“That means letting Robert win. He’s insufferable when he wins.”
“Ben, please.”
He gazed into her imploring, sky-blue eyes. He would do anything for this woman, even let Robert win. “Fine, but you owe me a cake.” He laid his paddle down and propped his elbows on the table. Out of habit, he fiddled with the wedding band on his finger.
“Four hundred. Going once. Four hundred going twice. Sold to Robert and Jake Winters for four hundred dollars!”
Robert and Jake gave each other a high-five, then Robert winked at Amy, and snubbed his nose at Ben.
“See what I mean?” Ben said.
Amy rolled her eyes.
Robert had outbid him on purpose. Was he trying to see how far Ben was willing to go to make a statement?
He’d planned on paying as much as was necessary to win Amy’s cake, but was he willing to do more than that?
Realizing he still twisted his wedding band, he remembered Amy’s words on the anniversary of Melanie’s death; ‘Unless you’re ready to move on with your life, I don’t see any reason you shouldn’t wear it’.
He’d always love and miss Melanie, but he loved Amy too. If he couldn’t convince her he was ready to move on, he’d lose her. Amy’s words about her mom rang in his head.Actions speak louder than words.
Amy needed actions.
Would removing his ring be enough?
Or did he need to do more?
* * *
A knot formedin Amy’s stomach as the twelve bachelors paraded onto the stage. This whole thing had been her idea, and if it flopped, she’d feel horrible.
Many of the younger bachelors blushed at the catcalls and cheers from the eager female bidders.
“The bidding for each bachelor will start at one hundred dollars and increase by ten-dollar increments. You woman can bid on multiple bachelors, but you can only win once.” The auctioneer’s voice droned on as he explained the rules for the dates, then he asked the youngest bachelor to step forward, and the bidding began.
Amy laughed as the auctioneer’s volume and speed picked up from what it had been during the baked-goods auction, causing excitement among the women. She listened closely as the bids were called, attempting to keep track of the dollar amount. The women appeared to be having a good time, and the bachelors on stage nudged one another.
Paige and Riley bid against each other for one of their high school friends but were ultimately outbid by someone else. Most of the bachelors sold for two hundred to five hundred dollars. It surprised Amy that women would spend so much money for a date. The bachelors’ good-natured boasting and ribbing about how much they sold for kept the crowd entertained.
Robert and Jake were the last two bachelors to be auctioned, and though Jake was younger, Robert stepped forward first.
Debbie suddenly became vocal. “Two hundred dollars.”
Judging by the number of women bidding on Robert, he’d been busy. Amy raised her paddle several times because she’d promised Robert she would bid on him, but she couldn’t ignore Ben’s eyes on her and the tension radiating off him.
Why did that muscle in his jaw keep clenching?
“He made me promise to bid on him,” she said.
Ben nodded, but it didn’t make it any less awkward each time she raised her paddle. As the bidding passed four hundred dollars, Amy quit. She’d only brought five hundred with her. It was money she’d been saving for a deposit on an apartment. She didn’t anticipate actually spending any money tonight.
“Can we join forces?” a woman from the center called out. “Like Robert and Jake did on the cake?”
The auctioneer hesitated. Unlike the cake that was easy to share, this would mean the bachelor would have to take multiple women out.
Robert cupped his hands to his mouth. “Yes.”
The bidding resumed and at fifteen hundred dollars, Widow Wheeler tossed her paddle on the table in disgust. “Fine, you can have him.”
