3. Chapter 3
Chapter 3
Pete
Hawks Roost Town Hall is packed wall to wall with bodies, the air thick with heat and chatter. I should’ve stayed home, where the only sound is the crackle of my woodstove and the wind through the trees. But the second I heard Stella was up for auction, staying home wasn’t an option.
She stands on the stage, hands clasped tight in front of her, her dress hugging every soft curve. Her golden-brown hair tumbles over her shoulders, glossy under the overhead lights. And pinned to her chest is a ridiculously big bow, making her look like a gift just waiting to be unwrapped. Judging by the hungry expressions of the men in the audience, they’re thinking the same thing.
I clench my fists, fighting the urge to gouge out the eyes of everyone in this room. An insistent need to claim Stella for my own, once and for all, overwhelms me. I’ve been infatuated with her since the first time I saw her, but this feeling—this insatiable desire—is different. It has me on edge, wanting to fight my way through the crowd, throw her over my shoulder, and take her back to my cave. Um… cabin. I meant cabin.
She’s fidgeting under the lights and wearing an uncomfortable smile. She’s nervous. My chest tightens. She shouldn’t be up there worrying who she’s going to be forced to go on a date with. She’s probably worried she’ll be stuck with a creep.
Not happening.
The auctioneer clears his throat. “Folks, next up we have Miss Stella Lawson, our lovely librarian. Who’s going to start the bidding?”
A man in the front row raises his hand. “Fifty bucks.”
I barely hear the next bid over the blood rushing in my ears. How dare he bid so low? Stella’s face is lobster-red with embarrassment. Someone else calls out a hundred. Then one-fifty. I push off the back wall, stepping into the light. “Five hundred dollars.”
A few heads turn, surprised. I don’t usually show up to these things. I don’t make small talk at the diner or linger in town long enough to chitchat with others. Many of them have never heard my voice. But tonight, I’m making an exception. For Stella.
“That’s more like it,” the auctioneer calls out. “Do I have five-twenty-five?”
“Yep!” A guy I vaguely recognize from the feed store smirks as he raises his paddle.
I level him with a glare. “Five-fifty.”
A murmur rolls through the crowd. Stella’s eyes finally land on me. Big, brown, and wide with surprise. My pulse kicks up. I should look away, but I can’t. Not when she’s looking at me like that. Like she wants me to win.
“Six hundred!” Another man jumps in, a younger guy, too confident for his own good.
I take a slow step forward. “Six-fifty.”
The younger guy glances at me. I don’t blink. He swallows and sits back down.
The auctioneer fans himself. “Well now, looks like we’ve got a real competition here!”
“Six-Seventy-Five!” The feed store guy grins like he’s enjoying this. He shouldn’t be. I take another step, folding my arms over my chest, letting the full weight of my glare settle on him.
“One thousand dollars,” I say, my voice low. Steady.
He shifts in his chair but forces out a laugh. “I dunno, Pete. You got that kinda money?”
I growl, just loud enough for him to hear. “Don’t test me.”
He pales. Shakes his head. “I’m out.”
The auctioneer looks around. “One thousand dollars. Going once. Going twice…”
Silence stretches. My heartbeat is a hammer in my ears. I keep my eyes on Stella. Her lips part like she wants to say something, but she doesn’t. The gavel slams down. “Sold to the mountain man!”
A cheer erupts from the crowd, but I barely hear it. Stella’s still staring at me, her cheeks pink. She’s never looked more beautiful to me.
All I can think is… Mine.
Maybe it’s only for one date. And maybe it’s only because I’m forking over a thousand dollars for the opportunity. But right now, in this moment, I’ve won. I’ve protected Stella from all the other assholes, and I’ve made my intentions known.
I want Stella Lawson. In no uncertain terms.
And now, the whole town knows it. Yep, I gave the good people of Hawks Roost plenty to talk about.