so easy. You and Darcy are both stubborn as mules. I want you to stay. I want you to prove to him that you should be here—show him beyond a shadow of a doubt why I recruited you—because you’re the best.”

She blew out a long breath and leaned against the cabinet behind her. “I don’t know. You know I love a challenge but I didn’t expect this. I’ve never, ever needed someone to get me a job—ever. I don’t know how I can work for him, Charlie. Is he always so unyielding?”

“That’s not an easy question to answer.” He sat in the chair in front of the desk. “He can be a difficult person to work for but Darcy is fair and loyal to a fault, just like his father. Open positions are few and far between here. The only jobs with a high turnover are those occupied by college students, you know, like the mail room. Some of those even move on to a higher position once they have their degree, like I did. Ask anyone who works for Darcy Holdings, most will tell you they couldn’t dream of working anywhere else.”

It was all so unbelievable. How did her first day’s excitement turn into Charlie convincing her to stay? “What about this Wickham I just saw fired.”

“You can’t judge by him,” said Charlie, sitting forward. “He’s tested the waters for a long time and is now paying the price. His attitude purchased his one-way ticket to unemployment.”

“If I stay, what about Mr. Darcy? He doesn’t want me here. Whether I stay or go should ultimately be his decision. I won’t be treated like a red-headed stepchild.”

“Darcy will treat you with respect. You have my word.”

Her entire body sagged. “I don’t know.”

Charlie’s eyebrows lifted, and he relaxed into the seat. “I swear to you, you won’t regret keeping this job. You’ll be awesome and Darcy will be eating out of the palm of your hand in a matter of months.”

“Wow! Laying it on thick, are we?” she asked, rolling her eyes.

“Lizzy, do you trust me?”

“Of course.” She nodded. “You know I do.”

“Then don’t go. Trust me. Trust that I will have your back and that Darcy will come around.”

“That’s so not fair.”

He grinned that big puppy dog smile that always made her laugh. “I need whatever advantage I can get. So? Will you listen to your dear almost brother-in-law?”

She gave a long, drawn out groan. Why did he have to make it so difficult to say no? “Yes.” Hopefully she wouldn’t regret this! “Yes, you win. I’ll stay.”

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