When I innocently questioned if the idea seemed a little archaic, the frost thrown my way by the eligible bachelorettes had me apologizing profusely. According to Ms. Diane, a lifelong townie and the soil from which the Foxy Falls grapevine grows, the auction has led to an unusually high number of fall babies.
"Oh, shit. I forgot about that. Fuck. Is it already New Year's Eve?" My dad sighs heavily and then gasps from the pain in his rib. "Thank you, Skylar. I know I'm asking for a lot."
I take a moment to look at my dad. He's getting older. His hair is thinning, and his laugh lines are more permanent, but he’s retained most of his well-earned muscle. He's a hiking guide in the summer and takes on various odd jobs throughout the year to stay busy and earn enough money to cover his modest living expenses. Being an invalid is not easy for him.
"Do you want some pain relievers?" I ask, softening my tone. So far, he's refused the heavier meds the doctor gave him.
"Yeah, maybe a couple of over-the-counter ones."
I nod, heading to the kitchen to pour him a glass of water. I pull the bottle of medicine out of the cupboard and bring it to him.
"Extra strength," I say, setting his glass on the side table after he takes a large gulp.
He groans as he swallows the liquid and pills. "Thank you."
"Don't thank me yet." I place a hand on my hip and shake my finger in mock scolding. "You get to sleep for two more hours, then I'll bring up a bunch of paddles for you to glue together."
Dad hesitates.
I narrow my eyes. "Monica's wrists don't work," I remind him.
He clears his throat, nodding quickly. "Of course. Whatever you need."
His cheeks redden, and I know he's wondering if I’m aware of what caused the accident. I'm actually proud of my old man for getting it on in a car at his age. Not that early fifties is old, but he should stick to having sex in a bed in the future.
He closes his eyes, as done with this conversation as I am.
I tiptoe out of the apartment. Time to serve lunch, then work on getting the fine ladies of Foxy Falls laid AF.
Chapter two
Skylar
When I get downstairs, Vance immediately shoos me out of the kitchen as he preps. Vance is huge. Tall and thick, his body is a solid wall of muscle. But that man is as gentle as a teddy bear, and his food is incredible. I should ask Ms. Diane if she thinks Vance has his eye on anyone for tomorrow's auction. I'd loan him money to help him win the girl of his dreams.
I turn the lights on and open the curtains in the front windows to let in as much light as possible. Bars always look a littlestrange in the light of day, but not Monica's. Locals love this place for lunch, and it's hopping at night. From what I can tell, she makes a decent living by adapting to the seasons.
I see Whitney Moore rushing down the sidewalk as I gaze out on Main Street and unlock the front door for her.
"Sorry, sorry! I had to get waxed for tomorrow night." She's out of breath as she flies into the bar, her long, dark hair flowing around her like a tornado.
"You're not late. I just unlocked the door," I say with a smile. "Are you excited for the auction?"
"Oh, my god, yes! My brother, Daniel, is stuck in Minnesota, so he won’t be here to stop guys from bidding on me this year." She claps with childlike glee. "I might actually get to ring in the new year with a kiss!"
Her contagious energy lifts my spirits as she runs to the back room to drop off her things. Whitney is the head bartender atThe Wet Whistle. She comes in at lunchtime, then takes off for three hours before returning for the evening crowd.
"So this isn't your first auction?" I ask, lining up the bottles as she pulls them off the shelf.
Whitney shakes her head. "Dan is... protective." She shrugs, but her eyes flash with irritation before she smiles and hands me another bottle.
"My brother didn't care who I dated as long as it wasn't any of his friends," I tell her. "Although I wasn’t interested in any of them, so it wasn't a hardship."
I stop talking when Whitney's cheeks redden. Hmm, I guess Daniel has some cute friends.
"I'll go get us some cleaning supplies." As I head to the back, a knock sounds at the front door. "It's open!" I call out.
Ms. Diane pops her head in, followed by Nora Rogers, another of our eligible bachelorettes.
