The firefighter definitely got things going a little bit more heated than the realtor. I heard some yells and popped my head around the corner to see him take his shirt off. I also saw that Lauren's face was the same color of his fire truck. Apparently she had not expected things to get so spicy at the beginning of her fundraiser. He went for nearly $5,000, and when he tried to put a shirt back on the woman that won him took it from him. If I got some old broad who wanted me to take my clothes off, I was going to kill Lauren and Lucas before they had the chance to walk down the aisle.
A couple more guys went and then suddenly, I was next.
I walked out and the DJ put a light directly on me, I shielded my eyes. Lauren started talking about me, my business and how I was one of the most eligible bachelors in Austin. She was right, but that gossip rag had put me on the list about three years ago. Sure I hadn't had a lot of dates since then, but I was focused on building my business. And doing what was best for me, settling down was not in my line of sight.
But then I saw her.
A beautiful woman with dark hair pulled back at the nape of her neck. In a hunter green gown holding a drink and chatting with some people were dressed just as nice as I was. A couple women were holding up their numbers and going up a few hundred dollars at a time but I had to admit that I couldn't take my eyes off her. The rest just faded into the background. I wanted to spend the night with her.
So I took matters into my own hands.
I had just hit $1,000 when I walked over to Lauren and whispered into her ear, “I'll give you $10,000 right here right now to take me out of this auction and let me pick my date.”
She pulled the microphone away from her mouth.
“That's not how this works!” she hissed.
“You and I both know you're not going to get $10,000 for me from any of these women. So let me choose.” The lights started to feel hot above us and women were still calling out their bids.
She rolled her eyes, “And who are you going to choose may I ask? This is an animal rescue. You're not going to find a lot of people here who want to have your beef in their stores.”
“Nope. You're right. This is not a business transaction. Do you see the girl in the green dress over there?” I was practically salivating by now, Lauren was going to say yes, and I was going to get what I wanted. I knew it.
She squinted but then a smile spread across her face. “Emily? Yes I know her.”
“Perfect. $10,000 in your hand tonight, to get me the hell off this ridiculous stage and into her arms instead.”
She stared me down but then put the microphone back to her mouth. “So we have a bit of an interesting development here. Our famous cattle owner Levi Gunner has offered $10,000 to the charity.” Everyone clapped and I smiled and waved appropriately. “But only if one of our volunteers, Emily Kennedy, will dance with him. So what do you say Emily? Will you take this man off the auction block?”
I saw her slowly turn to face me, her mouth open and the drink nearly slipping from her hands before one of her friends grabbed it from her. Her eyes were wide at Lauren as if to say, are you kidding me?
I jumped down off the small stage and offered her my hand. Her sweet smile matched the softness in her eyes.
“$10,000 for one dance?” She asked me.
“Just one dance. I promise you, after that you can walk away. But I can also assure you that you won't want to.”
5
Emily
I couldn't believe this was happening. Levi Gunner, billionaire cattle rancher, was standing in front of me with his hand open just waiting to take mine. But we were sworn enemies, of course he didn't know it yet but I was a vegetarian and he was one of the biggest cattle ranchers in the area. Not to mention I worked at a bank and he was a billionaire. We had absolutely nothing in common, but that didn't stop me from taking in the beautiful male specimen in front of me.
He had dark hair pulled to one side, while the edges were trimmed close to his scalp. And he was in a black tux, one of the only men I had seen at the event in an actual tux. And I'm sure it wasn't rented.
He smelled good, better than any man I had ever met in my entire life. Something woodsy that just made me want to melt into him. And his dark green eyes practically matched my gown. Somehow they spoke to me and made me want to say yes. Besides all eyes in the entire fundraiser we're on me! I craned my head around to look for my sister Gwen, hoping that she might bail me out of this impossible situation, but she was nowhere to be found. So I smiled at him sweetly and I gave him my right hand while setting my glass of champagne down on the table that I had been standing at. Lauren had told me I had one job tonight, rub elbows with the biggest donors, and I didn't see anyone else donating $10,000 to the rescue. I dropped my chin to my chest and made a slight curtsy, as people clapped and laughed around us. If he wanted a show, I would give him one.
We walked back behind the tables and the DJ began to play a slow song. Within ten seconds a few other couples joined us, clearly understanding my embarrassment. I really appreciated their gesture. A girl like me wasn’t used to being the center of attention.
And as we danced and I could feel his hard muscles underneath his tuxedo I knew that I was in big trouble. Because for some reason he made me feel safe, he made me feel like home.
I never felt that way with anyone before. Not even growing up in my own real home. Every fiber of my being knew that we could never make this work. We could never be anything more than this perfect dance on a perfect evening, but my heart didn't care.
“You're beautiful, do you know that Emily?” He whispered in my ear.
I pulled back just slightly and he twirled me so that no one would notice. He was smooth, I had to give him that. “How did you know my name?”
“Lauren told me. Up on the stage. Emily Kennedy, the one who captured my attention.”
“And apparently your wallet. The rescue thanks you for your kind donation.”
“It's not something I'm usually known for, but tonight can be an exception.”
I had heard that Levi didn't really come to these things. He wasn't like some of the other men that we were auctioning off. Most of them donated to charities on a regular basis, except for the firefighters, but their job essentially was charity. Levi was different. He was a little older and perhaps a little bit more cold than the rest of the crowd. But snuggled up against him, I only felt his warmth. As he held my hand and continued to sway me back and forth I realized I wanted to get to know him better.
“I've heard that before.”
“That I'm cold? You wouldn't be the first woman to tell me that.”
“I didn't say you were cold. Just that these events aren't really your scene. That you prefer to be…”
“Alone? I prefer to run my business. But every once in a while you have to take a break, get out and have a little bit of fun, don't you think? Aren't you having fun Emily?”
My breath caught in my throat when he said my name. “I am.” I admitted. “Probably more fun than I anticipated having this evening.”
“So do you work for the rescue? Is that how you know Lauren?”
I nodded. “My sister is one of the lead veterinarians. I guess you could say I kind of followed in her footsteps. Though she works with the horses and mainly I take care of some of the smaller animals. I go out looking for strays.”
“By yourself?” He suddenly looked almost offended.
“Sometimes.”
“Next time you are supposed to go by yourself, you call me and I'll go with you.”
“You want to help stray animals?” I said softening.
“Not necessarily. But I don't like the idea of you being out there alone.” He took his finger and brushed it against my cheek as we stopped swaying and Lauren started talking again about the next date.
“You barely know me, why would you be worried about me?”
“You're right. I don't know you at all, but I'd like to. You promised me one dance, and you ful
filled that promise. But now I have another request of you. Would you like to go out with me?”
I didn't say anything. Bids were flying all around us and I noticed the caterer waving at me, clearly trying to get my attention.
“I'm sorry I have to go.”
He took my hand and kissed the back of it before sliding his business card into my palm.
“Just think about it okay?”
I smiled back at him as he let go, “I will.” I held the card up before the caterer began flailing his arms and I turned and walked away from Levi. I couldn't believe what had just happened. And as the caterer began explaining to me that we were nearly out of wine I looked back over my shoulder but Levi was gone. And suddenly I wondered if he had ever been there at all.
6
Emily
I hadn’t decided what I was going to do about Levi. He was handsome and perfect in that tux, except for one big thing. He was the biggest cattle farmer in town. And while I knew all about food, including meat, I didn’t partake. I hated the cattle industry specifically. And now here I was, being asked on a date by one of the biggest ranchers. A billionaire no less. What could we possibly have in common?
But today wasn't about me, it was Lauren's mini bachelorette party, a spa day with a bunch of her friends. My sister Gwen was attending too, and I was hoping that maybe I could bend her ear for a little bit if we got to be alone. See what she thought about Levi's offer, but if it didn't happen that was okay too. The focus was entirely on Lauren. And after she had pulled off such a completely successful fundraiser, she really deserved a day off at the spa. We had made plenty of money, I wasn't one of the people that got a chance to look at the accounting, but as far as I knew we were set for over a year! She had done a fantastic job. And even though I had been a bit opposed to the auction aspect at the beginning, now I saw the appeal. Or maybe I just couldn't stop thinking about Levi.
“Gwennie! So glad you could make it!” Lauren exclaimed as Gwen and I walked in together.
“I feel like I could sleep for days,” Lauren sighed.
“Then maybe you should. You’ve got a lot on your plate,” I said.
“Nah, I’m fine! All right. Who’s ready for facials!?” Lauren said as she jumped up and down.
Today was her official bachelorette spa day. Lauren didn’t want to do an entire weekend. Nope. What she wanted to do was scatter bachelorette days throughout the last couple weeks leading up to her wedding. First, a spa day. Then, a walk-on-the-beach day. Then, a pub-crawl night. And then, a sleepover. Her schedule was so interspersed with other things that she couldn't find a chunk of time to herself. So, it was her sister’s suggestion to split everything up.
Not a bad suggestion, either. Lauren still got to do what she wanted without hindering the rest of her plans.
The spa was luxurious, and I could tell it was footed by her fiance. The soothing oriental music coming from the concealed loudspeakers was soft against the ears. The plush white furniture was a nice contrast to the beautiful deep green, blacks, and browns that permeated the spa. The tiles underneath our feet were white and marbled with a beautiful gray. There was a flowing waterfall that took up an entire back wall in the waiting area, and it dumped into a small pond with actual koi fish in it.
“So, today is going to be an all-out day,” Lauren said.
“I cleared my day because of it,” I said, grinning.
“What all’s going to happen?” Gwen asked.
“Well, right now we’re going to do facials. Then, we have individual massages,” Lauren said. Then, we all come together for snacks, manicures, pedicures, and hair styling. Or cutting. Or dying. Whichever hair services you want,” Lauren said.
“Oh, waxing?” Kiara, Lauren’s sister, asked.
I quirked an eyebrow. “The tired mother is waxing?”
“It’s all night,” Kiara said.
“Hmm?”
“My husband planned a night out on Friday, and he told me to be prepared to stay away all night. As in, a hotel room. That’s why I want to get waxed. I’d like to try and get something out of it.”
I giggled. “Well done Mama!”
Kiara was the oldest out of the group, and I just wanted her to feel included. None of the rest of us were married, or had kids. She was kind of an outcast.
“Who’s ready for facials!?”
The technician came in with a cheery voice and both Gwen and I rolled our eyes. I helped Kiara to her feet and we were all led into a room with plush chairs set up in a circle. We all picked out a seat, and I managed to snag one by Lauren. The facial was relaxing. Smooth hands drifting over our skin. Hot towels wrapped around our faces. It was a dream, honestly. I’d never had a spa day before like this. I’d never even so much as gotten a pedicure. It wasn’t something I did. I didn’t treat myself to those things because I was too busy. So, every new product and new smell was a rich experience.
I even felt myself getting a little tired.
“I think Kiara over there is out,” one of the girls I didn’t know said, giggling.
“Can you blame her? Lily’s got colic,” Lauren said.
“Wait, isn’t Lily only like, a few weeks old? Or something?” the same girl asked.
“Colic can kick in at any time, and they say the younger it kicks in, the longer it stays,” Gwen said.
My heart ached for her. Poor thing.
“So, Mallory. Settled down with any of the men you’ve been seeing?” Lauren asked the girl who’s name I didn’t know.
“Any of the men? You mean, plural?” I asked.
Mallory giggled. “Well, thanks for making me feel bad, guys. And no, I haven’t. I’m enjoying myself and having fun like a single girl in Austin should.”
“Well, good for you!” Gwen said.
“Lauren, how are things on your end? You know, with the wedding?” I asked.
I peeked my eye open and took a good look at her, letting her know what I was actually asking.
“Things are going really well, Em. Thanks for asking,” she said, smiling.
“Why do I get the feeling that meant more than it did?” Mallory asked.
“Because it did,” Gwen said, grinning.
“And by the way, Mallory? Go you for letting yourself have some fun. I can’t even snag one date, so make sure to go on one for me,” I said.
“Wait, is there a guy in your world you want to snag a date with?” Lauren asked.
“Uh oh. Sounds like Emily has some tea to spill,” Mallory said.
“It’s really nothing. I just thought there was this thing between me and a guy, but we’re too different, it wouldn’t ever work,” I said.
“Wait, why?” Mallory asked.
“This isn’t the hunk from the auction, is it?” Lauren asked.
“Hunk at the auction? Now I want details!” Gwen added.
“Only if you tell me yours,” I winked at her but she ignored me and pressed on.
“What’s wrong with him?”
“Nothing! It’s just, well… it’s Levi Gunner, you know the owner of Gunner Meats.”
“OOOOO yikes,” Lauren made a face and Gwen just said “fuck” under her breath.
“I mean I knew you had that dance, but I didn’t honestly expect a love connection,” Lauren said sheepishly. This was all her fault after all.
“I don’t get it,” Mallory said, looking confused. “Isn’t he like, a billionaire or something? What's the issue?”
Everyone grew quiet. We could even hear Kiara snore occasionally.
“Can someone please explain to me what's going on?”
I sighed, “So I'm a vegetarian, and he owns pretty much one of the largest cattle ranches in Texas.”
“You’re a vegetarian? In Texas?” She looked at me incredulously.
I nodded, and Gwen rolled her eyes. Not at me, but at Mallory. “Oh shit. I'm sorry that's terrible. I know you're not going to change and eat meat anytime soon, but is there a way to work it out? I'm sorry I feel stu
pid, I just don't really know much about vegetarians.”
She wasn’t the first who didn’t understand my lifestyle, especially here in Texas, land of the barbecue. “I'm not vegan, so I do eat some animal products, and I wear some animal products as well, I have leather boots that I wear around the rescue all the time. It's just that I'm particularly nervous about the cattle industry, there's a lot of things about it I don't like. And if we started to date and he found that out, I can't imagine he'd be really excited to get to know me better. Especially when like you said, he's a freaking billionaire. He could have any girl he wanted, so why would he waste his time with me?”
“Because you're a catch Emily.” Gwen said staring at me, “And we all know that. And actually it's his loss if he doesn't want to be with you because you're a vegetarian. Not to mention how would you feel if you went out with him and he ordered a steak?”
“The same way I feel when I'm with you guys. I don't care. It's a totally personal decision, one that I made when I was in college and I just have stuck with it. But what other people put in their bodies is their business. I'm not going to judge anyone for their decisions.”
“But you also don't want his dirty money”. Lauren added looking at me knowingly. “Or what you consider is dirty money.”
“She considers it blood money,” Gwen added.
The two of them looked at each other for a moment, almost having a silent private conversation when Mallory piped up again.
Take It Slow Page 3
