He didn’t raise it.
He matched it.
Tyler grins and shoots back, “Twenty-five hundred!”
Someone near the back whistles.
My pulse spikes.
This is spiraling.
Levi’s eyes never leave mine.
“Three thousand,” he says.
The room erupts into chatter. Tyler hesitates, glancing around like he’s realizing this isn’t funny anymore. Another firefighter—Mark—jumps in just to stoke the fire. “Thirty-five hundred!”
Laughter.
Nervous this time.
Levi’s jaw tightens. “Four thousand.”
Silence.
The announcer clears his throat. “Do I hear forty-five?”
Tyler opens his mouth.
Levi doesn’t even look at him.
“Five thousand.”
The number lands like a thunderclap.
The entire ballroom freezes.
Even the band falters.
I stare at him.
Five thousand dollars?
For a charity date?
For me?
Tyler leans back slowly, hands raised in surrender.
Mark whistles low. “Damn.”
The announcer blinks rapidly. “Five thousand dollars. Going once…”
The room holds its breath.
“Going twice…”
My heart pounds so loud I can hear it.
