She shook her head. “No, I just want to make sure that more children have an opportunity for quality education. I’m assuming that once I complete it, I’ll get a receipt for tax purposes, right?”
He nodded.
“Good, that’s all I need. That and your promise that no one will know who the donor is. Do I have it?”
He searched her face and after a moment of disbelief, he finally nodded and gave her his hand. “You have it. I’ll keep your name a secret. Just know that if that wire transfer is rejected, I’ll plaster your name all over this town and beyond. Are we clear?”
“Perfectly,” she answered before hitting submit on the donation page. “There,” she huffed. “It’s done. I guess I better get back there. I don’t want to miss the show.”
“Miss…” He looked down at her original printed form andwalked over to one of the tabletop shredders. “Jared, do you want me to just announce you’ve won?”
“No.” She shook her head. “Let people feel as if they have a chance to win. I’m betting the excitement of the show makes the giving that much more enjoyable.”
He shredded her document and smiled at her. “Thank you for your generous donation. You’re gonna put a lot of kids through school.”
“You’re more than welcome, Mayor. See you back inside.”
The grin on her face spread like butter against warm bread. She reentered the ballroom and walked over to the table.
“That was a long powder-room break. Everything okay?”
Vanessa smiled at Cree. “Of course. You know what a perfectionist I am when it comes to my makeup.” She waved her hand, dismissing Cree’s concern. “Did Michael walk yet?”
“Not yet,” Derrick answered quickly. “I hate to burst your bubble. Michael is an extremely popular draw at this thing. If you’re planning on betting on him, you’ve got a long line and a lot of money ahead of you. He’s usually the most sought-after single. Donors usually make their bids in advance and the same person ends up outbidding everyone every single year.”
She snuck a careful glance at Cree and Janae and nearly lost it when she saw their smothered amusement.
“Is that a fact, Derrick?” When he confirmed his earlier statement, she shrugged her shoulders. “Well, may the best person win. Regardless of who places the winning bid, the only real winners tonight are the kids that get to go to college after this event.”
The mayor, taking his place on stage again, brought their conversation to an end. Like any other auction, the auctioneer’s calls for bids were one of the most entertaining parts. He kept the crowd laughing and the well-dressed volunteers parading on the stage kept the fundraising money coming.
They’d made it through a few trips to the buffet table and bar asthe auction continued. Now they were nearing the end, and Michael still hadn’t walked yet.
“Everyone, we’ve finally reached the moment we’ve all been waiting for. The moment our most eligible single takes the stage. He is our trusted sheriff. His duty is to serve and protect Monroe Hills, and I can tell you, he takes his job very seriously. How much are y’all willing to pay for a date with a genuinely good man who has his own pair of handcuffs?”
The crowd’s collective laugh filled the air and anticipation made her heart beat faster inside her chest. It wasn’t like she hadn’t already seen him tonight. He was gorgeous in a T-shirt and sweats. Wearing a tux, he was lethal, a danger to her peace of mind and her undersexed body too.
When he stepped out from behind the curtain, covered in the spotlight and confidence, her mouth went dry. From his dark tapered hair to the pointy patent leather shoes that reflected the gleam of the spotlight, he was sexiness personified.
Someone at the front of the room yelled out, “Five hundred dollars.” And from there, the bids flew back and forth, side to side, as the residents of Monroe Hills seemed ready to spend their last spare dime for a date with the unattached sheriff.
“Two thousand dollars.”
The number was large enough to get her attention, so she searched the room until she found the only paddle still remaining in the air. It was attached to the hand of none other than Amanda Sayers.
“Do we have another bid?” When no one answered, the mayor looked around the room until his gaze connected with Vanessa’s. She gave a brief nod, and he did the same in acknowledgment.
“Going once, going twice…” She watched Amanda stand up, looking quite pleased with her perceived win. “Wait.” The Mayor lifted his phone in his hand. “I’ve just been informed we’ve had an advance bid come in for our dear sheriff to the tune of two million dollars.”
There was a collective gasp throughout the room and Vanessa could feel Cree’s and Janae’s gazes burning into the side of her face. She refused to turn her head and acknowledge them, no matter how badly she wanted to. This night wasn’t about her. It was about doing something good for a worthy cause, and to put a man at ease who was somehow making himself more and more necessary in her life.
“Going once, going twice…” He waited a beat longer, and when Amanda stormed out of the room, he banged his gavel and yelled, “Sold to an anonymous donor.”
The room was still quiet, its shocked attendees looking from one to another or tracking their gazes around the room to see if they could figure out what had just happened.
She made the mistake of looking at Janae and the woman pinned her with a steely gaze that said, “You ain’t slick.”
Janae lasered her suspicious stare at Vanessa for another moment before she started a slow clap that eventually caught on in the room like a contagious wave at a sporting event. Vanessa could concede that this bidding game was a bit of sport, in a way. She’d done something good for Monroe Hills, kept Michael from doing something he didn’t want to do, and blocked Amanda from forcing Michael into a date he didn’t want all in one strategic move.
