Tilly 15.
I’ve been at the venue for over an hour, and I have yet to sit down. Tybalt did a great job getting everything started, but I feel like this is my baby. Months of planning, blood, sweat, and a few tears went into this evening, and I want it to be magical for everyone in attendance. I want it to be life-changing for Kenton County. I speed-walk between the kitchen and the ballroom and the auction items staging and all the while my face is aching from the, no doubt, creepy smile I can’t seem to get rid of.
Brady Wilson loves me. He LOVES me. It is just the tasty icing on an already delicious cake. Today has been spectacular and amazing and so much more than I ever anticipated. And he loves me.
“Tandoori.” I freeze mid-step at the sound of his voice. He’s leaning against the doorway of the staging area for the auction, arms crossed over his chest, and an indulgent smile on his handsome face. “Dinner is being served…enjoy it with me for a few minutes?” He holds out a hand to me and just like earlier, I slip mine into his and feel the world right itself again.
“I’d love to.” I reply softly, allowing him to lead me through the doors of the ballroom and to one of the front tables reserved for our biggest donors: The Congressionals MC.
“You’ve done a wonderful job, Tilly.” Betty tells me as Wilson scoots in my chair for me.
“Any time we get the men out of their kuttes and into formalwear is a cause to celebrate. But you truly have outdone yourself.” Stacy agrees, leaning over to press a kiss to Hayes’ bearded cheek.
“Thank you.”
“Tilly!” Audrey does a big wave from the table next to ours. She stands up, and two people, incredibly beautiful in completely different ways, rise with her, two gorgeous mature men follow in their wake with happy smiles. I stand up as well, Wilson at my side, to greet them. “This is my bestie from another testie, Dani and her husband Owen Reeves. And—”
Dani interrupts Audrey, “And this is my sister from a previous marriage—”
The other woman places her hands on her hips and glares at Dani. “That doesn’t rhyme.”
“So?” Dani raises a dark eyebrow, her golden skin tone shimmering.
The gentleman with the mystery woman holds his hand out and I meet him for a quick shake. “Lukas Vulakovich. My wife from our current marriage, Paige.” Paige smacks his chest and engulfs me in a hug.
“It’s so great to meet you, I’ve heard so much about you third hand!” I laugh at the couple and return her hug. “We would have been here sooner, but we were attacked on our way out the door.”
“We were left no choice but to retaliate.” I gasp, pulling back to look at Lukas in shock.
“Oh my God, are you ok?” They both look immaculate in a black tuxedo and dark pink form fitting gown, not at all like they were forced to defend themselves against attackers.
Paige giggles as she explains, “Our boys decided to express their displeasure at being left behind with their grandparents by shooting us with Nerf guns.”
Lukas tuts with a shrug, “Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.”
“Like a Nerf arrow to the schnozz.” I expect Owen to pat himself on the back, but he pulls Dani into his arms and kisses her temple. “She’s like Katniss Everdeen.”
I like them.
Dinner is delicious and as the conversation around us flows smoothly, I lean more and more into Wilson’s side, contentment settling in my bones. I love Wilson, I love the work I’m doing in Independence, I love his family and friends, and I love my goofy brother along for the ride.
Wilson runs his nose along the shell of my ear, “You doin’ ok?” Arching my neck slightly, I look up at him and grin.
“Everything is perfect.”
Once dinner is done, the music changes from instrumental background to something danceable. A light tap on my shoulder has me turning to see Matt Michaels, the director of the charity, Building A Village. A weathered hand appears before my face.
“I believe you’ve promised me a dance, dear.”
“Of course.” I take his hand and stand. “Matt, this is Brady Wilson.”
“Pleasure to meet you, son.” Matt dips his chin at Wilson and leads me to the dance floor. I glance back at Wilson to see him watching us with a strange look on his face. When he catches me, his entire demeanor changes with a genuine smile and wink.
Mr. Michaels is a roundish man, a few inches taller than my 5’7”, with sparse gray hair, and rosy cheeks. It’s impossible not to like him. He takes me to the center of the dance floor, positions his hand respectfully high on my waist, and I follow his lead for several beats.
“You look beautiful tonight, Tilly. And tonight is such a huge success, because of you. I wish all of our community liaisons were as gifted as you.” I feel my cheeks heat slightly at his praise, but shrug casually.
“It takes a village.” I say with a bit of sass. He laughs freely at my play on the name of his charity.
“Have you seen Rawson?” He asks a moment later, his eyes moving quickly around the room.
I suppress the urge to shiver at the mention of the director of security. “I saw him before dinner, he and his team are securing the auction items and the checked belongings of the guests.”
“He is quite good at his job.” Matt tells me with an overly bright smile. I find Rawson to be creepy and robotic, but that’s just me.
“He wouldn’t be working for you if he wasn’t.” Matt hums in agreement. We spin a few more times before I ask, “Where is your wife?”
“She’s around here somewhere.” He says with a shake of his head. “She’s never met a stranger.”
“I know some people like that.” I think of the dicks and boobs and chuckle to myself. So far, they are behaving themselves, but I can’t imagine Merith lasting the night without injury or disaster.
“May I cut in?” Wilson stands near us, his hand out. I’m loving all this chivalry tonight.
Matt nods, kisses my cheek, whispering, “You’re already changing the world”, and then he’s gone.
“Who was that?” Wilson asks as he pulls me close, nowhere as respectful and decent as Mr. Michaels.
“Matt Michaels.” I feel a rumble in Wilson’s chest, and I move closer, resting my cheek against his chest, my arms around his middle.
“Whoever he is, I don’t like sharing.”
Snickering, I meet his eyes, “I only have eyes for you.”
Leaning down, he says, “And lips, and fingers, and legs, and pussy…”
“You are a bad, bad man.”
“I am.” He replies cockily, knowing he’s got me wet and needy in a room full of people and a few hours of work left.
“Uh…” I peer around Wilson’s side to get a better look at the spectacle about 10 feet away from us. “What is…are they…is Merith having a seizure?”
Wilson’s head snaps around in alarm, seconds later he relaxes with a chuckle. “Merith is epileptic, but no. No seizure. She and KellyAnne are dancing.”
“That’s not…dancing, you say?” I’m all for freedom of expression, but…
“It’s not good dancing.”
“No. No it’s not.” I blink a few times, then glance up at Wilson. “It’s as if their limbs are completely independent from the rest of their body.”
“Yeah, you should have seen them at the clubhouse last night. Merith was recently released from wearing her ‘ass-sling’ and she’s making up for lost time. Her words, not mine.”
A couple of songs later, I leave Wilson sitting at one of the club occupied tables so I can check the auction is ready, when I spot Ford leading Quinn toward the same table from the dance floor. She smiles at him as he helps her into her seat, but her smile vanishes when a woman crooks her finger at him and he follows her like a puppy down a hall that leads to the bathrooms.
“Quinn?” I ask, standing next to her. She looks up at me and forces a toothy grin.
“Tilly! This is amazing.”
“Thank you.” I glance to where Ford was a second ago and then back to her. “You ok?”
She follows my eyes and shrugs. “I am.”
“You sure?”
With a full body shake that causes me to chuckle, she stands up, smooths her hands down her pale pink shift dress with embroidered flowers. “Abso-fuckin-lutely! I’m not done dancing.” She steps past me, then spins around, “Sorry, did you need help with anything?”
“No, just checking on ya.”
“Thanks, chica. Toodles!” With a corny shimmy and shake, Quinn gets back on the dance floor, sidling up to Polk, Lincoln, Audrey, Dani, and Owen.
During the auction, I’m unable to speak, allowing the emcee to handle everything as my brain nearly explodes from the gobs of money we’re raising. And most of it is courtesy of the donations from Wilson and his club brothers. Lincoln donated a vintage motorcycle that belonged to his father. Adams donated a custom motorcycle he built. Not to mention the jewelry, vacations, meet greets and dinner with the Cincinnati Reds and the Cincinnati Bengals, box seats to a Cincinnati Cyclones ECHL game and the opportunity to skate with the team during practice. It wasn’t just the club though, several local businesses, a few local politicians, and the governor.
“Sis, I don’t…I don’t know what to say.” Tybalt catches me at the end of the auction, the event winding down. He’s uncharacteristically emotional, wrapping me in a bear hug and spinning us around. “Do you have any idea how big this is? How much we’ll be able to do?”
I catch Wilson behind Tybalt, watching me with so much love and hunger it takes my breath away. Patting my brother on the shoulder, I give way to pride and excitement and hope this night has brought me.
“We’re gonna change the world…starting with Kenton County.”