22. The Highest Bid #2
"I could tell," she whispers before speaking into the microphone.
"Alright, folks, the last item we have up for bid is not actually an item.
Savannah here has generously agreed to donate her time and expertise to one lucky person.
" A couple of bozos hoot and holler. Jo scowls.
"Simmer down, you horn dogs; it's not what your inbred minds are thinking.
" I grin. Bless you, Jo. "Savannah will be auctioning off a one-on-one yoga lesson.
Yoga ." A few men in the crowd boo. I cringe, finding Jesse's stone-cold glare in the distance.
"Let's start the bidding off at twenty bucks. "
Immediately Poe throws his hand in the air. "Twenty!"
"Twenty-five!" Jiggs elbows his buddy. "You ain't winning this."
"Watch me!" Poe grunts. "Thirty."
I blink, regretting my decision. I do not want to spend two hours alone with either of those men.
"Fifty!"
Is that Marlow?! I find her in the crowd, and she winks at me.
"Fuck!" Poe grumbles. "That's my limit."
Thank goodness.
"Seventy-five!" I whip my head toward the voice. Ryder's greasy smile nearly knocks me off my feet. He tosses me three kisses. Ew.
"One hundred." Jesse's voice is clear as day. But the day ain't sunny. No. It's stormy and cloudy with a chance of veiled anger. I can't bring myself to even look in his direction.
Did I not tell him about this?
"Alright," Jo says, looking around. "One hundred. Going once, going twice?—"
"One thousand dollars."
"Wha—" I scour the faces in the crowd, freezing as Miguel weaves his way to the front of the stage, a stack of crisp bills in hand. He smirks up at Jo and me, waving the money.
"Cash," he adds .
"Alright. One thousand...going once...going twice..." Jo briefly glances in Jesse's direction, subtly shaking her head before smiling down at Miguel. "Sold."
I blink rapidly as Miguel offers me his arm. One thousand dollars? Is he nuts?! Tentatively, I hold it, jumping down from the two-foot stage.
"Listen, Miguel," I say, "I don't know what you're expecting from me?—"
"I expect nothing but a yoga lesson taught by a very interesting and rather busy woman," he says, adjusting his sunglasses. I fiddle nervously with my fingers, and he places a hand on my shoulder. "Don't be scared, Savannah. My intentions are pure, believe me."
"Mhmm," I hum. Why didn't Jesse outbid him? Maybe he doesn't have a thousand dollars. Maybe that was too much money. Or maybe...maybe he doesn't care. "So, um...when did you want your lesson?"
Miguel pulls out his cell phone. "Why don't you give me your number? And we can sort it out later."
Other than the fact I don't give my number out to strangers, I surely don't want to be listed as a personal contact of a cartel member.
"Why postpone it? Let's just pick a day right now." I bite my lip. "How about Wednesday?"
"Wednesday?" He checks his phone, not reacting to my segue. "I can free up Wednesday." He looks up at me. "What's your number? I can text you my address."
Address? As in his home? As in four walls? As in no witnesses?!
"Oh, no, that's fine," I say, anxiously giggling. "I think it'll be better if we do the lesson outside. You know, in the fresh air." I give him a pleading smile. "Rosenfeld Park? 3 p.m.? Does that work for you?"
"That sounds splendid." Miguel's jaw locks, but he doesn't let the emotions reach his eyes. "I'll see you there." He glances over my shoulder and straightens his posture. "Great event, JP. Thanks for the invite."
"Yeah," Jesse says, strutting toward us. "Thanks for coming." He looks over at me, swallowing. "And for making such a generous donation to our cause."
"Anything for a tax write-off, right?" Miguel says, tension building between him and Jesse. Miguel clears his throat. "I'll see you in a couple of days, Savannah. Yes?"
"Mhmm," I hum as Miguel strolls away into the crowd.
When he's out of earshot, my eyes spring open, and I stare at Jesse, completely bewildered.
"One thousand dollars?! He bid one thousand dollars?
Either he thinks I'm the freaking Dalai Lama, or he's going to want a little more than a downward dog!
Why didn't you outbid him?" I smack Jesse's arm.
"You're the one who told me to stay away from him. "
Jesse's upper lip twitches. "It wouldn't have been a wise business move."
"Business move?" I frown. "What about my safety? He's cartel , Jesse! What if he kidnaps me?"
"He's not going to kidnap you. And if he does, you're just annoying enough that he might willingly set you free after a few days," Jesse says, tone low and sour.
He sighs, noticing my deepening frown. What's with the attitude?
! "Listen, you're the one who wanted to auction off lessons, okay? Miguel's bid won. Deal with it."
I cross my arms. "Why are you suddenly all cranky? I'm the one that has to hang out with El freaking Chapo in two days, alone ."
"What do you want me to do, Savannah?" Jesse grits his teeth. "Do you want me to come with you? Keep watch?" His throat tenses. "I can hide behind a tree with a slingshot if you want."
I glare at him. Why is he being so rude? "I don't need a babysitter."
"You sure?" he asks. "You seem awfully worried he's going to try something."
"And what if he did?" I perk up an inquisitive brow, hiding the fact a part of my heart is hurting. "Would that bother you?"
"He won't," Jesse hisses. "You'll be fine."
"How do you know that?"
"Because," he says, "that would be bad for business."
Business. Of course. Is that all that this is?
A transaction? A trade? Pleasure for pleasure?
Release for release? If so, then it makes sense.
His lack of worry. Lack of care. I get it.
I can appreciate his overextended confidence to a degree—he's a businessman, after all—but a part of me, a part that I'm terrified has the potential to hurt me, is disappointed.
But why? Jesse doesn't owe me a damn thing.
I'm not his girl. I'm not his old lady. I'm just?—
What am I?
"What—"
Before I can get another word out, Jesse turns around and storms away, leaving a dust of confusion in his wake.
"Heads!"
Too late .
"Ow!" I groan, rubbing the side of my head as Carlos runs up to me and picks up the baseball from the ground. "Damn it, that hurt."
"Sorry!" he squeaks, cringing. "Thought I had it."
"It's fine," I mumble. "It happens."
"You uh—" Carlos scratches his chin, glancing toward Andy, Zack, and a few other kids. "You wanna play with us? Boys against girls?"
I look at Andy, who has baseball diamonds in her hands. She catches my uncertain gaze and rolls her eyes, sighing before she nods in the direction of an open field.
Is that...is that an invitation?
"Sure," I draw out, wary of her intentions. His intentions. Heck, even my own. "Who else is playing?"
"I think Ryder and Rad said yes," Carlos replies, face scrunched up. "You wanna ask JP if he wants to play?"
Play. Maybe that's it. This is all a game. A fun little activity. But games come with rules. In order to win, you need to know the rules. And I don't. He never told me. We never discussed it. That means I'll most likely lose, and I don't want to lose; I want to win. But...I want him to win too.
I glance over my shoulder, finding Jesse aggressively huffing on a cigarette as he and Jo argue by the bake sale stand.
What's the prize, Jesse? Is it worth it?
"Well?"
"Uh—I think he's busy right now." I look down at Carlos. "Maybe next time, though."
"Whatever," Carlos says, running off to the group of kids and Andy. I follow behind lethargically. "She said yes!"
"If you suck, I'm cutting you from the team," Andy states as I join her side. "Got it?"
"Sure," I mutter, absentminded. "Whatever."
Andy sighs. "Stop freaking out. Miguel's not gonna try anything, okay? Not on JP's watch, trust me." I glance at her, swallowing. Her jaw tenses from discomfort. "I'm not a moron, Savannah."
"Umm..."
"I'm sure if JP had any say," she adds, mildly bitter yet surprisingly honest, "he wouldn't allow Miguel within two feet of you." I frown, not understanding. Andy sighs again like I'm an idiot. "JP's middle management. He wears a nice title, but at the end of the day, seniority matters."
"Oh..." I look over my shoulder at Jo and Jesse still fighting, and my shoulders relax a little. "I see."
"Let's go." Andy nudges me with her elbow. "We got a ball game to play."
At least I know the rules of this game.