by Piper Rayne
“I’m not usually into the whole first responders thing, but looking around I’ve definitely missed out on some mount-me possibilities.” Lauren’s gaze moves from one guy to the next.
Most of the men in here are all dressed in uniform. A few guys wear the bunker suit pants with no shirts underneath screaming one-night stand. They’re hot, but not my flavor that’s for sure.
“Stick to red and stay clear of the blue,” Vanessa warns, her dislike of cops stemming from her controlling father—commander in the eighteenth district. Of course, I don’t bring up the fact that he’s the entire reason we’re here tonight.
Let’s just say that Vanessa and her father’s relationship is…complicated.
She’s dragged us to The First Responders Fallen Hero Charity Ball where her dad, Commander Flanagan, will be auctioned off for a date. A date that Vanessa hopes will spur him into a relationship and give her dad more to do with his life than telling Vanessa how to live hers.
My hands instinctively reach for the earrings I borrowed from her when I think of her widowed father.
“The whole blue thing is your issue. Not mine.” A cop walks by and Lauren practically fucks him with her eyes. He winks with a promise that he’ll make her scream if she bids and wins tonight. “Why do I keep picturing myself cuffed to my bedpost every time one of them walks by?”
“Because you’ve read Fifty Shades too many times?” I smile and accept my drink from the bartender and toss some change into the tip jar.
The female bartender nods to me in thanks and I realize that it’s an all-female staff working the event. I assume that’s done on purpose so there’s no other men competing with the bachelors.
“Let’s find a table,” I suggest.
“Not before we grab our paddles.” Vanessa leads us over to a table where a short line of older women are laughing and carrying on with inappropriate jokes, giving me visuals I don’t want in my head. Especially when my mind conjures up the image of John Flanagan in bed with one of them. Ew.
“I’m not bidding. You didn’t say anything about us participating when you invited me.” I sip my drink, my gaze darting around the room.
“We’re all bidding.” Vanessa inspects the women and I’m sure it’s because she’s looking for someone to set up with her father.
Lauren looks at me and shrugs.
She’s up for this?
“What harm can it do?” Lauren asks. “One date with a hot guy well versed in using his mouth for CPR? I don’t see the con side to this.” Her voice becomes breathier as she finishes the sentence.
“What happened to you?” I ask.
“What?” Her eyebrows furrow. “I’ve always been horny.”
“I know that, but what if the guy is disappointed that you’re the one who won him and then he has to go out with you on some pity date and…”
Lauren’s smile fades as I ramble.
“Never mind.” I wave it off trying to avoid the usual lecture about how I’m not the same girl I was in high school.
“Not never mind. You’re gorgeous, Maddie. You were then, and you are now. I hate the fact that nine years later you still have self-image issues. Other than constantly trying to hide your stunning body with mom clothes, you’re a knock-out.”
Lauren’s always been my pick me up girl. She might be a jock and a bit tomboyish, but she’s always lecturing Vanessa and I that we’re worth a shit-ton more than our demented minds tell us.
“I shouldn’t have said anything,” I say.
A paramedic walks by us and Lauren pretends to grab on to me like her legs are about to give out. “I never knew there was all this hot ass in Chicago. I swear, they’re hiding them all on the night shift.”
She turns to point him out to Vanessa, but we see that she’s deep in conversation with one of the older women who were in front of us in line.
“His name is John Flanagan. He’s so sweet. A widower. Yeah, my mom died when I was young.” Vanessa turns down her voice. Not to say she’s still not affected by the loss of her mother, but I can tell she’s playing it up for sympathy with the hopes someone will raise their paddle for her dad. “He loves nice restaurants and he walks along the lakeside every day during the summer. Plus, he’s getting close to retirement.” She winks and elbows the older woman whose cheeks take on a slight flush. “He owns his own house here in the city and also has a lake house up in Wisconsin where he likes to go antiquing and read.”
Lauren nearly chokes on her drink when she hears that and the older woman glances over at us. Vanessa’s laying it on pretty thick there. The thought of the Commander in an antique shop is comical.
“Sorry, wrong pipe.” Lauren recovers quickly, banging on her chest with her fist.
“Well, thanks for the tip. I’ll look for him.” The woman turns back to her group of friends who now speak in hushed whispers and glance over to Vanessa.
“They’re probably talking about the widow thing. It’s like an ace in the hole.” Vanessa saddles up to us. “Now let’s grab our numbers.”
We each fill out a note card with our name and number and are assigned a paddle number.
“Here’s a packet of all our bachelors tonight. You’ll find their picture, a short bio, and some interesting facts about them. At the end of the auction, you can come back here to make your payment. We take cash, check, or credit card.” The lady working at the table shoots us a smile like we scored a free trip to Bora Bora.
Lauren grabs her packet, thumbing through the pages. “Now it’s starting to feel a little creepy. Like I’m picking a sperm donor.”
“Laur,” I say.
Vanessa laughs. “Maybe that’s how we should treat it.”
I tuck my packet and my paddle under my arm, holding my drink in my hand and walk through the doors of the ballroom at the fancy downtown hotel. I take in the women of all ages and sizes surrounding me and wonder what they’re hoping to find here tonight? Love? Their soulmate? A one-night stand?
A group of three women sitting at a table glance over at us when we enter the room. All three of them have flawless make-up and hair, looking like they just left the salon. They each smile at us as we draw nearer, though I’m not exactly sure why.
“Here.” Lauren sits down at the table next to them and immediately pulls out her program.
Lauren and Vanessa ohh and ahh over the men’s profiles.
Am I the only one who finds the entire idea of bidding on a guy nerve-wracking? My hands feel clammy as I lift my drink to my lips and take a sip.
I scan the room again, taking in a few of the bachelors milling around, talking with each other. A large man steps away from one of the groups and my stomach flips. It can’t be him. Can it? I rack my brain for any recollection of hearing any rumors about him being a firefighter now. I don’t remember anything, but as soon as him or his family name comes up with anyone I tend to tune out—my mind shifting back to that night my sophomore year in high school.
“Oh. My. God. Why didn’t I think he might be here? Of course he is.” My head falls to the table. The black cloth is a nice deterrent from having to look at those deep blue eyes and messy dark hair.
Images of my scrolling girly handwriting on my high school binders of Mrs. Mauro Bianco…Mauro and Madison flash through my head. How perfect I used to think our names sounded together, like a high end Italian clothing company.
“What? Who?” Vanessa turns, her gaze scouring over the gorgeous bachelors.
I mumble his name into the table cloth, afraid to look up.
“I’ll take that one.” Lauren points to a cop who walks by. “And here I thought we’d all be watching a bunch of first responders who have their bellies straining their shirts. These guys look like they belong on the runway. They can cuff me anytime.” She leans back, sipping her fruity drink and winks at one of the guys.
“The cuff-me thing is a bit overdone now,” Vanessa says, probably having heard sexual cop jokes her entire life.
“Focus,
Lauren. Maddie needs us.”
“Cool your jets, Vanessa. She’s not going to pull the trigger. She’s just going to obsess over him. She’s loved him since forever. Isn’t that right, Maddie?” Lauren sits up in her seat.
I peek up in time to see her shoot me her sweet-ass smile. I nod more to the tablecloth than my friends.
That’s when I notice that that blonde woman from the table beside ours has taken a seat at our table.
The woman who has joined us turns out to be Chelsea Walsh, who I figure out is the cousin of Skylar Walsh, the local Winter Classics skier. And of course she knows the Bianco brothers because although she went to public school and we went to a small Catholic school, she was popular and well…it seems like all the popular kids find each other if they’re within a fifteen mile radius.
She gushes on and on about what great guys they are, only serving to twist the dagger in my back. Lauren fills them in on how I’ve always loved Mauro. Love is too strong a word. Lusted might be more accurate and if you caught sight of his arm porn or his pecs you’d be wanting a piece of him too.
At some point her friends join us and somehow Chelsea convinces us to make the night more fun by picking each other’s dates and suddenly we’ve switched paddles. They leave us to sit back at their table and retreat back into their own world like some movie or book where fate sent someone in to set all the pieces in place.
I have Vanessa’s paddle in my hand instead of my own and Lauren sits across from me holding my paddle. I can’t help but be scared of who the hell she’ll stick me with.
“Hey, single ladies!” the MC booms over the microphone. “Let’s meet the bachelors up for auction tonight.”
Vanessa swivels in my direction, eyes narrowed. “Please just no cops, okay?”
I bite my lip not wanting to make any promises. “We’ll see.” I joke with a smile.
“Okay here’s the deal. You can’t argue with the person bidding for you. You have to be quiet,” Lauren says, always wanting to lay out the rules ahead of time.
“Just bid on someone in my league,” I whisper.
Her face distorts into a whatever expression and she turns her back to us, granting her full attention to the MC.
The MC does a brief introduction on how the event will work and talks a little about how all the money raised will go to help families who have lost a loved one in the line of duty. Finally, it’s time to get the auction started and I feel like I have a heavy bolder laying on my chest.
“Turn to page one and you’ll find our first bachelor,” the MC says. “Steve is a police officer from the first district. He’s looking for that Mrs. Right to live his happily ever after with. Bonus ladies, he works the day shift.” A short male with a runner’s body emerges, tipping his hat and spinning around with a casual smile on his face.
“He seems nice,” I mention, hoping she’ll get the idea that a man like him is someone I could see myself going out with.
Lauren looks back at me. “We’re not looking to be wined and dined. We’re looking to be screwed sideways.”
Vanessa sits back with her phone in her hands, her thumbs texting as fast as a teenager’s.
A few more bachelors get snatched up, most of them older than I would prefer.
Leaning back and relaxing a bit into my chair, I recall why we’re here. This is all for a good cause. I can tolerate one date with whoever Lauren picks out for me.
Ordering another drink when the waitress appears, I decide to focus my thoughts on finding someone for Vanessa instead of worrying about who I’ll end up with.
“Our next bachelor is a police officer in the eighteenth district. He’s the happiest when he’s skating on ice with a hockey stick in hand, hitting a softball out of Grant Park, or eating Sunday dinner with his Mama. He’s looking for a woman who irons her t-shirts, makes her own cleaning solutions and organizes the soup cupboard in her spare time.” All the woman look at one another like the guy is crazy before he even steps out. “I should also mention that his brothers wrote this bio up for him. Come on out, Cristian Bianco.”
I smile watching a rosy cheeked Cristian being pushed out from the back room, no doubt by Luca or Mauro. I didn’t really know him, but Cristian always seemed sweet in high school. He tips his hat at the crowd like he just pulled them over, his intense hazel eyes showing a slight discomfort at the situation that I’d bet neither of his brothers have.
“Wow. He’s gotten so hot.” Lauren’s hand moves for her paddle.
I reach over and stop her. We exchange a look and I nod slightly in Vanessa’s direction. Lauren smirks, removing her hand from the paddle.
A few women in the front raise their paddles and place their bids.
Vanessa is distracted with her phone again, so I slowly raise mine with the hope that she doesn’t notice immediately.
“Two hundred to the lady in the back,” The MC says.
Cristian squints trying to see who’s bidding but my guess is the spotlights are making it hard for him to see. His wide shoulders and strong jaw remind me a little of his older brother. They’re both characteristics the three Bianco brothers share.
Another lady outbids me, so I raise my paddle again.
“Four hundred to the lady in the back.” The MC points to me.
Lauren smiles at me over her shoulder.
Vanessa huffs and she drops her phone to the table and picks up her drink.
“What did I miss?”
I raise my paddle once more.
“What? Who?” Her head whips around to look at the stage. “No!” She grabs for my arm, but I slide out of her reach.
“One…two…Sold to the lady in the back for six hundred dollars.”
I place the paddle down and look over at Vanessa.
“You’re kidding me, right? I told you no blue!” Vanessa’s stern voice does sound scary, but she’ll thank me once she has dinner with him. I can’t imagine Cristian not being the perfect gentleman.
“Sorry, I forgot,” I lie, and she narrows her eyes.
“Game on.” She leans in and whispers something in Lauren’s ear.
Damn it. What did I get myself into?
* * *
Chapter Three
* * *
We’re about midway through the bidding and the realization that I’m dying to see who grabs Mauro is a bad sign. After all these years he’s still the one that gets under my skin. That night from long ago is like a nightmare always on the playback reel whenever his name is mentioned.
The MC approaches the podium after a short break. “Okay ladies, if you liked the first Bianco brother’s bio wait until you hear this one. These three brothers have quite the sense of humor I’d say, by allowing their brothers to write their bio. So without further ado, let me introduce you to the eldest of the brothers, a firefighter from CFD Engine 55. He’s looking for a woman like his mama who will cook, clean, and cater to him with a smile. He promises to clean his plate at every meal, make sure to compare you to his mama at every turn, and give you unsolicited advice whenever you need it.” The MC takes a break and chuckles. “Sounds like a catch, ladies.” He holds his hands out to the curtain and Lauren’s head whips in my direction. “Mauro Bianco, ladies.”
I try to act indifferent but when he steps out wearing his blue fatigues and a jacket with CFD on it, my heart skips a beat. He opted not to wear his formal wear and I’m not surprised. He never was the type to dress up. Even at prom I’d heard he didn’t rent a tux but opted for a suit and tie that he stripped off before he was crowned prom king.
“Come on Mauro, take off the jacket,” the MC insists, and all the ladies scream like he’s a Chippendale dancer. Are there still Chippendale dancers? I’ll have to google that when I get home.
He side-eyes the MC but lowers the zipper and sheds the jacket from his body like he just got home after a long day. There’s nothing sexual, nor a hint of seduction in his movements, but my cheeks heat anyway. My heart skips a few more beats as he reveals a CF
D navy t-shirt, fit snug around his muscular shoulders and biceps. He’s still the GQ heartthrob I remember.
I pull the straw from my cup and toss it aside on the table, then down the rest of my drink.
His jacket is clutched in his hands and he looks impatient for the MC to begin the bidding. Almost like he’s pissed off about the whole thing. Maybe he’s annoyed at what his brothers wrote about him being a mama’s boy and the expectations he holds for his future wife. No doubt becoming a daughter-in-law in that family will be no picnic. Mama Bianco is the queen in that family and I’m not sure anyone could ever live up to her standards.
“Let’s get the bidding started,” the MC says.
At least ten paddles raise in the air immediately.
I let out a relieved breath as Lauren sits there, the paddle with my number still on the table beside her as we watch the bidding quickly sore to the highest number of the night.
The waitress brings over another drink for me, and I’m thankful for her perfect timing. I swallow down my hatred for whatever woman is the lucky winner of Mauro.
“Do I hear nine hundred?” the MC says, and no one raises their paddle. “Eight fifty?” A woman raises her paddle in the air. “The brunette in the corner has the bid.”
Just like Cristian, Mauro squints, trying to see who has the winning bid and I have no idea if he can actually see past the spotlight.
“Going once…” The MC looks around the room and the woman in the corner is already celebrating with her girlfriends.
I loathe her, and I don’t even know her.
“Going twice…”
The brunette is biting her lip, her eyes roaming over Mauro again like he’s a tub of Ben and Jerry’s and Aunt Flo has come to visit.
“One thousand!” someone calls out and when I look in front of me I realize that Lauren is standing holding her paddle in her hand.
“Whoa! One thousand to the lady in the back.”
“Lauren,” I scold but she pays me no attention. Does she ever?
“Do you counter?” the MC directs his question to the other woman whose smile has fallen.