Strings of the Heart

Cutting my eyes over to hers, I replied, “I couldn’t help it. I felt so bad for him up there.”

“Never fear, honey. I’m about to put all these narrow-minded ass**les in their place.” She grinned. “I just hope you don’t mind if I outbid you.”

“Oh no, please do. My bid was simply a moment of impulsive stupidity.”

I then shifted my gaze back to Rhys who appeared to have finally recovered from my outburst. It seemed that I had gotten the ball rolling on some bets for Jackson. “We have nine hundred. Do I hear a thousand?”

With a wave of her hand, Vivian said, “Ten thousand dollars.”

My mouth gaped open in shock while chatter buzzed around us. Jackson grinned and shook his head at Vivian. Rhys coughed. “I believe that was for ten thousand dollars?”

“That’s right, sugar,” Vivian drawled.

“So we have ten thousand for Jackson Marshall. Do I have eleven?” He then had the audacity to look at me and raise his brows. When I scowled back at him, he laughed. “That’s ten going once, twice, and sold to Mrs. Vivian Percy.”

As faint applause echoed around us, Jackson came striding toward us. He pulled Vivian into a bear hug. “Thank you, Miss Vivian. You once again have managed to be far too generous when it comes to me.”

She gave his cheek a smacking kiss. Rubbing her lipstick off him, she said, “I think it was just enough.” She winked at me. “I’m sure that’ll have their tongues wagging all night, especially when Jackson here goes for the highest price all evening.”

“I do appreciate it. And I hope you’ll let you me take you out for dinner and drinks—all on me, of course,” Jackson said.

“I would be honored. I’d love to catch up with you about how college is going.” Vivian snapped her fingers. “Oh my, I just remembered that Jules will be here for a visit in a few weeks.”

Jackson smiled. “I’d love to see her.”

“Then it’s all settled.”

After he gave Vivian another hug, Jackson turned to me. “Thanks for betting on me, even if you didn’t win, Miss…?”

“Slater. Allison Slater.”

“Nice to meet you, Miss Slater.”

“And you’re welcome. You know, for my bid.”

Leaning in closer to me, he gave me a smile that would’ve normally caused my panties to get wet. “I’d love to take you out for dinner sometime, too.”

“Really?”

He nodded. “What are you doing after this?”

Glancing away from his hypnotic blue eyes, I stared over to where Rhys stood at the podium. He was auctioning another bachelor, but his attention was focused on me and Jackson. I couldn’t help getting a sense of a pleasure from the fact he looked like he wanted to punch Jackson for daring to talk to me. “You seem like a really wonderful guy, but I have plans.”

“Meaning there’s someone else you care about?”

I nodded. “Yes, there is.”

“Ah, all the good ones are always taken.”

I couldn’t help blushing with his compliments. “Thank you.”

“See you around.”

Waving, I watched him disappear through the crowd. The sound of Rhys’s gavel coming down caused me to jump. “And now we come to our final bachelor of the evening.” He paused and smiled. “Which appears to be me.”

Whistling pierced my eardrums. Turning to Vivian, I said, “I’m going to get closer.”

“You do that, doll.”

When I was almost right in front of Rhys, he asked, “Shall we start the bidding at five hundred?”

I opened my mouth, but a voice behind me cut me off. “Five hundred.”

Glancing over my shoulder, I saw it was Vivian’s niece—the bitch who had insulted my dress. Oh, she was going down all right. “I have five hundred. Do I have six?”

I thrust my hand into the hair and said, “Six.”

Rhys grinned. “I have six. Do I have seven?”

For the second time that night, the bitch knocked into me. “One thousand.”

Amused chatter filled the air that Miss Bitch had upped the ante. Rhys bobbed his head. “Well, then, it appears we have a thousand. Do I have fifteen hundred?”

“Two thousand,” I spat.

“Okay, that’s two thousand. Do I have—”

“Three thousand,” Miss Bitch interrupted Rhys.

I glared at her. “Four thousand.”

Stepping between us, Margaret said, “Ladies, you need to follow protocol.”

Lowering her voice, Miss Bitch hissed, “You are not going home with him. I am.”

Feeling like I was back in high school rather than a grown woman, I snapped, “Wanna bet?”

Rhys cleared his throat into the microphone. “So that’s four thousand, do I have forty-five hundred?”

“Five thousand,” Miss Bitch said, never taking her eyes off mine.

At this rate, we could go on all night. Something had to be done. Drawing my shoulders back, I punched my hand into the air. “Ten thousand.”

Miss Bitch’s eyes widened. “Did I hear you just bet ten thousand dollars?”

Cocking my brows, I countered, “Did I stutter?” When she didn’t respond, I said, “Yep, I thought you heard me correctly.”

I flicked my gaze from hers to Rhys. He grinned and shook his head. “Looks like we have a bid of ten thousand. Do I hear eleven?”

I shot Miss Bitch a look that dared her to try eleven. She then huffed out a frustrated breath before crossing her arms over her chest. I took that as she was conceding. When no one else bid, Rhys banged the gavel down on the podium. “Looks like Mr. Marshall and I will be tying for the highest bids tonight of ten thousand dollars.” Once again applause and whistling assaulted my ears. “Thanks to everyone who came to help make tonight such a success. Thanks also to all the bachelors who have offered their time and services. Most of all, thanks to my mother, Margaret McGowan, for planning and executing this evening’s festivities.”

When the applause started to die down, Rhys bypassed anyone else waiting to talk to him and came straight for me. I couldn’t help the beaming smile that lit up my face when he pulled me into his arms.

“I think I just won a date with you with your money,” I said against his ear.

He chuckled, causing my body to vibrate with his. When he pulled away, he was still smiling. “I believe you have. And where do you intend to take me on your date?”