Page 89 of Skating and Fake Dating
“Twenty-three thousand from the lovely Ottilie.” Onstage, Ashlyn barely keeps it together as laughter makes her shoulders shake. “Does anyone want to raise the bid?”
My cousins and the Seattle girls look shocked and scandalized in equal measure.
I realize I’ve been holding my breath and let it out. I don’t feel the need to compete with Ottilie and can’t help but wonder if Carson somehow arranged this little spectacle.
“Going once, going twice, to the beautiful otter in blue!”
The crowd erupts in applause and laughter as Ottilie rushes up to the stage. Once more, Carson is wearing his confident smile as he grips the otter’s furry paw and lifts it in a “winning” gesture between them. He winks in my direction. My stomach unknots, and I can’t help but laugh at the absurdity of it all.
As the next bachelor takes the stage, Carson and Ottilie make their way toward us. Despite the team mascot beside him, I imagine myself as the top bidder—the winner of his heart.
“Bailey, have you met Ottilie? She’s new in town,” Carson says with a perfectly straight face.
Ottilie puts her paw over her mouth and giggles.
“Pleasure to make your acquaintance,” I reply, fighting back a severe case of the giggles.
“Meet us out back in five minutes,” Carson whispers into my ear. His breath warm against my neck, sending a shiver through me.
“You planned this?” I whisper back.
“Couldn’t let anyone else win me, could I? What would my girlfriend think?” His eyes twinkle mischievously, but there’s something else there that makes my heart skip.
“How much did this cost you?” I ask.
“Let’s just say Otto and his family now have an annual subscription to the free ice cream of the month club. Worth every penny.”
As they walk away, Ottilie dramatically clutches Carson’s arm and continues to play to the crowd.
Fiona slides up next to me. “I was going to congratulate you. That was …”
“Unexpected.”
“Unreal.”
“Hilarious, but that’s Carson for you,” I reply, unable to keep the fondness from my voice.
She lets out a dreamy little sigh and waves her paddle. “Better get back to it.”
I can’t help but wonder if she’s going to win someone special tonight.
My cousins approach and a flush creeps across my cheeks, anticipating what they’re going to say—and likely report back to Odette.
I appreciate what Carson did, even though this is all for show. But the notion is hollow because is it really? My body, battling back tension and replacing it with ease and longing, tells a different story.
Savanna shakes her head. “Bailey lost to an otter.”
“They mate for life, you know,” Catie adds as if this is new information. “Like Aunt Orla and Uncle Otis.”
“You guys do realize that Otto, er, Ottilie, isn’t a real otter,” I say.
But I can’t help but wonder if these feelings I have for Carson, bouncing between jealousy, desire, and confusion, might be.
“Well, there are plenty of other eligible bachelors,” Savanna says as if undeterred.
“Good luck bidding against them,” I say as Ashlyn referees a showdown over Lucian.
“Tonight is going to be our lucky night,” Catie adds.
