Take a Chance on Me

by Alexa Land

  From across the room, Charlie called, “I’d say my husband has excellent taste! Don’t stress out, Cam. This is going to be great! You’ll see.” Doyle didn’t look convinced.

  A few moments later, someone tapped my shoulder, and I turned to face a gorgeous guy of about thirty with shoulder-length dark hair, a short beard, and a wicked grin. “Ignacio Mondelvano,” he said. “Checking in to be auctioned off to the highest bidder. It makes me hard just thinking about it!” He had a Spanish accent and wore several long, exotic-looking necklaces with his white shirt and ripped jeans. When he pushed back his sleeves, he revealed two full sleeves of tattoos, and he winked at me flirtatiously. Okay, that guy was going to bring in a king’s ransom.

  Loud music began to play on the ground floor, and the crowd cheered. Nana’s friend Mr. Mario was our MC for the evening, who’d donned a slick-looking gold suit for the occasion. He announced the start of the auction just as Duke ran upstairs. We were supposed to make a big entrance by sliding down the brass poles, a remnant of the building’s firehouse past. As the first two guys slid down to thunderous applause, Duke came up to me and asked, “Why am I so nervous?”

  I stretched up and kissed him, then said, “There’s no need to be. You know who you’re going home with tonight.” He grinned at that as another pair cued up.

  Dante hurried over to us, took the clipboard and told me, “Quinn, go next with my friend Cameron. He’s nervous, so try to help him out if you can, okay?”

  I promised I would, and then I winked at Duke and said, “Have fun,” before taking my place at the top of a pole. Cameron looked like he wanted to throw up as he grasped the one next to me. When Mr. Mario introduced us (as Randy Salami and Miles Long), we slid down to the stage that had been constructed for the event. I waved to the audience, grabbed Cam’s clammy hand, and guided him to the row of bachelors. A few more pairs made their entrance, and finally it was Duke and Ignacio’s turn. My boyfriend looked pale and wide-eyed as he took the last spot in line.

  The auction moved at a brisk pace. Ash played a different song and Mr. Mario read an outrageous, totally fake bio for each bachelor, while the audience laughed and applauded. The first few guys fetched between five hundred to eight hundred dollars each. Everyone seemed to be thoroughly enjoying themselves (except Cameron).

  I was the fifth one up. According to my bio, I was a billionaire turnip mogul from Delaware, who collected sexy underwear and enjoyed long, romantic walks to the sex shop. When I paraded up and down the stage, Ash played ‘Me so Horny,’ which got a good laugh from the audience and an exasperated look from me. I was surprised when a couple guys bid on me right away. Then Duke called, “I bid a thousand dollars,” and everyone cheered. That was double what we’d talked about, and while I was worried about him spending that much money, it still made me all warm and fuzzy inside.

  Mr. Mario brushed back his salt-and-pepper hair and called, “Going one time! Going two times!” Then he brought down his gavel and yelled, “Sold!”

  Cameron was next up, and he was practically shaking as he stepped forward. After the fake bio and theme song (‘I Wanna Sex You Up’ by Color Me Badd. Really, Ash?) the bidding began. I called, “Two hundred dollars,” just to get the ball rolling.

  A couple of people in the audience shouted their bids and brought Cameron’s total to a very respectable four hundred dollars. But then, Ignacio Mondelvano called, “Two grand!” Mr. Mario’s mouth fell open along with Cameron’s, and he struck the podium with his gavel. Cam looked dazed as he got back in line. After a moment, he leaned forward and took a peek at Ignacio. The Spaniard licked his lips flirtatiously, and Cam straightened up again and swallowed hard.

  Over the next half hour or so, eight more guys were auctioned off. Then it was Ignacio’s turn. He sauntered over to the podium, plunked down a big wad of hundred dollar bills, and said, “I bid whatever that is for myself, and I give me to the handsome man I purchased earlier.” He smiled at Cameron over his shoulder, then told the audience, “That is all the money I have, so be kind and don’t bid against me, bueno?”

  Everyone cheered, and Mr. Mario banged the gavel and yelled, “Sold!”

  Ignacio crossed the stage to Cameron and planted a big kiss on his lips, while the audience whistled and applauded. Then he tucked a slip of paper in Cam’s jacket pocket and said, “That is my private number. Regrettably, I am flying home to Barcelona on the red-eye in a few hours, and what I intend to do with you will take a great deal of time, so our date will have to wait until my return. But when I get back, I’m going to rock your world.”

  Ignacio caressed Cam’s cheek before returning to his place in line, and Cameron whispered, “What just happened?”

  Finally, Duke was up. He glanced at me nervously as he took center stage, and I flashed him a smile and a thumbs-up. According to his bio, he was a porn star and astronaut whose hobbies included rope bondage and knitting. As he self-consciously walked back and forth a bit, Ash played Sir Mix A Lot’s ‘Baby Got Back’ while I coughed to cover my laugh.

  I wasn’t the least bit surprised when the bidding took off. Two guys were going back and forth, and they got the amount up to eight hundred dollars before I called, “A thousand!”

  “Two thousand!”

  I looked around to see who’d joined the bidding, and my stomach dropped when I realized it was the rich hockey stud. I yelled, “Three thousand.”

  Even Eide countered with, “Five thousand!”

  Damn it! “Six thousand!”

  He came right back with, “Ten thousand.” A murmur went through the crowd.

  I muttered, “Fuck a duck,” then held up my finger to indicate I needed a minute and pulled my phone from my pocket. I quickly accessed my savings account on my banking app, checked the balance, and yelled, “Twelve thousand, two hundred sixty-two dollars and thirty-three cents.” That was every penny I had.

  Even Eide grinned at me from across the room and called, “Twenty thousand dollars.” The crowd actually gasped. Okay, yes, it was for charity, but I felt like punching him in the face.

  Duke glanced at me over his shoulder, and I mouthed the word, “Sorry,” and raised my hands in surrender. Mr. Mario yelled, “Sold for twenty thousand big ones,” and slammed down the gavel. The crowd went absolutely wild.

  Duke crossed the stage to me as everyone started talking all at once, and he said, “Okay, that was terrifying. What if he hadn’t outbid you?”

  “Huh?”

  “Your last bid was your entire bank balance, wasn’t it?”

  “Well, yeah.”

  “Why would you bid so much? That could have had serious repercussions.”

  “Because I promised you I’d win. I’m sorry I failed you.”

  “You didn’t! No one could have predicted what just happened, and I’m so glad you don’t have to drain your bank account.”

  Nana and Ollie rushed up to us a moment later, and Nana tackled Duke in a hug. “Hot damn,” she exclaimed, “I knew a big sexpot like you would bring in a lot of dough, but twenty grand! That’s just mind-boggling. Thanks for being a part of the auction, Duke. You too, Quinn. Both you boys did a lot to make tonight a success. Speaking of which, they’re bringing out the dessert buffet now. Everybody’s been pilfering your cookies, I hope there are some left!” Nana looked around and announced, “Someone’s calling my name, I’d better go see what’s going on!” She rushed off again, and Ollie flashed us a thumbs up and hurried after her.

  Mr. Mario picked up the mic and said, “All the winning bidders, please make your way to the podium for payment! I accept cash, checks, Visa, Mastercard, and offers of sexual favors! I am only kidding. I do not take Mastercard.”

  Duke smiled at me and said, “I’m going to go pay. I’ll see you in a few minutes.”

  I tried to stick a smile on my face, even though I felt sick to my stomach. I’d just thought Duke would enjoy meeting Even Eide when I’d left those tickets. I never imagined he’d end up going out with him,
and I’d basically set up the whole thing!

  I made my way to the stairs at the end of the stage, because of course I didn’t have a winning bid to pay off. When Even Eide and I crossed paths, he smiled at me with just a hint of smugness and said, “No hard feelings, mate.”

  Oh no. Hard feelings. Definitely hard feelings. I muttered, “Uh huh,” and kept walking.

  When I reached the main floor, I looked back at the stage, and the knot in my stomach tightened. Even and Duke were chatting and laughing, and Even’s hand was on Duke’s shoulder. They looked absolutely perfect together, like two gods visiting from Mount Olympus, there among the puny humans.

  The room felt stifling all of a sudden, just way too hot, loud and crowded. I waded through the mass of bodies and left by the front door. Once outside, I took a deep breath and pressed my eyes shut. After a few moments, a soft voice with a southern accent asked, “You alright, Quinn?”

  I turned to Elijah and said, “I’m fine. I just needed some air.”

  His hand was under the cuff of his oversized, dark blue sweater, and I caught a glimpse of his slender fingers fidgeting with his charm bracelet. “Same here. It’s way too crowded inside. I should have predicted that and stayed home, but Finn and Chance were so excited about the fundraiser, and I didn’t want to be a spoil sport.” He glanced up at the building and added, “I don’t think I can go back in there.”

  “Me neither. Want to share a cab?”

  When he nodded, I stepped off the curb and looked in both directions. As we waited for a taxi, he said, “It seems like a real nice shelter, don’t you think? Nana’s friend Alastair showed us around.”

  “Definitely. It’s going to make a real difference to a lot of people when it opens in a few days.”

  After a pause, he told me, “Alastair said they were looking for tutors, because some of the residents will be studying for their high school equivalency diplomas, and others will be enrolling in college. I volunteered to help them with math. Do you think I made a mistake?”

  “No. Do you?”

  “Maybe. I’ve never taught anyone before.”

  “That’s okay. Everyone has to start somewhere, and I bet you’ll be great at it.”

  A cab rounded the corner, and I stuck my arm out. When it pulled up in front of us, we slid into the backseat, and I gave the driver Elijah’s address. My friend said, “Your house is closer, she should stop there first.”

  “Yeah, but I want to make sure you get home okay.”

  “Thanks, Quinn.” I texted Duke to let him know where I was, and Elijah asked, “You sure you don’t want to go back inside to your boyfriend?”

  I shook my head and murmured, “I doubt he’s going to miss me.”

  *****

  After dropping off Elijah and driving back across town, the cab pulled up right behind another one in front of my house. Xavier got out of the backseat, dressed in scrubs and a baggy fleece jacket. While he waited for me to pay, he stretched his back, and when I stepped onto the curb he said, “Hey. You’re home early.”

  “Yup.”

  “You got my message, right? I’m sorry I couldn’t make it to the bachelor auction. We were short-handed at the hospital, so I had to work a double.”

  “It’s fine. We had a good turnout.”

  “Glad to hear it,” he said. “So, where are you taking Duke on your date?”

  “What date?”

  “Wasn’t that the point of the auction, to win a date with a hot guy? You said you and Duke were going to bid on each other.”

  “Some rich dude outbid me.”

  Xavier exclaimed, “Poor Duke! Was he totally freaked out? He’s so shy and awkward around guys, and I know the only reason he agreed to participate was because he was sure he’d end up with you!”

  “Actually, I think Duke’s just fine. And I tried, Xavier. I really did. I literally bid the entire contents of my bank account. But then Even Eide came back with a bid of twenty thousand dollars and shut me down.”

  “Even Eide the former hockey player?”

  I raised an eyebrow and said, “Because there are loads of guys walking around with that name.”

  “Well, maybe in Norway. But really? Even Eide was the winning bidder? That’s crazy, since Duke’s totally in love with that guy.” I don’t know what Xavier saw in my expression, but he quickly backtracked with, “Not literally! I just meant he had a crush on him and owned two or three hockey jerseys with Eide’s name on them. But all of that was before he met you, Quinn!”

  “Yeah, well, now he gets to go on a dream date with the guy he’s been lusting after for a decade. So, yay to that. And yes, I know I’m an asshole for not being thrilled about the shelter getting that huge donation. But damn it, I think I just lost Duke, and it’s all my fault, because I was the one who invited Eide to the fundraiser!”

  My neighbor asked, “Why would you do that?”

  “Because I knew Duke was a fan, and I thought he’d enjoy meeting his idol.”

  “Or maybe subconsciously, you were testing him. I assume Duke told you about his crush on Eide. Maybe some part of you wanted to see what would happen when the two of them met, because you needed proof that Duke wanted you above all else.”

  I frowned and asked, “Did you take a lot of psychology classes in nursing school?”

  “A few. I could be wrong, but it might be something to think about.”

  After a pause, I said softly, “What if I lose him, Xavier? Duke is the greatest guy I’ve ever met. What am I going to do without him?”

  He gestured at his front door and said, “Want to come inside and have some tea? Or vodka? Whatever works.”

  “Thanks, but I just want to go to bed and hide under the covers.”

  “Okay. Text me if you need anything. I’ll be home all night.”

  I told him I would. After we said good night and went inside, I leaned against the front door and texted Duke to let him know I was back at the duplex. He replied after a minute with: Oh, I assumed you were returning to the party after escorting Elijah home.

  I wrote back: I was tired. That wasn’t a lie. I felt almost painfully weary right then.

  He texted: I’m planning to stay until the end. I told Nana I’d help clean up.

  I said out loud, “Great. Be sure to fall in love with the man of your dreams while you’re at it.” Then I texted: Have fun. I’ll be asleep by the time you get home, so I’ll see you in the morning. I kind of hated myself for the ‘have fun’ part, since I couldn’t stop picturing him and Eide dancing, chatting, laughing....

  I trudged upstairs and exchanged my stupid, nerdy suit for a pair of flannel pajamas. Then I did exactly what I’d told Xavier I was going to do by climbing under the covers and pulling them over my head. Sleep was out of the question, though. As the minutes and hours moved in ultra-slow motion, I tortured myself by imagining the fun my boyfriend and that rich, handsome jerk were probably having together.

  *****

  Duke got home close to three a.m. I heard him moving around in the kitchen before going back to his bedroom. I knew I should go downstairs and talk to him, but I just couldn’t make myself do that, since the conversation was bound to start off with him gushing, “Oh my God, I can’t believe I just met Even Eide!” He’d probably be nice enough to spare me the details, like how gorgeous Eide was in person and how incredibly generous he was for donating all that money to the shelter. But he’d be thinking it. Who wouldn’t?

  Eide was a fucking rock star. He was tall and attractive, rich and famous, and extremely generous, and he could give Duke things I could only dream about. If they ended up together, all Duke’s financial stress would disappear in the blink of an eye. He could move into Even’s palatial mansion, quit his job, and spend all day blissfully baking cookies in a magazine-perfect kitchen that was probably bigger than the entire duplex.

  Damn it. How could someone like me possibly compete with someone like Even Eide? How could anyone compete with that?

 
; Chapter Thirteen

  I stalled for time before going downstairs the next morning. I was pretty sure I’d be able to keep my raging insecurity under wraps, but I still didn’t want to have the ‘wasn’t Even so great?’ conversation. Hiding in my room forever wasn’t an option though, so after I showered and pulled on a lackluster T-shirt and jeans, I went and found Duke.

  He was in his bedroom, dressed in a dark blue suit and folding towels with an odd degree of precision. Each was creased just so, aligned, folded, and folded again, so it was absolutely identical to every other towel in the stack on his tidy bed. It made him seem vulnerable, in a way I wouldn’t have predicted. Continually striving for that degree of perfection had to be exhausting.

  I came up behind him and wrapped him up in a hug, and as I rested my head on his back, he said, “Good morning. How’d you sleep?”

  I’d probably slept less than two hours, but I murmured, “Fine. Are you going to church?”

  “Yup.”

  “By yourself?”

  Duke nodded. “I haven’t heard from my parents since the fight, so I decided to go back to our old church in South San Francisco, the one that now has a progressive pastor.”

  “Well, that’s good. Aren’t you going to be late, though?”

  “There are two services. I’m going to the one at ten-thirty, and I’m leaving in just a minute. Would you like to come with me?”

  I said, “Some other time, okay?”

  “I know it’s not really your thing. Just thought I’d offer.”

  “I am curious to see what it’s all about, but I’m not really feeling up to it today.”

  Duke turned to face me and kissed my forehead. Then he draped his arms over my shoulders and said, “You’re upset, aren’t you?”

  “No.”

  “Yes you are, I can tell. You feel you let me down with the auction, don’t you? It really is okay, I’m not upset about it. I know you promised you’d be the winning bidder, but like I said last night, neither of us could have predicted what ended up happening.”