by Gina Drayer
“I swear, one of these days, you’re going to have to teach me how to charm the ladies,” Kevin said watching the woman in red walk away. “I know I’m out of practice, but even back in the day, I didn’t have your game. I don’t think I’m doing it right.”
There was an awkward moment of silence. Kevin’s messy divorce was the elephant in the room. The left fielder had married his high school sweetheart. Their marriage had been rocky from the start, and the divorce wasn’t amicable. She couldn’t handle the pressure after he got drafted—all the travel and fans vying for his attention. She made all kinds of accusations about infidelity. And then there was the incident at a restaurant in Tribeca. The paparazzi had been there snapping photos for every second of it.
“I should probably give you some pointers,” I said, taking pity on the poor guy. “Stick with me, Kev, and learn from a master.”
More of the team came up to mingle, but I wasn’t really in a sociable mood. I kept an eye out for Emily. The event had been going on for over an hour, and she still wasn’t here. But I did catch sight of the last person I expect to see tonight. Standing just a few feet away was my old friend Ben Lobos. Maybe rival was more appropriate. We’d come up through the farm system together until a serious injury knocked Ben out of contention.
It had been a few weeks since we’d last talked.
I watched as he made his way through the crowd, grabbing a glass of champagne off a tray as a waiter passed.
“It’s been a long time,” Ben said, slapping me firmly on the shoulder. The gesture was probably meant to seem friendly, but it felt like a move to show dominance.
“Hey Brother, how’s the real estate business going?” I asked, stepping back.
“I can’t complain. It’s been a really good year. How are you? Have they kicked you off the team yet?”
“Not yet,” I said with a laugh. But the friendly jab hit a little too close to home. Did everyone know my contract negotiations had stalled?
We spent the next few minutes catching up. Ben was one of my oldest friends. We came up through the farm system together. We maintained a friendly relationship to this day, even though we came from vastly different worlds.
Ben was from old money. He grew up with maids, gardeners, and nannies. Trips to Europe during the summer and ski vacations over winter break. That world was completely foreign to me. I grew up in a single-parent house. My mother had worked two jobs just to keep me in gear for the summer season.
Back when we were both in the minors, we played the same position. We both had been star players on the fast track to the majors. Unfortunately, just as Ben got called up, he tore his ACL while taking a dive for third base. It was a career-ending injury.
The real rub was that he wasn’t supposed to be playing that game. I was in the rotation that night, but I’d begged the coach to let me have the weekend off because my mom was sick. Ben had taken my place, and the injury had ended any chance at a career in the majors.
The next week, I was called up. The last thing I’d wanted to do was take Ben’s place. But if I hadn’t accepted the opportunity, someone else would have.
There were no hard feelings. Ben had gone on to make a name for himself developing high end real estate throughout the city. He owned a dozen or more building, and likely made more money than God. We still hung out, but our rivalry these days was a little more intense.
When I’d bought my Audi, Ben traded up for a Porsche. When Ben snagged the apartment I’d made an offer on, I bought the larger penthouse in the building next door. We compete for everything, including women.
Especially, women.
“Are you still seeing that Australian girl?” Ben asked. “The girl we played poker with last month? I liked her.”
“No, I only saw her for a couple weeks. She went back to Sydney. College I think,” I sipped my champagne even though I hated the stuff, needing something to take the edge off the night. “She was fun. Didn’t she win a lot of your money that night?”
“It’s just money,” Ben said with a shrug. It was a comment that only someone who’d grown up with it would say. “Too bad you let that one go. She was smart. That’s a step up for you.”
“If you want her number, I’m sure I still have it somewhere. But you don’t need my help in that department, right? I bet all the ladies see a rich guy like you as a real catch.”
“Being rich does have its advantages. That and the fact my dates rarely ended up spending a night in jail. Which is more than you can say, Coop. Or at least, if you can believe what they say in the tabloids.”
“You know how the tabloids are.”
It had been a mistake to come over here. I should have just ignored him, but I seem to be a glutton for punishment tonight.
“This isn’t your usual scene. Here to buy a date?”
“I was getting bored with all the parties. I figure I could switch it up and give back to the community. Besides, I need a big tax write off for the year.”
“Fellas,” Kevin said, throwing an arm around each of us. “I think this thing is just about to begin. So, why don’t you just whip them out and we can measure, and the rest of us can get on with our night?”
“Pleasure, as always,” Ben said.
I nodded and walked back to our little group, scanning the room one more time. My search came up empty again, so I decided it was time for a real drink.
If she wasn’t going to make it, I didn’t see the harm. Maybe I would even bid on another woman at the auction. All the money was going to charity after all, and it would still be good press.
After ordering a Jack and Coke, I took a seat just as the event got started. The MC made a short announcement on how the bidding would work and introduced the volunteers that were handing out the auction paddles.
“Okay, folks, let’s get this auction started.”
One by one, ten people came down the sweeping staircase to the right of the stage and took their place on stage. The last person in line stood out. She was in a figure-hugging gold ball gown that shimmered as she walked. Her curly honey brown hair was pinned up and fell in ringlets down her exposed back. With every step she took, I was drawn in more.
When she turned her head and faced the crowd, I blinked a few times, not trusting my eyes. The graceful woman was the same one I’d met in Manny’s office just a few days ago. The one I was supposed to bid on. Sure, I thought she was cute when we’d met, but nothing like this. She was a fucking knockout.
I watched as she took her place on the stage, transfixed. While the others on stage flirted with the crowd, Emily stood there, fidgeting with her bracelet, waiting for her turn in the spotlight. She looked nervous and uncomfortable. And for some reason, I want to ease that frown away. Maybe I should start the bid at a hundred thousand just to get it over with.
Just as the ninth person stepped up beside the auctioneer, two women I vaguely remembered from some party last month came up to the table.
“Hey, Cooper. I wasn’t expecting to see you here,” the blonde said.
“Yeah. I guess the night just got a whole lot better. Want to buy a girl a drink?” The redhead beside her smiled and batted her eyelashes.
“Not now, ladies. I’m with my team.”
I was trying to be as polite as possible, but neither one of them could take a hint. Frustrated, I finally told them flat out to leave. Beside me, Greg raised an eyebrow. I just shrugged. It was definitely out of character for me, but I couldn’t explain.
While I’d been distracted with my unwanted visitors, Emily was already up, and several bids had already been made.
The other women in the auctions had racked up twenty to thirty thousand dollars for their charities of choice—one had even managed to go as high as forty. But by the time I was up to speed, the bidding was already at seventy-five thousand dollars.
8
Emily
The heat of the spotlight warmed my skin. I stood motionless, chewing on my bottom lip, as Joni played up all
my assets like a bad dating profile in between bids. She talked about my education and family pedigree. My music preferences and love of theater. She even threw in my favorite food—Italian, for those keeping track.
And now that I was in the spotlight, I really felt like the gold dress had been a mistake. It was too shiny, too low cut, and too form fitting. All my ass-ets were on display, and the men in the audience noticed. I felt like I was in one of those farm auctions. I’m surprised that Joni didn’t mention my full set of teeth and wide birthin’ hips.
Thank God no one from the shelter was here to see me. I’ve done a lot of things to raise money for the shelter, but the events were usually much more family and community-oriented—something I could be proud of. Many of the kids I worked with were at such fragile points in their lives, and I tried to be a positive role model. What would they think me if they knew I was on stage, in a dress that left nothing to the imagination, allowing myself to be auctioned off to the highest bidder?
“Come on, gentleman, we saved the best for last. Let’s see if we can break sixty thousand tonight. Who would want a date with this beautiful woman? Not only is Emily stunning, but she’s also sweet and funny. The kind of girl you’d take home to mom,” Joni said.
I almost laughed at that one. I just met Joni backstage a grand total of five minutes. For all she knew, I was humorless and hated people.
“There we are, fifty-seven thousand. Do I hear sixty? Check out that gorgeous smile.”
Honestly, I had no idea if I was smiling or not. My face felt numb. Maybe I was having a stroke. Or it could just be shock.
At least, Tony was sitting close to the stage, smiling, giving me the thumbs up sign.
Another bid came in—not from Cooper Reynolds. As a matter of fact, I wasn’t sure he’d made a single bid. Luckily, even if he didn’t bid, it looked like I was going to make the money I needed. There was another bid and Tony nervously raised his paddle upping the bid to seventy-five thousand.
Where the hell was Cooper?
I glanced around the crowd and found Cooper sitting on the left side of the stage. The jerk was busy talking to another woman—two other women. I couldn’t believe his nerve. Maybe he changed his mind. Please don’t let me get stuck with the winning bid. I force a smile, even though I felt like throwing up.
Just as Joni was about to close the bidding, Cooper finally raised his voice and said, “I bid eighty thousand dollars.”
“Wow. This is amazing. It’s the most money we’ve raised for a single charity. So, I have eighty thousand going one. Going twice.”
“Eighty-five thousand,” a man on the right side of the stage said. I squinted my eyes but couldn’t quite make out the new bidder.
“One hundred thousand,” Cooper said, and all of the murmuring in the room stopped. Even Joni looked shocked.
“One hundred and ten,” called out the dark-haired guy on my right.
“One hundred and fifteen.”
“One twenty.” The dark-haired guy was now standing, staring at Cooper instead of the stage.
“One twenty-five,” Cooper said, calmly.
“One thirty!” The stranger had lost that charming confidence and seemed manic now. Whatever was going on clearly wasn’t about me.
They went back and forth. “One thirty-five” “One forty” “One forty-five.” “One fifty.”
I wasn’t sure they even knew I was still standing on the stage. It was as if they were no longer in a grand ballroom, but had moved to a sweaty, testosterone-filled sporting event. I wouldn’t have been surprised if the two men ripped off their shirts and started wrestling each other to the ground, smack talking.
Cooper got to his feet and smiled up at the stage. “I bid two hundred thousand dollars,” he said.
Time slowed down as everyone in the hall held their breath to see if the other bidder would offer a higher number. He shook his head to Joni and nodded his acquiescence to Cooper.
“Well, wasn’t that exciting? Cooper Reynolds, you are the winner at two hundred thousand dollars,” Joni said into the microphone. “Looks like you’re a champion on and off the field. Emily, what do you think about all this?”
“I… Um. I didn’t expect all that.” I somehow managed a weak little smile, even though I was light-headed. I really should have eaten that eggplant parmesan before leaving tonight.
“I don’t think any of us did,” Joni said and glanced down at the table where Cooper sat, frowning. “I want to thank everyone for participating this year. The silent auction will close at midnight. Enjoy the rest of your evening.”
Joni followed me off the stage and whispered in my ear. “Be careful with that one. He’s charming, and for the most part, a good guy, but has a lot of growing up to do before he’s ready for someone like you.”
I wanted to tell Joni not to worry, but honestly, I was more than a little worried.
9
Emily
I was still shell-shocked as they led me off stage to “meet” the winner. I knew this first meeting was important, but I couldn’t wrap my mind around two hundred thousand dollars. That was twice as much as we’d agreed to. What did that mean?
But instead of running into Cooper, the dark-haired stranger who’d run up the bid stopped me.
“Congratulations,” he said with a pinched smile. “That was quite a show. But I’m curious. It’s not really in Cooper’s character to be so generous. Do you two know each other?”
And now the lies start. I shook my head and acted just as surprised. “We’ve never met before.”
“Well, if I were you,” he said, leaning in close, his hot breath falling across my cheek. “I’d be sure to remind him that this was for charity and that he didn’t really win you.”
I wasn’t sure what to say. He acted like he knew Cooper very well and his little warning left me feeling cold. And why wouldn’t it? His words echoed my own thoughts.
Shaking away my unease, I smiled. “I’m sure he knows.”
I turned away, determined to put some distance between us, just in time to see Cooper scowling at me from across the room. I had to fight every instinct I had not to run over to Tony and ask him to take me home. But everyone was watching our every move. Only the soft murmur of voices could be heard in the ballroom as the entire crowd waited to see what would happen next. When I reached Cooper, he still wasn’t smiling.
“You’re going to ruin this. It’s not my fault that other guy bid,” I said under my breath.
As if just now realizing we were being watched, Cooper’s practiced smile slid into place. Without taking his eyes off of the other man, he pressed his hand to the small of my back and nodded to the exit. “Why don’t we go someplace quiet, and you can tell me how your shelter plans on using my generous donation.”
Cooper led me through the crowd, smiling and nodding to people he knew, but he refused to even look at me. I smiled and tried to stay calm. I’d just gotten twice what he’d promised. I should be thrilled, but the combination of his dark intensity and the mere proximity of the man was making me nervous.
As if afraid I’d make a run for it, Cooper pulled me tight against his side. The faint scent of his cologne, a woodsy, masculine scent, surrounded me. The thin fabric of my gold dress was no match for the warmth of his hand. In some ways, it was actually comforting, having him so close, shielding me from the onlookers. But that was all for show. I could feel the dark intensity rolling off him in waves.
A camera flashed in front of my face, and a tall woman with long ribbons of curly blonde hair shoved a tape recorder towards Cooper. “You two make a fantastic couple,” the reporter said. “Tell us, when did you meet?”
“What possessed you to bid two hundred thousand dollars for a date?” another asked.
“Surely you two must know each other. Are you dating? Are you a fan?” another voice called out over the crowd.
More cameras flashed. The questions from the reporters kept coming, so fast I could hardly keep track of w
ho was talking. Naomi warned me that there would be press, but she didn’t tell me how to respond to media inquiries.
Less was probably more in this case.
I tried to recall what our cover story was, but my mind drew a blank. It was all I could do to keep smiling.
“This is the first time we’ve met. I came tonight because I wanted to give back to the community, and after reading about the Oliver Family Shelter, I couldn’t resist,” Cooper said, managing all three reporters at once. “Besides, you guys know me, I can’t pass up a date with a beautiful woman like her. I look forward to learning more about the shelter and the woman behind it.”
He turned up the charm to full volume for the cameras, and they ate it up. He turned his blue eyes towards me, and for a brief second, even I believed the lie. But no matter how bright his voice sounded or how flirtatious his smile was, the levity didn’t quite reach his eyes. Was Cooper Reynolds ever himself and not the famous baseball star?
“So Emily, what do you think about all this?” the blonde reporter asked. Everyone turned towards me, waiting for a response. When I didn’t speak up right away, the reporter prompted again. “Did you ever think someone would pay this much money just to spend some time with you?”
I swallowed hard and looked up at Cooper for guidance, but he was no help. He stared back with the same curious look as if he too wanted to hear what I had to say.
“It was all…” I hesitated, trying to find the right words. “I’m very flattered,” I said, slipping into Executive Director mode. This wasn’t about me. It was about the shelter. “And I’m excited that we raised so much money for the Oliver Family Shelter. This donation will go a long way towards our planned expansion.”
It was the truth. I can’t remember the last time I was this excited—it almost compares to the day we opened the doors at the shelter.
“Where are you going on your date?”