Chapter 6
Hallie
It takes every ounce of maturity in my bones not to mimic the way Liz said, “I may just have to bid on both you boys.”
And how she walked off, her hips swinging and her calves looking perfect in her red lace-up stilettos? What is wrong with her?
It’s one thing to have dated Colt in high school, but propositioning him now? The thought of it makes me want to grab her by the hair extensions and throw her in some mud.
I had to kick Brooke under the table so that she’d fix her face after that comment to Gentry. Can’t represent the Magnolia League with murder on your mind.
Luckily, Colt doesn’t seem too happy about Liz’s theatrics. His eyes are wide, his body stiff, and his mouth is scrunched up like he just ate a bad oyster.
Gentry, on the other hand, is eating it up. “Thank you for suggesting that I join the auction, Brooke. It’s turning out to be more fun than I thought.”
“Don’t thank me yet,” she mutters, her eyes daggers. “Wait until someone bids a thousand dollars and you’re stuck on three dates with someone who smells like cheese.”
“Won’t happen if you bid.” He says it quietly enough that only we hear, then winks as one of our Magnolia sisters shoos him and Colt toward the meeting hall where the auction is being held.
I whip my head toward Brooke. “What was that?!”
“Shut up.” Although hissed through clenched teeth, she’s biting back a smile.
“Would you do that? Bid on him?”
“No.”
But I’m not convinced. I don’t have time to press further because Nate Dawson approaches, a scowl on his normally friendly face. His eyes narrow as he watches Liz head toward the indoor arena, jaw set.
“Hi, Hallie, Brooke.”
Nate sells my cookies and pies at his restaurant, and we have a great working relationship.
“You alright?”
He looks through the doorway into the main space where Liz Beck is laughing with one of the college guys.
“Sure.”
He slides his hands into the pockets of his tuxedo pants and nods before walking off. Odd. Could Liz be the reason he joined the auction at the last minute? I’ve seen her at The Bait Shop a couple of times while delivering baked goods. They’re always laughing.
I look into the arena where a Magnolia sister pins a Christmas boutonniere on Colt’s tux. The way he stands there, the single-breasted tux jacket clinging to his broad shoulders like a second skin, has me gripping the clipboard harder than necessary.
I’m not sure what’s going to happen tonight, but I have a feeling the town’s gossip mill will have a lot to talk about tomorrow.
The auction space is festive, an excited buzz filling the room.
Finished with check-in, Brooke and I stand in the back waiting for the event to start.
When our emcee for the evening, Archer Beaumont, takes the stage, the crowd bursts into applause.
Archer and his wife are one of the bachelor auction’s success stories.
I’ve acted with his wife in several productions, and it’s always a fun time.
With two children and triplets on the way, no wonder the bachelor auction draws crowds each year.
A stage sits front and center, with a sparkly Christmas tree on the left. It’s covered in roses of varying shapes and sizes, from deep red buds to fully open pinks. With the twinkle lights and cranberries sprinkled throughout, the effect is stunning.
I don’t know what makes me grab a paddle to sit in the bidding section, but when I do, Brooke grabs one too.
It must have been the smug look on Liz’s face as she flirted with two men at once, and I’ve decided I’ve had enough of Liz Beck’s mean girl nonsense.
I don’t intend to give a winning bid on a bachelor tonight, but I sure as heck am not going to sit back and watch her mess with me or my bestie just because she can.
“Hello, ladies and gentlemen! Welcome to the thirty-fifth Stone Ridge holiday bachelor auction, raising money for Riverside Senior Outreach. Tonight’s festivities are hosted by the incredible Magnolia League.”
Archer gives a few more details about how the auction works, then starts the opening bid with one of the college kids. The sorority turnout is huge this year.
“Our first bachelor this evening is a defensive end for Falls Creek University. Rumored to become one of the top draft picks this April, welcome to the stage number twenty-two, senior Blake Edmonds.” He can barely get his next words out over the catcalls and whistles from the crowd.
“Shall we start the opening bid at fifty dollars?”
The football player unbuttons his collar and loosens his tie with a cocky grin. A sorority girl in a dark blue sequined gown holds up her paddle.
“Two hundred dollars.”
“Well now, somebody came to play! Can we get two-fifty?”
A fierce battle ensues, with bids quickly climbing past four hundred dollars.
“Going once, going twice, and we have our first date at five-twenty-five!”
The energy in the room is electric as several more bachelors are auctioned off to the highest bidders.
Caught up in the fun, I start off the bidding for Old Clarence Williams. My nemesis immediately counters my bid, making it clear she won’t let me win.
Fortunately, several ladies from the Red Hat Society get into a fun bidding war, making the room clatter with laughter.
I don’t get it. Liz is in full-on competitive mode with me for no reason.
Maybe it’s because I don’t normally participate in auctions.
Maybe it’s because I’m tired of her wanting the town to think she’s better than me.
I’m not really sure. But when she counters my bid for the fourth time, it’s like a switch flips inside me.
Two can play at whatever petty game this is.
When 80-year-old Gladys Hutchins, a retired roller derby queen, wins the bid, Clarence’s smile is bigger than ever. I suspect he’ll be back as an audience member only next year.
Our emcee holds up his hand to quiet the crowd. “Ladies and gentlemen, welcome our next bachelor to the stage, Nate Dawson. Nate owns The Bait Shop here in Stone Ridge and makes one heck of a bass lure. Let’s start the opening bid at fifty dollars!”
One of the Red Hat ladies raises her paddle at the same time as Liz.
I raise mine to stir the pot a little, the auctioneer pointing to me as I say, “One hundred fifty dollars.”
Liz raises her paddle again. “Three hundred dollars.”
“Four-fifty.”
“Five hundred.”
The crowd murmurs at our bidding battle.
Two sorority members bid next, Nate’s charity bid rising to five hundred seventy-five dollars.
When Liz raises her paddle, I do too, knowing it’s really a stupid idea.
I have fifteen hundred dollars earmarked for tonight’s silent auction.
But the smug look on Liz’s face, backed by a little fear, drives me on.
“Six hundred.”
“Seven hundred.”
Brooke mutters bitch under her breath and raises her paddle. “A thousand dollars.”
Liz practically fumes. Then the librarian widow steals the next out from under her.
“Eleven hundred dollars. Do I hear twelve? Eleven hundred going once—”
I raise my paddle.
“Thirteen hundred dollars.”
Brooke follows right behind me. “Thirteen twenty-five.”
“Thirteen seventy-five.” That’s Liz.
“Fourteen hundred.” Me again.
Now we’ve just ticked her off.
“Fourteen oh five,” Brooke says. I love it when she’s petty.
“Fourteen ten.” I can’t believe we are nickel and diming Nate.
One of the sorority girls holds up her paddle. “Fifteen hundred dollars.”
Ooh, this has taken an interesting turn. She’s ten years younger than us and looks very interested in him. I mean, who can blame her. The bachelor auction produces couples every year.
“Sixteen hundred,” Liz offers.
“Seventeen hundred.”
“Seventeen fifty!” Brooke waggles her brows at me, clearly enjoying messing with Liz.
“Eighteen hundred.” The look on Liz’s face could cut glass, and my girl doesn’t take it lightly.
Brooke holds up her paddle. “Two thousand dollars.”
Did that just come out of my bestie’s mouth? The room, abuzz with excitement, waits to see what will happen next. Liz grips her paddle, knuckles white and eyes blazing as she keeps her hand down.
“$2,000 going once, going twice, and sold! The Riverside Senior Outreach thanks Brooke Sawyer for her generous bid.”