Page 67 of The Icing on the Cake
Ashlyn launches into my introduction. “Lucian recently moved to Maple Falls from Sully’s Beach, where he was a star defender for the Carolina Crushers. His hobbies include fixing things, building things, and—” She pauses for dramatic effect. “—making the best waffles in town, ladies!”
“I’d like him to makemewaffles,” Brittany says loud enough to get a few laughs.
I frown and grab the microphone from Ashlyn. “Waffles aren’t included,” I correct, my eyes finally adjusting enough to spot Neesha.
But she’s not looking at me. She’s staring at the back of Brittany’s head, looking like she’s about ready to flip her entire table of cupcakes.
“Only one person gets my homemade waffles,” I add, pulling Neesha’s attention away from Brittany.
“Then let’s start the bidding at five thousand dollars!” Ashlyn says.
A flurry of paddles go up immediately. I try not to show my frustration as the number climbs slowly. Eventually, all of the locals drop out, leaving just Brittany and one of the Seattle girls battling it out.
“Six thousand dollars from Brittany Beeson!” Ashlyn announces, clearly thrilled by the escalating bids.
The absurdity of it would be funny if I didn’t see Neesha’s frown growing deeper with each bid.
“Sixty-one hundred!” counters one of the Seattle girls.
“Sixty-two hundred!” Brittany replies immediately.
I want to end this. I want to walk off the stage and tell them all that I’m not available because I’m already taken. I’m Neesha’s, completely and fully, even if we haven’t put a label on it yet for the entire town.
“Going once…” the auctioneer begins, looking around the room for another bid.
“Sixty-two fifty!” someone calls out from the back, and the crowd turns to look at who just entered the fight.
My head snaps up, because I know that voice.
Neesha’s hand is in the air, her paddle raised high.
No.
“Well!” Ashlyn looks delighted by this turn of events. “It seems like we have a new contestant entering the bidding war!”
Brittany’s head whips around, her eyes narrowing as she spots Neesha. There’s a moment of tense silence between them before she lifts her paddle again.
“Sixty-three hundred,” she calls, then turns to look at Neesha. “Or is that too much for a girl who peddles cupcakes?”
I watch Neesha falter for a moment as she rolls the paddle in her fingers, her gaze flicking from Brittany back to me.
“Don’t,” I whisper to myself, forgetting for a moment that I’m standing in front of a crowd.
Neesha bites her lip, calculating what it’s going to cost her.
Doesn’t she get it? She doesn’t need to buy me. I’m already hers. The whole auction is just expensive theatre, where the only bid that matters already happened—the moment she said she wanted something real with me.
“Seven thousand dollars,” she says finally, and the room goes silent.
Brittany gives a sharp laugh. “Really, that’s all you’ve got? Couldn’t sell any more cupcakes?”
A muscle in Neesha’s jaw clenches. “It’s all I need if it beatsyou.”
I shouldn’t find this possessive streak in Neesha so attractive, butwow, if it doesn’t do something to me—this woman whoswore off hockey players is now ready to blow her entire savings just to keep Brittany away from me.
Brittany lifts a lazy shoulder. “Fine. He’s not worth more than that anyway.”
“Going once…going twice…SOLD to Miss Neesha Gilmore for seven thousand dollars!” Ashlyn says.
