17. Gemma #3
“The biggest part of the night is the bachelor auction,” Kick began.
“Single men stand up on a stage like this one, each offering a date. Bids come in, and every dollar goes to the children’s hospital.
It’s the competition between the guys that brings the big money in.
Every year, they try to outdo each other to see whose date gets the highest bid.
” He moved to the next slide. “This date was a helicopter ride up the coast and a night in a treehouse at Post Ranch Inn. Rumor has it that the bidding was fixed on this one since he proposed that night. That’s cheating, but since he’s my oldest brother and he donated a boatload of money, we let it go. ”
The audience laughed.
“I should also mention that my wife paid an obscene amount for me at one of these.”
“I was overcharged,” Izzy called from her table.
“She got a husband and a daughter out of it. I got Miremont. I’d say she came out ahead.”
“Barely.”
He let them laugh, then put up the last slide, one number, and read it aloud.
“That’s what Paso raised last year. They think the folks up here can’t beat it.
I say we can. There’s a sign-up board beside the stage, with blank spaces on it.
I need ten bachelors to add their names before we let you all go home tonight. Who’s first?”
Rand was at the easel before Kick finished his sentence. “Hey, Gemma,” he shouted over at me. “Does being at the top of the list mean most desirable?”
“We’ll see when the bids come in.” That got a laugh.
“No problem. I’ll beat the rest of these losers without even trying.” He wrote his name in the first space, underlined it, then scanned the room. “Hey, Oak. Get the hell up here.”
When a man two tables to the right stood, the people around him started clapping.
“Kian Oakley,” Rand announced, handing him the pen. “Oakley Vineyards. We’ve known each other since we were in diapers, and he has never once beaten me at anything.”
“There’s a first time for everything.” Oak wrote his name where there was a blank space.
Huxley was already in line. He added his name, then went over to where Everest stood near the bar, holding a glass of wine.
“No,” Everest said.
“You’re single, and you’re a doctor. That’ll bring in big bucks.” Hux pushed the pen at him. “C’mon, Ev, add your name, or I’ll tell everyone here that earlier you asked me whether I thought you’d go for more than Wolf.”
Everest took the pen and wrote his name.
“Declan Anders,” Rand called, and a man at the table nearest the bar stood up with his hands already raised. “His family runs the cooperage that makes our barrels, which is why we’ve called him Cooper since grade school. If he doesn’t sign, none of us are placing orders with them ever again.”
“Keep talking, and you’ll start paying what everyone else does,” Cooper said as he wrote his name.
Walt Percy came forward. “Gemma suggested that I volunteer,” he told the audience. “Seein’ as I’m too old and too married, my sons will represent our family.”
They came up and signed their names.
“Is that it?” Rand asked, surveying the room. “Come on. We’ve only got three more slots to fill. We can do this. Who else is here that I can blackmail?”
When I stepped up, he left the stage. “While we’re waiting for Rand to work his magic, we have another exciting idea to tell you about.”
Bas came out from behind the bar and took the mic.
“Some of you may have heard a rumor about a new wine club we’re calling the 1934 Society and have been wondering what it is,” he began.
“Tonight is its formal introduction. The premise is that it will be open to the wineries in this valley that were making wine before Prohibition and started again the year it was repealed. Members who join get first call on the wines we only make a few barrels of and the ones you can’t buy any other way.
Our plan is to introduce it to the community the night of the ball. ”
“Put it on the agenda for the next association dinner,” Hal Brody shouted from his seat. “I want to hear the rest of it.” The men at the vintners’ table nodded along with him.
Bas thanked Hal for the suggestion, then handed me the mic. He was smiling when he returned to the bar.
“Still short,” Rand announced, loudly enough for the far end of the room to hear. “I’ve got a list, and nobody on it is safe. Gemma, give me until the ball.”
“You have until I come looking for you,” I said before turning to face the audience.
I thanked everyone for coming, the teams for what they’d built, and the Whitmores for opening their father’s building for what we hoped would be an annual event.
Bas raised his glass from behind the bar, and those still in the room raised theirs with him.
I left the stage and took my place near the exit. As the room emptied, I thanked everyone again and reminded those who’d promised donations that I’d follow up with them in a few days.
Edna said she’d see me at lunch. Kick and Izzy left with a promise to call in the morning. The teams broke down their stations, and I told them I’d be in touch about the ball. Bas’ brothers and sisters headed up to the house together, with Brylee filming them the whole way.
When the last car went through the gate, I sat down at my desk and copied the names off the board onto the bachelor page. For the first time since I’d started my notebook, there wasn’t a blank page in it.
Bas was leaning in my doorway when I looked up. “Ready?”
“So ready.”
He took my hand when we stepped outside, and talked about the night the whole way to the cottage. I held on and listened. He didn’t mention the man at the door, and with every step closer to home, I hoped a little harder that he wouldn’t.