Page 138 of Sassy Love
“Save a horse, ladies.” I let the words rumble from my chest.
The crowd goes wild, figures flying from lipsticked mouths faster than the shells of an automatic weapon.
Ruby simply walks to the edge of the stage and holds up a hand.
The room goes quiet as she raises the microphone to her lips. “Can I get one hundred thousand dollars?”
Three women send their paddles into the air.
Holy fucking shit.Christ, Rubes.
Through the ruckus, I swing my gaze back to our table.
Carlie’s seat is empty.
Double fucking shit.
Dammit.
“Can I get one hundred and twenty thousand?” Ruby calls.
Two paddles fly up.
The third lady is whispering to who I assume is her partner as he shakes his head. What the hell was that dynamic going to be?
“One hundred and forty,” Ruby calls.
Both paddles fly up again.
These women have more money than sense. God above.
“One hundred and fifty.”
Two paddles are raised again. This time, they stare each other down. If it wasn’t my virtue on the line, it would be hilarious.
Why the hell did I have to say ‘save a horse’? World’s biggest idiot right here, sitting on this fucking chair.
“One hundred and fifty-five thousand.”
Only one paddle shoots into the air, the crowd so silent, you could hear a slingshot fork hit the pristine carpet.
“One hundred and fifty-five thousand dollars. Going once.” Ruby looks around the room, like there might be someone else to enter at the eleventh hour.
“Going twice . . .”
The room is still.
“Going a third time, ladies. Your very last chance.” Ruby moves to my side.
“So—”
“Two hundred thousand,” a voice yells from the back.
I can’t make out where or who she is with the stage lighting in my eyes. The last lady in the auction sits, shaking her head as she sets her paddle down.
The crowd’s gasps around the room drown out any rational thought.
A woman walks through the crowd with an air of elegance that has us all stunned as Ruby smiles at her.
