Page 12 of A Christmas Auction

“Uh, yeah,” I stood up feeling a little shaky. “Thank you for…um… thinking of me. I’ll consider it.”

“You do that.Au revoir.”

Alana left through the door, and I slumped back into my kitchen chair, holding her card.Am I seriously considering this?Three million for three years. Marrying a stranger. It seemed completely unreal. Like I’d entered one of those parallel universe movies. Then again, the money was nothing to sneeze at. And it was only three years.

My mind swam with visions of the establishment I wanted to open. The handcrafted mahogany bar I’d have made, the colorful bottles of top shelf liquor I’d stock. The super unique glasses and different drinks I’d offer. I had a journal of all the ideas I had for Night Owl, the name I’d chosen for my dream bar. I’d planned to make the inside look uber chic yet earthy like being inside a dark, dreamy forest. I’d even sketched an owl with little stars around it as the potential logo.

The more I thought about my dream bar, the more I considered accepting the opportunity Alana had presented. Yet the big question swirling like a vortex within my mind was the same.

Could I marry a stranger for a boatload of money?

Chapter 5

Two Turtledoves

BRUNO

“You’re a dead man, Joel,” I threatened. I paced the conference room, glancing out at Sin City through the floor-to-ceiling windows while I pressed my cell phone closer to my ear.

“What did I do this time?” Joel chuckled, his voice sounding gruff through the phone.

“You pretty much demanded I take this Marriage Auction contract, and here I am, waiting to meet the next candidate I will be guarding through a week of first dates with a bunch of rich pricks.”

“Oh, come on, it can’t be that bad,” Joel countered and then coughed.

I hissed through my teeth. “You should hear the lame shit these men say to the women. And worse is how the women respond as though they adore every breath of air escaping the blowhards’ mouths.”

Joel chuckled. “Like what? I’m intrigued.”

I groaned. “Well, the last date I went on the bidder took the candidate to a zoo. When they stopped to watch the lion habitat, a pair of lions were fornicating. The guy pointed it out then made a joke to the candidate about how he’d like to be doing that with her.”

“I’m beginning to see your point,” Joel grumbled and then coughed again.

“You have a cold?”

“I’m trying not to have one. Penny came home with one from elementary school and now Faith, Eden, and I are all starting to feel the effects.”

“Another reason not to have children,” I taunted.

“Children are the best, Bruno. Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it.”

That made me chuckle. “Yeah, I don’t think it’s in the cards for me. I’ll leave all that legacy and progeny business to you, cousin.”

Joel sighed. “I do wish you’d at least find someone special to share your free time with.”

“Free time? What free time? And Joel, we’ve talked about—”

“This before. Yes, I know. It doesn’t change the fact that you are a thirty-four-year-old man with nothing but work in his life. Believe me when I say there is more. You know I thought I’d lost all hope for happiness when Alexandra died and left me to raise Penny alone. Seeing Faith standing up on that stage in the auction last year changed my entire life. And look at me now. Happier than I’ve ever been.”

“I’m not like you, Joel. You make time for those you love. I’ve not met anyone that made me want to slow down. My work is my life. Besides, I wouldn’t want a woman who didn’t understand that. My career matters to me.”

“But what about love? What about sex?”

“Sex I can get. And if you count up all the so-called dates I’ve been on, not a single woman has ever made me feel anything but lust.” Truth be told, I wouldn’t even begin to know what love feels like as I’ve never experienced it before.

“That’s because your father, Uncle Nicko, was a womanizing piece of shit. Your mother deserved better, Bruno.”

“On that we both agree, God rest her soul.”

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