Can't Hurry Love (Sunshine Valley #1) - Melinda Curtis Page 0,11
wasn’t intent to bid, he didn’t know what was.
The noise was nearly deafening. Drew craned his neck to see the women who’d agreed to this mad dating game but he had yet to see Wendy. He had too much pride to push through the crowd and confirm her presence.
A few minutes later, the auction started with Tiffany Winslow, who’d been in the same grade as Drew’s sister Eileen. Tiff worked as a checker at the pharmacy and sold for $250.
Daisy Newbury went next. She worked at the convenience store and sold for $200 to a cowboy Drew didn’t recognize.
If Wendy hadn’t come, Drew would’ve bet he’d be in bed early tonight without anyone in one of his jail cells. The crowd was noisy but behaving.
His sisters were not.
Priscilla claimed the stool next to him. “Wish me luck, Bro. I’m going on the auction block. All I need to do is track down Clarice and the sign-up sheet.” Priscilla worked at a bank and normally dressed conservatively with little makeup. Tonight, her eyes were lined like Gigi’s imaginary raccoon, and her fire-engine-red blouse plunged alarmingly.
Drew nearly choked on a peanut. “You aren’t going up there looking like…like that.” Like she wanted a man to value her physical assets more than her personality. “You’re practically thirty, not twenty-three. Noah, sell me a Shaw’s T-shirt. Extra large.”
“Forget the T-shirt, Noah.” Pris sniffed. “And I’m size medium, not XL.”
“Whatever it takes to cover you up.” Drew couldn’t bring himself to look directly at his sister.
“You’re such a prude.” Pris blew a kiss to someone across the room. “Now I know why Eileen isn’t talking to you right now. Tyrell was a total hottie, and you had no right to run him out of town.”
“I didn’t run him out of town,” Drew said through clenched teeth, thinking about Eileen’s latest stray. “He stole Eileen’s SUV and was arrested in Denver.”
“Only because you reported the SUV stolen. Eileen said he had her permission.”
“Only to drive to the drug store in town, not to Denver.” Drew gripped his beer glass so tight that he thought it might shatter.
“Anyway, landing the right guy takes time and the right bait.” Pris bumped her shoulder against Drew’s. “Tonight is going to be awesome because I’m feeling wonderful.”
Wonderful. It was a word the Taylors used to tell each other they were okay.
“Tone it down a notch.” Or ten. Anything less than wonderful. Drew took a deep drink from his beer.
After his father had left and his mom had taken on two jobs, Drew had needed a system to determine which sister needed help and what kind of support she needed. Woe-Is-Me meant someone needed alone time. Watch-Out-World meant he needed to give a brief lecture and then hunker down somewhere safe until the storm was over. And Wonderful? Wonderful meant everything was normal, no intervention needed.
“I heard Jason Petrie is here.” Pris craned her head around him, leaning every which way, scoping out the crowd gathered on the dance floor. “I’m not going to catch him with a Shaw’s T-shirt.”
“You’re not going to catch him no matter what you wear. He always bids on Darcy Jones.” The bull-riding champion played the field on the circuit but protected his interest in Darcy when he was home. “If you go up there, I can guarantee you that Paul Gregory and his man boobs will bid on you.” Drew risked a sideways glance at his sister. “The ink on your divorce papers is barely dry. Enjoy that freedom you wanted so badly. You know you don’t need a man to complete you, right?”
“Freedom is overrated.” But there was a wrinkle on her brow. “I see other hot cowboys in the crowd. I like cowboys.”
Drew ran a hand over his face. He would bet Wendy never had these types of conversations with her older brother.
Noah joined them on his side of the bar. “My money’s on Paul. He’s waving fifties. But it’s a moot point. The widows already closed entries.” He caught Drew’s eye and mouthed, You owe me.
Pris slumped enough to make her red blouse gape in front.
“Posture! Posture!” Drew shoved his napkin at her chest.
Pris straightened and tossed his napkin on the floor. “Great. It’s Saturday, and I’m dateless. That means my big brother needs to buy me dinner. Nothing fancy. Just a burger and fries here at the bar.”
“Have I just been played?” Drew glanced from Noah to Pris.