“You bid higher, you big idiot,” Noah said as if it were the simplest thing in the world. “You love him, right?”
I nodded slowly, tearing my eyes away from Drew reluctantly.
“Then show him. Show everyone here.” Noah’s tone softened. “West, you can’t let fear hold you back forever. Trust me, if you don’t step up now, you’ll regret it.”
His words hit home, mixing with the determination and hesitation in my gut. I swallowed hard, my gaze drawn back to Drew on stage.
The bidding escalated quickly, each raise of a paddle sending my heart rate skyrocketing. “Two thousand five hundred!” a voice called out. I countered immediately, “Three thousand!” My resolve strengthened with each bid, Drew’s encouraging smile fueling my determination.
“Four thousand.” Another challenger.
“Four thousand five hundred.” I gritted my teeth as I waited. I couldn’t go higher without serious financial consequences for me. If I could, that money would already be in the Foundation’s bank account, no auction required.
“Four thousand five hundred from the gentleman in the blue tie!” the auctioneer announced, pointing at me. “Can we round it up?”
I allowed myself a moment of hope. Was this it? Had I won?
Suddenly, a smooth, authoritative voice cut through the crowd. “Five thousand.”
The venue fell silent.
Patrick McMartin sat with his parents, his jet-black hair catching the light as his mom clapped proudly.
I clenched my fists, torn between upping my bid and the very real fear of antagonizing important patrons of the Foundation. Not to mention, Cara and John were decent people, on top of being some of the most generous I’d ever met. They’d adopted their three kids to stop them from being separated when they lost their parents.
It shouldn’t surprise me that Patrick had the same philanthropist heart as his parents, especially knowing he could have easily gotten lost in the system all those years ago, just like Drew and I had.
But did Patrick have to be so…good-looking?
My throat constricted as I struggled to form words. The auctioneer’s gaze swept over the crowd, lingering on me expectantly. I opened my mouth, but no sound came out. My mind raced, calculating the risks. Challenging Patrick could jeopardize the Foundation’s relationship with its donors, but letting Drew go felt like a betrayal.
“Going once…” the auctioneer called.
I caught Drew’s eye, saw a flicker of…disappointment? I couldn’t tell.
“Going twice…”
Patrick turned to face me for the first time since bidding started. He gave me a courteous nod as the emcee announced, “Sold! To Dr. McMartin for five thousand dollars!”
The crowd erupted in applause, but it sounded distant, muffled. I watched, still, as Drew descended from the stage and walked around the tables. My chest tightened as Patrick met him halfway, greeting Drew with a warm embrace.
My bitter thought was that it should be me.
As I watched them walk away, heads bent close in conversation, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I’d just lost something far more valuable than a charity auction.
My fingers twitched, itching to run through my hair, but I resisted. Instead, I clenched my fists at my sides, nails digging into my palms.
“Well, that was…unexpected,” Noah’s voice cut through my spiraling thoughts.
I tried to muster a smile, but it felt more like a grimace.
Noah nudged me with his elbow. “Hey, cheer up. At least now you know Drew’s worth five grand. That’s gotta be flattering, right?”
I let out a small, bitter laugh. “Flattering for Drew. For me? Well, I’m in love with a gorgeous man who can have literally anyone else he wants.”
“Come on, West,” Noah said, his tone softening. “It’s not the end of the world. There’ll be other chances.”
I sighed, finally giving in to the urge to run my hand through my hair. “Will there though? You saw how Patrick looked at Drew. The McMartins are great, but I don’t know Patrick. What if he goes to Mommy and Daddy and convinces them to pull their donations. We can’t risk that.”
