Chapter Two
T he day of the Future Fast Track charity gala was chaos, but it was the kind of exhilarating hustle and bustle that Lauren loved about her job as an event coordinator for the Meridian Hotel. And with her boss, Jade Dare, on maternity leave, she was in charge and busier than usual.
From early morning to mid-afternoon that Saturday, she was caught up in a whirlwind of activity, from overseeing the setup and décor of the lavish ballroom for the formal dinner and fundraiser, to coordinating with Billie and Aurora at Future Fast Track to ensure that everything they’d requested was in place, to making sure the chef in charge of the catering crew had everything they needed for the five-course meal that would be served to the guests.
Once Lauren felt confident that everything was ready for the evening’s festivities, she’d rushed home to change into something more appropriate for a formal gala. She’d chosen a comfortable burgundy gown with a skirt that was more billowy than formfitting so she could move around quickly and easily, just in case there were any potential issues that might arise that she needed to take care of during the course of the event.
While Aurora and Billie encouraged her to enjoy the festivities, Lauren was always aware that she was still on the job and had her eyes on everything as the evening progressed, making sure the event ran smoothly and efficiently. There were small fires to put out, which was normal for any big venue, but for the most part the welcome reception and dinner went off without a hitch, much to her relief.
By the time the bachelor auction was announced, Lauren found herself relaxing a bit, since the most crucial parts of the evening were now behind her. She met up with her coworker and good friend, Skye, and accompanied her as they joined the rest of the single women gathering around the stage.
“So, I told Tripp yes to his offer,” Skye said once they’d found a place, referring to her old flame she’d recently hooked up with and the fact that he’d volunteered to give Skye the baby she wanted so badly—by impregnating her the old-fashioned way instead of the insemination process she’d originally planned on. “And he asked me to bid on him, no matter the amount, so that he wouldn’t have to spend the weekend with any other woman.”
Grinning, Lauren looped her arm through Skye’s, happy for her friend, and equally impressed that Tripp—as one of the bachelors up for auction—had his sights set on only one particular female in the crowd. “That’s because he’s a stand-up guy with morals and integrity. I mean, why would he want another woman when he has you?”
A blush swept across Skye’s cheeks as she rolled her eyes at Lauren. “He doesn’t have me.”
Lauren waggled her brows playfully. “Well, technically he will be ‘having you’ for the foreseeable future until you get pregnant.”
Skye shook her head at Lauren’s comment, but was smiling as they watched all the bachelors gradually take their places on the stage. Lauren didn’t miss the way her friend’s eyes remained on Tripp, who’d also found her in the throng of women and gave her a sexy smile that made Skye blush all over again.
As the men continued to take their positions, Skye managed to tear her gaze from Tripp to glance at Lauren. “Okay, so which guy did you decide on for yourself?” she asked curiously.
Considering they worked together, and were good friends, Lauren had told Skye about her idea of buying a bachelor to take to her sister’s wedding when they’d gone out for drinks the previous weekend. After solidifying her plan with Tara, Lauren had taken a good, long look at her options and had settled on a guy she deemed the best man for the job as her fake boyfriend.
“His name is Neil Pierson, and according to the information he sent in, he’s an accountant,” she told Skye, waiting for the man to arrive onstage so she could get an in-person glimpse of him. She hoped he at least looked somewhat like his photo, which had depicted a mild-mannered, but decent-looking guy. “I decided to go for someone boring but dependable who will hopefully be willing to fake date me at my sister’s wedding and help convince my family I really am happy.”
“Which one is he?” Skye asked curiously.
Lauren frowned, realizing that all the other men in the brochure had taken their places, except for Neil. “In the brochure, he was the last guy listed, but his spot is empty.”
Skye patted the arm that Lauren still had linked through hers in a reassuring manner. “I’m sure he’s just making his way through the crowd to the stage.”
Lauren nodded, because that probably was the case.
Her cellphone, which she’d tucked into the pocket of her gown, vibrated. Hoping it wasn’t someone on the Meridian staff texting with a problem she needed to handle, she pulled out the device and was surprised to see a text from her mother instead. She opened it up and read the message.
I know you’re at a work event this evening, but I wanted to let you know that Gramps had a mini stroke this afternoon. It was very mild and he’s already home from the hospital and is doing fine, so there’s no need to call tonight.
Despite her mother’s reassuring words, panic surged through Lauren at the thought of anything happening to her gramps.
“Crap, I need to call home,” Lauren said, her stomach twisting with anxiety as she glanced at Skye. “Apparently, my grandfather had a mini stroke earlier this afternoon. My mom says it was mild and not overly serious, and he’s already home from the hospital, but I need to hear for myself that he’s okay.”
“Of course,” Skye said, giving her an understanding nod as the auctioneer started addressing the crowd around the stage. “Go and call.”
“Hopefully I’ll be back in time to bid on the last guy,” Lauren said, then quickly headed out of the ballroom to find a quiet place to talk.
She decided on the women’s lounge, which was empty—of course, since every female was back in the ballroom ogling the bachelors—and Lauren rang her mother’s cell.
Her mom immediately picked up. “I told you that you didn’t need to call,” she said by way of greeting.
“Of course I’m going to call,” Lauren replied, feeling her throat tighten with worry as she paced the length of the lounge. “How is Gramps? Should I head home? I could probably be there by midnight if I leave within the hour—” She could make the drive from New York City to just outside of Springfield, Massachusetts, in about two and a half hours.
“No,” her mother said in an adamant tone. “There’s no need for you to rush home.”
Lauren exhaled a deep breath, knowing if there was a true medical emergency, her mother wouldn’t hesitate to tell her to come. And since her gramps lived with her parents, she knew he was in good hands and well cared for.
“He’s okay. I promise,” her mother went on in a gentler tone. “He had what’s known as a transient ischemic attack, which is like a mini stroke, but the effects are temporary. They did a CT scan at the hospital and there’s no long-term damage, thank goodness, but they are taking precautions. They put him on dipyridamole. We’re keeping an eye on his blood pressure, and he has an appointment to see his doctor on Monday. If you need any other reassurance that he’s fine, then let me tell you he was as ornery as ever with the nurses.”
That made Lauren smile.
“I don’t like being stuck with needles like a human pin cushion!” her gramps grumbled from somewhere in the background.
“See, I told you.” Her mother sighed, and Lauren could only imagine what a long day she’d had at the hospital. “I wasn’t going to send you a message tonight because I know you’re busy with your big charity event, but I also knew you’d be upset if you found out later.”
“You’re right. So thank you for letting me know.” She sat down in one of the plush velvet chairs. “Can I talk to Gramps real quick?” She just wanted to hear for herself that he was okay.
“Of course.”
Lauren heard the sound of the cellphone being transferred over to her gramps, then he spoke. “Hey, Scouty!” he said in that boisterous voice of his, proving there was nothing frail about this man who’d recently turned eighty-three.
Her heart lightened at the sound of the nickname he’d given her as a toddler, and still used. Scout/Scouty, because growing up she’d always been his little sidekick adventurer. She’d followed him around the small farm where her grandparents once lived, mucking out stalls, riding his tractor, and fishing with him on Sunday afternoons. All the things her frilly sister, Ashley, didn’t want anything to do with.
“How’s my girl?” he asked affectionately.
Her fingers tightened around her cellphone. “I’m good, Gramps. I can’t wait to see you at the wedding next month.” It had been too long since she’d been home and really spent time with the family.
“Me, too,” he said, his voice a bit melancholy. “Your mother says you’re bringing a beau to the wedding. I can’t wait to meet this new man in your life and see if he’s good enough for my girl.”
Lauren wasn’t surprised that her gramps knew about her plus-one, since her mother had received the RSVP card Lauren had sent earlier that week. She’d texted briefly with her mom after it arrived, and managed to avoid giving her any details about the guest she was bringing to the wedding. She’d wanted to see what happened tonight at the bachelor auction, before she shared a name or background information about the man she was “currently dating”.
And speaking of which… Lauren heard the echo of the auctioneer banging his gavel against his podium and awarding some lucky woman a weekend with the bachelor she’d bid on, and apparently won. Lauren had no idea how many men were left standing, but she needed to get back into the ballroom before she lost the opportunity to grab Neil the accountant for her weekend home.
“Gramps, I’m so glad you’re okay,” she said, standing and smoothing a hand down the front of her gown. “I need to get back to the charity event, but I promise to call you tomorrow.”
“Okay, Scouty,” he said. “Love you, girl.”
“Love you, too.”
Lauren disconnected the call, and hoping she wasn’t too late, she rushed back toward the ballroom. She passed the meet and greet area, seeing Skye there with Tripp, along with a lot of other couples who’d been paired off and were getting acquainted.
She arrived back in the ballroom just as the second to last man was auctioned off, leaving one bachelor left. Neil Pierson, she assumed, except as she moved closer to the stage and he stepped into the spotlight, she realized this man was not the staid accountant that had been advertised in the brochure.
No, he was the epitome of drop-dead gorgeous, and had quite the commanding presence in his fitted tuxedo. She couldn’t help but admire his broad shoulders and the rest of his perfectly proportioned body—tall and lean and sexy as sin.
She lifted her gaze to his face, and a jolt of attraction shot through her as she catalogued his classically handsome features, taking in his prominent chin, his angular, clean-shaven jaw, and straight nose. His dark brown eyes matched the equally rich color of his hair, which was combed back and parted to the side.
For a man who exuded so much physical alpha-ness, he appeared extremely uncomfortable standing on the stage while the auctioneer introduced him to the masses as Chase Gossard, a replacement bachelor for Neil Pierson who’d gotten sick with the flu, then rattled off his attributes as a single, eligible bachelor who worked as a corporate financier.
That tight, less-than-affable smile on his face was like a deterrent in itself. Chase looked like he wanted to be anywhere but on the stage as the center of attention and up for grabs to the highest bidder. It didn’t help matters that the downward slant of his eyebrows made him look intense and intimidating enough to scare off any potential dates.
Off to the side Lauren saw an exasperated Billie trying to get his attention, and when Chase glanced her way and she pointed to the exaggerated grin on her face—as if to encourage him to turn that frown upside down—he attempted to smile, which looked more like an unpleasant grimace.
Lauren would have laughed at the man’s gloomy disposition, if he hadn’t been her only choice available.
“Okay, ladies,” the auctioneer said once his initial spiel was over. “He’s the final man standing and your last chance at a weekend date with an eligible bachelor. Who’ll start the opening bid?”
Shockingly, the room went quiet, and as Lauren glanced around at the remaining women, she saw varying degrees of wariness and hesitancy to bid on him. Lauren had no idea how much the previous bachelors had sold for, but clearly Chase’s standoffish demeanor wasn’t doing him any favors. Unfortunately for her, if she wanted a date for her sister’s wedding, he was her only option, and she was desperate enough to take a chance on him.
“Five thousand dollars!” she called out, her voice filling the silent ballroom.
She heard the surprised gasps, but what Lauren wasn’t prepared for was the way Chase’s gaze immediately sought her out, stunning her with the surprise that flickered in his eyes. Had he actually been secretly hoping that no one would bid on him? Or was he shocked that someone actually had, despite his less-than-charismatic personality?
His gaze locked on hers, and how was it that someone so seemingly aloof could jump-start her pulse and leave her a little breathless with those intense, dark eyes of his?
She caught the subtle arch of his brow, as if he were questioning her daring and reckless bravery when every other woman had interpreted his body language correctly, that he was no Prince Charming. His eyes asked her, almost mockingly, Are you sure this is what you want?
Considering she’d already blurted out an amount, it was too late to turn back now, so she straightened her shoulders and arched her own brow right back at him, just to show him that she wasn’t at all intimidated by his big, bad wolf persona.
The corner of his mouth twitched with what she could only interpret as an amused smirk.
The auctioneer continued to encourage more bids, but no one else topped Lauren’s amount. There was zero competition for Chase Gossard—surprise, surprise—and as the auctioneer banged his gavel and awarded her the man standing on the stage, Lauren felt a mixture of relief and annoyance. Relief, because he hadn’t cost her a small fortune, and annoyance because this was not the man she’d had her sights set on.
The auctioneer instructed Lauren to meet up with Chase in the greeting area, just outside the ballroom. Wanting to get their initial introduction cemented before she needed to get back to work, she headed in that direction and ran into Skye just as she was returning from her own meet and greet with Tripp.
“Hey, how is your grandfather?” she asked, worry evident in her voice.
“He’s okay,” Lauren said, appreciating her friend’s concern, and gave her a quick rundown of what her mother had told her. “He’s at home resting and he’ll have to see his doctor on Monday, but my mother assured me he’s going to be fine, and I don’t need to rush home when I’ll be there for my sister’s wedding next month.”
“Good.” Skye looked relieved on Lauren’s behalf. “Did you make it back to the stage in time to bid on a bachelor?”
Lauren groaned, the sound filled with dread. “Yes, and I ended up with Mr. Grumpy Pants, not Neil Pierson the dependable accountant I was expecting. By the time I got back to the ballroom, he was the only one left and I just panicked and didn’t let that scowl deter me from bidding on him. Not that I had much competition,” she muttered.
Skye bit her bottom lip. “What happened to Neil? Did the auctioneer say?”
“Apparently he got sick with the flu, so this Chase guy was his last-minute replacement,” she explained. “Billie must have been desperate to find someone, because he did not look happy to be up on that stage. But at least I got him dirt cheap.”
“Well, that’s a plus, at least,” Skye said with a smile, trying to be positive.
Lauren sighed. “I’m on my way out to the greeting area to meet him. Keep your fingers crossed that I can persuade him to accompany me to my sister’s wedding next month for our weekend together.”
“You’ve got this.” In a show of support, Skye held up both hands, fingers crossed for double the luck. “Go dazzle him with your beauty and charm, and I’ll handle checking in with the Meridian service staff to make sure everything is still running smoothly.”
Lauren straightened her shoulders and attempted her own smile. “He doesn’t look like the type to be bowled over by beauty and charm, but I’ll certainly try my best.”
They parted ways, and Lauren walked out of the ballroom and headed toward the meet and greet area, seeing Chase already there, standing off to the side. He had an impatient look on his gorgeous face—which unfortunately did nothing to lessen her attraction to him, sigh —and she wasn’t surprised to see him push back the sleeve of his tuxedo jacket to check the watch strapped to his wrist, as if he were ticking down the minutes to when he could leave.
She refrained, just barely, from rolling her eyes.
Under any other circumstance she would have given this man a wide berth and avoided him completely. But she didn’t have that luxury. He was hers for a weekend, bought and paid for, and she planned to at least get her money’s worth.
***
When Chase agreed to stand in as a replacement bachelor at the auction for Billie, he knew he’d hate the entire ordeal, and that had proven to be true. Standing onstage had been uncomfortable and awkward as fuck, and despite Billie trying to encourage him from the sidelines to smile and charm the women in the crowd, he hadn’t been able to pretend to be anyone’s fairytale hero. Faking anything , especially a particular emotion, wasn’t in his genetic makeup.
What Chase hadn’t counted on was a bold and beautiful brunette not giving a damn about his grimacing smile or unenthusiastic participation, and actually bidding on him. There had been a moment between them, right after she’d shouted out five thousand dollars , when he’d arched a brow at her, questioning her sanity and courage for even wanting a date with a man who was clearly less than thrilled to be a bachelor up for auction.
She didn’t seem to care and had arched her brow right back at him. She’d been assertive and determined despite all the reasons why she should have steered clear of him, just as the other women had, and he’d been silently impressed with her gumption. And, admittedly, a bit turned on. He was used to women backing down in the face of his imposing personality, not challenging him, as this one had.
The fact that this woman’s actions intrigued Chase made him all the more determined to get the hell out of there before he found himself spending the rest of the evening “getting to know her”, which wasn’t part of his plan. Yes, he’d fulfilled his obligation to Billie and stood in for the guy who’d been sick, and he intended to make it worth this woman’s while for bidding on him for the sake of charity. But, he had absolutely no intentions of actually spending an entire weekend with her doing… well, anything.
Besides, she was probably already harboring regrets for bidding on him so spontaneously, like an impulsive purchase that seemed exciting at the time, until the reality of the situation set in. He was hardly the kind of charismatic guy the rest of the bachelors had been, and instead of the two of them spending a boring and awkward weekend together, he’d make sure she walked away from this transaction satisfied, nonetheless.
As he continued to wait in the meet and greet area for her to arrive, he shifted impatiently on his feet and checked the time on his watch, beyond ready to call it a night.
“Is there somewhere more important you need to be?” a cheeky female voice asked.
Chase lifted his head at the audacious question, watching the woman who’d won him approach where he was standing, her pink lips quirked in a very slight, but humorous smile.
That wasn’t what he’d been expecting at all. Wariness or trepidation at meeting him, possibly. But a woman regarding him with amusement was quite the anomaly for him, and he wasn’t sure what to do with that.
“Yes,” he lied, thrown completely off-kilter by the pure, physical awareness that flooded his veins, especially when she was the complete opposite of the type of women he normally dated. She was understated and naturally pretty, in a fresh-faced, girl-next-door type of way.
While most of the other women at the gala wore sleek, sexy, head-turning gowns, the lower half of her burgundy-hued dress was loose instead of formfitting, skimming her curves instead of accentuating them. Her seemingly low maintenance hair was worn down in what appeared to be natural waves, and her makeup was so minimal that he could see the faint sprinkling of freckles over the bridge of her nose and along her cheeks.
Her full, soft-looking lips were distracting as hell, or maybe it was the way her eyes danced with more of that unexpected humor that completely unbalanced his equilibrium.
“You really have somewhere else you need to be?” she asked, tipping her head to the side and unabashedly challenging him again.
“I’m only here as a favor to my sister,” he replied, his tone gruff.
That part was all truth, and he figured he’d be upfront and honest about his reasons for participating in the auction. He hadn’t willingly volunteered but had been coerced into it.
She nodded as if understanding and pushed her hands into the pockets hidden in the voluminous skirt of her dress. “Ahh, so your arm was well and truly twisted. I’d be a bit crabby myself if a sibling pressured me into doing this, too,” she replied, brazenly calling him out on his behavior and attitude.
He was so caught off guard by her sense of humor that a surprising chuckle almost escaped him. He managed, just barely, to maintain his staid composure.
“Who is your sister?” she asked curiously.
“Billie,” he replied.
Her pretty brown eyes widened in shock. “Wait. Billie Coale is your sister?”
He heard the confusion in her voice, since he and Billie had different last names. “Yes. She’s my half-sister.”
“Oh, that explains everything ,” she said, as if he’d just clarified the wonders of the universe.
Chase frowned. He was an intelligent man, but he had no clue what she meant or what she was referring to. “What does that explain, exactly?”
“The vast differences in your personalities,” she said, and dared to grin. “You’re half-siblings, so clearly Billie got all the bright, warm, positive qualities in her half of your shared DNA, and you were left with the cantankerous, grumpy traits.”
Her tongue-in-cheek analysis of their significantly contrasting personalities would have amused Chase if she hadn’t nailed it all so accurately. This woman had no idea how much truth her seemingly innocuous statement held.
“I’m Lauren Connelly, by the way,” she said, introducing herself and changing the course of their conversation.
She removed her right hand from her pocket and extended it toward him. He slid his hand into hers, trying to ignore her warm, soft skin and how slender her fingers felt clasped in his larger, stronger ones. He held on longer than he should have, and couldn’t even explain why except that he liked touching her. Even crazier, he also enjoyed seeing the flash of awareness in her eyes as he skimmed his thumb along the back of her hand.
“It’s nice to meet you,” he said, and shockingly, he meant it.
She gave him a teasing grin as she pulled her arm back, forcing him to release her hand. “Aww, you don’t need to start being polite now.”
He huffed out a laugh, the sound rough from disuse. God, this one had moxie, and she was so transparent and real. He’d been expecting a rich, spoiled socialite to win him, not this unpretentious, feisty, down-to-earth woman who had no qualms about calling him out. As he felt something shift inside of him and his guard lower a few inches, he quickly reminded himself that he had no intention of spending any significant amount of time with her.
He cleared his throat and ran a hand along his jaw, forcing himself to treat this as a business transaction and do what needed to be done. “I’m sure you didn’t mean to bid on me, though you did do me a favor by doing so and I’m happy to repay you very generously.”
Her gaze narrowed on him. “What do you mean?”
He exhaled a deep breath and shoved his own hands into the front pockets of his slacks. “I mean, I’m happy to write you a check to reimburse you for the amount you bid on me, plus a substantial bonus for pain and suffering—”
She laughed, as he’d secretly hoped she would at that last part of his statement. “Pain and suffering are apt descriptions considering your pessimist attitude.”
He tried again, this time opting for a bit of honesty. “Look, I’m the last man you want to spend a weekend with.”
“I’m sure you’re right about that,” she agreed, though her eyes still sparkled amicably. “But you’re not getting off that easy. I need a man for a particular weekend, and for a specific reason, and you’re going to have to do.”
Before she could elaborate—because he was curious as hell to know those details, even though they wouldn’t change his mind—he heard a slight buzzing sound. She pulled her cellphone from her pocket and frowned as she read whatever text message had come through.
She cursed beneath her breath, then lifted her gaze back to his. “I need to go. I’m the event coordinator here at the Meridian and I’m technically still on the clock. The bartender just broke a glass and cut his hand and I need to address the issue.”
He nodded in understanding and quickly withdrew a business card from the pocket inside his tuxedo jacket. “Here. Take this. Give my secretary a call next week and we’ll come up with a mutually satisfactory way to resolve this situation.”
A frown furrowed her brow at his choice of words as she took his business card. “Actually, here’s my information,” she said, quickly turning the tables on him as she pulled her own business card from the credit card holder attached to the back of her phone case and handed it to him. “Why don’t you give me a call and we’ll discuss the particulars of our weekend together?”
She was adorably persistent and determined, but yeah, hanging out with her for a weekend, for any reason, wasn’t going to happen.
Another message buzzed through on her phone, grabbing her attention once again. “I really do need to go. Have a nice rest of your evening, Chase.”
He gave her a curt nod. “You, too, Lauren.”
He watched her head back into the ballroom, surprised by the stab of regret he felt as she walked away.
Clearly, it was time for him to go, because he had a feeling if he stayed he’d spend that time watching her, and contemplating what he might be possibly letting go, and giving up, with a woman like her.
Ending things now was for the best. She was much too nice and sweet, even beneath that feisty exterior, and he was… well, he wasn’t anything she needed in her life.