Don't Kiss The Heartbreaker (Billionaire Academy YA Romance Book 3)

by Holly Stevenson

  Chapter Twenty

  “Tia, can you hand me that microphone?” Mom asked.

  “Sure.” I picked up the mic sitting on the temporary runway that had been built in the gym and handed it to her. Mom had had everything decorated to resemble a Milan fashion show, complete with a large, curtained backdrop behind the runway. She’d really outdone herself, working with a team of party planners to ensure no detail was left unnoticed. I only wished Cade could be here to see his idea become a reality.

  He’d never replied to my text last week, and the lacrosse team was supposedly returning to the academy today. But the bus hadn’t shown yet. He and a few other lacrosse team members were on the list to participate in the clothes and date auction, and their absence would be problematic—but so would postponing the auction. People were already starting to take seats in the rows of chairs surrounding the runway.

  I looked at Mom. “What should we do?”

  She straightened her shoulders, without a hint of stress lining her flawless face. Years of last-minute pageant crises had prepared her to handle any setback with an uncanny calm. “You go get changed,” she ordered. “We’ll start the show on time and hope that the lacrosse team shows up before it’s over. The principal said the bus should be here soon, so we’ll keep calm and carry on. You don’t want to look flustered when it’s your turn on the runway.” She winked at me.

  I gave her a look. “Um, voluntarily standing on a stage while guys from my school may or may not bid on a date with me is more than enough reason to be flustered.”

  She rolled her eyes. “They’re going to bid. And if they don’t, I will.”

  I laughed. “It’s good to know you’ve got my back.”

  “Always.” She smiled, shooing me off. “I’ve got this. Go on and get changed, and you can help any of your classmates who may have pre-stage jitters. Jillian is back there, working her magic.”

  “Okay.” I walked toward the girls’ locker room, which was serving as the “dressing room” for the fashion show. The guys were in the boys’ locker room, and Cade was supposed to help things run smoothly over there, but when we realized he would be late, Oliver gallantly agreed to help out.

  I stepped into the locker room, which was a flurry of activity just like backstage before a pageant. I found Lacey among the racks of outfits slated for the modeling portion of the auction, flipping through clothes with her practiced eye. More designer clothes filled racks in the part of the gym set up like an upscale boutique. Everything was in place and ready to go—except for a sizeable percentage of the boys participating in the auction.

  “How are things going back here?” I asked her.

  “Fine. I just needed to add something to Amy’s outfit.” She didn’t look up from her task. “A jacket to layer over her shirt like—this one.” She held up a distressed denim jacket in triumph. “We’ll pair it with that leather band bracelet and those silver teardrop earrings, and she’ll be ready.”

  I checked a copy of the list on my phone. “Good, ’cause she’s the first one up, isn’t she?”

  “Yep.”

  Like a soldier in battle, Lacey stayed laser-focused on her task. I followed her as she worked her way through giddy girls asking questions about their outfits and taking last-minute looks at themselves in the mirror. “Sounds like everyone is excited,” I said.

  She nodded. “They’re all just happy to finally show off some of their personal style. The uniforms have suppressed our free expression for too long.” She raised a fist and shook it.

  I laughed. “Preach it, girl.” But my smile froze in place when I spotted Chloe.

  She was straightening a pair of fishnet tights beneath thigh-high black suede boots. The outfit couldn’t have suited her better if I’d picked it myself. She looked up and smirked when she saw me. “Good luck with the auction, Tia. Cade told us there will be some pity bids, so don’t worry too much.”

  I gave her a thin smile. “I’d rather have a pity bid from someone nice than a bid from someone who’s expecting to get something more than just a ‘date,’” I said, gesturing to her outfit. “But obviously this is a look you can totally pull off. I hope that works out for you.”

  She smirked and put a hand on her hip. “Don’t be jealous. A pity bid is nothing to be ashamed about.”

  I held her gaze. “You’re right. It’s nowhere near as shameful as telling lies and petty acts of jealousy.” I shook my head, feeling the anger seep out of me, leaving calm in its place. I’d been furious with Chloe all week, but the anger wasn’t doing me any good, and I didn’t want it anymore. “I feel sorry for you, Chloe,” I said, genuinely meaning it.

  She made a face, clearly struggling to come up with a comeback to my pity. But I didn’t need to hear it anyway. I was done with her drama.

  “Come on, T. I need to get this to Amy,” Lacey said, raising an amused eyebrow at Chloe as we walked away. Once we were out of earshot, she whispered, “That comment about being overly obvious was genius. Did you see the look on her face?” She shook her head. “Serves her right for what she did to you and Cade.”

  I lifted a shoulder. “I’m over it. Yes, she was a jerk … but if I hadn’t overreacted and just talked to Cade, I would still be his girlfriend right now.”

  She turned and looked at me, her eyes tight with sympathy. “Don’t think about that. You know that there’s no crying allowed before curtain. You’ll wreck your makeup.” She smiled and touched my arm. “Besides, I’m sure once you see Cade again, you’ll have a chance to talk things over. He can’t have gotten over you that fast.”

  I flinched. “Actually, he can. Getting over girls fast is kind of his whole M.O.” I bit the inside of my cheek. “If he’d wanted to talk to me, he would have texted me back. Or called. Or sent a postcard.”

  She frowned, giving my arm another squeeze before straightening. “We’ll talk about this later. Right now, I’ve got to get this jacket to Amy, and you’ve got to get into your dress.” She waved me off just like Mom had minutes ago. “Go on.”

  I sighed. “Why did I ever agree to do this?”

  “Because it’s for a good cause,” she called over her shoulder.

  “Right.” I sighed again and went to the area where Lacey had set out the dress she’d chosen for me. I was going to model something for the formal wear portion of the show, and Lacey had picked the formal gown I was supposed to wear in the pageant last week. I had to admit it was stunning, made of bright fuchsia satin with a sweetheart neckline, a mermaid sweep train skirt, and delicate rhinestone detailing. Mom had searched for weeks to find it, and she’d insisted that my modeling it in the auction would be just as good as seeing me wear it in the pageant. At least it wasn’t going to waste, and since I hadn’t worn it to any dances, there was a better chance of the girls in school bidding on it.

  Once I had the dress on, almost every girl that passed by made a comment about how much they loved it. After Jillian styled me so that I was runway ready, I looked in the mirror for a final check before it was my turn for the curtain. I stared at my reflection, and a strange sense of calm settled over me.

  No matter what the outcome, I would go out on that runway with confidence. It didn’t matter if no one bid on me or my dress—I knew my worth. And knowing that was something money couldn’t buy.

  “Tia, you’re up,” Lacey called. She shook her head slowly as I approached, and I was grateful for all of the pageant training that had taught me how to walk smoothly in heels. “You’re going to rock this,” she said, giving me a quick hug before pulling the curtain back.

  I took a deep breath, straightened my shoulders, and headed out into the spotlight.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Lights had been set up to act like camera flashes, and the crowd applauded as I walked onto the runway.

  “Here we have Miss Tia Radcliffe, wearing a lovely evening gown destined to impress,” Mom said, acting as the MC. She went on describing the fashion label, fabric, and style of the gown a
s I moved around the runway as we’d practiced in rehearsal, stopping to pose every so often until I came to stand at the end of the runway. Mom opened up the bidding for my dress. “We’ll start the bidding at fifty dollars, please.”

  There was an immediate response of people raising hands and bidding amounts. I stood, trying to maintain a model’s detached expression, but inside I was thrilled to hear the amounts shooting upwards of five hundred dollars. Mom had paid two thousand for it, so even in the hundreds range, the buyer would be getting a deal, considering it hadn’t been worn before tonight.

  The final bid won the dress at a price tag of eight hundred, and the woman who won the bid looked ecstatic.

  I glanced at Mom, who wore a bright smile before she continued with the auction. “All right, now that we’ve auctioned the dress, Tia has also agreed to participate in the dating auction.” She held her hand to the side of her face, stage whispering, “And I just happen to know that she’s an amazing girl, so whoever wins this bid had better treat her to something special.”

  The crowd laughed, and I gave Mom a withering look, my heart pounding like a jackhammer against my rib cage.

  “We’ll start the bidding at fifty dollars, folks,” Mom said. “Do I have a first bid, please?”

  My mouth went dry, and I swallowed. Some of the other kids had really hammed it up, striking dramatic poses and egging the bidders on, but it was all I could do not to fidget, or better still, run off the stage.

  “Fifty dollars,” a bidder called from the back of the auditorium.

  All heads turned to look, and my heart stopped. It was Cade. He was wearing his lacrosse uniform as if he’d just come from the bus. His gaze locked on mine, but I couldn’t read his expression. My hands grew clammy as understanding dawned—it was the pity bid. As student body president, he was bidding because no one else was—showing up just in time to save me from total humiliation. My face flushed and I shifted my weight, trying not to let my embarrassment show.

  “Fifty dollars,” Mom called, her eyes flicking to mine and then back to the crowd. “Do I have any bidders wanting to go higher?”

  “One hundred dollars,” another guy called out. I turned, recognizing a senior from the football team, but I didn’t know anything about him beyond that.

  What in the world? I couldn’t believe a guy I didn’t even know was bidding for a date with me—but at least now Cade would have an out from his pity bid.

  “Two hundred,” another guy from my tech class called.

  I pressed my lips together, stunned as the bidding broke out, with the amount quickly raising to over five hundred dollars. No one had paid that much for a date thus far, and these were guys I didn’t even know. Cade remained silent, watching the bidding from the back of the room with his arms folded. Once the bidding reached nine hundred dollars, the football player and the tech guy started slowing down, and I hoped they would. As much as I wanted to raise money for a good cause, I didn’t want to stand here any longer.

  “Nine hundred and fifty going once …” Mom called, raising her hand and looking at the tech guy to see if he would bid again. “Twice …”

  “Two thousand dollars,” Cade called from the back. The auditorium went completely still except for the sound of chairs squeaking as everyone turned to gawk. He stepped forward, staring down the football player. “And I’ll outbid anyone who tries to go higher.”

  My mouth opened and I gaped at him, my thoughts swirling in confusion.

  He gave me the crooked smile that showed his dimple.

  I forgot how to breathe, afraid to hope what this might mean.

  “Cade, you realize the last bid was for nine hundred and fifty,” Mom said. “Did you mean to say two thousand?”

  He nodded. “Yep.”

  She shrugged and looked back at the crowd. “All right, then, two thousand it is. This is all for a good cause, folks! Do I have anyone going higher?”

  The football player scowled at Cade and finally shook his head.

  “Going, going, gone!” Mom cried.

  The crowd cheered and Cade walked toward the runway, never taking his eyes off me as he reached out his hand, helping me down the short row of stairs and then taking my arm in his. He led me to the side of the room where the other couples who’d won dates were gathered.

  The whole thing felt like a dream. I turned, searching his eyes. “Why did you do that?” I asked.

  A slow smile spread across his face. “Because I wanted to go on a date with you.”

  I frowned. “But you never replied to my text. I thought you were mad at me—and you had a right to be,” I continued, shaking my head. “That whole thing about the merger … I’m so sorry.”

  “You don’t have to apologize,” he said. “You already explained it in the text.” He stepped toward me, gently brushing a strand of hair back from my face. “I didn’t reply because I was waiting to tell you in person.”

  I tipped my head to the side. “Tell me what?”

  “Cade, you’re needed in the dressing room. It’s almost your turn,” Mom called.

  Once again, the whole room turned to look. I blushed, and Cade gave me a reluctant squeeze before dropping my arm. “We’ll continue this later,” he promised, his eyes warm. He turned and jogged toward the dressing room, and the crowd’s attention diverted back to the runway, where Chloe was just coming through the curtain.

  I didn’t pay attention to how much her outfit went for, or how high the bidders bid for a date with her. I was floating, and all I could think about was Cade. I still couldn’t believe that he’d bid for a date with me. The look in his eyes when he’d promised to continue our discussion later made my insides warm and quivery. I was dying to know what he’d been about to say, because if his smile was any indication, I had a feeling I was going to like it.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  The bidding for a date with Cade broke out before Mom could even announce it. She stared helplessly at the crowd, trying to keep up with the amounts being shouted at her. “Uh, I have a six hundred … seven fifty over here. Can I get an eight—oh, we have nine fifty over here.”

  The amount kept going up, and I felt bad for Mom, but I didn’t blame the girls of RLA for going crazy. Cade looked like a male supermodel up in his Armani tux that had already sold for a hefty price tag. True to his playful nature, he was striking poses and earning squeals from the girls. I laughed as he played to the crowd, knowing that along with having fun, he was also thinking of the charity.

  “Fifteen hundred dollars,” Chloe called, looking smug from where she stood next to Tom, who had won the date with her—if you could call it winning. He didn’t look happy that his date was bidding on another guy, but if Chloe noticed, she didn’t care. There was an almost feral look in her eyes as she listened to the bids and kept upping the price.

  So far, I’d been watching as an amused bystander, biding my time. But now that Chloe was involved, I felt my hackles rise. I wasn’t about to let her win the date with Cade. The crease deepening in the corner of his mouth every time she bid showed that he wasn’t thrilled at the prospect either.

  Chloe and Mindy got into a bidding war, and I bit the inside of my cheek, waiting for an opportunity to chime in with my own bid. The price was up to seventeen hundred dollars, and Mindy was slowing down. I was about to call out eighteen hundred when a car alarm sounded outside.

  Lacey rushed into the room. “Chloe, I think someone might have messed with your car. The alarm’s going off,” she said, loud enough for everyone to hear.

  “My Ferrari?” Chloe’s eyes bulged, and she ran out of the auditorium.

  Lacey looked at me with a subtle wink.

  I didn’t hesitate. I turned to Mom and called out, “Two thousand dollars.”

  Mom grinned. “I wondered when you were going to chime in. Two thousand going once …” She glanced at Mindy, who scowled and shook her head. “Twice … sold!” Mom rushed on, beaming.

  The crowd gave us a standing ovat
ion as I walked toward the runway. Cade grinned and jumped off the runway, bypassing the stairs as he jogged toward me. I laughed as he wrapped his arms around me, lifting me off the ground and spinning me around. The lights from the runway still flashed, and combined with the cheers, it felt like were the stars of our own private movie.

  Cade set me down on my feet and gently cupped his hands on the sides of my face. “That thing I was wanting to tell you?” he said.

  “Yes?” I held my breath, oblivious to the crowd as everything around us blurred into the background.

  “I love you,” he said, his eyes holding mine.

  My heart broke open, spilling warmth into every crevice of my soul. “I love you too,” I said.

  He smiled the smile meant only for me and bent down, capturing my mouth in a kiss.

  The crowd went wild with cheers and catcalls, and we pulled away, both of us smiling as Cade pressed his forehead to mine and then took my hand.

  “Here’s to Cade and Tia,” Mom called. “For donating four thousand dollars to the charity, and for that spontaneous display of PDA that I’m sure will live on in our memories forever—whether we want it to or not,” she said dryly.

  The crowd laughed, and Cade and I laughed along with them as he pulled me to his side. I wrapped my arms around his waist, my heart bursting. The auction was a success, and now that the bidding part was finished, the crowd was making their way over to the clothes racks to peruse and make more purchases.

  I looked up at Cade. “It would seem that your auction was a success, Carlisle.”

  “You mean our auction,” he corrected. “The whole school came together to make this happen, and most of the thanks goes to you and your mom. The two of you make a good team.”

  “We do,” I agreed, smiling.