In the crowd, he saw a new female figure moving through the assembled bidders. A stranger. Well,he’dnever seen her before anyway. She looked for all the world like a powerhouse businesswoman. Her movements concise and efficient, she parked herself in the middle of the group, arms crossed, like she was waiting for something to happen. For what, Jack did not know.
She was tall and slender. Her short, straight black hair was fashioned in a severe chin bob. The points on either side of her face might be razor-sharp. She wore veryunusual violet-tinted spectacles, giving her a cyberpunk vibe.
He stared at her, certain he’d never seen her before. It begged the question, what didshewant with him? Maybe he didn’t want to know.
He scanned her features again. Nope. He didn’t know her.
Would’ve remembered if he did.
There was something about the way she stood—still, composed, like she wasn’t part of the chaos at all.
Steady. Calm. Completely unfamiliar.
Jack decided that he was now rooting forherto save him from Ashleigh and Marcy. A vivid pipe dream if there ever was one. She might not bid on him at all. She was probably here to save someone else. He wasn’t the only bachelor who didn’t want to be here.
“One thousand,” Ashleigh called, bringing his attention back to the worry he’d be going home with her. He did not want to. She would not be nice for the entire twenty-four hours. She said she had grand plans for him, for the love of a space potato farm.
There was more hushed conversation in the crowd. A thousand dollars was a lot of money. Aunt Dixie leaned close to Landon and whispered in his ear. That couldn’t be good for him, Jack was certain.
The bidding had died with Ashleigh’s four-figure bid.
Landon said, “All right, then. The bid stands at one thousand dollars, which is a very tidy sum. Do I have any more bids for Jack Grey here?”
The stranger lifted her right arm, her hand in the air, forefinger pointing to the sky. “Two thousand dollars,” she said coolly, as if the sum had merely been dug out of the sofa cushions in her living room.
“Did I hear you right, miss? You just bid two thousand dollars?” Even Landon seemed shocked.
She nodded only once. No smile. No hint of anything emotional, just business as usual for her.
The energy across the crowd shifted.
Ashleigh’s eyes narrowed.
Jack was worried.Didhe know Cyberpunk Chick? He didn’t think so. He studied her further, certain he’d never seen her before. Still, the unknown destination might be better than the rock or hard place he currently faced.
“All right, ladies,” Landon said. “Jack here has just become a high-earning commodity. Does anyone else want to top the current bid?”
Ashleigh Graves raised her hand. Jack’s soul went cold. He did not want to end up with her for a single second, let alone an entire twenty-four hours. No. Just no.
“I would like to double the current bid to four thousand dollars,” Ashleigh said, an evil glint in her eye.
Exclamations of awe rippled through the crowd. Jack was doomed.
Meanwhile, his cyberpunk savior didn’t bat an eye. “Double the current bid once more,” she said, sounding bored. “Eight thousand dollars.”
“Double? Again?” Landon swayed near Aunt Dixie as if he might faint.
“What?! That is insane!” Ashleigh said.She should know, Jack thought.
Ashleigh sucked in a sharp breath and starred daggers at the woman with the violet-lensed spectacles. The stranger didn’t even glance in Ashleigh’s direction.
She acted cold, ruthless and businesslike. Fine by Jack. He’d take ruthless, chilling Cyberpunk Chick over Ashleigh Graves any day of the week and twice on Sunday.
Landon looked at Ashleigh, eyebrows raised, silently asking if she was going to top that bid. But she shook her head angrily and stomped out of the group.Probably needs to get back to her flying monkeys,Jack thought.Good riddance.
His focus shifted back to Cyberpunk Chick.
Landon made it official. “Eight thousand dollars going once. Eight thousand dollars going twice.” He paused for effect, then brought up his gavel and banged it down once on the temporary podium.
