he knew everything but loved giving nothing away. He looked over to Clint standing near Josh at the bar.
“I think your fellow is waiting for you.”
Clint’s eyes stared at me from across the room. He used his hand to wave me over. I started walking over to Clint, not even saying good-bye to Kyser. I didn’t need to waste my time with a man like that. I’d already wasted too much time with men like him before. I had concluded in my head that he was just another version of Arthur Wickburn, but probably more capable and even less emotionless.
As I hurried as fast as I could over to Clint, which wasn’t fast given I was wearing six-inch Jimmy Choos, there was a loud bang that caused the whole room to cower. It sounded like something smashing. It came from the entrance near where Clint and Josh were standing. Their eyes looked over to me in alarm as they both went to check out what caused the noise. When I finally got closer, they both walked back in shrugging their shoulders like the sound had just come out of thin air. Clint walked over and took my hand.
“Everything alright?” I asked, as he stopped and cupped my cheek with his palm.
“Perfect. Everything is just perfect now that you’re next to me.” He kissed me softly on the lips. We noticed the crowd starting to gather around a small stage with an announcer. He was a tall, thin, suited man with a moustache, who had a woman in a long white silk evening dress holding a number of envelopes standing next to him. He tapped a microphone a couple of times to get everyone’s attention.
“Alright ladies and gentlemen, now for the highlight of the evening, the winners of our silent auction.” The room erupted in soft clapping as everyone moved inwards and towards the stage.
“I’ll call each lovely flower up one by one, and announce the winner, and hopefully our beautiful blooms will reward them with a kiss. It is tradition after all, right everyone?” He smiled broadly, encouraging the crowd to clap their approval. The audience clapped loudly but then the applause quickly died down.
Clint leaned down towards me and whispered in my ear. “Oh, I forgot to tell you that Tess flew into New York early. She called while you were in the shower, so I invited her to come tonight if she arrived in time. She has access to our apartment so she can crash there if she gets in late.”
I smiled up at Clint who was so thoughtful when it came to my best friend. “That was really nice of you to invite her. I’m so happy she is staying with us this week. I hope we see her soon. I left my cell at home so I hope she doesn’t try and call me.”
The room clapped as the peony was called up to the stage first. She was a beautiful statuesque woman with long cascading blond hair and a peach, beaded gown. “And the gentleman with the highest bid was Douglas McBluff with a generous donation of eighty thousand dollars. Mr. McBluff, please come up and claim your kiss, and your prize.” An elderly gentleman in his fifties hurried to the stage, eager to plant his lips on the buxom blond. She giggled as she kissed him, welcoming the kiss for charity. It was actually a very fun sight, and knowing that all this money was going to help the environment made it even more exciting.
Josh came to stand over with Clint and I, as we stood talking in hushed voices. We watched woman after woman with flower corsages get called to the stage, giving kiss after grateful kiss to their winners. The room was happily abuzz when my flower was finally called. Clint stopped me momentarily as I tried to walk off. “See you in a minute,” he said, excited. I winked at him and walked up to stand next to the host.
“Please welcome to the stage our lovely and delicate orchid.” Claps were heard around the room. “And I must say, our orchid here received the highest bid of the evening with a generous donation of two hundred thousand dollars.” I beamed at Clint, who was not returning the same elated facial expression. The look on his face wasn’t excitement, it was confusion. And then it dawned on me - it was not his bid. OH NO!