Page 58 of Race to the Beach

His palms grew damp, and he resisted the urge to swipe them over his jeans.He didn’t want anyone to see that this whole thing made him nervous.

Aster turned to them with a big smile on her face."Thank you, bachelors, for volunteering your time and yourselves.We literally couldn't have done this without you."As the men nodded their heads, Aster turned back to the audience."Let's show this handsome group of bachelors how much we appreciate them with a round of applause."

The clapping started.The next thing he knew, people were on their feet, and the applause had grown in volume.There were whistles and cheers.He swallowed hard.He was never doing this again.

Owen glanced around.He was surprised by how many guys were willing to take part in the auction.None of his brothers were included, because they'd all found their life's partner.Lucky them.

He was the only holdout.He'd thought he'd found the right woman for him the year before, but then he realized he'd been a horrible judge of character.He didn't want that to happen again.His thoughts turned to Maxi.She'd been so honest with him.He couldn't imagine her hurting him like Regan had done.

As the bachelors made their way behind the curtain once more, he noticed Mayor Banks was wearing his usual blue suit with a bowtie.Owen subdued a smile.Even though the mayor was only a few years older than him, you wouldn't know it by the way he dressed.He wondered if the mayor's unusual taste in clothes was part of the reason he was still single.Not that Owen had any room to talk, since he was single too.

The first bachelor was called on the stage.A brief bio was read, and then the bidding started at one hundred dollars.Oh, boy.He was glad Maxi was out there, ready to bid on him, because nothing could be worse than to stand up there and have no one bid on you.

Bachelor number one went for a bid of two hundred dollars.The next guy got a bid of four hundred.Owen was feeling the pressure.

By the time they got to him, the bids had ranged between two hundred and twelve hundred dollars.His palms were damp as he stepped up on stage.His gaze immediately sought out Maxi.With only a spotlight on him, he was better able to see the faces in the crowd.There were a bunch of smiling women.And they were waving at him.Really?They didn’t know that he had a girlfriend?

"Ladies."Aster had to wait a moment for people to quiet down."Ladies, I'd like to introduce you to bachelor number seventeen.This bachelor is a game designer by trade as well as a paramedic.He likes pizza and walks on the beach.Ladies, I'm telling you that he's a catch.So, let's start the bidding.Do I have one hundred?"

Immediately, a sea of hands holding bid sheets went up in the air.As the yellow papers waved, he struggled not to let his mouth gape.He honestly didn't expect the big response.

Aster pointed to someone in the crowd.He wasn't sure which person Aster had singled out."We've got a hundred.Can we get two?"

Again, the hands flew up in the air, waving their bid sheets.

"Do we have three?"Aster called out.

Hands shot up in the air, but there weren't as many this time.

"Do we have four?"

It was at that moment that he spotted Maxi.She was staring back at him.He immediately smiled at her, but she didn't smile back.

He felt guilty.He shouldn’t have insisted she be here.He would find a way to thank her.

By the time he turned his attention back to the auction, he realized they were up to eight hundred dollars, and there were only two bidders.Maxi and...He squinted into the shadows, and then he inwardly gasped.

He blinked.He couldn't believe his eyes.There, with her bid sheet raised high in the air was his ex.His stomach sank.What was Regan doing here?

"The bid is now eight fifty."Aster looked from Maxi to Regan."Do I have nine hundred?"

Regan's arm shot up.

Owen's gut tightened.He never imagined Regan would show up in his life and what?Try to win him?He smothered a groan.What was he supposed to do now?

"Nine fifty?"When Maxi didn't immediately bid, Aster glanced over her shoulder at him and motioned for him to step forward.

When he didn't move, Aster turned the whole way around."Don't be shy.You have two beautiful ladies fighting over you."

He resisted the urge to roll his eyes.Could this get any worse?It wasn't until the thought passed through his mind that he realized he shouldn’t have tempted fate.He knew all too well how fate loved to laugh at him.

"Smile," Aster said.

He forced a smile to his lips.He knew this auction was a bad idea.He just hadn’t known how bad of an idea it would be.He turned his gaze to Maxi, willing her to bid and get this over with.There was no way Regan was going to spend a thousand dollars on him.

"Do I have nine fifty?"Aster waited."Anyone?"

Maxi raised her bid sheet as she shot a glare at Regan.

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