Madison’s soft hazel eyes flashed in my head. Only because of the grocery store incident. I was a little responsible for egging her on—a lot responsible—but the way her eyes flashed and the abandon with which she spoke her mind fascinated me as much as it perplexed me. Did she have to be so defensive?
Maybe with me, yeah, she did. Other girls never took what I said so personally, but Madison tossed my words back in my face and added her own. It was exhilarating, and I was a jackass to indulge.
“Testing...” Wilna’s voice rang out over the sound system, obliterating the memory of Madison’s tight ass stalking away from me.
The auction was starting. My stomach knotted. Was I really doing this? I tugged at the collar of my shirt. I shrugged out of my flannel and tossed it on a chair. “Didn’t they turn the AC on yet?”
Tate’s deep chuckle was low enough not to carry through the room. “It’ll be fine.” He leaned close. “You can say no if your buyer wants more.”
“Sure.” It’d been a while since I’d hadmore. I might not pass up the offer. Though sex with someone I wasn’t planning anything long term with had gotten old.
Once upon a time, I’d been a committed man. Then I’d been embarrassed and betrayed. After that, I had fucked around. A lot. I had gotten a reputation, and I hadn’t liked it, so I’d stopped. Now I was a stud on an auction block, afraid to return to the days of messing around and breaking hearts.
Acid burned up my throat. I hated being a spectacle. People talking about my love life, speculating. What had I done wrong? What had I done right? Who was I going to settle with?
For the last few years, I’d given them nothing to talk about. Until now.
I pressed my fingers to my temples and paced in front of Tate. Tenor was with Ruby at Copper Summit, but I’d rather be closing down the tasting room. I’d made my sisters swear they wouldn’t be in the audience, but Summer had joked there likely wouldn’t be room for them anyway.
How packed was it out there?
“It’ll be fine,” Tate said only loud enough for me to hear.
The number of men in the room was dwindling. Both of our delivery drivers had been called out.
“Some older couple is going to buy you to remodel their bathroom,” he assured me.
A chorus of woos and laughter made a cacophony in the sanctuary.
“How’d you do this?” I kept pacing.
My brother hadn’t asked out his wife, Scarlett. She’d bought him at one of these damn things with the help of me and my sisters. To be fair, she hadn’t known my sisters had bid under her name, but it had all worked out. Tate and Scarlett were happy as hell and so in love.
I was happy for him. I wouldn’t want it any other way. That jealous tug on my heart said there was more. Like dangerous hope that this auction would turn out the same for me turned me into the fool my ex had made me feel like.
“It’s for a good cause,” he said in that calm, infuriating tone, rubbing a hand down his dark beard.
He was right. The money went to people in the community, and ultimately, that was why I had given in to Wilna. I’d also wanted to quit running from a ninety-year-old woman in the middle of the grocery store, but I couldn’t refute her claim that I would bring in a windfall on the auction block. Maybe not the twenty grand we’d raised for Scarlett to buy Tate, but enough.
I pushed a hand through my hair.
“You’re going to ruffle those luscious locks,” Tate teased. “The bidders might offer more if they can do it instead.”
I shot him a glare. I hadn’t gone to a barber for a while. They’d been hitting me up for Wilna. She’d put plants all around town to cajole me into saying yes.
One by one, the remaining men were called out.
My nerves slowly untwisted. I was accepting my fate. I’d do a job, be a decent human, and weather any gossip that came after. Besides, the bidding couldn’t get that contentious.
Tate slapped a hand on my shoulder. “I’ll go out for the show.” He paused. “Seriously, if the outcome is... unwelcome, we’ll bail you out.” He went out the door, leaving me alone.
More tension eased. I had a whole family behind me. It’d be fine. My anxiety was for nothing. I had dreaded getting dragged into this for so long that I’d built it up as some big deal, thatIwas a big deal.
I wasn’t. It was just some harmless fundraiser. There’d be no problems, I’d mow a lawn or paint a house, and if worse came to worst, I’d go on a fucking date.
One of Wilna’s crew popped her head in, big smile in place, decorated with bright-pink lipstick. “It’s time for the grand finale.”
I nodded and followed her through the dim hallway. As I got closer to the wide altar, a sea of faces turned my way. There were a few men in the audience, mostly with their spouses, to bid on a handyman for a day.
