“Actually, Elizabeth somehow roped me into this at the last minute. I don’t know how, but I said yes and here I am.” Liam lowers his voice. “I’m the mystery bachelor to be on stage at the very end.”
“Ooh. That’s so cool,” I say, intrigued. I’ve never been to a bachelor auction, so everything’s fascinating.
Liam gives me a pleading, puppy-eyed look. “You’re going to bid on me, right?”
“Well… I need to bid on Rhys.”
“Don’t deny yourself a chance to be with the best. Elizabeth is saving me for last for a reason.” Liam winks.
“Hahaha,” Finn says. “That’s funny. What’s important is who’s the opener.”
“Are you going first?” Rhys asks.
“Yup. Alpha.” Finn points to himself, then turns his hand toward Liam, changing into a wishy-washy so-so movement. “Omega.”
Laughing softly, I look at Rhys. He’s laughing too, but his eyes aren’t. Not that they’re detached, but they seem inexplicably pensive. I’ve seen the same look a few times since we ran into Selena outside Danica’s place. A cold lump of unease lodges in my throat, but then Rhys’s eyes meet mine and warm.
“Is anything bothering you?” I ask softly, not wanting to second-guess when I can just ask.
“No. Nothing.”
“Ha, he’s nervous because he’s just gonna be some guy in the middle nobody’s going to remember,” Liam says.
Rhys scoffs. “Yeah, right. Freckles won’t let me suffer that sort of humiliation.”
“Just so you know, he’s only worth about five bucks.” Finn makes a great show of reaching into his wallet and handing me a worn and crumpled bill.
Shaking his head, Rhys bursts into laughter. “Asshole.”
Now he seems carefree.Was I overthinking?Projecting my anxiety onto him and misreading the situation?
Photographers float through the crowd, taking pictures. I spot one pointing his lens in our direction.
“There are more photographers than I imagined,” I say.
“Elizabeth always has tons of them. That way she gets great shots for the foundation’s website and promotional materials,” Finn says.
I look into Rhys’s eyes. “I wonder if I can ask her for some good shots of us.”
“Sure. I’ll ask,” he says, his voice warm, like he’d love nothing more than to have a nice couple photo of us.
Yup. I definitely misread him. I finally deposit the champagne on a tray passing by and grab a bottle of water. I sip it slowly. The lights flicker twice.
“Time to start,” Liam says with a smile that says he’s looking forward to the evening. Maybe a woman he likes is here to bid on him. Wouldn’t that be sweet?
I finish the water, then lay a hand on Rhys’s forearm, copping a feel of his taut muscles. “Excuse me, I need to go to the ladies’ room.”
He nods. “I’ll wait for you at our table.” He gestures at one of the round tables in the center.
After placing a kiss on his cheek, I turn. I don’t know if it’s the pregnancy or just nerves, but for some reason I feel like I have to pee more often than normal today.
The restroom is elegantly appointed—all dark walls and smoked mirrors, obviously not designed for fixing makeup. There’s no line. One stall is taken, but all the others are available.I slip into one. When I come out and start washing my hands, Selena appears next to me and turns on a faucet.
Ugh.Just my luck. She’s in a white haute-couture gown by Givenchy, which unfortunately washes her out, especially with such light, barely there makeup. The black belt around her waist is cinched so tight, I’m surprised she can breathe. I glance away, hoping she doesn’t notice.
“Well, this is a surprise. Didn’t know you were invited to the auction.” Something that’s half sneer and half smile twists her even features. “I thought Elizabeth was more discerning.”
I sigh. “I’m here with Rhys.”
