Page 104 of Ever With Me

Even Maddie’s smile seemed frozen in place.

Why in the hell was no one bidding on Maddie?

At last, an old man lifted his hand. “Twenty!”

Brooks’s gaze darted back to Maddie, his gut twisting.

The bidders were still quiet. Maddie’s father raised his hand again. “Twenty-five.”

Maddie had gone pale.

This didn’t make sense. Maddie was gorgeous. She seemed to know everyone in town when they’d walked through it the other day.

“. . .twenty-five, who’ll give me twenty-six . . .”

“Twenty-six!” the old man called.

“. . . now twenty-seven, now twenty-seven. . .”

Whatever the situation was, it was as though someone had purposely made sure Maddie wouldn’t get bids.Was someone really that petty here?

This was the side of small towns he was familiar with.

The cutting, nasty side. Where one rivalry could make a person’s life miserable.

Anger bloomed in Brooks’s gut. “Two hundred,” he called out, barely thinking about it.

Heads turned his way, including Maddie’s.

Her eyes widened as she saw him, her smile long gone.

“Two hundred!” the auctioneer announced. He kept the chant going.

No way in hell someone is going to bid more.The highest Brooks had heard was a hundred twenty-five.

“Two hundred and one!” the old man called out. He turned toward Brooks with a mischievous gleam in his eyes.

“Five hundred,” Brooks said in a voice that sounded bored.

“Holy smokes, it’s five hundred. Now five hundred, now five hundred, who’ll give me five hundred one . . .”

“Five hundred and one,” the old man said, puffing his chest out.

Man, this dude really wants to kiss Maddie.

“One thousand,” Brooks countered, giving the old man a cool look.

Gasps sounded from around him, murmurs breaking out as people stared at him.

. . .and now I probably look like the creep.

The old man grinned. “One thousand and one.”

Then Brooks startled. The old geezer was driving up the bid.

And he’d fallen for it.Hook, line, and sinker.

He’d been betting that Brooks would continue to outbid him for any price.

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