Chapter Thirty
W omen poured through the double doors of the community center in droves, wearing sparkling formals and short, tight cocktail dresses and everything in between. The Parade of Lights had ended almost an hour ago, but they were still waiting on several bachelors to finish getting ready. Delilah and Holly stood by the doors, handing out programs and directing women inside to Merry, who had their numbers and table assignments. For being such a crunch-time event, it had come together well.
Knock on wood.
The committee had really outdone themselves with the decorations. One side of the community center had dozens of tables with white linen tablecloth and floral centerpieces. Twinkling fairy lights were looped across the ceilings, and the lights had been dimmed to give the room an almost starry night effect. Everyone seemed happy with the results. Mostly everyone.
A blond woman in her thirties took a program and flipped it open in front of her. “I’m just disappointed they waited until now to host one of these.” She looked up, meeting Delilah’s gaze, but speaking to her brunette friend with the pointy red nails. “There are several men not on this list I would have happily dumped money into.”
“I think he’s cute,” her friend said, stopping on a page and holding it out to her.
“Hmmm, definitely tempting. Let’s go find our seats and browse the merchandise.”
This really is like a meat market, Delilah thought, her stomach lurching at the thought of these women talking about Anthony like a rack of lamb. Of ogling him. Betting on him.
Oh, God, what if I didn’t bring enough money?
“Hey,” Holly stage whispered, breaking through her panic. She pointed to her mouth and gave Delilah a wide, garish grin. “Smile. That dress is stunning, but your face … ”
“What’s the matter with my face?” Delilah asked
“You look like you’re judging them.”
“I do not.” Although, she absolutely was, she couldn’t admit that out loud. “I’ve just got a lot on my mind.”
“You mean besides the fact that you may not have brought enough cash to buy Anthony?”
Delilah gasped. “How did you know I was thinking that?”
“I’ve seen several women flashing their wads and marking pages. Trust me, if Declan was on that stage, I’d be having a panic attack.”
Delilah scowled. “I thought boyfriends were off-limits.”
“Long-term boyfriends. Recently developed relationships are fair game.”
“I’m not worried. I can always pull more.” After all, what did she need rent money for if she didn’t have a place to live?
Her conversation with Anthony haunted her, not because she thought that she’d made the wrong decision, but because she’d wanted so badly to say yes. He’d done exactly what she’d expected him to do, except him offering her money had been quite jarring. When he’d asked her stay with him, she had to bite her tongue to stop herself from saying yes. It wouldn’t be fair to accept such a big gesture from him so early. What if they moved in together and it destroyed them?
“If it isn’t the potential outbidding for your man, why are you a mopey ma?”
There was no use trying to downplay her circumstances, but Delilah didn’t want Holly to fly into a dramatic fit. “Besides losing my place? Nothing, I’m grand.”
Before Holly could respond, another swarm of women crowded the door.
“Hi,” Delilah said, greeting a lady in her sixties. The silver-haired woman opened the pamphlet and disturbingly murmured, “Hubba-hubba.”
Delilah did a double take. And some of these women complain about what men say.
“I told you our door and spare bedroom are open to you.”
“I’m sorry, but doesn’t Declan live there, too? Shouldn’t you ask your boyfriend how he feels about your best friend coming to stay for an extended length of time? He already thinks I cock—er—cognitive block him.” Her second grade teacher, Mrs. Wilton, gave her a look so terrifying, Delilah remembered why she still avoided the old bat.
“Of course, I’ll clear it with Declan, but you are my bestie and you are without a safe, comfortable roof over your head. I am sure he will agree that we need to help you.”
“I am not a lost puppy. I have an adorable dog, but I am not helpless.”
“Oh, I forgot about Leia! Bonus puppy! Leo loves her.”
“Debatable, but I’m not going to come stay with you and have Declan hate me more than he already does. That would be one more flip on my roller coaster of shh—taki mushroom,” Delilah said, smiling at the reverend’s wife as she passed.
“Declan doesn’t hate you.”
“Maybe not, but he wants time alone with you, which he will not get if I’m there.”
“Where are you going to live then?” Holly asked.
“I don’t know, I haven’t figured it out yet.”
“The offer stands.”
“There is no offer until I hear it from the man you share a bed with.” There was a gasp from Margaret Ulner, the cashier at the corner gas station and Delilah huffed. “Prude.”
Holly giggled. “Maybe you should switch and take your butt behind the curtain. You’re in no mood to cater to the masses.”
“No, I absolutely am not.” Delilah waved Nick over, who gave her a befuddled look. “What?”
“Here. Hand these out.”
She held the programs out to him and he recoiled. “I’m a waiter tonight.”
“I need to be the server for a minute,” Delilah said waspishly, but when he didn’t move, she gave him her best tearful gaze. “Please, Nick? Just a short break.”
Nick sighed, taking the programs from her. “Fine. But if they start asking me how much I’m worth, I am out.”
Delilah winked at Holly, silently thanking her bestie for sharing the weaknesses of all the men in her life. She passed by the dining room and entered the backstage area through the curtain. She weaved her way between gray, black, navy, and white suit jackets, looking for Anthony’s broad shoulders. She spotted Pike first and snorted at his powder blue jacket and matching top hat.
“What’s up, my fair laddie?” she joked, imitating a dreadful Irish accent.
“I’m not wearing a kilt, so your joke makes no sense.”
Delilah ignored him as she got a real up close inspection of Anthony looking dapper as hell in a gray suit and white shirt. The bright blue tie he wore popped against the shirt. His hair was brushed back, drawing attention to those lush lips, high cheekbones, and those green, arresting eyes.
Anthony smiled at her, holding his arms out to the side. “What do you think?”
“Um, no.”
Anthony laughed, the discoloration from the bruise on his cheek nearly faded. “What do you mean no?”
“You are not going out there looking like a snack in front of a roomful of horny women. My pockets are not deep enough to fight off the rabid hordes.”
“It’s just a suit,” Anthony said, snaking his arm around her waist, his mouth grazing the shell of her ear. “Meanwhile, I can’t stop thinking about getting you out of that little black dress later tonight.”
Delilah shivered because she was just as eager to get him home and have him all to herself. They’d been good this week, allowing each other to rest and heal, but it was well past time for her to get the full effect of Anthony Russo’s unrestrained passion, especially if their time together was running out. She wanted to have the memory of him giving her every last part of him to keep her warm in her sad, lonely years.
“Ten minutes to curtain,” Merry yelled, making her way through the throngs of bachelors. When she spotted Delilah, she pointed. “You are supposed to be by the door!”
“I actually traded with Nick,” Delilah said unabashedly. “I should be serving food or something.”
“Then get out of here and do that!” Merry roared, pointing at Anthony. “No canoodling with the merchandise until he is bought and paid for!”
“Way to dehumanize me, Merry,” Anthony called after her, earning a finger for his cheek.
Delilah sighed. “I better go before she comes back and boots me altogether.”
“I love you,” he said. Those three little words sounded like the sweetest melody and she wanted to hear them again.
“I love you.”
“And I’d love it if the two of you weren’t quite so nauseating,” Pike said, grabbing his tie and pulling it over his head. “Please go before I hang myself.”
“That’s rude,” Delilah said, making a face at Pike, “but I will go because I need to hit the ATM again. I want to be ready when they call your name.”
“Good luck,” Anthony said, green eyes sparkling and beautiful. If she were a man, or at the very least, a woman who lifted, Delilah would have thrown him over her shoulder and carried him out of there. As it was, she would just have to contend with the swarms of pick me’s thinking he was up for grabs.
Delilah pushed through the sea of people, almost snickering when she spotted Brodie’s face wasn’t quite as healed as Anthony’s or Pike’s wounds. Although it wasn’t the first time a man had targeted her looks after she’d turned him down, it was such a low blow that she didn’t feel the least bit bad for him. He deserved the puffy lip and bruised ego.
Delilah relieved Nick from door duty once more, although he gave her plenty of side-eye as he retreated toward the kitchen. Luckily, the flow of traffic had become slower and less dense, as it was a few minutes to nine.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” Merry greeted the room from onstage, a black wireless mic in her hand. She wore a long black dress that hid her adorable baby bump until she turned to the side. “Please find a seat and get ready for an evening of charity, conversation, and Mistletoe’s finest bachelors!” The room erupted with excited screams and Delilah shot Holly a “what the heck did we agree to” look.
The lights flickered and music exploded from the speakers, signaling the start of the show, and everyone who was still standing started moving at once, scrambling to find their seats. Merry came back on the mic, waving at the crowd. “Thank you, everyone. This evening, I have the pleasure of introducing you to some of Mistletoe’s finest specimens of the male species. Handsome. Hardworking. Intelligent. Athletic?” The last was said with a playfully suggestive tone and the crowd woo-hooed, only quieting down when Merry continued. “Remember that every bachelor is a prize and that we are raising money for our children and our community so dig deep and bid hard. Are you ready?”
The crowd erupted with wild hoots and hollers, until Merry read the first name. “Sam Griffin, come on out. Sam is a thirty-eight-year-old tattoo artist with ambitions to own a shop of his own again. He is over six feet with dreamy eyes and tattoos in all the right places. Shall we start the bidding at twenty-five dollars?”
“Twenty-five.”
“Thirty!”
“Forty!”
The rapid fire of the bids were too fast to keep up with who was bidding what. Several more paddles flew into the air and Delilah watched the exchange nervously. She did not want to walk out of here tonight without Anthony, but these women were like ravenous wolves.
Maybe it was just Sam. He was a bad-boy commodity with a reputation and a huge fan base in Mistletoe. This type of bidding could be reserved for him and guys like him.
Holly came up alongside her and bumped her with a hip. “You’re looking nervous again.”
“I’m fine.”
“Does Anthony know you’re losing your place?” Holly asked, distracting her from the flurry of paddles.
“Yes, I mentioned it last night.”
Holly poked her again. “And?”
“And nothing. He asked me to stay with him and I said no.”
“Why did you say no?” Holly asked incredulously.
“Because I didn’t want him to ask me to stay with him and then regret it. Or worse, we fall apart because it’s way too early in our relationship for such a big step.”
“I thought you were picking out drapes and shit for his house?”
“Yes, but that’s fantasy,” Delilah said, noticing the paddles were slowing now that they were closer to the eight hundred mark. “Moving into someone’s studio trailer with your dog and fully formed adult habits is terrifying.”
“Interesting. I thought it was building a life together and making plans.”
“Are you trying to make me feel worse about my situation?” Delilah asked, turning to face her best friend.
“No, of course not. I just want to clarify and work through your decision so that you make it reasonably and not because you’re terrified of the unknown. Maybe it’s not Anthony you’re worried about having a meltdown when previously formed habits are discovered.”
Delilah set the programs down on the nearest table and crossed her arms. “You aren’t suggesting that I would be the one to freak out over Anthony snoring or not putting the seat down?”
Holly shrugged. “You are an only child who has never lived with anyone, except me for a short time. Do you remember sandwich gate? You didn’t talk to me for two weeks.”
“Sandwich gate was about boundary issues! You took a bite of my sandwich without asking.”
“Whatever you need to tell yourself, bestie. You better get ready,” Holly said, pointing at the stage. “Your boy’s up next.”
Delilah glared at Holly’s retreating back, only to straighten up when Merry called Anthony to the stage. He held his arms out and did a little turn, sauntering to the edge, and when a few women made as if they were going to reach for him, he jogged back.
Don’t make too big a show, pal, or I’m going to need more cash.
“Anthony is a thirty-one-year-old local business owner who stands six foot three in his bare feet. In his spare time, he likes to partake in outdoor activities like quad-riding, snowmobiling, or waterskiing, and spending time with his beautiful girlfriend, Delilah.”
Her mouth dropped, picking up one of the programs and flipping to Anthony’s page. There it was, plain as day.
He’d included it in his profile, told the entire town they belonged together.
“As Anthony is in a serious relationship, he does not feel comfortable being auctioned off.” The crowd of women started booing and hissing, some of them even shooting her angry looks. “However, his company, Adventures in Mistletoe, has agreed to donate generously. Not to mention his bachelor replacement is a young, virile firefighter whom you all might remember for running a car up the flagpole his senior year, give it up for Bladen Moon!”
Anthony took the stairs down into the crowd and she lost sight of him for several moments, or maybe it was the tears blurring her vision that made it hard to track him. The women in the crowd had forgotten about Anthony and Delilah as the blond man wearing a red suit and black button-down took the stage, dancing to elated cheers.
When Anthony stepped out from the crowd and made a beeline for her, Delilah’s heart pounded rapidly with anticipation as his expression intensified the closer he got.
Hunger. Anthony looked ready to eat her up and she couldn’t wait.
“Come on, baby, time to go. I got plans for you.”