by Sarah Gay
6
“How long do you think this’ll take?” Knox said, cutting his eight-ounce steak in half and popping one of the two sections into his mouth.
Cole shrugged as he took another bite of mashed potatoes. He’d learned to let Knox talk if he wanted to. When Knox was in a one of those moods—like he was tonight—Cole kept quiet. Knox was a Vet and the only reason he’d agreed to be auctioned off tonight was to raise funds for his brothers in combat.
“I’m up first.” Knox finished off the remainder of his steak in one bite. “Do you think I can leave out the back when I’m finished, or do I need to sit back down?”
Cole wanted to tease Knox by saying something childish like, Do I stink or something? But Knox would most likely growl at him and shut down. Cole played it safe with a “Not sure.”
Was there even a back way out? Cole turned in his seat to glance behind and to the side of their table at the stage. The thick, burgundy curtains hung closed.
Cole was equally as eager to get this over with as Knox. He shifted back around to face the enormous open room of the conference center to the fifty or so round tables with hungry women in fancy gowns picking at their plates as they pointed up at the football players on display at the long table at the front of the room.
The platinum blonde, plump-lipped woman who basically accosted him earlier during the pre-auction mingle, Jolene or Jackie, sat two tables away. Jackie removed a delicate rose scarf from around her neck and waved it in the air at him as she fanned her neck with her other hand. She continued by giving a him a slow wink. Cole cringed. He had to remind himself why he was doing this. He returned her wink with a kind smile before initiating a conversation with his buddy to escape her eye.
“Where’s Wilder, Clark?” Cole sometimes called Walker Kent Clark, as in Superman. Not just because of his name and the fact that he resembled the comic hero; Kent was a real hero. He had been a helicopter pilot for the military, tasked with transporting special operations forces, but didn’t talk about it often. He’d been dishonorably discharged for disobeying a direct order. Kent risked his life and career to save his soldiers out on the battle field. To Cole, Kent was a hero through and through.
Cole thought the world of Wilder as well, but like his name, he could be a wild card. Although, being late wasn’t his M.O. “Wilder’s never late.”
“He doesn’t have the best attitude about tonight,” Kent responded. “I hope he didn’t bail.”
“I don’t blame him.” Cole motioned to Wilder’s empty chair. “I’d rather be somewhere else tonight as well.” Cole had the eerie feeling that the puffy lipped lady was staring at him. “And with someone else.”
Kent punched Cole in the arm and laughed out, “You should be in heaven, Carmichael.” He motioned around the room.
But the only thing Cole saw were hungry eyes, deep green carpet, and menacing flower arrangements on each guest table that made his eyes itch just thinking about their allergenic potential.
Kent continued, “And look at all these lovely ladies dying to go out with you.”
“Not looking,” Cole responded, putting his head down as he took a hearty bite of his steak.
He bit down into the buttery meat with ease. It was tender and savory, but nothing compared to those gourmet appetizers the deli girl made. Dang, those were amazing. What was even more amazing was the instant connection between them. Even with her face hidden behind a mask of sugar, he’d been struck with a blast of love at first sight.
When she’d grabbed his arms and lifted him up, whoosh, that got something going inside of him. Then she recognized him as the guy who’d stolen her sandwich, preventing their kiss. He should’ve apologized to her when she realized he was the jerk from the market, not teased her like he had, but who uses words like jerk-face? He shook his head and chuckled at her sweet innocence.
“I know who I’d rather be with right now,” Cole sighed out. “How about you, Kent? Would you rather be with one of these ladies here tonight, or with someone who’s incognito?”
“Is that a trick question?” Kent wrinkled his face. “Because you know my luck with women. I don’t do relationships.”
Cole laughed as he slapped his knee. “I wouldn’t make that face anymore, or no one’s gonna bid on you tonight.”
“Right, we’re suppose to charm.” Kent positioned himself forward, sat up straighter, and smiled his Superman smile.
Cole rolled his eyes as a few women in the audience ahhhed. Nothing new. Chicks always went crazy over Kent’s perfectly aligned teeth and debonair smile.
The lights flickered then dimmed slightly before a spotlight lit the center of the burgundy curtains. The curtains pulled back and disappeared before a beautiful woman in a bright pink dress emerged. He recognized her as Maia something or other. Her voice graced the silver screen as an animated princess. His stomach twisted looking at Maia, his auctioneer.
She flashed her brilliant white smile. “Let’s bring on the Titans!” Her voice echoed across the open room and back, giving the sensation of sitting in a theatre and watching an animated flick with the kids from the ranch, but he wasn’t. This was worse than getting kicked in the shin by his horse last week.
Beads of sweat formed on Cole’s forehead. Knox was called up first. Poor sucker. As Knox took the stage, Cole’s phone vibrated in his pocket. He slowly wiggled it out, angling it away from the crowd to be clandestine. Tinkering with his phone was better than witnessing the humiliation on Knox’s face.
He received a text from Pineapple. Cole cursed under his breath. He hadn’t checked on Pineapple’s friend yet.
“Hey, man,” the text began. “Maggie had a rough day. Please call her for me. I owe you one.”
Pineapple was Cole’s favorite cousin. He had the the biggest heart of anyone Cole had ever met.
“Unable to call, but I’ll text her now,” Cole texted back, keeping his chin up as he typed inconspicuously, pretending to focus on the auction.
Cole scrolled up to Maggie’s contact info in the text stream and saved her contact, then quickly shot her off a text, “This is Pineapple’s cousin. Heard you had a bad day. Let me know if there’s anything I can do to make your stay here more pleasant.” He hit the send button, but as he reviewed the text, it read more like a greeting you’d receive at a hotel check-in than from a friend. He obviously traveled way too much.
Knox thumped down into his chair next to Cole, startling him. That was fast, not more than four or five minutes. Cole had missed Knox’s entire bidding and had a hankering to lean over and ask him what had happened, but, judging by Knox’s tight jaw and determined eyes, now was not a good time for that conversation.
Riker Dylan, their quarterback, was up next. He’d sell for a pretty penny. Women couldn’t resist a quarterback. They joked with Riker how he was Captain America with his sandy hair and blue eyes, and he’d joke right back calling Kent Superman and Cole Maui because he was half Polynesian, although he didn’t look very Polynesian with his fair skin and light brown eyes. Cole resembled his father, but with his tough, maternal grandfather’s Polynesian build.
His phone vibrated again.
Maggie responded, “Thanks. Crazy busy. I’m at the most ridiculous event, uncomfortably dressed like a puffy princess, but it’s for a good cause. Thanks for the offer but I’m good. Just pray you’re never asked to be auctioned off like these poor guys from the Texas Titans. Who do you play for? The university?”
Cole jolted to attention. Pineapple’s friend was here? Why? He scanned the room. Pineapple had told him she was in town for work. And if she was working, why would she be in a formal gown? Did she have a connection to the team? His mind reeled through miscellaneous questions as the crowd erupted into applause. He directed his attention back to the stage.
Cole let out a low whistle and leaned over to Knox. “Did Riker really just go for what I think he did?”
Knox nodded, a faint smile playing at his lips. That was about all Cole would get
out of Knox. Riker sat back down with the countenance of a lion. Cole had to admire Riker’s unabashed confidence.
As Kent stood, Cole gave him bones. “Give ‘em a show, Superman.”
“Laugh it up, but you’re next, Maui.”
Cole’s eyes flew to Jackie. She nodded to him with a wave of her bidding paddle. At least he had one woman who would bid on him. He didn’t want to go for less than Riker, but he might have to. He hadn’t played to the crowd during the mingle or during the bidding. He had become too intrigued with the idea that Pineapple’s friend might be in the room.
He sent Maggie another text, “Football’s just something I do for fun. What do you do?” His eyes searched for someone looking down at their phone. He let out a humorous humph when he realized that half the guests were tinkering with their phones.
She responded, “I’m a firefighter, but this weekend I’m playing the part of a caterer.”
The wires in his brain finally sparked and melded together, allowing his lobes to connect. Maggie was the deli girl. She was in town helping Silver. This was too perfect. Cole’s eyes searched the perimeter of the room until he located her in the front corner. He hadn’t seen her earlier. She must have come in recently.
Once he locked onto her, he couldn’t tear his gaze away from her in her bright blue dress. The color of her dress caused her crystal eyes to pop against her black hair as it caressed her creamy white shoulders. With Maia’s princess voice in the background, he stared in a trance at Maggie, AKA Snow White. He found himself in his own real-life fairytale with an intense physical need to press his lips to her pouty red ones.
Maggie’s eyes swept the room before settling on the stage. Cole had a sudden urge to leave his table, strut over to Maggie and give her a kiss she’d never forget. Although, she may not be good with that. Her eyes darted his way for only a second or two. He waited for her to look again then tipped his imaginary hat to her with a wink.
Cole shot a quick text off to Silver as a chorus of ahs and gasps rippled through the room. He disregarded what he first thought he heard, but then Maia verified it. Engaged? Cole did a double take of his stone-faced friend. Kent’s announcement, or his date’s, was downright shocking, not to mention disturbing. Cole would get down to the bottom of this, but his first obligation was to the bidding block.
He adjusted his tie and took one last sip of water before standing. He prayed Silver received his text and would work her magic. With a little faith and fairytale magic, perhaps this evening could be magical for him after all.
7
Thirty Minutes Earlier
Maggie raised the hem of her dress as she skipped up the conference center steps, slick from the fresh evening rain. The muggy air swirled with the scent of wet clay. As she wound her way through the long halls of the conference center, she told herself to embrace the notion of being a princess in Silver’s beautiful ball gown, instead of giving in to the harrowing feeling of being an imposter. The dress resembled something Cinderella would wear to a ball with a v neck top, a tight beaded bodice, and an iridescent puffy skirt that rippled to the floor.
She stopped at the servers’ entrance to the grand ballroom and shook her hands out to stave away her nerves. If she ever wanted to take over Silver’s business, she had to get comfy catering to the highest classes of society and being in exclusive and unique situations real quick, or at least fake it.
“Fake it till you make it,” Maggie said with determination as she swung open the door and stepped into the lion’s den with an air of aristocracy to match her dress. She found herself at the front of the room. She made the quick decision to stay where she stood next to a table in the first row closest to the stage, but farthest from the table where the bachelors sat.
Her eyes bulged momentarily as she took in the grand ballroom with its gold embellished walls and mahogany coffered ceiling. Maggie gave a delicate smile and tipped her head to the women sitting at the table next to her.
If it weren’t for the toxic redolence invading her senses, she would’ve been able to pay attention to the happenings on stage. She instinctively covered her nose, preventing the stench of the disgustingly sweet mixture of lavish perfumes to burn through her nasal passages. This proved it; she was in high society. Realizing she couldn’t keep her hand over her nose all evening, she widened her smile to breathe cautiously through her slightly open mouth.
Maggie discreetly scanned the room for Silver but caught sight of Cole instead. Her insides tumbled. He sat at the front table with the other players up for bid. Her intense, contradictory emotions of anger, embarrassment, and insane attraction threatened to send her into a tizzy. She spun around in a quick circle, searching for a post, an imitation tree, anything to hide behind. Nothing. The first bachelor finished his auction and took his seat. She had to suppress a giggle; that guy did not want to be up there.
Her phone buzzed in her purse. Being as clandestine as possible, she removed it and opened her messages. Pineapple’s cousin texted to check on her. That was kind of him, but she really didn’t have the time or inclination to meet with him. She responded quickly, hoping to get off her phone before someone noticed.
The next player up for bid was announced as Riker. These guys had cool names.
Maggie’s phone buzzed again. She responded quickly. With all of the energy and glamour, this was a more exciting evening than she had expected it to be and didn’t want to jeopardize her job opportunity because of her phone.
She raised her eyes to the stage when they announced what Riker went for. Holy Cow! Forget who could, who would pay over two hundred grand for a date? For one stinking date with these self-centered…she couldn’t speak for all of them, only jerk-face. She was dying to know if he played the crowd as well as Riker.
Maggie’s curiosity got the better of her. She risked a quick glance at him. Not only did he notice her, she caught him staring in her direction. Correction: He stared directly at her. Her body heated up by a good ten degrees at his sweltering gaze. Good thing she had applied her antiperspirant before climbing into the dress, or her nervous sweating would be on display for everyone in the room. She finished her text then placed her phone back into her bag with a determination not to check it again until the event concluded.
She refocused her attention between the stage and the tables where it was now down to two women battling for a romantic date with a guy named Walker Kent. Oh my, Walker had some great teeth, but they had to be fake. Perhaps they’d been knocked out during a football game? Maggie never got a good look at jerk-face’s teeth and she had a nagging desire to know if they sparkled like Walker’s. She snuck another quick glance only to find him still making eyes at her, and dang those were gorgeous eyes.
Cole winked as he tipped an invisible hat to her. He could have meant a baseball cap for all she knew, but she envisioned him as her dream man in his cowboy boots and authentic cowboy hat. Her heart thumped in her chest at her whimsical daydream. She nearly smiled back. Luckily, she caught herself with an internal reminder that this wasn’t real. He wasn’t one of those kind, down-to-earth cowboys. He was a rude, mega-wealthy football star that treated commoners like crap.
The woman who’d won Walker strolled up on stage to claim her prize. To everyone’s shock—Scarlett Powers, the famous actress who just bought him, took the microphone and announced they were engaged.
Engaged? Maggie’s hand flew to her mouth in astonishment. The actress grabbed the distressed football player and kissed him. Why didn’t he look happy about that announcement? Silver needed to hear this.
“Where is she?” Maggie questioned aloud with impatience.
“Looking for me?” Silver said, stepping up from behind Maggie. “You know that rule…of every event?”
Maggie ventured, “No matter how well you prepare, something will always go wrong?”
“Yep. I’m still missing a bachelor. And let me tell you, when I find Wilder, he’s toast.”
“What can I do to help you?�
�� Maggie questioned.
“Oh.” Silver blinked her thick eyelashes as if remembering something. “That’s why I came to find you. I need you to bid on him.” She lifted her chin to Cole as he stepped onto the stage.
Maggie’s thumb started to thump against her thigh nervously. “Him?” she squeaked.
“Yes. Go as high as you need to. This is important.” Silver thrust a paddle into Maggie’s arms. “Here. Now I need to find and kill Wilder.” She slipped out of the room without another word.
Maggie had never bid on anything in her life, let alone a live person; an annoyingly handsome and rude one to boot. She straightened her spine and prepared herself mentally as he walked onto the stage in a slow, deliberate stride.
The MC flashed a toothy smile and held her hands out to this guy like he was a sports car on a game show where contestants had a chance to win him. Maggie seethed. Did these ladies also know he would steal their sandwiches if they were starving, then make eyes at them—only to shrug them off when his friends showed up?
She glanced at the tables. The guests looked starved, either because they hadn’t eaten their food to keep their delicate figures, or because they were thinking he was their dessert. He had smelled good enough to eat—like freshly torched crème brûlée next to a steaming cup of hot chocolate.
The MC waved her hands for the crowd to stop clapping. “Tell me, Cole, what do you have planned for your date with one of these lucky ladies?”
Cole took the mic in one hand and motioned with his other as if he wanted the bidders to envision what to expect on their date with him. “A horseback ride to a private lake.”
