Page 37 of Lost Love

Connor read from the paper his father passed to him, but it all felt like a blur.

“The last auction item for the evening is a ten-carat emerald cut flawless diamond. Wow! You heard correct, ten-carat flawless diamond!”

Gasps erupted from the crowd.

“Flawless and impeccably designed, this…” he went on for what felt like fifteen minutes. All I could hear was my heart in my ear pounding as blood passed through it.

“Do I hear an opening bid or offer?”

Bids flew around the room, back and forth, then I spotted Barrett in the crowd, with a woman on his arm.

What was Barrett doing here?

Holy shit, I took Lourde in. She had spotted him too.

A woman held his arm.What the actual fuck?

As I watched, I realized the woman had the same shaped eyes and coloring as he did. Lourde mentioned he had a sister who lived in Boston, if my memory was correct. Thank fuck. Otherwise, I would have launched off this stage without a second thought and moved on him so fast he wouldn’t have a chance to protect his junk.

“Going, going… sold to my dear friend, Barrett Black.”

Cheers and raucous applause filled the ballroom. And before I knew what was happening, Barrett had made his way to our table in front of Lourde, bending down on one knee.

Oh my God.

Connor slid his hand over mine, hidden from view and the distraction unfolding in front of us. He squeezed it in a soothing display of affection, taking me by surprise.

* * *

Wrapping up our auctioneer duties, Connor and I left the stage, and I rushed toward Lourde and pulled her in for a hug. “Oh my friggin God!”

“There are no words!” Lourde squeezed me back, then pulled back, resting her hands on my shoulders. Her smile beamed like the sun.

“I was worried for a minute there she was going to say no.” Barrett wrapped his arms around Lourde’s waist. She let go of me and looked up at him adoringly.

“I think I was just in shock,” Lourde said, placing her hand on Barrett’s cheek.

My skin tingled with warmth, and when I looked beside me, Connor had appeared, his arm brushing mine and giving it rise to hundreds of goosebumps.

“You’re not the only one in shock,” Connor said, his surprise mirroring mine.

He wrapped his hands around Lourde and squeezed her in for a hug.

“We have so much to plan!” I said, and Connor rolled his eyes.

“I can’t wait!” she shrieked out in happiness. “And, it’s your turn soon, brother.”

Connor let out an audible sigh.

“Where is Francesca anyway? I saw the two of you talking at her parents’ table,” Lourde inquired.

“Who knows?” Connor laughed nervously, then glanced at me.

Connor stepped forward and shook Barrett’s hand.“Well, Barrett, you pulled a fast one over all of us.”

“It wasn’t intentional,” Barrett admitted, and Connor followed through on the handshake with a man-hug.

9

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