First (Wrong) Impressions: A Modern Pride & Prejudice by Krista D Ball Page A

seven.”
    Lizzy rolled her eyes, but she did feel her cheeks heat up. “I hated it.”
    “You made sure everyone knew. Eventually, the instructor told Mom to stop forcing Lizzy to do what she didn’t want, because Mom was just wasting her time and money. So then Mom made the mistake of asking Lizzy what she wanted to do.”
    “What did you ask for?” Charles asked.
    Lizzy felt her face heat up more. “Jousting lessons.”
    That brought more laughter and Charles asked, “What you did you end up getting?”
    “Freaking piano.”
    Darcy frowned at that. “You don’t like the piano?”
    “I preferred reading, not trying to act like some spoiled rich kid wanting to go to concerts and auditions.”
    “Some of those kids might have been there because they were shy and learning how to overcome it,” Darcy said calmly.
    Jane reached over to put her hand on Lizzy’s forearm. “Shyness is something Lizzy’s never experienced.”
    That brought a release of the tension and Lizzy laughed along. Darcy looked away, but not before she noticed his smirk.
    “Lizzy, I don’t know how you do it,” Charles said. “You had a fight break out, you ran out of sugar for the coffee, half of your volunteers didn’t show up, and here you are, laughing like nothing’s happened.”
    “Practice, detachment, and ice in my veins.”
    Lizzy never liked to talk in depth about her job. It was easier to give the flip answers, so she wouldn’t have to think about the bad times. At Charles’s dubious look, she added, “It’s not a job for everyone, but I enjoy it.”
    Jane smiled. “I’m very proud of her. She makes a difference every day.”
    “Do you believe you’re making a difference?” Darcy asked. “If these people keep coming back night after night for a decade, have you really done anything?”
    Lizzy stared at him, her temper rising. She got this question all of the time from volunteers. That didn’t bother her so much, since talking to them was her job. However, here, in her own home, she didn’t have to address that question, talk about charity models, or emotions and broken systems. This was her house and he was a guest.
    One glance at Jane was enough for Jane to say, “You should come to the lecture series in the new year.”
    Charles, who’d been giving Darcy a death glare, encouraged Jane to keep talking.
    “It’s given by Lizzy, Luke, and Melissa, and they do a social justice series. It’s always well attended. I’ve taken some of the classes, and it’s amazing when Lizzy explains the history of charity, the effects of the residential school system, urban poor, all of it.”
    “My dad’s family were all in resident schools,” Charles said somberly. “It really wrecked a lot of their lives.”
    Jane, encouraged by Charles’s input, said, “Exactly. Yet, so many people just brush it off because they don’t understand the wide-reaching effects. So that’s one of the topics Lizzy covers.”
    Lizzy looked down at her mug. “Well, it’s a part of my job. Brings in donors.”
    “Don’t lie, Lizzy.”
    Lizzy glared at her sister, but Jane ignored her. “She’s just saying that, to get you going. Lizzy’s been published in several magazines for her articles on social justice. She doesn’t actually see people as potential donors. She sees them as potential advocates. She doesn’t want you to know that.”
    Lizzy pushed aside her ire at Darcy to chide her sister. “It’s not like I’m in Macleans or on the CBC.”
    Jane gave her a glare.
    “Well, okay, I’ve been on CBC a few times, but that’s just locally. Not nationally. It’s not like Peter Mansbridge is calling me up.”
    “Don’t downplay your work.” Jane kept on bragging about her sister: “Lizzy runs The Faith’s blog where she posts pictures of the inner-city and tells stories every time she asks for donations. She puts a face on everything she asks for.”
    “I didn’t mean to imply she doesn’t do any good.” Darcy said. He