The crowd around her cheered as the auctioneer said, “Let’s open bids for Dr. Landry Powell and his private sailboating lessons at five hundred dollars. Five hundred dollars in front. Do I hear six hundred?”
In a blink, the number jumped to fifteen hundred dollars. There was a flurry of activity all around her while Dr. Powell preened onstage.
Tanya’s skin felt clammy, her mouth dry, and her heat thrummed a shallow beat. If she had to stand here and watch Katerina win a date with Cam, she was going to be sick.
“I’ll be back.” She broke free from her parents and weaved through the crowd to the back of the gym, where MJ was manning the bar.
“What’s up?” MJ poured wine into a plastic glass and passed it off to another woman.
Tanya waited until the woman had gone to say, “I needed some distance.”
“From?”
The auctioneer shouted, “Sold to the woman in red for three thousand dollars!”
One bachelor down. Six to go.
Tanya eyed up the liquor bottles. Maybe all she needed was a drink. “It’s too chaotic closer to the stage.”
“Our next bachelor … ” The crowd’s roar drowned out the auctioneer.
“Mitchell,” MJ said. “Dang, they haven’t even gotten to Cam. Can you even imagine it then?”
Nope. She might have to escape to the street.
“Wait!” MJ said. “This little visit is about Cam isn’t it? I can tell by your face.”
She could deny it, but her face would probably give her away again. She leaned closer. “Katerina’s going to bid on him.”
“She told you that?”
“She showed my father a ten-thousand-dollar cashier’s check.”
MJ’s nose wrinkled. “That seems dumb. What if half that is all she needs to win?”
Katerina didn’t strike Tanya as the kind of woman who did anything halfway. “I think she’ll wait until the last minute and then obliterate everyone else by dropping the ten-thousand-dollar bomb. The cameras will probably be rolling when she does it.”
MJ nodded. “What do you think she wants more: the date with Cam or the publicity?”
“I don’t know, but I wish I could figure out a way to rob her of both without screwing over my dad. I mean if I somehow warn Katerina off, there’s no guarantee anyone else would be willing to bid ten grand.”
Tanya was willing. She just didn’t have it. Maybe she could sell something. Her car?
Bitch, don’t be stupid.
She was just going to have to let this play out, and then tell him she loved him afterward and hope it was enough.
Tag slipped behind the bar and placed a hand on his fiancée’s back. “Landry is happy with the bid, but a little nervous about the bidder. After she won, she jumped onto the stage and kissed him.”
God, she did not want to witness a scene like that between Katerina and Cam. Outside was looking better and better … until someone walked in off the street covered in snow.
“Sold to the lady with ribbons in her hair for thirty-two-hundred dollars!”
Two bachelors down. Five to go.
A man approached the bar and ordered a gin and tonic. MJ mixed the drink, and then shook the empty tonic bottle at Tag. “I only have one more up here. The rest is in the office. Will you grab … ”
“I will,” Tanya said. Anything was better than standing around waiting for Cam’s turn.
She skirted the crowd and ducked into her father’s office. With the door closed, the sounds were muffled. How long could she stay in here? Surely MJ wouldn’t blow through another bottle of tonic in five or ten minutes. But that wouldn’t be enough time to miss the entire auction.
The reserve alcohol was in boxes against the far wall. It wasn’t like she could waste a huge chunk of time in here and then claim she couldn’t find the tonic. She dragged her feet. Cheering infiltrated the room. Were they down to four? At this rate, Cam would be on the block in fifteen minutes.
She glanced at the wall clock and then sat on the stool Tag used for exams. She’d give it five minutes. If it sounded like another bachelor was quickly sold, she’d take her chances and wait it out in here.
Four minutes later, the door opened and Tag walked in. “We need white wine, too.” His gaze moved from her face to the stool.
She shrugged. “I was just enjoying the quiet.”
“These ladies take their auctions seriously.”
“Tell me about it.”
He shuffled through the boxes beside her. “I thought thirty-eight hundred for a courtside Cavs game date was crazy, but then that Rick guy sold for five grand.”
Rickie Seltzer the DJ? He was Bachelor No. 4, and Nick Romeo from the Cavs front office was Bachelor No. 3, which meant they were onto No. 5. Two to go. She stilled and listened for the cheering to signify they were one step closer to Cam. But it was quiet. Why? Was the enthusiasm waning? She hoped not. Bidders needed to keep pumped up and dig deep. If her math was right, the first four bachelors brought in 15K. That was not enough. And it made Katerina’s big fat check look critical.
She swallowed. In less than ten minutes, it would all be over. Her shoulders sagged even though she knew she still had a chance no matter what happened here.
Tag held a bottle in each hand. “I’ll take the tonic back to MJ too.”
“Wait.” She stood without purpose. What was she going to do? Volunteer to take the bottles back to MJ but detour into a back room to get blitzed? Take action, Martin. Be the woman you know you can be.
“Are you okay?” Tag asked.
“No.” She shook her head. “I need help. I need ten grand. Actually, eleven grand, because she has ten grand and only ten grand, so more like I need ten thousand and one dollars. Enough to give me the edge.”
Tag looked confused. “You want to bid on somebody?”
“Cam. I’m sort of in love with him.”
He studied her for what felt like the longest time, and then smiled. “You know it wouldn’t cost you anything to simply tell him that.”
Like rush “backstage” and tell him she loved him? Oh, God. Her heart leapt. But there was the chance he didn’t love her too? Then she’d have the pain of knowing that and the pain of watching Katerina outbid everyone else.
“I’d rather win the bid first, and then tell him.”
He nodded. “What if I lent you the money?”
Hot flash. She fanned her face. She’d never been indebted to one person for that much money. Don’t do it, warned her conscience. But what other choice did she have? Tag was offering her a lifeline. His loan would buy her some time so she could have a heart-to-heart with Cam and see if maybe they could work something out.
“Okay.” Her voice shook.
As if she wasn’t already nervous enough, now she had to take her place in the crowd and fake a bidder.
• • •
“Sold to bidder number fourteen down in front!”
Cam closed his eyes and took a deep breath. One bachelor left, and then it was show time for him. His gut clenched. Nerves before a big game were understandable. But nerves before a promotional appearance? He shook his head, and hoped it would shake off the nausea.
Just go out there and smile, flex a little, bring in the bucks for Pop, and then go home. What else can you do that won’t mess with the fundraiser’s bottom line? For once, it wasn’t about him.
“Chef JeanPaul Carter believes it’s not a date unless there are candles on the table and gourmet food on the plates. The winning bidder will enjoy an unprecedented evening of culinary intimacy.”
Finally a few cheers echoed through the gym. Cam’s gut clenched again. He imagined there’d be all-out screaming for him. He was no stranger to cheers and jeers, but every time he tried to visualize himself stepping into that ring and absorbing their enthusiasm, he cringed. Maybe it was this silly outfit. He tightened the belt. But more than likely it was what waited for him on the other side. Katerina. Instead of Tanya. Not that he couldn’t at
tempt to talk his way back into Tanya’s life after this was over. But it wouldn’t be easy. The weekend in Boston with Katerina would complicate things. And Tanya didn’t do complicated. That was partially what got them into this mess in the first place.
“You’re not nervous are you?”
He opened his eyes to see Jillian grinning up at him.
“Actually, I am.”
“Seriously?” She wrinkled her nose. “But you love the cameras and screaming fans.”
“When I’m wearing more than my underwear and a flimsy robe.”
“Gotcha. So no cameras or screaming in your bedroom. That’s a shame.” She winked.
He liked her. She had guts. She also managed to make him smile. “No cameras, that’s for sure.” He wasn’t opposed to the right kind of screaming, though. But Tanya wasn’t a screamer. She moaned. God, he missed her.
“Katerina is a screamer, isn’t she? I totally peg her for a screamer.”
Wait. What? He glared at Jillian. “How would I know?”
“Oh. I thought …” Understanding brightened her face. “I guess I was wrong. You’re not with Katerina.”
“No.”
“So if you’re not with Katerina, then what happened between you and Tanya?”
He shook his head. “I don’t know.” But he did. She got scared, and he got defensive.
“Such a shame. You were good together.”
Real good. And they could be better if she would give them a serious chance outside the boundaries of this neighborhood and their friendship. A weekend in Boston would be perfect for that. He could show her his place, his friends, his life, and maybe they could figure out a way to meld their two lives into one. But under the circumstances how would he get her to agree?
The noise beyond the curtain increased when the auctioneer said, “Going once. Going twice.”
He scoffed. “I can’t do this.”
“What? The auction? You have to do the auction. You’re up next! You’re the big money bachelor.”
“Sold!” The crowd roared again.
Panic drained all the blood from his head, and he grabbed Jillian by the wrists. “Listen to me. Katerina Kloss is holding a ten-thousand-dollar cashier’s check. If I walk out there, she’ll win, and for all I know Tanya will think it was planned that way by me and Katerina. It wasn’t. I want Pop to get the money he needs to save the gym, but I don’t want to screw things up anymore between Tanya and me.”
“She’ll understand.”
“Will she?”
“Simmons, you’re up next,” called the stagehand.
He winced.
Jillian grabbed onto him. “What if I outbid Katerina?”
He exhaled and made room for a glimmer of hope. “That would be awesome.”
“Especially if we’ve already reached the thirty-grand goal. We have to be close. Then it won’t matter that my bid doesn’t have any money behind it.”
So much for hope. “We’re not going to do that. Pop needs to make as much money as he can.” And then the solution appeared like a wide receiver in the end zone after blown coverage. He pulled her aside. “You’re going to bid, and you’re going to have the money behind it. My money. I’ll cover the cost. Bid as high as you need to in order to win me.”
“You want me to win you?”
“No, I want me to win me.”
“That takes self-absorption to a whole different level.”
He chuckled. “You know exactly where I’m going with this. I want me to win me so I can give me to T.”
“Again, there’s a little self-absorption in there, but you mean well.” She punched his upper arm. “Consider it done.”
And not a moment too soon for just then the auctioneer said, “Ladies, it’s the moment you’ve all been waiting for!”
“Simmons, you’re on,” called a stagehand. “Now!”
God, he hoped this worked.
Chapter Seventeen
Cam stepped on stage in his silk boxer’s getup, and Tanya felt the room sway. She clenched her jaw to block out some of the crowd noise. Man, if they were alone she’d unwrap him like a present. The robe clung to his shoulders and arms, and a grin graced his gorgeous face. Then, she would lick him like a super-sized, rock-hard lollipop. Damn. That man was fine.
He scanned the crowd, and suddenly his gaze seemed to settle on her.
Her face flushed, and he smiled. Everyone else faded away. The connection was so strong, she took a step toward him, but then the auctioneer’s voice broke her trance.
“By the sound of things, our final bachelor needs no introduction. The homegrown Cam Simmons is every Clevelander’s favorite Super Bowl MVP.”
More screaming. He loosened the belt and dropped the robe.
Beyond fine. He was perfect. And she’d had that—all of it—but she’d given it away. She squared her shoulders and lifted her chin. God, if you give me another chance with him, I’ll never screw it up again.
With the phone to her ear, she adjusted her grip on the numbered paddle. This was going to be the best eleven grand she’d ever spent.
“Let’s start the bidding for a football-centric weekend in Boston, Massachusetts with Cam Simmons as your tour guide at one thousand dollars.”
Paddles and shouts went up around her. She counted at least ten between her and the stage.
“One thousand dollars. I have one thousand dollars. Do I have fifteen hundred?”
Of course he did. Nobody was dropping out yet. She took a closer look at her competition. There were a lot of wealthy-looking, middle-aged women like MJ predicted. Except that one. Her eyes locked with Katerina, who smiled, but then her gaze shifted from Tanya’s face to the paddle and the phone in Tanya’s hands. The pleasant exchange turned challenge.
Bring it on, honey. Because I know your breaking point. Ten grand.
“Who’s on the phone?” asked the woman beside Tanya.
She stiffened. “Uh, can’t say. Confidential.”
“Ooh!” The woman nodded. “So exciting.”
And nerve-wracking. Tanya smiled and angled her back a bit hoping to put a barrier between her and the nosey woman. She was going to have to up her acting game. Or risk being called out as a manipulator of an auction that was benefiting her father.
“Do I have two thousand dollars?”
The crowd responded.
Tanya lifted her paddle too, and stole another look at Cam. That’s why she was doing this. That man right there. He wiggled his hips and pumped his arms in a simulated touchdown dance. Mmm, she hummed beneath her breath. That was her man.
He walked the edge of the ring and reached out to touch hands with bidders. When he was in front of her, their eyes met. He saw the phone and the raised paddle too. For a split second, his brow furrowed, but then he moved on to work the crowd.
Was he angry she was bidding? But that didn’t make sense. He didn’t know she was bidding for her. And if he did, he’d have to be impressed. She’d taken the flashy route—for him. He’d have to give her credit for that. No, he wasn’t angry. She was just paranoid. Under the circumstances, who could blame her?
She shook off the unrest and focused on the auctioneer.
“Twenty-five-hundred. I have twenty-five-hundred. Do I have three thousand dollars?”
Surely people would start dropping out now. She raised her paddle and took a good look at the crowd in front and in back of her. Surprise. Surprise. Jillian was raising a paddle too. Another phone bidder. For some reason, that felt like trouble. But Tanya put her game face on and refused to let it rattle her.
At five grand, people started dropping out, and she breathed a little easier. Halfway there. She wanted to holler, “Eleven grand!” and end this thing. But the bigger the scene the more curious people would be about her mystery bidder. As it was, with less and less bidders, she became more and more interesting to people around her.
“Are we still doing this?” she asked nobody on the phone.
Hell, yes.
Did you see his abs? She smiled at her reasoning, and then announced a loud, “Okay!”
So this was what it felt like to be crazy.
At seven grand, even more bidders dropped out, and the auctioneer urged Cam to give a “gun show” to remind the women why he was worth so much.
Tanya didn’t need the reminder. The man flexed and relaxed in all the right places.
“Ten grand!” shouted Katerina, shocking the crowd.
That crushed much of the opposition and put Tanya on edge. This was it. She glanced behind her to see Jillian was still in the game. They exchanged puzzled looks.
Who was on the phone with Jillian, and how much did she have at stake?
Tanya couldn’t go much higher than ten grand. She had eleven grand okay’d by Tag, and she had another thousand dollars between her checking and savings accounts. Eleven-five was her max.
“We’ve got ten thousand dollars! Do we have ten-five?”
Here we go. Tanya held her breath and raised her hand.
“Ten-five!” the auctioneer yelled.
She didn’t dare look at Katerina and give away what she knew—even though she wanted to see the woman defeated.
When the auctioneer didn’t start his countdown to final bidding, she knew at least Jillian had bid too. Since she didn’t look at Katerina to confirm she’d dropped out, there was always the chance the woman had more money to add to the cashier’s check.
If she wanted to know, she was going to have to look. Damn it. Her ear ached, and a barrier of sweat formed between her hand and the phone. She looked just as Katerina parted the crowd behind her and walked away from the stage.
Well, at least that part of the plan worked. She wished she felt more satisfied. But as long as other people were bidding, her main goal was at risk.
“Do I have eleven thousand dollars?”
Tanya inhaled and looked at Cam. His mouth was open and his eyes were wide. He looked stunned. Maybe he was disappointed Katerina’s bid hadn’t been enough. What a sucky thought. If he wanted Katerina to win, then Tanya was about to waste a hell of a lot of money. Maybe she should stop.
“Eleven thousand dollars going once.”
But their connection when he’d first stepped on stage had been so strong. He had to have felt it too. No way. She wasn’t giving up. This wasn’t only about interfering with Katerina’s bid. It was about winning another chance at being with him. She wanted that chance. She gripped the paddle tighter and started to raise it again.
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