Darcy looked at himself in the mirror above his dresser again. His hair was in need of a trim, with curls past the collar of his shirt, and little wisps getting trapped between the fabric and his skin. With a last, irritated brush, Darcy turned away. It was a dinner party. He knew better than to put too much expectation on seeing Eliot again after that disaster.

Darcy felt his heart constrict, remembering the grimace of pain on Eliot’s face as he had said he was single. He probably hadn’t even realized how vulnerable he’d looked in that microsecond, but Darcy couldn’t wipe it from his mind. His fingers clenched into fists. Some bastard had left him with a baby. The thought filled Darcy with a rage he hadn’t expected to feel.

A few months until his due date, Eliot had said. How long was that? Three? Five? Five would be more than half the pregnancy, so not that long, surely. Eliot looked like he was further along than that. But three was too long for the child to possibly be Darcy’s.

The thought had plagued him since seeing Eliot’s rounded belly. Did he want it to be his? Yes? No?

What he wanted didn’t matter. The timeline probably didn’t match up.

Gina knocked on his door, letting herself in before he called out a welcome.

“Bit daring aren’t you, walking into my bedroom like that? I could’ve still been dressing.”

Gina snorted. “You finished dressing an hour ago. You’re too fastidious to not be ready early.”

She plopped herself down on the edge of his bed, fingering the coverlet. Darcy watched her for only a moment, seeing the tell-tale crinkles of mischief at the corners of her mouth. “What did you do?”

A smile played across her lips. “Nothing.”

“You are a terrible liar, Gina.” Darcy crossed his arms, pinning her with his firmest stare. Unlike his employees, Gina didn’t even bend. Darcy wondered if he was losing his touch.

“I cancelled dinner for everyone but you and one single guest.” She danced her fingers across the coverlet with the last three words.

As Darcy opened his mouth to speak, Gina continued, “And that guest has arrived downstairs.” She stood and faced her big brother. “Lose the jacket and get your ass down there before he figures it out and leaves.”

Without a backward glance, Gina left his room. After half a moment of indecision, he pulled the jacket off and lamented that his sister was getting far too bossy. He caught his expression in the mirror when he turned around. His smile was hard to miss, as was the excitement glittering in his eyes.

If he dallied any longer, his second thoughts would get the better of him. He left the room, closing the door firmly behind him.

Downstairs, he could hear Gina explaining to Eliot that she had to cancel the dinner because our chef called in sick. “I am so sorry I wasn’t able to reach you. But you can’t go home after coming all this way. I hope you won’t mind eating with just me and Darcy.”

Eliot’s eyes met Darcy’s, searching. Darcy broadened his smile and added his entreaties to his sister’s. Surprise followed by a look of happiness settled on Eliot’s face. “I would be honored to dine with you.”

Gina led the way into the dining room. “I ordered take-in from this amazing Chinese place I love.”

Darcy hurried to pull out Eliot’s seat for him. “Gina has always been partial to spilling egg drop soup on her shirt.”

Gina slapped at his shoulder as he passed her, and he ducked away.

Eliot laughed. “Spoken like a typical big brother.”

Gina scowled, her laugh negating the look of censure. “Oh, I think I can take you both. Little sisters have claws.”

Eliot gulped dramatically. “You’re in deep trouble, Darcy.” Eliot’s eyes twinkled. “I have to admit, if push comes to shove, I’m on Team Gina. But I can’t wait to hear the stories.”

Darcy groaned. “I am doomed.”

Food gone, Darcy, Gina, and Eliot sat in the living room, continuing to share stories of familial silliness. Darcy marveled at the sheer craziness of Eliot’s escapades with his siblings. “Your parents are saints to have survived your adolescence.”

Eliot laughed. “They are slightly damaged from it, that’s for sure.”

Gina yawned, stretching. Her look told Darcy that she was waiting for a hint from him that she should leave them alone. Darcy longed to send her that hint, but worried that Eliot would leave without her as a buffer between them.

Rolling her eyes at her brother, Gina turned to Eliot, “When are you due?”

The directness of her question stole Darcy’s breath. He quickly leaned forward. “You don’t have to answer that if it pains you.”

Eliot’s eyes met his. “It’s not painful. I’m due July seventh.”

Gina’s eyes widened. “But that’s just days after Mother’s wedding. Are you allowed to fly that late in a pregnancy?”

Eliot shook his head, not looking away from Darcy. “No, I’ll be land-bound. I had planned on being more involved, but when we finally pinned your mother down on a location, she chose LA, and so I’m off the hook.”

“Lucky duck,” Gina grumbled, nudging Darcy with her foot. He had fallen silent with Eliot’s announcement of his due date. That wasn’t three or four months away, it was only two. And that meant that it was completely possible… but why wouldn’t Eliot tell him?

“Wise decision,” Darcy added. What if he asked Eliot outright, and the baby wasn’t his? Would that make things too awkward between them again?

A sudden flurry of pings erupted from Eliot’s phone. He pulled it out, saying, “Excuse me for a second.”

Darcy looked at Gina who mouthed, “Ask him out.” Darcy shook his head. He wasn’t ready, not with this latest revelation. Gina moved closer. “Ask him out,” she said the words aloud this time, though too quietly for Eliot to hear.

“No.”

“Why?”

“I think the baby is mine,” Darcy whispered.

Gina’s nostrils went wide as she sucked in air. “Then you’d damn well better ask him out!”

Eliot standing suddenly, a look of panic in his eyes, ended their conversation. “I’m so sorry but I need to leave.”

He started walking toward the door. Darcy leapt off of the couch, following and overtaking him. Darcy touched Eliot’s arm as he reached for the doorknob. “Is everything all right?”

Eliot glanced behind him to where Gina stared anxiously after them. “That was Jane. Kitty, our youngest sister, has apparently been missing for two days, and Mom’s only just now raised the alarm.”

“How can I help?” Darcy asked immediately. “Do we need to notify the authorities? Raise search parties.”

Eliot shook his head, his lips thin and white. “No. She’s an adult, but… Liam thinks she’s run off to Vegas with George Wickham.”

Darcy felt his hand dropping away from Eliot.

“You know how he is.” Eliot looked down at the ground, shaking his head. “She has no money. She’s not answering her phone. Who knows what kind of trouble he’ll get her into and then just leave her in?”

Darcy stepped away from Eliot, his face distant as he opened the door. “Of course, I understand completely. You need to go immediately. Your family needs you.”

Pain, possibly a sheen of tears, crossed Eliot’s expression. “Yes. Yes, I do need to leave immediately.” He gave a strained smile to Gina, who was hovering in the hallway behind Darcy now. “Thank you for dinner. It was delicious.”

“Do you need me to call you a driver?”

“No,” Eliot said, fumbling at his pocket. “I drove here. I’ll be okay. I just have to get home. Thank you. Goodbye.”

Darcy closed the door before Eliot reached the elevator, brushing past his sister.

“What the hell was that? You’re just going to let him leave?” Gina yelled, her voice loud enough it would certainly carry out into the hall.

“His sister has run away with George Wickham. I need to find them.”

Gina chased after him and grabbed his arm. “Don’t be an idiot, Darcy. You might need Eliot’s help to actually find him.” She straightened up, her grip slackening. “You’ll need my help too. He’s a creature of habit.”

“His family needs him—” Darcy said.

“And they all need us. If you don’t catch him before he leaves, I will. Darcy stared at her for a moment before rushing outside, sprinting down the stairs to the lobby. He’d catch Eliot there. Gina was right. He didn’t need to go all lone wolf, like he had for so long. He had friends and family to lean on. And they could lean on him.