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

this Frances Price know what we needed?”
    “It’s on your blog.”
    “Yeah, but no one buys everything on my list. Good Lord; she must have been at the breakfast.”
    “That makes sense,” Luke said, unpacking a food processor. “Oh, this thing is just cool.”
    The doorbell rang and Luke jumped up, while Lizzy stayed on the floor, stunned. Who would donate all this to her?
    Several can openers, a new set of knives—good knives, the kind you see on TV—and… Oh God. Lizzy dumped the contents of a brown envelop on the floor. Gift cards poured out. All of them for $100 or $250 at the bulk grocery store she ordered her supplies from. Lizzy’s heart pounded in her chest and she struggled against tears. Thousands of dollars’ worth of groceries lay in the plastic pile on the floor. Maybe there really were guardian angels.
    She heard male voices, so she stood up and brushed herself off in case the mysterious donor had arrived to claim credit. She wiped her eyes and tried to force a smile. It wasn’t that she wasn’t happy; good Lord, she was over the moon. It was…overwhelming.
    “Hey Lizzy!” Charles held a large takeout cup and a plastic box with a small cake. “Darcy told me the good news. Congratulations!” He looked around. “Whoa. What’s all this?”
    “How did you know about it?”
    Charles seemed confused. “I was referring to your new kitchen.”
    “What!” Luke and Lizzy exclaimed.
    “They haven’t called yet?” Darcy asked, appearing behind Charles.
    “Who?”
    Darcy winced. “You were supposed to be contacted already.”
    “What are you talking about?” Lizzy demanded.
    Charles grinned. “The committee! They voted and they’re giving you fifteen thousand for a new kitchen!”
    Lizzy stared at him. “What?”
    Her lower jaw began to tremble and her hands shook. She began to chant: Do not cry, do not cry.
    “The committee sent out an email yesterday. They’re going to cover your kitchen reno.” Darcy cleared his throat.
    “That’s why we brought cake!” Charles said, and thrust it into Lizzy’s hands. “Congrats! You got it!”
    “I haven’t been down to my office yet.” Lizzy’s hands shook so much that she was in danger of losing the cake. She’d gotten the money? All of the money? And she did it herself? They were going to get a new kitchen?
    Oh God, a new kitchen!
    She looked at the gift certificates. She could use them for food while the reno was happening. She could buy sandwich stuff and cases of fresh bananas. She could buy milk and mustard and butter and she could make meals. She could have a new kitchen. And she wouldn’t need to shut down her hot meals because her stove and freezer and fridge were on life support. And… and…
    “Lizzy, let me take that.” Luke took the cake from her. “You okay?” He had a laugh in his voice.
    Lizzy swallowed against the tightness in her throat, plus all of her pride, and whispered, “Thank you,” to Darcy.
    “I had nothing to do with it,” he said. “The committee voted.”
    “New kitchen. New supplies. That can’t be a coincidence.”
    “Who cares?” Luke said, getting down plates. “It’s cake time!”
    “Do you know who donated this?” Charles asked.
    Lizzy passed him the invoice. “Someone named Frances Price.”
    Charles made a strangled sound and coughed. He shot a look at Darcy, who patted him on the back. “Sorry, swallowed my gum.”
    “Do either of you know who that is?” Luke asked.
    A smile tugged on one side of Charles’s mouth. “Darcy, you know her?”
    “Never heard of her,” Darcy said. He cleared his throat again. “I have a flight to catch. I only wanted to congratulate you, Lizzy. You really did impress everyone there.”
    “Excluding you, of course.” But she said it with a smile and hoped there was laughter in her voice.
    “You impressed me, too.” Then Darcy did something she didn’t expect. He held out his hand.
    Out of reflex, she shook it. His hand was warm and his