Page 76 of Pinky Promises

Chapter 31

Callum

Ipeekoutthecurtain on the stage—holy shit, that’s a lot of people.I must remember that they’re all here for a great cause. If only my mom could see all of this now. I’m not one to be nervous about being in front of crowds, but with everything that’s gone down, my nerves are shot to hell. My mind is anywhere but here in this moment.

I haven’t seen Brynn here and overheard Ben mentioning something earlier to Asher about her not coming. But that was earlier. She should have arrived home by now to find the scene I left for her. It was straight out of a romance novel, and it killed me not to be there to witness her reaction, but she needs to decide what she wants. And if that’s me, she knows where to find me. All my cards are out on the table; now, all I can do is wait.

My fate and heart are in her hands.

I check my phone one last time for anything—a text, a phone call, hell, I’d take a message on social media. But there’s still nothing.

A hand clamps on my shoulder. “You ready for the big moment, man?” I place my sweaty palms in my pants pockets and spin to find a smirking Asher.Lucky bastard doesn’t have to participate.

“As ready as I’m going to be,” I say, casually tilting my head to the side. I need to focus on the event to raise as much money as possible.

“Hey, you haven’t seen Hadley, have you?” Asher looks around, searching for her, and I follow his gaze coming up empty.

“You know what, I haven’t actually seen either her or Lex since earlier today.”

“Hmm,” he hums while nodding.

What’s that all about? There’s no way Lexi would miss this big event.

“You, umm, haven’t seen Brynn either, right?” I grip the back of my neck with one hand.

“Sorry, Cal. I haven’t. I guess she’s not coming.”There’s still time. She has to have forgiven me, right?I meant what I said that it didn’t matter how long she would take, that I would wait forever, but I guess just a part of me hoped that she was aching without me as much as I was her.

I sigh. “Maybe you’re right.”I’m not giving up, though.

“Okay, bachelors, can I have your attention,” Ben calls with a clipboard in hand. Honestly, he looks a little lost, but also, he has a calm nature about him. “Everyone, this is Josie, Lexi’s assistant. She’s going to be running things for the time being.”

“Where’s Lexi,” one bachelor asks with a bit of flirtation in his voice.Oh boy, this is going to be fun.

“Well…” He looks down at the clipboard. “Brandon,” he spits his name with a hint of venom, “mywifehas another engagement to be at and has left this event in mine and Josie’s capable hands. Do you have any other questions, Brandon?”

Wait, another engagement?This is her project, and she’s not here? What is going on? Both Lex and Hadley are missing? Are they with Brynn? Is she okay? My mind is racing a million thoughts when Brandon speaks up again.

“Nope, I’m good.” The man looks just about ready to piss his fucking pants.

“Now, if no one else has anything to say or ask Josie”—he turns his attention to the female I recognize from their office—“the floor is all yours.”

“Thank you, Mr. Harrington.” Ben coughs into his fist. “Sorry, Ben.” Ben is very adamant about running Maritime Media like a tight-knit family, just as the previous owner had. He might be the CEO, but he sometimes doesn’t act like it.

“Now, bachelors, please line up over to my right. The MC will be announcing you one by one. You’ll enter here on stage right, walk the runway a little, maybe dance, I don’t know, and just do whatever you have to raise money for a wonderful cause.”

Someone shouts, “Is stripping allowed?”

A few chuckles come from the bunch, and Josie turns to Ben about how to answer it.

“Maybe let’s keep it a little classy?”

Josie ushers us into a line like herded cattle, and the auction begins.

I wait backstage, watching as bachelor after bachelor is called out on stage and gifted to the highest bidder until it’s my turn. Wow, some of the dates people came up with are sort of lame, but others, damn, they sound pretty sweet. One guy went for three grand for a weekend getaway to some bed-and-breakfast in New England.

“The next bachelor up for auction is Callum Murphy.”That’s my cue.

The MC looks over the card Lexi put all the date details on and smiles. He nods in my direction, and I start my walk out on stage.

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