Page 38 of Hope's Highest Bidders

The door behind us bangs, and everyone in their seat turns around. It’s Delilah, and she smiles and waves as she comes in the room. “Sorry, everyone. Didn’t mean to interrupt or be late. My usual ride bailed on me.”

She finds me in the room and smirks at me. I know she’s only joking, and I shake my head at her. She comes to my aisle and passes Sassy and then me to sit in the vacant seat next to me. I feel Sassy tense, and I do my best to pay attention to the front of the room, but it’s useless. It’s like I can see the exact moment that Sassy makes the connection of who the woman is sitting next to me.

Sassy turns to look at me, and Delilah smiles at her, leaning across me with her hand on my knee. “Hey, you must be Sassy. The reason I lost my ride tonight.” She laughs as she says it. “I’m Delilah.”

All the blood seems to drain from Sassy’s face. She grimaces and turns back toward the front. Fuck me, this can’t get any worse. I know there’s nothing between Delilah and me besides friendship, and she didn’t mean anything by it, but obviously Sassy is hurt.

I turn to her. “Sassy, honey...”

She clenches her eyes shut and shakes her head, whispering, “Don’t... please.”

I slam my mouth shut and try to pay attention the rest of the meeting. Delilah is looking apologetic, Sassy is looking as if she wants to be anywhere but here, and I’m caught in the middle. As soon as the meeting is over, Sassy is on her feet making her way to the door. I reach for her, but she shrugs me off. “I need to go to the ladies’ room.”

I let her go, and Delilah follows me out of the row. “I guess I shouldn’t have opened my damn mouth. I’m sorry, Cole. I didn’t mean...”

I shake my head. “It’s fine. I’ll explain to Sassy.”

She nods, squeezes me on the arm, and makes her way across the room. I stare at the door that Sassy went out of and decide to follow her. I go down the hall and wait outside the ladies’ bathroom.

There’s no one in the hallway and I stand out here for a good five minutes before finally knocking on the door and pushing it open a little. “Sassy? You okay in there?”

Silence.

I push the door open farther. “Sassy!”

When no one answers, I walk in and look under the stalls and see no feet. “Fuck!”

I open my phone and call her. She doesn’t answer.

I text her.Sassy, where are you at?

I go down the hall and outside. She’s not waiting by my truck. I look up and down the street and nothing. She’s not walking, and she couldn’t have gotten far. I call her again, but she doesn’t answer. Then I text her.Sassy, please, I’m worried. Where are you?

I wait just a few seconds and text her again.Please.

Finally, the bubbles light up, and I let out a breath of relief. If she’s texting me, she’s at least physically okay.I got a ride from Aaron. You can now give Delilah a ride home.

Fuck me! I fucked this up.

I’m in my truck and heading toward home in an instant.

I run red lights and stop signs, and by the time I get on the open road toward our ranches, I floor it. I pull into her driveway with gravel flying.

When I stop, I see Aaron James sitting on Sassy’s porch drinking what looks like a glass of iced tea.

I’m out of the truck and up on the porch in an instant. “Hey there, thanks for giving Sassy a ride home.”

He’s oblivious to what’s going on. Sassy is sitting on the porch swing, eyeing me warily while Aaron drinks his tea. He swallows. “Sure thing, no problem.”

Because I don’t know any other way, I go and sit down next to Sassy on the swing. “Did you tell Aaron our good news?”

She gives me the look. Something like a cross betweenHow dare you?andYou’d better not, but I don’t listen because right now, I want the whole damn town to know, and if I have to tell each person I come across, I’ll do it. “Sassy and I got married a few days ago.”

Aaron chokes on the sweet tea. Sassy makes a move to help him, and I get up and slap him on the back. “You okay?”

He chokes again. “Uh yeah, no, Sassy didn’t tell me the good news. Congratulations.”

I sit back down and smile at him under the porch light. “Thanks. We appreciate that.”

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