Page 69 of Getting Wrapped Up

“Yeah, we’re all at the Come Again. I’ll send this soon,” Phoebe said.

“I’m in town.”

What was Levi doing that was video worthy? Maybe line dancing. She’d love to see that on video.

“Oh my God, you are?” Phoebe asked. “Where? Get over here. You’re going to miss it.”

“Miss it?”

“Hurry!”

“Don’t tell Levi—”

“Hurry!” Phoebe said again, then disconnected the call.

Kate sighed. Well, she definitely knew where the Come Again was. It was the only bar in town and was the place she’d met Levi for the first time.

Two beautiful things about life in a tiny town like Sapphire Falls was no traffic and everything was only a few minutes away from everything else. Nine and a half minutes later, Kate pulled into the parking lot of the Come Again. The parking lot was packed and it did take her another two minutes to finally pull the rented Jeep in between a big Ford F-150 and a tiny Kia. But she hoped the Kia owner wouldn’t need to leave before Kate did, or that he or she would be able to crawl into the driver’s seat from the passenger side.

She walked to the front door with some trepidation. That was silly, of course. There were a number of people inside that she knew and she hadn’t met anyone in Sapphire Falls who hadn’t been friendly and nice to her. And herboyfriendand Phoebe were in there. They’d be thrilled to see her. She didn’t need to feel out of place or nervous.

Her heart still pounded as she pulled the door open.

The noise hit her first, followed quickly by the realization that no one was going to notice her at all.

All attention was focused on the opposite side of the bar from where Kate stood. On the makeshift stage that took up the whole wall. The reason why was emblazoned on the sign that hung over the stage. Bold red letters, surrounded by pink hearts, read “Bachelor Auction”.

The space in front of the stage was jam-packed with women of all shapes, sizes and ages. Around the perimeter stood men and women apparently not in the market for a bachelor. However, it was clear that everyone thought the idea was a good one. There were a lot of wolf calls, cheering and laughter.

Andonthe stage was Levi Spencer.

Grinning and strutting and hamming it up in blue jeans, white t-shirt and boots.

Kate did a double-take. But yes, those were brown boots on Levi’s feet.

He was wearing boots. Like a native.

The sight was equally hot and disturbing.

He looked like every other guy in the place.

The other very good-looking, sweet, sexy guys that Sapphire Falls seemed to produce by the dozens.

Like donuts. Or eggs.

Kate laughed to herself over those comparisons. Guys, donuts and eggs. Things every woman needed by the dozen.

Right.

She was actually feeling less amused, and a little more hysterical.

She was also feeling very out of place. Even more so because the person she had the most in common with, the person she’d enjoyed discovering the town’s quirks with, was now clearly acclimated. Levi was one of them.

Kate was the only outsider now.

Obviously the women in town—or at least in that room—felt he was more than worthy of their attention. And money. They were laughing and cheering as he turned on the catwalk, when he said his favorite food was Dottie’s fried chicken at the diner—which she knew was the first and only fried chicken he’d ever had—and that his favorite country singer was Carrie Underwood—which Kate knew he knew only because she was cute, curvy and blonde. In other words, totally his type.

The bidding was going well—depending on your perspective. The dollar amount climbed with each of his answers. Kate was less than thrilled to see her boyfriend being auctioned for two hundred dollars and counting.

---