Page 7 of His to Unwrap

“One hundred,” a male voice yells out, and just like that, I'm officially committed to spending part of my vacation with a stranger.

The bidding tics up twenty-five dollars at a time, while the mayor jabbers ideas to the crowd of how they can use the hours I’ve donated. I have to laugh when she suggests a karaoke dance party and shake my head. No one wants to hear me sing.

“Seven hundred,” the mayor calls. “Do I hear $725?”

I'm honestly surprised it went this high. The others who were auctioned before me raised only a hundred or two.

“One thousand!” a man shouts.

“Tucker? Is that you?” The mayor shields her eyes from the lights to peer at the crowd. “You don't even have a girl.”

“He likes karaoke,” Someone says and everyone laughs.

“Part of the charity funds have just been allocated for earplugs,” the mayor replies, “One thousand. Anyone else?”

“Eleven hundred.” This voice is deeper, rougher, and sends a shiver of awareness through me. It sounds like the man from the coffee shop. But that's unlikely. Amanda said Ezra only comes to town a few times a month and prefers to keep to himself. A gala with hundreds of people doesn't fit with the image I had of him—a mountain man loner who is content to enjoy nature and chop wood.

“Thirteen hundred.” Tucker counters.

“Fourteen,” the deep-voiced mystery man says.

The mayor is still peering into the crowd. “Fourteen.”

“Fifteen!”

“Two thousand.”

A gasp of surprise echoes through the crowd. All except Amanda who laughs with undisguised glee.

I know that laugh. It's the same chortle she uses when she knows something others don't and is waiting for it to be revealed to everyone else. She and Sasha are by the edge of the stage, just visible in the light. Amanda gives me a beaming smile.

“Two thousand,” the mayor echoes into the microphone. “Do I hear $2,025?”

Tucker is silent. I hear an angry, hushed voice, but no one else bids.

“Sold for $2,000,” the mayor declares. She shakes my hand, “Thank you, Miss York.”

“You're welcome.” This whole night has been surreal.

“The winning bidder is Ezra Manning.”

My belly flutters for an entirely different reason. It was Ezra! I leave the stage and Amanda throws an arm around me.

“You raised so much! And now you get to spend four hours with your crush!”

“What?” How does she know I've been fascinated with him since we bumped into him? I only asked about him once when Roland brought him up. “I don't-”

“Oh please. I've known you your whole life. You think I didn't notice when you searched the stores and sidewalks when we went shopping for that dress? Or how interested you were when Roland talked about Ezra fixing up his cabin?”

My cheeks burn, but I can't deny it. Not to my best friend. “It doesn't matter. I'm only here a few more days.”

“But a lot can happen in that time. Besides, people make long-distance relationships work all the time,” Sasha says.

“I'm not going to start a relationship with him! I'm just going to cook for him or something. Whatever he wants for his four hours.”

“Right. Anything he wants!” Amanda waggles her eyebrows.

“Not that!” Although I've fantasized every night about what his big, strong hands would feel like on my bare skin.

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