“And the final bachelor of the night is none other than our hometown hockey star, Kirby Materson.”
“Go get ’em,” Kylie urges, clapping her hands and cheering for me. I shake my head as I walk to the middle of the dance floor.
Lexi looks at me with a huge smile on her face, and I can’t help but smile at her. Cheryl starts to talk and I grab the microphone from her. “Before you ask, I’m with Darryl on this one. You see what you paid for after.” I look around the room. “And no refunds allowed.” I hand the microphone back to Cheryl, who is laughing.
“Okay, shall we start at ten thousand dollars?” she suggests and it quickly goes to fifty thousand from Kylie and she winks at me.
“Kirby is a very generous donor already tonight,” Cheryl pleads my case. “He’s already donated a million dollars.”
The crowd gasps and then I hear shouted out, “One hundred thousand dollars!” I look over to see Dr. Visabell’s wife holding up her hand. “It’s the least we can do.”
“One twenty,” someone else calls out. I look at Lexi, who has her mouth open and both hands in front of her, the happiness is written all over her face.
“Two hundred,” his wife says and then Cheryl closes the bidding.
“Going once, going twice. Sold,” she screams, “for two hundred thousand dollars!”
“Oh my,” Lexi yells, “this is incredible!” Her hands are over her head clapping. “That was incredible.”
I look over at Trent, who looks like he’s sneering, and I don’t know if he’s sneering at her or at me. Either way, he should be up here celebrating with her. My eyes go to the lady walking over to me and I smile at her. “I don’t have a flower to give you,” I tell her and then look over at the DJ, who gives the head waiter a nod of his head. “I just have this.” The waiter comes out with a bouquet of roses, making everyone aww.
“Thank you for bidding on me.” I hand her the flowers and then look over at Cheryl and Lexi. “How about we give a round of applause for the co-chairs of the event?” I say loudly as another waiter comes and hands Cheryl a bouquet of roses and then one to Lexi. “You guys can do better than that,” I tell the crowd and they get onto their feet and cheer for them.
Cheryl comes over first and she leans up to kiss my cheek and then I look at Lexi, who is just shaking her head in disbelief. “Thank you,” she says softly, “for everything.” I lean down and kiss her cheek, wishing it was her lips.
I escort my future date back to her husband. “I promise to be a gentleman,” I assure him and he laughs as I look to the empty seat where Trent was sitting.
“I’m sure you will,” Dr. Visabell replies. I look over at my table and tell Kylie I’m stepping out to get some air. I need to get away from Lexi before I do something stupid that will make a fool out of me.
Walking out of the room, I head to a door that leads outside. I push one open and see Trent there in the corner, his head bent, talking to a blonde. The woman is way too close to him, closer than she should be. Her front is practically plastered against him. Their eyes are locked on each other as she says something to him and all he does is smirk at her.
“Wow,” I blurt, not even sure why I said it, “this is rich.” They jump apart from each other and the blonde moves her hand up to put her hair behind her ear.
“I’ll just,” she blusters, “excuse me.”
“I didn’t mean to interrupt a private moment,” I state when she walks by me. “This is his wife’s event, after all.” The color drains from her face as she slinks back inside.
“What the fuck are you doing out here?” Trent sneers, coming close to me. “You’re just like one of those fucking annoying fruit flies we can’t get rid of.”
“I’m out here getting air,” I reply to him, “while you are out here disrespecting your wife.”
“My wife,” he hisses, stepping in even closer to me, “is none of your fucking business.” He puts his head back. “She’s a fucking nobody without me.” His words make me ball my hands into fists. “She was a nobody when I met her. For fuck’s sake, her father is a fucking drug addict. She should be thankful I took pity on her.” The gasp should have me turn my head around to look, but all I see is black in front of me. The last few weeks of treading on thin ice when it came to him. The whole time wanting to kick his ass.
It happens so fast, my hands come up to grip the lapels of his jacket. “Shut your fucking mouth,” I tell him at the same time I hear her voice scream my name.
“Kirby,” she says and I see her standing beside us now, her hand on mine holding her husband’s jacket, “stop this right now.” She looks over her shoulder. “You are making a scene.”
I let go of his jacket and give him a shove back, and he stumbles. “I’m sorry, Lexi,” I say softly.
“I think you should go.” She avoids looking at me and instead looks at her husband. I feel a tightness in my chest as I look over and see a couple of people watching and then what looks like security rushing out of the door, ready to break up the fight.
“I’m so, so sorry.” I look back at Trent. “You deserve better than him.”
“Like who?” He straightens his jacket. “Like you?”
“Like anyone who will treat her with respect,” I retort. “Who will raise her up and not knock her down to make themselves feel better.” I hit the bull’s-eye right in the center. “Anyone but someone like you.” I see she is wiping a tear off her cheek, and I know in that moment I’ve lost her. Not that I ever had her, but whatever it was is over. “You deserve better, Lexi.” That’s the last thing I say before I turn and walk away from her.
eleven
