Football and Ballet - Jason Collins Page 0,64
happening tonight.
When Gretel finally called my name, I stepped out onto the catwalk, doing my best attempt at a model-like gait, my hips cautiously swinging from side to side. I also made sure to keep a bright, fake smile on my expression, even offering the crowd a playful wink when I made it to the end of the stage.
I was pretty damn certain that no one was going to bid on me tonight, so I figured I might as well have some fun with it. When I compared myself to the other guys for sale at the date auction, it didn’t even make sense that someone would waste their cash on hanging out with me, when they could’ve spent their money and time with someone a whole lot hotter and a whole lot more relevant, too.
As the auditorium went quiet, Gretel holding up her hand before she opened up for the bidding to start, I suddenly felt my stomach flip as my heart dropped all the way down into my stomach.
Shit.
What if no one actually bid on me? What if the room just stayed quiet even after Gretel motioned for people to start placing bids for the night?
What if I ended up being a complete and total loser?
The smile on my face then began to slowly fade as the realization hit me like a punch in the throat.
No one was going to bid on me.
No one in their right mind was ever going to—
“One million.” Hunter’s voice interrupted my train of thought.
Wait.
Hunter?
I looked down from the stage and spotted him in the crowd.
Shit.
Hunter was here? When did he even get here? If I would’ve seen him in the crowd, I never would’ve walked the runway. I never would’ve—
Wait.
What the hell? Did Hunter just bid a million dollars on me?
“A million dollars, going once, going twice…” Gretel spoke, her mouth close to the mic. “Are there any other takers?”
Please don’t let there be any other takers. Please don’t let there be any other takers. Please don’t let there be any other—
“Sold! For a million dollars to Hunter Perry!” Gretel shouted. “Well, not sold, because it’s not that kind of party, but I do hope that you two enjoy your date! Moving on to the next date up for auction!”
Even though Gretel had just announced that I’d been successfully sold for the evening, I felt like I was paralyzed in my spot on the stage, unable to move even if I’d wanted to. A few moments later, Hunter was standing in front of me, his eyes focused on my own, as a huge grin swept across his face.
“Hey,” he greeted me, the grin still on his expression. “Are you okay?”
“Am I having a fever dream?” I murmured. “Did I… am I dead or something? Or am I just asleep? Or did you seriously just bid a million dollars on me in front of… everyone?”
“I just bid a million dollars on you in front of everyone.”
“But this is a date auction, Hunter.”
“I know.”
“But if you bid a million dollars on a guy during a date auction, that means you want to go on a date with a guy.”
“I know.” Hunter beamed again. “And I’m a little surprised that you’re so surprised. I told you that I was going to bid on you, Patrick McEntire, a million dollars if I had to.”
“But—”
“Can I kiss you?” Hunter whispered. “I’ve really missed you, a lot, Patrick. And I’ve been thinking about kissing you for weeks.”
“Yes,” I whispered right back.
Hunter smiled before bringing his mouth down toward mine, kissing me as we both stood in the center of the stage. Our kiss was met with an eruption of applause from the crowd, and a few seconds later, Hunter scooped me up into his arms, soon escorting me off the stage as the crowd continued to cheer.
As we made our way toward the youth center hall, heading further away from the crowded auditorium, I noticed Tristan Elliot, another one of the dates to be auctioned off, out of the corner of my eye, his expression muted but with something burning in his glare. I couldn’t figure out what that look from him meant, whether it was supposed to express how much he hated the idea of two men together or if he was focused on something else, maybe how much cash I’d managed to command for the evening.
Either way, Tristan’s expression let me know that this was really happening, that Hunter had just come out of the closet