Chapter 18
CHAPTER 18
E MILY
I knew the annual Elladine Fire Valentine’s Day muscular dystrophy fundraiser would include dinner and dancing, but I didn’t expect the show. But that’s exactly what Trina and I get watching Finn, the newest firefighter on B shift at Station Three, as he relentlessly flirts with Shayna. Too bad she refuses to even consider him because, damn, he’s hot. They got off to a rough start, but I still think there’s something there.
I swear, if the announcement calling all participants in tonight’s bachelor & bachelorette auction didn’t just interrupt them, the sparks flying between those two may have started an actual fire.
When Finn walks away with Trina, since they’re both part of the auction, I open my mouth to tell Shayna I think there’s some chemistry between them, but she stops me before I can get started.
“Not a word. Not a single word.” Shayna’s cheeks are pink, and I’m surprised to see her so flustered.
We walk around the ballroom for the next half hour before finding our assigned table, which has a perfect view of the stage for the auction. We settle into our chairs and sip on our drinks for a few minutes when Jack and Ben come and sit at the table.
Our friend Janie from our steamy book club, the Spicy Girls, is the emcee for the auction tonight. She takes the stage and speaks into the microphone.
“Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for coming out to support the fifth annual Elladine Fire Department Valentine’s Day fundraiser. The proceeds from your tickets and the auction this evening will benefit the Elladine chapter of the Muscular Dystrophy Association. And now it’s time for the portion of the night I know you’ve all been waiting for—our firefighter auction. Just a reminder, the winning bidders for each of our bachelors and bachelorette tonight will win dinner at a private table with their prize and the first dance of the night. So, are you ready?”
The crowd breaks out in cheers and Janie chuckles before moving into her description of the first bachelor.
“Jack, how did you dodge being in the auction this year?” I ask.
“I’m a taken man, now. Reynolds took my place.” Jack gestures up to the stage where Reynolds is currently the first firefighter up for auction.
“I thought he wasn’t single? He was with a woman on New Year’s Eve and Charlie said they were an item. Isn’t she a chief or something?”
“Yeah, he’s with Battalion Chief Malone. But they were keeping it secret initially, so Reynolds agreed to the auction as part of their ruse. When it came out that they were together, he’d already committed.”
Ben chimes in. “Hey, I said I’d gladly take your place in the auction, Jack.”
“And I told you that it has to be a firefighter. No police officers,” Jack reminds him.
“Plus, haven’t you already dated most of the women in Elladine?” Shayna jokes.
“Ouch, sis. That hurts.” Ben clutches at his chest dramatically.
“The truth often does.”
Ben looks at me and shakes his head. “You, too, little Flynn? I expect it from my siblings but now you?”
We all chuckle and then I hush them as Trina comes up for auction. Shayna and I hoot and holler as she strolls out onto the stage looking stunning, as usual. Her bidding is entertaining, with a few men and one woman participating. It looks like dinner and dancing with her is going to go for four hundred and fifty dollars.
“Going once. Going Twice,” Janie calls out.
“Six hundred dollars,” Ben yells.
Shayna and I both whip our heads around to stare at Ben. Shayna’s eyes are bugging so far out of her head it’s almost comical, but I imagine mine are the same. Jack is just chuckling at his twin and mutters, “Big surprise.”
What does that mean?
“What? It’s for a good cause,” Ben says. And it snaps Shayna and me out of our shock.
As Janie announces Ben as the winning bidder, I glance back up at my sister on stage just in time to see her roll her eyes in Ben’s direction and walk off stage.
I lean toward Shayna and whisper, “That was unexpected.”
“Sure was,” she says.
Janie announces Charlie as the next bachelor, and we turn back to the stage. And I lose the ability to breathe. Holy hell. Charlie Fitzgerald is always ruggedly handsome but tonight my friend is undeniably hot in a tailored tux. With his dark brown beard trimmed close to his jaw, his hair newly trimmed so short on the sides it’s nearly shaved and longer on top, he’s mouthwatering. And those damn fitted pants—the way they hug his muscular thighs—oh my God.
Shayna nudges me in the arm, not taking her eyes off the stage. “Damn, Em. Who knew Fitz would look like that in a tux?”
I can only grunt in response.
Janie starts the bidding for Charlie, and I shift in my seat. Four women are bidding on him, and for some reason it annoys me. Especially the curvy brunette to my left. She reminds me of the girls Charlie used to date and the thought of her having dinner with him makes me queasy. She’s currently the high bidder at four hundred dollars.
Fuck it.
“Five hundred dollars,” I call out. I feel Shayna’s gaze on me, but I refuse to look in her direction.
“Six hundred dollars,” the busty brunette to my left calls out.
Charlie puts one hand in his pocket and grips the back of his neck with the other, a tell that he’s uncomfortable, but damn if it doesn’t make him look even more sexy. I glance over at the other bidder, everyone else seems to have backed down now, but she’s watching Charlie and licks her lips.
And it shocks me when it makes my insides burn like I’m feral.
“One thousand dollars,” I say.
There are several audible gasps from the audience, and I look up at Charlie on the stage to find his jaw slack and his eyes as wide as silver dollars. A few seconds later, Janie announces me as the winning bidder.
I turn to Shayna. “Not a word,” I say.
But her smirk speaks volumes and she’s clearly very amused.
* * *
CHARLIE
My heart is pounding when I walk off the stage after Emily just dropped a cool grand on dinner and dancing with me for the auction. When I step off the last step onto the main ballroom floor, Trina is standing ten feet away, her eyes fixed on me.
I sigh. She’s probably pissed that her sister dropped a grand, so I walk up to her and figure I might as well face the music now.
“What’s that about, Fitz?” Her eyebrows rise so high I swear they almost hit her hairline.
“Beats me. I’m as shocked as you are.” I slide both hands into my pockets and rock back on my heels. “Any idea why Ben Donley thought to bid on you?”
She flattens her expression quickly, but not before an emotion I can’t quite place flickers on her face.
She huffs. “Who knows why he does anything?”
Hmm. That’s interesting. She speaks of him with more familiarity than I’d expect. But I’ve known Trina for almost ten years now and I know not to push.
“Well, I guess if she was gonna bid tonight, I’m glad she bid on you and not some player like Garcia or Jones.”
Relief floods me that she’s not truly pissed Emily bid on me. So, at least I got through the discomfort of facing Trina. Now I just have to face Emily.
Ten minutes later, I’m seated at my assigned private dining table for two when I look up to see Emily walking toward me. Jesus, I don’t know what style dress or neckline or whatever she’s wearing but it’s short, red, and she looks goddamn gorgeous in it. And she’s wearing those really high black heels she wore on New Year’s Eve. Heat rushes to my face when I remember her saying they were called “fuck me” heels.
I rise and pull out her chair for her, kissing her on the cheek before she sits.
“Wow, Emily. You look absolutely beautiful tonight.” My eyes drift to her long golden locks flowing down around her shoulders, tucked behind her ear on the right. “I don’t even have words…”
Her cheeks turn pink, and it makes her even more radiant. “Well, you’re saying all the right things for a guy who thinks he doesn’t have the words.”
She smiles at me, and it draws my attention to her red lips. I swallow the lump in my throat.
“You don’t look so bad yourself, Charlie. I mean, that brunette looked like she wanted to devour you. I did what any good friend would do and rescued you.”
My mood deflates slightly when I realize she probably truly only bid on me to prevent me the discomfort of having dinner with a complete stranger. Like a friend would do.
“Geez, Em. A thousand dollars? You shouldn’t have.”
She shrugs. “I’ve had that, and quite a bit more, sitting in an account since Teddy died. My parents and several people from Teddy’s family sent me money in his memory. At first, I was furious, as if they think sending huge chunks of cash makes up for treating people like shit while they’re alive. But then I decided I was going to take it all and slowly donate it to charities that would honor Teddy and what he cared about. And he would have approved of this.”
I’m speechless for several seconds. When I get my wits about me, I reach across the table and squeeze her hand.
“That’s amazing. And very selfless.”
We’re rescued from our discomfort when a server approaches the table with our dinner and asks what we’d like to drink from the bar. Thankfully, when he walks away, Emily changes the subject.
“So, have you done any more work on the house since I was there last?”
“Not too much. I’ve gutted the upstairs Jack-n-Jill bathroom and put in a new tub and shower set up. But I still have to do all the tile work, paint both of those bedrooms, and then sand down and reseal the hardwood or have carpet put down.”
“Well, what’s taking you so long?” It’s clear from her voice that she’s teasing.
I chuckle. “Honestly, it’s probably not what you think. I can’t figure out colors for paint and tile choices. I want it to have some character, but I seem to go for everything dark or neutral. I don’t want it to be boring.”
Emily rolls her bright blue eyes at me. “Please, Charlie. So far, your house is far from boring. But, if you want, I’d be happy to come look at paint colors and tile samples with you. Give you a woman’s opinion.”
“Really? I’d love that.”
“Yeah. Maybe you could teach me how to paint neater.” She pauses and looks down at the table for a split second. “I’ve got some painting I want to do.”
“What are you painting? Your house is only a few years old, right?” I ask.
Emily moves the food on her plate around, looking at it, but doesn’t put any on her fork.
“It is only a few years old. But, I want to brighten it up some, make it stand out from others in the neighborhood”—she pauses and looks up at me—“because I want to put it up for sale this summer. I-I need a fresh start.”
I sense diving into this too deeply isn’t what she needs right now.
“Okay. Well, how about you help me pick some colors and tile for my house, and I can help you with whatever you need to get ready in yours. I think there’s enough to keep us busy for the next few months.”
Emily smiles and her eyes brighten. “That would be great, Charlie. But don’t say anything to anyone yet about me wanting to move. You’re the first person I’m telling.”
“You got it.”
We make small talk for the rest of our meal and when the deejay starts to play music, I look up at her.
“You ready to go have a dance?”
She places her linen napkin on the table and grins. “Absolutely. But you are most definitely dancing with me for more than one dance. I’m getting my money’s worth from you tonight.”
I stand and hold my hand out to her, helping her from her chair. As I follow behind her, I keep my hand on the small of her back until we are out on the dance floor. It’s a small touch, but it feels right.
She draws in close to me as we sway to the slow rhythm of the song playing. I think about asking her if she knows anything about Trina and Ben but decide if there’s something Trina wants me to know, she’ll tell me.
We’ve been dancing for a few songs when the brunette who was bidding against Emily in the auction approaches. I think Emily and I both see her at the same time because Emily tenses in my arms.
“Excuse me. May I cut in now?” The brunette is staring at me as she speaks, not even giving Emily the courtesy of looking at her.
Emily’s grip on me loosens, and I feel her pulling back.
Fuck no. I’m not letting her feel anything less than the most wanted woman in this room tonight.
I grip Emily tighter, bringing her in closer to me. I fix my gaze on hers not looking at the other woman.
“No, I’m sorry. I’m holding onto this gorgeous woman here as long as she’ll have me. So, until she’s done with me, my dance card is full.”
Emily’s body relaxes into mine and she’s grinning from ear to ear, her eyes gleaming.
She doesn’t tear her eyes away from mine as she says, “And I plan to keep him with me all evening. I’ve got to get my money’s worth, you know.” She winks at me.
There she is. That’s the saucy, confident woman I know.
The brunette huffs and presumably walks away, I’m not sure, because I can’t take my eyes off stunning woman in my arms.