Page 130 of Mr. Picture Perfect
I look down at the paddle, then at TJ. “You sure?” I mumble at him under my breath, and upon TJ urgently gesturing at me to put it up, I quickly right myself and lift the paddle. “I do, yes, I do!”
“This is horse shit,” mutters my opponent, crossing his fine, muscular arms across his broad, impressive chest—okay, I’ll stop.
“I think there’s an easy way to solve this,” announces Frankie, then he turns to Cole. “Let’s defer to our bachelor, shall we? Cole, my man … do you accept this new gentleman’s bid?”
Cole’s entire demeanor has calmed.
His eyes are locked upon mine.
The shine in his smile persists like a trophy on a shelf.
“Yes,” he says simply.
“Then that settles it!” Frankie gives Cole a hearty slap on the back as he faces the audience. “$1,367 stands as the current bid!”
The gorgeous man scowls, his eyes shining like pretty gems in the spotlight. Yes, even when he scowls, he’s gorgeous.Sorry, I said I’d stop; it’s just easier to oppose him when I describe him this way.
“$1,367 going once …” calls out Frankie.
I let out a breath. I can’t believe I put nearly half my savings on the line. My parents probably didn’t expect me to do this. They might even think this is all theatre. Wait until I tell them that I reallydidput my money on the line in order to—
“$1,500,” states the gorgeous man.
I swallow my tongue as I stare at him, my eyes widened.
Cole’s, too.
The whole audience crackles with gasps and murmurs as faces turn in every direction, shocked.
“$1,500!” confirms Frankie. “An … unexpected counter …!”
I grip the paddle tighter.
I guess I can cash in all my vacation days at the paper, too. Do I even have any to cash in? Can I pretend?
“$1,600,” I state, lifting the paddle.
“$1,700,” he fires back, scowling beautifully.
Okay, I guess I can go without food for a month, too. “$1,8—”
“$2,000,” my gorgeous adversary cuts me off, determined.
It’s now that I see his sister Mae express genuine concern, tugging on the sleeve of her brother’s shirt. She hisses something at him about money, but he shrugs her off, his bull horns locked on mine. He is determined to win at all costs.
To be fair, I already told myself the day I graduated that going to college was never in the picture for me, even though some of the money I was saving was intended to go toward tuition.
I can say goodbye to that dream for good.
I can do that for Cole.
“Three—” I choke as the paddle quivers in my shaky hand. My face clenches up. “Th-Three—” Then I lift the paddle. “$3,000!”
The gorgeous man’s jaw drops.
His breath escapes his strong and manly lungs like I literally just punched him in his muscular chest.
He did not think I would dare.
