Page 33 of Old-Fashioned

Tabitha – Both.

Birdie – All the above.

“And finally, the fifth and final question. While the men are debating their balances and how high they can go, I want y’all to think this over.” I took in a breath when Caelan’s eyes came to me, I saw him swallow, and then into the microwave he asked, “Would you stand by your man if he killed someone, trying to protect another?”

That little fucker.

I shook my head and looked at Frank who smirked. He was in on that question.

And I had no doubt they did it to get Birdie’s answer. For me.

Caelan nodded, then looked at the ladies, “Okay, ladies, if you’re ready?”

Isla – It would depend on the circumstances. If the person was unarmed, then no. I wouldn’t stand behind him.

Jewell – NO. Killing someone is bad unless you’re at war.

Shelly – I would stand behind him. As long as he had a good enough reason for doing what he did.

Tabitha – I’m with Isla. She took the words right out of my mouth.

I stood there with bated breath, waiting for Birdie’s answer.

Birdie – Anyone that’s willing to defend another no matter the cost to themselves, is a hero in my book.

I hung my head as her words poured through me.

Then I felt Frank’s hand on my shoulder, “Know you got hang-ups boy. But that right there, you won’t ever get a second chance at a woman like her. Don’t fucking waste it by being fucking stupid.”

With that, Caelan started the bidding, for Isla, she got twenty-two hundred dollars.

Jewell, she got twelve hundred dollars.

Shelly got twenty-four hundred dollars.

Tabitha got seventeen hundred dollars.

And Birdie… well… I got into a bidding war with four other people.

However, once we crossed the five-thousand-dollar threshold, two of them backed out.

And I had to give it to Rich.

He narrowed his eyes at me and thundered, “She’s mine, boyo. Mine. My Maggie May ain’t here to see that she’s done right. But I’m here. And I’ll see that it’s so. Besides,” and at that, he crossed his arms over his chest, “got a feeling you got some groveling to do.”

And that was how Birdie got a winning bid for fifty-eight hundred dollars.

And he walked out grinning with Birdie on his arm, his chest puffed with pride, her head thrown back in laughter, and not once, not fucking once did her eyes come to me.

Staring at her house the next night while two cars sat in her driveway which I knew to be Isla’s and Priscilla’s, I debated on what I should do.

I wanted her.

I wanted her with a passion I’d never felt before.

And wasn’t that some kind of wonderful?

It would be if she felt the same.

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