Page 60 of Race to the Beach

"Wow!"Aster smiled before she turned to Owen."Looks like you're going to be our highest bid.Someone must like you."

Owen smiled, but it wasn't one of his easy smiles that he sent Maxi’s way when he was teasing her.She felt bad for him.She couldn't even imagine what it would be like to have one of her exes push their way back into her life.The woman should take a hint and leave Owen alone.

When Owen's gaze shifted to Regan, Maxi followed suit.Regan wasn't smiling now.A tense silence fell over the room as everyone, including Maxi, awaited Regan: would she bid or not?

Maxi found the breath hitching in her lungs as she waited for the woman to speak.Surely by now Regan would give up.After all, who would spend that much money on a guy who was no longer interested in her?

Still, it niggled at the back of her mind that Owen had at one point been set on marrying this woman.Owen didn't strike her as the type to make big decisions spontaneously.So, that meant he'd given the proposal some serious consideration.She halted her thoughts.She didn't want to think about how much Owen must have loved the other woman in order to buy her a diamond ring.The whole scenario left a burning sensation in the pit of her stomach.

"This is the last call," Aster said."Fifteen hundred going once...Going twice..."

"Two thousand dollars," Regan called out.

Immediately, tears stung the backs of Maxi's eyes.This wasn't how it was supposed to work out.Maxi blinked repeatedly, unwilling to let everyone see the depth of her feelings for Owen.She hadn't even come to terms with her feelings.

Aster turned to Maxi."Do we have a bid of two thousand and fifty?"

Maxi sighed as her shoulders drooped.She'd let Owen down and apparently herself too.She didn't know until that moment how much she was looking forward to going on another real date with Owen.

Maxi didn't look at Owen; instead, she focused her attention on Aster when she shook her head.

The smile slipped from Aster's face."We have two thousand going once...Going twice...Sold to number one forty-five."

"I'm sorry, ladies.Thank you..."Maxi’s voice cracked with emotion as she looked at the generous ladies at her table.It felt as though she hadn't just lost Owen for the evening but forever.She knew she was being dramatic.It was only one evening—one date—and then she’d have him back.

Maxi got to her feet.With a stiff spine and her chin held high, she headed for the door.In the background, she heard Owen call out her name.She didn't pause or glance back.She didn’t want him to see how upset she was.

Pretending she hadn't heard him, even though it appeared everyone was staring at her, she picked up her pace and didn't slow down until the sea breeze brushed over her skin.

She didn't make it out of the parking lot before she heard her name called out again.This time Owen was closer.He was following her.But why?

Pride made her stop and turn to him."Shouldn't you be with Regan?"

He looked at her with an emotion in his eyes that she couldn't decipher."I'm sorry."

That was the last thing she expected him to say."Sorry for what?"She honestly didn't know what he meant."Was it for talking me into being your fake girlfriend?Or was it for getting me to trust you so that I would open up to you about all of my secrets, even though you didn’t do the same?"

His eyebrows rose high on his forehead."I was honest with you."

"Maybe you were, but you definitely omitted parts."When the worry shone in his eyes, she continued."Did you think I wouldn't find out that you were going to propose to Regan?"

"What?"His brows scrunched together."How do you know that?I never told anyone."

"It doesn't matter how I found out.The point is I trusted you, but you couldn't do the same with me."When he opened his mouth to respond, she held up her hand, stopping him."Don't.This is my fault because I let myself get too caught up in this pretend relationship.But you obviously kept to the rules."

"Maxi, it's not like that."

The tears stung the backs of her eyes and then caused her vision to blur.They threatened to spill over onto her cheeks.She refused to stand there and let Owen witness how she'd fallen for him, even though he didn't feel the same for her.

"It doesn't matter what it's like because this—you and me—we're over."

Before he could speak, a female voice called out his name.He groaned."Just ignore her."

Maxi shook her head."She bought you for the evening.You better go to your date."

Maxi turned on her heels and strode away.Part of her wished he would come after her.But there were no sounds of footsteps behind her.

He'd stayed behind with the woman that he'd once envisioned a future with and might do so again.There was a sharp pain in Maxi’s chest.She couldn't help but wonder if that was what it felt like when a person’s heart broke.

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