Chapter 11
CHAPTER ELEVEN
T he next day I walked to work an hour early, wearing an old black windbreaker out of Maria’s closet. Warming my hands around a mug of tea, I nodded at the other early arrival and then was able to tackle a tricky report on my to-do list.
I kept my head down and plugged away, then slipped out the front door at four with my hood up. Maria called early that evening as I was finishing preparing my spaghetti and leftover chicken dinner.
“Hey,” she said, upbeat as usual. “Come out to dinner tonight, my treat. I’m going straight there after work. Can you meet us?”
“I’m eating now. Sorry I’m such an old lady.” I yawned.
“What’s been going on? Is Gerry harassing you?”
I stared at my pile of dishes in the sink. “Yes.”
“Oh my God—what are you doing?”
“My lawyer sent him a letter today. I’ve blocked him—and filled out a police report.” I’d started the process of taking Gerry to small claims court for the money he’d stolen from me and filed for a restraining order.
“Good. That asshole.”
We hung up, and I picked at my dinner, then put most of it in a Tupperware to bring to work the next day. What I hadn’t done was report Gerry to HR at work—it seemed too nuclear.
That evening, the handsome man who’d bought me lunch kept percolating through my thoughts. Dominic. He hadn’t contacted me. Maybe it was better to keep him a fantasy, someone I could think about late at night and never have to face during the day.
I didn’t know what to do with Brad’s message. I found myself thinking about him, remembering the rough texture of his hands. He’d always smelled like hay.
Me
For fun, I walk and bird watch, mostly. Pretty boring. Sorry about your relationship. Your words were good to hear, thanks.
The message was stark—but I didn’t know what to say to him. I closed my laptop and lay flat, staring up at the ceiling. You’re gullible and naive and don’t even know what you want.
Wednesday passed much the same as Tuesday, except I had to turn down a lunch invitation from Lori.
“Sorry,” I said, squeezing my hands together. “I…have to save money right now.”
“No problem.” She put her chin up, her bearing stiff. “See you.”
I rubbed my forehead. Then I shuffled over to the battered old microwave in the staff room and nuked my leftovers.
Maria and I watched a show in her apartment that night after a frozen pizza dinner from her freezer. A direct message alert popped up on my phone—from Dominic Lockwood.
Dominic
I’ve been cataloging the birds I see on my balcony since I saw you. Bushtit, California Scrub Jays, Black-capped Chickadees, and Crows. Strange that an entire class of animals reminds me of you. I was wondering if there’s a place I could travel to without hollow-boned feathered vertebrates. Iceland perhaps?
I had decided that I should stay away. I’m not boyfriend material. You obviously need a kind and patient person in your life with similar goals. I’m not that. But I am a really good distraction.
There’s a bachelor auction event tomorrow night. I want you to come and bid on me. I’ll pay the donation. There’s a picture on this site of you smiling, and I can’t stop staring at it. Sometimes you have to see where attraction takes you. Will you come on an adventure with me?
My hand was over my mouth. Pinpricks of heat tickled my skin—I bit my lip to keep from smiling.
“You aren’t watching,” Maria said. “That guy just got his nipple cut off, and you’re smiling.”
“Sorry.”
“Well? What’s going on? You look happy.”
I put my phone down. “The guy that bought me lunch sent a message.”
“Yes!” Maria put her hands up in the air and did a shoulder shimmy.
Blushing, I hugged a couch pillow against my chest. “He wants to hook up. Says he isn’t boyfriend material.”
Maria tossed her hair. “They all say that.”
I snorted then covered my face. “I’m too…shy, I guess, for this type of thing. The stress—I don’t know…”
She sipped her wine. “Not a bad way to broadcast back-the-fuck-away to Gerry. Might inspire him to do the same.”
“That’s true…” Except Gerry was vicious when jealous.
“What does he want to do?”
I grabbed my phone and read the message again. “Raven’s bachelor auction tomorrow night—wants me to bid on him. Says he’ll pay.” My hand dropped into my lap. “What if he doesn’t? God. I don’t think I can trust another man with my money.”
“Huh—that’s fun though. You should do it. I’ll cover you if he’s garbage.”
“Wow.” I put my hands on my hot cheeks.
“Do you think he’s good for it?”
My back snapped straight. “I have his name. Dominic Lockwood.”
“Oh yeah…”
We both stared at our phones, sifting through search results. “This is him,” I said, holding up his picture from a Google search on my phone.
“Nice. Mediterranean features…with an English name. I like big hawkish noses on men.”
I turned my phone around so I could look at him. Those eyes…
“Aha,” Maria said. “There are some gossip pieces about a wealthy investor in Portland named Dominic Lockwood. Owns a restaurant and a nightclub.” She read for a minute. “Apparently, he’s slept around and caused a tizzy.”
“Huh.” I bookmarked the article on my phone and put a Google Alert on his name.
“He has money. He’s a climate change activist? Okay.”
I stood up and cleared our plates into the kitchen. “I’d been planning to skip the bachelor auction.”
“What? No—now that you’re actually single? Raven wouldn’t like it.”
I clenched my fists. Gerry will find out.
“Put on a cute dress and see what happens. Besides, I’ll need moral support. I plan on embarrassing myself bidding on Travis.”
“Can’t imagine you embarrassing yourself.”
“Stick around longer when I’m drinking. But,” she held up a finger, “he won’t notice anyway.”
“I doubt that.” I put our plates and glasses in the dishwasher and started it running.
“We’re going. I’m even leaving the shop early and letting my employee close—a total gamble with my parents’ money.”
“It’s…dishonest. Me, I mean. Setting me up to bid on him? Making everyone think I’m spending money that I don’t have—wouldn’t use that way even if I did…I don’t think. Why doesn’t he just ask me out?”
Maria leaned on the counter with her chin in her hand. “Maybe he’s a thrill seeker? Still, it’s fun. Beats ‘let’s get a drink and go screw’ any day.”
Screw? My ears were burning. It would take me a while to be ready for that—as in weeks of steadily increasing physical contact.
“I’d better head to bed,” I said. “Thanks for dinner.”
“Thanks for cooking. And be ready tomorrow by six.”
I smiled weakly at her and slipped out the door. In my room, with a cup of herbal nighttime tea, I faced Dominic’s message again.
Me
Hi. I didn’t think I’d hear from you. Not sure about your plan—it’s a little zero to ninety for me. I guess I’ll think about it.
The typing bubbles appeared. I bit my knuckle, my stomach clenched.
Dominic
It’s a great plan. Will you be there?
Me
Maybe. I bought a ticket but hadn’t planned to use it.
Why wouldn’t you use it?
Not ready to think about bachelors. My breakup has tied up my finances. Bidding right now is dishonest for me.
You’re worried I won’t cover the donation?
My ex made trusting anyone with my credit a stretch.
I see. Can I transfer money to you ahead of time?
No!
I’d like to support this charity but I don’t want to go on a date with anyone but you. I’ll have to back out if you’re not at least attending.
Blackmail?
Truth. They’ll do well enough without my money. But I would give them a nice boost. Up to you.
Wow
I need to see you.
I’m pretty boring actually.
Not to me.
I’ll go tomorrow. But I’m not promising to bid on you.
If you let some other woman snatch me up, you’ll regret it. YOLO
I’m living through a rough patch. Feel like I need to keep my head down and get through it…
No. Tragedy is an excuse for excess. Like letting a wealthy, slightly older man pamper and spoil you.
Spilled my tea. Can’t believe you just said that. Well, wrote it. Except I’m betting you’ll get distracted.
Probably will. But we’ll have some fun first.
You’re something else.
I’m the man you’re going to buy tomorrow. Spend at least a thousand.