Chapter 27 Cru
CRU
One of the reasons I drove myself to the ball tonight was so I wouldn’t have too much to drink.
We were over two hours in, and I’d had one glass of wine, along with a four-course meal.
The last served was dessert, which I looked forward to every year.
My favorite was always the banana-chocolate cake, which looked and tasted like nothing I ever imagined it would.
According to the description on the menu, it was made of crunchy almond praline, chocolate mousse, and banana confit.
I had no idea what the last thing was, only that it tasted fantastic.
“Here we go,” said Brix, motioning to the stage, where the auction would take place.
I groaned, then reminded myself the main reason I was here was to make sure everything went okay with Bit.
I’d gone so far as to ask a couple of the women I knew would be here tonight to bid on him.
In both instances, when I offered to cover the cost, they said they’d already planned to bid on him.
While I was relieved they were, I couldn’t help but feel anxious.
Bit had always been uncomfortable being the center of attention, and in this case, he would be in ways far exceeding anything he’d experienced before.
I took a deep breath, glad my older brother was beside me, knowing he was as anxious as I was that it all go okay.
Alex went through her usual over-the-top introductions when each new bachelor came on stage, trying to drive the bids up so she’d bring in more money than she had in years past.
Since I was scheduled to be last, that honor would fall on Bit since he was right before me.
Surprisingly, he handled it better than I ever had. He didn’t make a spectacle of himself like Zin always had, nor did he shy away from it. He smiled with an air of calm confidence.
“He’s doing great,” Brix leaned over and said.
“He sure is.”
Bids were the highest of the night, driven up by one of the two women I’d spoken to.
The winner, though, was someone I hadn’t talked to.
Eberly Warwick upped her final offer by five grand, a collective gasp went through the audience, and when Alex lowered the gavel, saying she’d won, the crowd got to their feet and cheered.
The whole thing couldn’t have gone better if I had staged it.
“Okay, everyone, bear with me. We have one more date to auction,” I heard my sister say.
“Fuck,” I said under my breath, pushing my chair back—or trying to. When I looked over my shoulder, Beau, Press, and Zin stood directly behind me. “What the hell?” I said, looking at Beau.
“You can’t leave.”
“Watch me.”
“Shh. Just listen.” He pointed to the stage.
“Ladies, I know this is unconventional, but we’re introducing something new this year. My brother Cru has graciously set aside his date so we could bring our first ever bachelorette on stage.”
Muttering, followed by cheers, went around the room, and Alex cleared her throat.
“This bachelor-ette”—she emphasized the last syllable—“is wine-industry royalty, not just here on the Central Coast but around the world. Gentlemen, the date you see listed on the program is what’s being offered.
A fabulous hot-air-balloon ride over the vineyards, at sunset, I might add.
Followed by dinner in the original winery on the Los Caballeros estate.
” She looked around the room until her eyes settled on me.
“Who wants to start the bidding? Can I get five grand?”
“Who is she?” someone shouted.
“Right! How could I have forgotten to introduce our grand finale guest—Daphne Cullen.”
Alex’s eyes bored into mine even though we were several feet apart. Her gaze never wavered, even when I looked away.
Bids were coming from all around me, but I didn’t know what they were.
All I could focus on was Daphne. She looked more beautiful than I’d ever seen.
The blue-green sequined dress she wore hugged her curves, accentuating her breasts, slim waist, and her perfect ass.
The idea that any other man here would ever touch any part of her body had me slam my chair back and stand.
“Twenty thousand going once,” Alex said, looking at me.
Someone—I wasn’t sure who—put a paddle in my hand, and I raised it. “Thirty,” I shouted.
“Forty!” Beau said from behind me.
“Fifty!” I countered. I’d stare him down, but there was no way I’d take my eyes off the woman I loved with all my heart.
“Fifty going once…” Alex slammed the gavel down without finishing the call for bids. “Sold to my brother, Cru.”
Applause came from around the room as I made my way to the stage. It wasn’t customary, but I couldn’t wait. Once there, I hoisted myself up, took Daphne in my arms, and kissed her like a man possessed. She put her hand on my cheek, and I felt the coolness of the ring on her finger.
“You’re wearing your engagement ring,” I said, resting my forehead against hers. “Does that mean you want to be my wife, Daphne?”
“Yes, Cru. More than anything. I love you.”
I smiled. “And I love you.”
I kissed her again, then led her toward the back of the stage. Rather than return to the table, I kept going until we reached the rear entrance. There, I gathered her in my arms and carried her the rest of the way to where I’d parked.
“Where are we going?” she asked when I set her on her feet so I could unlock the door.
“Home.”