Page 59 of Race to the Beach

Oh, boy.This was not going well.Not well at all.

He'd thought he was being over-the-top when he'd given her one thousand dollars in cash.He never expected the bidding to get this high.Now he was starting to worry that he hadn't given her enough.

The smile fell from his face as his attention turned to Regan.He willed her not to counter bid.

"Okay, ladies," Aster said, "let's keep this going.The bid is currently nine fifty.Do I hear a thousand?"

Regan's hand shot into the air before Aster had even finished speaking.Frustration churned in the pit of his stomach.What was Regan up to?

Everyone's attention turned to Maxi.She was out of money.He wanted to tell her to keep bidding, that he would cover it, but there was no way for him to convey that message.He had absolutely no idea what she was going to do now.

That was it.

She was seething.

Maxi forced herself to stop glaring at Owen's ex.She refused to let the woman know just how far she’d gotten under her skin.

After all, what did Regan think?That by winning a date with Owen, he would suddenly take her back?Maxi didn't think so.Even if Maxi’s relationship with him had started off as a charade, it was now more genuine than anything he’d ever had with Regan.

Still, there was the problem that she didn't have any more money.She had the cash that Owen had given her, and that was it.Or was it?

"The bid is now one thousand and fifty."Aster looked directly at Maxi.

In a panic, Maxi held up a single finger."Wait."

She reached for her purse.Surely there had to be some money in there.She pulled out her wallet and prayed there was some money in there that she'd forgotten about.

There was a twenty.She inwardly groaned.She looked in every conceivable spot in her purse and found an additional five-dollar bill.It wasn't much, but it was all she could come up with.She could only hope that his ex was out of money too.

Maxi lifted her gaze and met Aster's."I bid one thousand and twenty-five."

Aster's brows momentarily lifted, but her voice didn't betray her surprise."We have one thousand and twenty-five."She turned to Regan."Do we have one thousand and fifty?"

Regan turned to look directly at Maxi.She had a smug smile on her face as her eyes sparkled with victory.She raised her bid sheet.

This time Maxi audibly groaned.Her gaze met Owen's, and he sent her a brief nod, as though telling her that it was okay.He understood that there wasn't anything else she could do.He seemed resigned to the fact that he'd have to go on a date with his ex.The thought that the pushy woman was angling to date Maxi’s boyfriend ate at her.

Lily leaned over to her and placed some money on the table."Here.Take this."

Maxi stared at the money.There was enough there for her to bid again.But would it be enough to defeat Regan?

Maxi placed her palm on the cash and slid it back over to her friend."Thanks.But I can't take it."

"Oh, yes, you can.We can't let that woman win."

Without waiting for Maxi to respond, Lily raised the bid sheet.

Aster didn't hesitate at all."We have a thousand seventy-five.Do we have eleven hundred?"

While Regan hesitated, Birdie called out to the others at the table, "Who else has some money on them?We can't let that hussy move in on Maxi's man."

“Okay.We have eleven hundred.”Aster smiled.“This is so exciting.Let’s get a round of applause for our two bidders.”

As clapping and whistles echoed through the room, the women at Maxi’s table tossed cash at her.She couldn't believe this was happening.

After the applause quieted, Aster turned to Maxi."Do we have eleven fifty?"

Tired of this back and forth, she gathered the money and said, "I bid fifteen hundred."

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