Page 158 of Not Over You

I cross my arms. “I most certainly do not. I’ll never get within reach of that man again.”

Wendi grins at Maddy, who quickly looks away with her lips pinched tight.

They can laugh all they want. I don’t give a damn, I’ve got one thing on my mind. Revenge.

The next thirty minutes are painful.

Wendi and Maddy provide non-stop narration on the other twenty-three men that parade around on the stage. I don’t see a single one of them. I’m so mad my eyes are crossed and filled with red haze.

The nerve of the man! How dare he come to my town—not that he knows it’s my town.

I just want the bidding to get started. I’m ready to give Hunter a taste of his own medicine.

When the bidding begins for Bachelor number one, I snatch up the bidder number card on the table. Number 146 is written on the twelve-by-twelve card.

My foot taps under the table as the bidding war begins for Bryce Archer. He brings a hefty price of five grand.

“Wow, he’s a hot ticket!” Maddy cries as the audience cheers for his winning bid.

I mutter a silent prayer. Please, don’t make me max out my credit card.

The hostess smiles as she welcomes Hunter to the stage. She takes a long appraising look before she says, “Alright, ladies, who wants to play cops and robbers with Detective Roman? Let’s see what you think an evening with this handsome bachelor is worth.”

Hunter unbuttons his coat, slides it off and swings it over his muscular shoulder. The audience makes a collective “Ooh.”

“Do I hear one thousand?”

I wave my card and shout, “Yes!”

The auctioneer calls, “We’re off to a good start! Now let’s keep going, ladies. Do I hear fifteen hundred?”

Another woman beats me to it. I burn holes in her back with my eyes. She doesn’t beat me on the next bid. Two thousand. Hunter looks out across the audience and grins a cocky grin.

“Do I hear twenty-five hundred?”

A woman in the far corner screams and jumps up from her table. After she bids, she shakes her head and hides her face behind her card. Her whole table lets out a cheer.

“Oh no, you don’t!” I snarl and throw eye-daggers at her.

Maddy looks at me wide eyed. I press my lips together.

“How about three thousand? Detective Roman sure seems like he’s worth three thousand.”

I jump up to bid and get beaten by a new bidder. What the hell?

Things get ugly. And expensive. We hit four thousand way too fast.

“Do I hear forty-five hundred?”

I jump up, scream, “Yes!” and thrust my card high into the air.

“Alright, we have forty-five hundred in the back. Do I hear five thousand?” She smiles and scans the audience. “Going once. Going twice. SOLD!”

Wendi’s eyes are wide as she looks up at me. “Oh, my god. You just paid forty-five hundred bucks for a guy you hate!”

I grumble, “I’m going home,” as I stomp off toward the exit.

CHAPTER 2

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