Page 4 of Going, Going, Gone
Chapter Three
“Dylan, put your mask on and get ready to walk on stage,” Nadine’s assistant instructed. “You’re about to be introduced.”
Feeling like an idiot, he donned his mask, then rolled his eyes at the other bachelors milling about before he stepped to the edge of the curtain. Nadine was making some announcements, so he waited for his cue. In the inside breast pocket of his Boss tuxedo, his cell phone vibrated once indicating a text. It wasn’t a good time to look at it, but he’d been expecting a message from a lawyer concerning a potential sale, so he quickly pulled out the device and brought up the text. His stomach plummeted when he read the message Emma had sent him.
Sorry but I couldn’t stay and bid Josh fell off his bike and broke his arm Mark is on the way to the hospital with him I’m on my way to meet him good luck
The lack of abbreviations and punctuations told him she’d used the voice to text feature on her phone, as she usually did while driving.Shit.How could she abandon him like this? Well, that was an easy answer—her kid was hurt. Dylan should have had a backup plan just in case something like this happened. Not that he could’ve foreseen Emma’s seven-year-old would break his arm tonight of all nights. Now what was he going to do? He was so screwed. Maybe he could fake an illness or something?”
“Put your hands together for Bachelor #2!”
So much for that idea. The assistant gave him a nudge toward the stage. Knowing he was cornered, Dylan pocketed his phone and strode to where Nadine was waiting for him.
“Here he is, looking very suave in his tuxedo, don’tcha think, ladies?” There was an embarrassing amount of applause, shouts, and wolf-whistles from the mostly female audience. There were a few men in attendance, but he’d been told the women were the only ones allowed to win the dates, to avoid any embarrassing situations. Regardless, Dylan felt like a slab of meat. “Bachelor #2 has donated a fantastic date that includes a one-hour ride in a hot-air balloon followed by a delicious four-course picnic in the countryside. I love the sound of that! Too bad I can’t bid, but you all can! Let’s get started!”
The women in the audience cheered then started thrusting their numbered paddles in the air as the auctioneer worked the bidding into a frenzy.Holy shit!He hadn’t been paying attention to the first auction, so he had no idea how high the bidding had gone, but as the bid amounts climbed over $1000 he was astounded. Were there really this many desperate women out there who had to buy a date? Well, technically that wasn’t fair. He hoped most of them were here because it was for charity, but still, he was getting a little creeped out. The bidding slowed down until just three women were competing for the win. One woman in the back of the room, he couldn’t really see. Another was a little closer and more toward the left side of the room. She was dressed like she was going to a night club, with lots of makeup and her bleached-blonde hair teased in a style he could’ve sworn had gone out in the 1980s. A cougar on the prowl. If he had to guess, she was looking for a sugar daddy—someone who could handle her champagne tastes, so she could shed her beer can budget. The third bidder was even closer to the stage and to Dylan’s right. Now, her? Yeah, he could definitely get into the chick with the auburn hair. She appeared to be in her midthirties. It was hard to tell because she was sitting, and the table obstructed his view, but he’d bet she was a size 12 or 14—just the way he liked his women. He’d even be okay with her being a size or two larger. He hated skinny women, like the blonde on the other side of the room, who was still in the bidding—the woman at the back had withdrawn from the action. He preferred curves that he could run his hands over or grab onto while bringing his lover to a screaming orgasm.
He studied the woman holding bidding paddle #207—now that he had to go through with the damn date, he should at least be able to enjoy himself, right? He wondered if she was wearing a skirt or pants beneath the green, V-neck top, which was a great color and fit on her. He couldn’t make out her eye color, but she had a dusting of freckles on her nose and cheeks. Her posture said she was in for the long haul and wasn’t giving up as she raised her paddle again. She was determined to win.Hewanted her to win.
“Eighteen-hundred is bid, looking for nineteen. Eighteen-hundred going once. Eighteen-hundred going twice. Eighteen-hundred gone!” The gavel came down with a resoundingthwack. “Sold to bidder #207 for $1800. Congratulations, little lady! That’ll help one of our veterans get a service dog.”
Applause filled the room, but Dylan didn’t take his gaze off the winner. When she appeared to gulp, the corners of his mouth turned upward. This date might not be too bad after all. He might even ask her out on a second date since it would probably be against the rules or something to try to get her into his bed during the auctioned date.
Beside him, Nadine whispered, “Take off the mask.”
He nodded once that he’d heard her, then reached up and removed the disguise.
“Thank you, bidder! You’ve won a date with the handsome Dylan McBride of McBride Properties, Incorporated. Congratulations! Please come up to the payment table to the left of the stage. And thank you, Dylan, for donating your fun-filled date. All right ...”
Making sure he had eye contact with the winning bidder, he winked at her, thrilled to see a look of surprise cross her face, before walking backstage again. Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad after all. It could’ve been a lot worse, right?
“How’d it go?” one of the other bachelors asked him.
“Better than I thought it would.”
