Page 38 of Highest Bidder
“Good!” Jess’ face lightens and smiles. “I can’t wait.”
Hunter shakes her head, but I can see a little smile peek through the corner of her mouth. They’ve grown close since Hunter moved here. I’m glad she has a friend to look out for her.
Sittingon my couch in sweatpants, I flip through the channels on the TV. I choose an episode ofGame of Thrones, only to flip it to a movie. But I turn it off after five minutes. Picking up my phone, I press the contact for Hunter. My thumb hovers over her number. I turn it off and toss it to the other end of the couch. I get a glass of water in the kitchen, drain the whole cup, and walk back to the couch. Looking down at my phone, I feel like it’s taunting me. I could call her right now, but would she want me to? Grabbing my phone again, I tap her contact.
“Ugh.” I’m about to toss the phone for a second time when it starts ringing. It slips from my fingers, but my hands save it from crashing to the floor. Hunter’s name dances across the screen. I don’t even let a ring go by before I click the accept button.
“Hello?” My voice cracks, sounding like a teenage boy going through puberty. Clearing my throat, I say, “Hunter?”
“Hey, Myles.”
“Hey, I was just thinking about you.” The tension in my shoulders melts away as I plop down on the couch and lay on my back with my arm tucked behind my head.
“You were? Well, I have a question for you.”
I love that she decided to call me. It makes it that much sweeter knowing she felt comfortable enough to initiate contact first. “What’s your question?”
“Did you name your truck?”
I laugh. That was the most random thing she could ask me, and I love it. Crossing my feet at the ankles, I answer her. “Yes. Her name is Gertrude, and she is the best. She gets a little temperamental, but if I give her enough love, she’ll take me anywhere I want to go. She’s a lot like me.”
Hunter’s alluring laugh sounds in my ear. There’s no place I’d rather be than talking with her.
“Alright,it’s my turn to ask a question first,” I say to Hunter. We talked for three hours last night. I had the best night of sleep after hanging up with her. Today, we didn’t get to talk much after the sales. We rushed to our second Wednesday auction because our morning sale lasted longer than the Daytona 500. We had no time to get anything but fast food. Hunter waved and told me she’d see me at the second sale, while she and Jess jumped into her Bronco and pulled away. Sadly, the second auction wasn’t any better, and we were on different lanes. Her lane wrapped up an hour before mine did. I texted to let her know I would call her tonight.
“Okay. Hit me,” Hunter says.
“Hugh Jackman, Matthew McConaughey, or Ryan Gosling. Kiss, marry, or kill. Go.”
“What? That’s impossible.” Her voice sounds like she’s physically in pain. “I can’t. Next.”
“Nope,” I say, popping the ‘p’. “Answer.”
“Ugh. I can’t believe you’re making me do this.”
I chuckle, waiting for her.
“Fine. Kiss—Ryan Gosling. Marry—Hugh Jackman.” She pauses. Whispering, she says, “Kill—Matthew McConaughey.”
A laugh bursts from my mouth. “I can’t believe you’d do that.” I feign my shock.
“You’re an evil man, Myles Johnson.”
There’snothing better than falling asleep with your phone against your ear, listening to an angelic voice. Neither of us wanted to hang up, so we both fell asleep while on the phone. I kept hearing Jess come into Hunter’s room and grumble something about trying to sleep. Waking up this morning wasn’t easy after staying up so late. Plus on Thursdays, I have to get up early enough to make the almost two-hour drive to Tampa. After two large cups of black coffee, I made it to work and through the sale. I practically ran into the office to look at the run list, hoping we didn’t have a shit ton of cars. Hunter and I made plans to go to lunch between sales if we had time.
I check the time on my phone as soon as she sells the last car. My lane ended about five minutes ago, so I’ve been waiting around until she finishes. We only have about an hour and a half to get to the next sale. So it’s not a lot of time.
Hunter and I walk through the blazing heat to my truck. When I open the passenger door, Hunter stops right in front of me, peeking up at me through her eyelashes.
“Thank you.”
The words almost bring me to my knees. I’m wrapped around her finger, and she has no clue. I lean my face in toward hers after she gets settled into her seat.
“Anything for you.”
Hunter’s eyes lower and focus on my lips. She leans in ever so slowly. I hold my breath and don’t move a single muscle. It feels like someone couldn’t move as slowly as she is, but I remain still, wanting her to choose this for herself.
A horn blares, causing her to jump back and clear her throat. I peek over my shoulder, finding JT driving by, waving his hand with mock enthusiasm. I flip him the bird over my shoulder before closing Hunter’s door.
