Chapter 5
Anna
“There’s so much interest in your auction block. The disappointment if we pull you from consideration will be…intense.” The committee chair was all-in to convince Drake not to remove himself from the bachelor auction.
Drake blew out a breath.
Anna held hers.
If he pulled out of the auction and disappointed all of Denver—in front of Medford—it would not help his prospects of a Denver transfer. There was no way Anna could let him do this. She looped her arm through his and leaned into him.
“It’ll be fine. I’ll just buy you myself,” Anna assured.
Drake glanced down at her and nodded.
“Deal,” he said, resigned. “I’ll pay you back.”
He wouldn’t—Anna wasn’t going to let him—but they didn’t need to argue about that now. Once everything worked itself out, Anna wouldn’t be paying to move to Miami, so she figured spending a little—or a lot—on the purchase of a boyfriend made sense.
“Let me just”—Drake held up his cell—“step outside and let my guys know the latest.”
He pressed a kiss to Anna’s cheek and she couldn’t help but grin.
Drake strode out of the ballroom doors toward all the cell service a person could want.
Anna had a plan of her own.
The auction started in an hour, which meant—
“Jase.” Anna hurried toward her brother, her favorite at the moment.
“Yeah?” Jase turned from the appetizer buffet, a skewer with chicken in both hands and a mouthful of something making the word come out garbled.
He was sort of an animal when he was around food, but Jase had a skillset that she required. “I need your help.”
He smiled. “Do I get to punch somebody?”
“Your call.” She shrugged.
“Then anything for my baby sister.” He gnawed on one of the sticks of chicken while she continued.
“I need you to tie Roman to something so I can kick him in the nuts,” Anna said abruptly.
Jase paused, mid-chew. “Um…”
“Did I hear my fiancé’s name?” Sadie asked, infiltrating their conversation.
“Your fiancé locked me in a room with Drake.”
“Seriously? I told him not to do that.” Sadie glared around the room. “He and I are going to have a serious conversation.”
“He also put Drake in the bachelor auction,” Anna added, tilting her head to the side.
“Are you kidding me?” Sadie asked, her eyes bulging. “Has he been taking Babushka lessons?”
“Actually, yes.” That was the problem.
“That serious conversation is going to involve an abundance of f-bombs.” Sadie crossed her arms, scanning the room in search of Roman.
