The Backup Girlfriend (Grove Valley High #2) - Emma Doherty Page 0,56
him. “For the food and drinks and waiters and everything.”
He shakes his head.
“Chase!”
“I got it.”
“I’m not letting you do that,” I insist. “This is my thing, not yours—you shouldn’t be out of pocket.”
“I’m not.” He pauses. “Well not much.”
He’s so exasperating. I’d forgotten how exasperating he can be. “Tell me how much.”
“Seriously.” He holds his hands up. “The caterers are the company my mom uses all the time when she holds her functions. I told them she was considering other options, so they said they’d do this for free if she signs on for another year with them.”
I gape at him. “Was she going to change?”
He smirks. Of course she wasn’t.
“All the decorations are from Rosie’s sorority—we just have to return them tomorrow—and the alcohol I just added to my dad’s business account when ordering. He won’t even notice, and if he does, he won’t care.”
He makes a valid point about his dad’s observation skills, especially when it comes to Chase.
“Are you sure?” It doesn’t feel right letting him pick this up.
“I got this,” he says sincerely. “I got you.”
Jesus Christ.
I got you. He doesn’t make it easy to fall out of love with him.
“We’re going to raise a lot of money for that domestic abuse charity,” I tell him.
He nods. “We will. Now, there are tons of people outside having some drinks and food before this gets started. Why don’t you go do what your mom has been trying to pass on to you for years.”
I frown, confused.
“Go schmooze people into spending money in a way that will benefit you.”
I bark a laugh at that, flash a grin, and then do exactly as he says. I swipe a drink and go outside to gape some more at the sheer number of people who have come and are excited for tonight.
The auction is going better than I ever thought it would. A bunch of sophomores got excited and started a betting war for the date with Jenna, raising over two hundred bucks, and Aaron’s car day brought in nearly three hundred dollars from a couple of guys I’ve seen around school who I’m pretty sure are seniors.
It helps that Chase is on the microphone and is being his usual charming, charismatic self. He’s joking and laughing and teasing people, and as a result, people are being persuaded to spend more than I would have expected.
It also helps that a lot of the kids at Grove Valley High are from privileged backgrounds and have the money to spend.
“Okay, up next we have a very special prize for you girls out there,” Chase explains. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime, never-been-done-before chance to be made over by the one and only Abigail Baker.”
My stomach drops as I see people turn to look at me.
Please, please don’t let this humiliate me.
I didn’t actually want to volunteer this prize, too worried nobody would want it and I’d end up looking like a fool, but Chase ignored me and put it in anyway, telling me that if everyone else was donating then I’d have to too.
I guess it’s a valid point.
Besides, it’s just doing someone’s makeup.
“The prize includes your makeup being done by Abigail herself, something she’s famous for with her friends.” Jennifer lets out a whoop from behind me, and I turn and smile at her gratefully. “She’ll buy two items of makeup specifically for you to keep.” I didn’t know about that, but okay. “She’ll also pay for your hair to be done at whatever fancy place she goes to.” I can do that. I have a place my mom, sister, and I go to that would probably give me a voucher since it’s for charity and we give them so much business, but even if they don’t, I can pay for it. “And you can pick any outfit out of her closet.”
I nearly choke on my drink. I did not agree to that!
Does he have any idea how valuable my closet is and how particular I am about it?!
Chase finds my face in the crowd and sends me a wink.
Well, I guess I have no choice now since he’s already said it.
“So, let’s start the bidding at thirty dollars.”
“Fifty,” Sasha says loyally from her spot next to me.
“Sixty,” says someone near the front of the room.
I blink as I see some girl turn around to smile at me shyly. She looks like she’s a freshman or a sophomore.
“Seventy.”
I turn behind me and see another girl with her hand up.