Read Online First (Wrong) Impressions: A Modern Pride & Prejudice by Krista D Ball - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Krista D Ball
Ads: Link
appealed.
“Darcy, how is Georgiana doing?” Caroline asked. “Will we get to see her at Christmas?”
“She and Dani were planning a beach vacation the last time I spoke to them, so you’ll probably miss them this year.”
“That’s too bad.” She turned to Jane. “I adore Georgiana Darcy. She is endlessly talented.”
Jane smiled and said, “My youngest sister is a huge fan of her music.”
Caroline waved that off. “Her music career was just a hobby. No, Georgiana is far more than just the G’Anna people think she is.”
Lizzy, still perusing her menu, said, “I think a successful music career before eighteen would be considered talent by most people.”
Caroline opened her mouth to give what seemed likely to be a hot reply, but Darcy interrupted. “My sister was hoping to come up to see the condo when it’s renovated, so you might get to see her then.”
That got Caroline onto a new topic. “What a disaster this renovation is. Charles told me the condo would be finished in a couple of days. That’s why I came up here so early; I wanted to have a small break. Instead I’m living out of a suitcase with no end in sight. I should just go back home.”
“It’s not the contractor’s fault that they found mold in the bathroom,” Charles said patiently. He turned to Lizzy and said for her benefit, “My friends are in Dubai for the next year, so I said I’d watch over their condo renovation. I know that they wouldn’t want mold left there, so I told the contractors to fix the problem.”
“You’re welcome to stay at our place.”
Everyone at the table looked at Jane.
“Um, Jane…?” Lizzy began.
“Seriously. Our roommate’s away on a mission trip for the next month, so there’s just us two. Plus, our house is actually owned by The Faith. They’re our landlord.”
“Why does the charity own your house?” Darcy asked.
“It’s for out-of-town guests and volunteer groups,” Lizzy supplied. “We renovated it to get it up to code, and three of us rent the upstairs, thereby paying for the mortgage, and the basement is free for The Faith’s guests.”
“So homeless people sleep in your house?” There was a fair amount of horror in Caroline’s voice.
“Good Lord, no,” Lizzy chuckled. “In the summer, youth groups from rural communities come to the inner city to volunteer. And when Melissa has meetings with out-of-town folks, they’ll stay at the house as opposed to a hotel. It saves money for everyone, and gives us a chance to live in the inner city, which is a unique experience.”
Jane nodded. “The basement is set up like a guest hotel for visitors already. You’d have your own space and wouldn’t need to live out of a suitcase. It has its own kitchen and there are three bedrooms down there.”
Charles looked up from his drink and gave Jane a nervous look. “It’s a bit rougher than what we’re used to, but it’d give me a chance to see more of the inner city and the challenges there.”
Darcy cocked an eyebrow. “Talking with Lizzy should provide more than enough opportunity for that.”
Charles sighed. “It’s not the same, Darcy.”
“I don’t need to live somewhere unsafe to understand inner-city challenges,” Caroline said. “I’m aboriginal.”
Charles rolled his eyes. “Oh, please, Caroline. You don’t even talk to any of our family unless I make you. It’s not like we’ve ever been poor.”
“No, I just have to put up with people thinking I’m going to steal something whenever I walk into a store,” Caroline snapped. “Despite the fact that I can afford to buy everything in there.”
Charles sighed and said, “I’m simply saying, you have to admit that listening to Lizzy talk about The Faith wasn’t the same as going down there ourselves. So all I am saying now is that living in the inner city is going to be different than hearing about it.”
“True,” Darcy said. “It was significantly dirtier.”
“It’s fine, Darcy.”
“Darcy, how is Georgiana doing?” Caroline asked. “Will we get to see her at Christmas?”
“She and Dani were planning a beach vacation the last time I spoke to them, so you’ll probably miss them this year.”
“That’s too bad.” She turned to Jane. “I adore Georgiana Darcy. She is endlessly talented.”
Jane smiled and said, “My youngest sister is a huge fan of her music.”
Caroline waved that off. “Her music career was just a hobby. No, Georgiana is far more than just the G’Anna people think she is.”
Lizzy, still perusing her menu, said, “I think a successful music career before eighteen would be considered talent by most people.”
Caroline opened her mouth to give what seemed likely to be a hot reply, but Darcy interrupted. “My sister was hoping to come up to see the condo when it’s renovated, so you might get to see her then.”
That got Caroline onto a new topic. “What a disaster this renovation is. Charles told me the condo would be finished in a couple of days. That’s why I came up here so early; I wanted to have a small break. Instead I’m living out of a suitcase with no end in sight. I should just go back home.”
“It’s not the contractor’s fault that they found mold in the bathroom,” Charles said patiently. He turned to Lizzy and said for her benefit, “My friends are in Dubai for the next year, so I said I’d watch over their condo renovation. I know that they wouldn’t want mold left there, so I told the contractors to fix the problem.”
“You’re welcome to stay at our place.”
Everyone at the table looked at Jane.
“Um, Jane…?” Lizzy began.
“Seriously. Our roommate’s away on a mission trip for the next month, so there’s just us two. Plus, our house is actually owned by The Faith. They’re our landlord.”
“Why does the charity own your house?” Darcy asked.
“It’s for out-of-town guests and volunteer groups,” Lizzy supplied. “We renovated it to get it up to code, and three of us rent the upstairs, thereby paying for the mortgage, and the basement is free for The Faith’s guests.”
“So homeless people sleep in your house?” There was a fair amount of horror in Caroline’s voice.
“Good Lord, no,” Lizzy chuckled. “In the summer, youth groups from rural communities come to the inner city to volunteer. And when Melissa has meetings with out-of-town folks, they’ll stay at the house as opposed to a hotel. It saves money for everyone, and gives us a chance to live in the inner city, which is a unique experience.”
Jane nodded. “The basement is set up like a guest hotel for visitors already. You’d have your own space and wouldn’t need to live out of a suitcase. It has its own kitchen and there are three bedrooms down there.”
Charles looked up from his drink and gave Jane a nervous look. “It’s a bit rougher than what we’re used to, but it’d give me a chance to see more of the inner city and the challenges there.”
Darcy cocked an eyebrow. “Talking with Lizzy should provide more than enough opportunity for that.”
Charles sighed. “It’s not the same, Darcy.”
“I don’t need to live somewhere unsafe to understand inner-city challenges,” Caroline said. “I’m aboriginal.”
Charles rolled his eyes. “Oh, please, Caroline. You don’t even talk to any of our family unless I make you. It’s not like we’ve ever been poor.”
“No, I just have to put up with people thinking I’m going to steal something whenever I walk into a store,” Caroline snapped. “Despite the fact that I can afford to buy everything in there.”
Charles sighed and said, “I’m simply saying, you have to admit that listening to Lizzy talk about The Faith wasn’t the same as going down there ourselves. So all I am saying now is that living in the inner city is going to be different than hearing about it.”
“True,” Darcy said. “It was significantly dirtier.”
“It’s fine, Darcy.”
Similar Books
