“You boys are making my day,” she said. “I can’t thank you enough for stopping your lives, some of you coming from miles away, to help us with the auction.”
“Helen’s right. There are no words that can express how deeply touched we are that all of you have agreed to do this,” the coach added.
“I think I can speak for all the men here.” Code said. “We’re happy to help out.” Not a one of them was thrilled about being auctioned off to the highest female bidder in the upcoming bachelor auction, but they’d come here in good faith for a cause near and dear to their coach’s heart. They’d never refuse Helen or Coach Downey a favor, especially one so important.
“We all remember Troy,” Code rasped. He couldn’t temper the roughness in his voice. The poor kid didn’t deserve to die. The coach’s grandson was the sixteen-year-old star running back for the Grizzlies. He’d been barreling toward the goal line, a touchdown in sight, when a tackle gone bad caused him internal injuries and trauma to his head. A snowstorm had just set in as Troy lay unconscious on the field and severe weather conditions blocked the roads for EMS. Troy had been airlifted to a hospital outside of Marietta. Those extra minutes had been critical to his survival. During the longer, treacherous flight to Bozeman, young Troy lost his life. “He was only five or six when we played for you, Coach. But we remember the little guy being our ball boy, bringing us water, helping out his granddad whenever he could on the field. He loved the game.”
“He did. That boy was our light. Helen and I are still grieving for him and we always will. But we’re both finding some peace with our ongoing efforts to raise funds for a rooftop helipad to be built at Marietta Hospital. If we’d had one a year and a half ago, maybe our grandson would still be alive today. Maybe those vital minutes would’ve made a difference. And if one patient, whether young or old, can be saved by our efforts, then it will give Helen and me some solace.” He wrapped his arm around Helen’s trim waist and both smiled sadly. “And perhaps some closure.”
Fittingly, everyone stood still in a moment of silence.
Helen stepped forward. “What better way to cap our fundraising to get this helipad built, than with Ken’s veteran team of players? All handsome boys, I might add.” Helen’s warm eyes touched on each of them. “The ladies of Marietta are very lucky. We’re so close to our monetary goals that I’m sure the Marietta Bachelor Auction will put us over the top.”
“That’s the goal boys,” Coach said. “And I have faith that you’ll all bring it home.”
“My sis, Rowan has offered to help the night of the auction,” Nick said. “She’ll be behind the scenes at Grey’s Saloon and kick us into shape. Her words, not mine.”
“That’s wonderful, Nick,” Helen said. “And I’ve convinced the coach to call the auction.”
Coach nodded. “Yeah, Helen’s certain I can do the job justice. I don’t know…we’ll see.”
Helen touched his shoulder gently. “You’ll rise to the occasion, Kenny. We have the entire community behind us.”
“If anyone can do it, it’s you, Coach D,” Colt said.
“We’ll do our best, Coach.” Gavin assured him. “We’ve put our heads together and have come up with some pretty nice dates for the winners.”
Code’s plan was pretty simple. Offer a weekend date of the winner’s choice. Uncle Brand had finagled the widow Benedict to bid on Code. Violet was worth a small fortune and had always been a staunch supporter of the Grizzlies. Uncle Brand said all Code would have to do was give the older lady a nice dinner and talk up some football with her. She wouldn’t expect much in return for a generous donation. Code liked the sound of that. The last thing he needed right now was a female complication in his life. He didn’t date or have a spare thought for pleasing a woman anymore. He’d been married to his job until things went south.
And he liked the spunky widow. Back in the day, Violet Benedict would wait outside the locker room with her grandniece Mindy Sue before the games to give him a high five and wish him luck. Mindy Sue was the apple of her aunt’s eye, a girl that Code had taken under his wing and protected from the mean girls and bullies in school. Mindy was mentally slow, and probably shouldn’t have been mainstreamed into Marietta High, but when Code was around, nobody messed with her and Violet had always appreciated that.
Secretly, Code always thought Violet was keen on Uncle Brand. But as sweet as the woman was, his uncle wasn’t having any of it. Which was a damn shame. His uncle was too set in his ways to contend with a female in his life anymore.
“Well, then. It’s settled. Do you boys have any questions?” Coach asked.
“No, sir,” Code replied. He glanced at his friends and gained their nods of agreement. “I think we’ve got it covered. We’ll be at Grey’s Saloon tomorrow night, right on time.”
“I can’t thank you enough for doing this in Troy’s memory and for all of Marietta.” On an afterthought, the coach added, “It’s great seeing you boys on this field again. Gosh, those were exciting days.”
Code had to agree. And once they’d said goodbye to their coach and walked off the field, he turned to his friends in the parking lot. “I don’t know about you all, but I could use a drink.”
“I’m buying,” Gavin said.
“Well, if you’re buying, then I’m in,” Colt said.
Nick grinned. “Then what are we waiting for?”
And the four one-time Grizzlies climbed into Code’s SUV and he drove off.
Just like old times.
*
The big house at the edge of town was cold and lonely without Grandma Marie. Hayley had never lived here alone. Grandma was always in the house cooking like mad, creating meals off the top of her head. God forbid, she would use a cookbook. But her grandmother’s meals always turned out top-notch. Heck, Hayley had had meals cooked by a chef that didn’t compare to her grandmother’s. She missed her and felt guilty for leading too busy a life to visit her more often. There was always something pressing that needed her attention, always a movie or an interview or a magazine spread that kept her away from Marietta. Now, it was too late.
She walked into her grandmother’s bedroom and the scent of roses filled her nostrils. Breathing in the flowery fragrance soothed her spirit a little and reminded her of her youth, when Grandma Marie would come into her bedroom to check on her at night.
“I’m okay, Grandma. Go back to sleep,” she’d say.
Her grandmother was probably the only person on earth who cared about her. She was her rock, the one woman she could count on to truly love her. Sadness swept through her heart. Wouldn’t all of the movie-going public be surprised to learn that young, talented Hayley Dawn O’Malley, felt unloved and unwanted, most of her life. Except for Grandma Marie.
As she opened the closet door, bittersweet memories rushed in. Her grandmother’s housecoats were still hanging up, the ones she’d practically lived in daily. If they went out in public, Hayley made her put on a dress and Marie would complain all the way to town. Hayley smiled at the memory. Marie O’Malley was a frugal woman, who didn’t want much, just a home to live in, a garden to plant, a meal to cook, and she was happy. Unlike Hayley, who was always searching for something…more.
Something she had yet to find.
Something that not even fame and fortune could deliver.
The bedroom window rattled and Hayley jumped. “Oh!”
This house was creakier than she’d remembered. She was still spooked over that note left on her doorstep the other day. And still quite surprised that Cody Matthews refused to give her the time of day. She’d thought she could count on him for his support.
Over the years, she’d thought about him more and more often. He wasn’t the one who got away. He was the one she’d thrown away and now he didn’t want to have any part of her.
Funny, how things turned out. Of all the men she’d dated, of all the guys landing at her feet, the one guy who’d stuck in her mind all these years had been Cody. And his react
ion to seeing her again had fallen flat. It wasn’t at all what she’d expected.
She gave her grandmother’s belongings one last glance and then closed the closet door. She wasn’t ready yet to rid the house of grandma’s things. She had time to sort through everything and make decisions. Today, she wasn’t going to think about that.
Someone knocked at the front door.
She stilled, held her breath as she glanced at her watch. Gosh, where had the time gone? It was time for a visit with her friend. She bounded out of the room and down the stairs.
The door creaked as she opened it. “Rowan! Hi.”
“Hayley, it’s good to see you!”
They embraced, hugging tight for a few seconds.
It felt so good to see a familiar face. “I’m glad you came. I can really use the company.”
“I know, I heard it in your voice when we spoke on the phone. Closing up your grandmother’s house has got to be hard. I know how much she meant to you.”
Hayley sighed. How good it felt to have Rowan here. “It’s harder than I thought it would be. Come in. We’ll have some coffee or tea, or would you rather have a cold drink?”
“Thanks, sounds perfect. Soda is fine.”
Hayley led Rowan into the kitchen. “Have a seat. I’ll get it.”
Rowan sat down at Grandma’s long, narrow maple wood table and waited while Hayley poured root beer into two, tall glasses. “You’re the only other person I know who loves root beer as much as I do.”
“Remember when we’d share a root beer float once a week after journalism class? We were quite the big spenders.”
“Yeah, of course I remember.” Rowan was the only female friend Hayley had at the time. Both were outgoing and a bit on the wild side. Hayley and Rowan had hit it off instantly in high school. “I’ve been meaning to call you, Ro. I’m sorry I didn’t thank you properly for helping me with my grandmother’s funeral. I don’t know what I would’ve done without you.”
“You thanked me.”
“But not enough. It meant a lot to me to see a friendly face. Most of my grandmother’s friends are gone, and some of the people who showed up, only wanted to…” She chewed on her lower lip. She didn’t want to come off unkind or self-absorbed. But since her fame, people in general treated her differently now.
“To see you? I totally get that. You’re a huge star, but most people truly did show up to pay their respects to your grandmother.”
“Well, you were there for me, Rowan. You helped me make the funeral arrangements in a quick hurry. I had to dash off right after the service and I didn’t say the things I wanted to say to you. I appreciated what you did for me more than you can imagine.”
“You gave your grandmother a loving send off, Hayley.”
“I hope so.” Goose bumps ran up and down her arms. “It’s weird, you know. Not having her here. It doesn’t seem right. And the house is sorta spooky without her.”
“It’s old and has a personality of its own. But it was your home for years.”
“I know, it’s just different now.” She shrugged and didn’t want to put a damper on Rowan’s visit. “So, how’s it going at the Copper Mountain Courier? Do you love reporting?”
“Yep, I do. It’s great. I cover the sports beat and hope to branch out into other areas as I polish up my skills.”
“I bet you’re good at it.”
“I hope so. I really love what I do.”
“That’s important.”
“And look at you, Hayley. I still can’t get over what an amazing career you have.”
Hayley had to stop and think about the choices she’d made. She had a film career now, something she seemed destined for, but with it came an enormous burden. No privacy, for one, and never really knowing who her friends were. Being home meant not having to face another PR meeting, or interview, or press junket. Being home was what she needed right now to unwind and revitalize. She’d been going at breakneck speed for too long. But she wasn’t going to complain to Rowan or anyone else. It was the life she’d pursued and with her success came some drawbacks, but no one ever wanted to hear about that. The perception was that her life had to be perfect. Why wouldn’t it be? “Yeah, things are going pretty well, but I’m still happy to have some time home. It’s a little break.”
“Well, I’m glad you’re here.”
They sipped root beer and then Hayley put out a plate of cookies. “Oatmeal chocolate chip?”
“I think I will.” Rowan grabbed one and sank her teeth in. “Oh, these are so yummy.”
“I made them this morning. I used to help my grandmother bake after school. I remembered the recipe. She never wrote anything down.”
“I remember that.” Rowan took another bite of her cookie. “You’ve done her proud.”
She chuckled. “So, what are you doing tonight?” Rowan asked. “Have any big plans?”
“Me? Nothing much. Want to have dinner together? My treat, or we can stay in and I’ll cook.”
“Actually, I have a better idea. I think you’ll like it. Grey’s Saloon is holding the Marietta Bachelor Auction tonight. Every female under the age of seventy is going and then some. I’m going to be helping the guys put themselves together before they go out onto the chopping block. It’s big news all over town, I’m surprised you didn’t hear about it.”
“I haven’t been out much since I’ve been here.”
“Well, I’d love for you to come. It’s a fundraiser for a worthy cause. My brother Nick is one of the bachelors. And you know most of the other guys, too. They all played for the Marietta Grizzlies. Coach D’s boys.”
“Coach D’s team?” Hayley’s heart began to race. It couldn’t be. “Oh yeah, who else?”
“Gavin Clark, Colt Ewing, and Code Matthews.”
Cody was going to be auctioned off? Hayley couldn’t keep her eyes from bugging out. She took a giant gulp of air.
“It should be fun, Hayley. We can meet up and have a few drinks together tonight.”
“Oh, I’d love that,” she replied, her mind clicking away as she nodded her head.
There was no way in heaven she’d miss this event.
Not when a second chance with Cody Matthews was staring her in the face.
Chapter Two
In the upstairs storage room at Grey’s Saloon, Code and the guys drew straws to see who would go first at the auction. It figured Cody would pluck up the short straw. Luck was never his good friend and he was antsy about tonight anyway. He hated being in the spotlight. He was a behind the scenes kind of guy. If Coach and his wife hadn’t implored him to participate, he would’ve simply made a sizable cash donation and skipped the particular honor of being bartered off like a piece of prime beef in front of the town.
His throat spilled out of the buttoned collar on his shirt. A noose around his neck would be more comfortable. He undid the top button, loosened his string tie and took a big gulp of air.
“You’re not nervous, are you, Cody?” Nick’s little sis asked.
She helped him get into his suit jacket and made fast work of buttoning him up again and straightening his tie.
“What was your first clue, darlin?”
Rowan grinned. “Going first is always a bitch.”
“Thanks, that makes me feel a whole lot better.”
“You’ll do fine. Just go out there and smile. The women will eat it up.” She patted his chest, but he wasn’t reassured. He gave his head a shake.
“You’ve left your auction date wide open, Code. ‘A Weekend of Your Choice.’ It’s gonna appeal to a lot of women.”
“You think so? Combat procedures or learning how to pull a calf isn’t exactly date material. I figured to let the woman make the choice.”
“Uh-huh. And that’s exactly what I mean. Women love to make plans. Just you wait and see. Besides, you look amazing in that suit. Thank you very much.”
He laughed. “Didn’t I thank you for putting me together?”
“You probably d
id. I’m just giving you a hard time. Just remember why you’re doing this.”
“I keep reminding myself. Hopefully, we’ll raise a lot of cash tonight.”
“You will.”
And hopefully it would be the widow Benedict who won his date. Then he’d breathe a sigh of relief and would have succeeded in helping Coach D and his family. It would be a win/win for everyone.
Rowan peeked down the staircase. “Okay, I’m getting the signal. Coach is ready. Looks like it’s time, everyone!”
Earlier, Coach had given the four of them a little pep talk and now it was time for Code to march down the steps and walk out onto the stage. He scratched at his jaw several times, looking into the encouraging faces of his teammates. “Here I go,” he said.
“Have fun out there, Matthews,” Nick said. All the others nodded their heads, eager for him to face the crowd first.
At the bottom of the stairs, he strode to the area just behind the stage entrance and listened to the coach speak his thanks to the crowd for showing their support, to the bachelors for participating, and personally naming everyone else involved.
“It’s long overdue that Marietta Regional Hospital build a rooftop, deicing, heated heliport. As you know, our ongoing efforts have brought us to this point and we’ve almost reached our goal. So, open your hearts and your wallets and bid on these four courageous men who have wonderful dates in store for all of you. First up, is Marietta’s own and the one-time star quarterback of the Grizzlies, Cody Matthews. Code, come on out here.”
Code took his cue and stepped onto the stage. The coach met him halfway and they shook hands. Coach D’s eyes glimmered in warmth and appreciation as they exchanged a few words before Code gazed out onto the mostly female crowd, seeing younger and older women alike. Scanning with a keen eye, Code found Mrs. Benedict sitting four rows back with Mindy Sue and his uncle Brand. Code smiled at Violet and gave Mindy Sue a wink. Mindy giggled in the childlike way she had. Code was glad that, for once, his uncle’s meddling had paid off.
Bachelor for Hire (Bachelor Auction #1) Page 2
