True-Blue Cowboy - Vicki Lewis Thompson Page 0,8
for Raptors Rise tonight.”
Chapter Four
Country music poured from the speakers mounted in a surround-sound configuration in the arena. Finding a seat on the crowded bleachers wasn’t easy. Eva finally spotted an opening five rows up that would work.
She pointed it out to her friends and led the way, excusing herself as she edged past other spectators to get to it.
“Well done.” Fiona plopped down on the seat next to Eva. “This is crazy. Are all these people here to bid?”
“I doubt it.” Beth settled next to Fiona. “I think most folks are just curious.” She took out her phone and silenced it. “Phones, everybody.”
Eva silenced hers. “And some will have deeper pockets than mine. But I’ll stick to my limit and see what happens.”
“Well, I’ve decided not to bid on Jared at all.” Beth gave them a look clearly designed to end the discussion.
“You’d better have a really good reason,” Fiona said, “or I’ll point at you and start clucking like a chicken.”
“I have a great reason. If he wanted to ask me out, he would have done it already. It’s been a year since I opened my shop next to his and we decided to cross-promote. He’s had ample opportunity to—”
“As Fiona mentioned before,” Eva said, “so have you. We’re past the days when the guy has to make the first move.”
“But I’m the new person in town. Shouldn’t he be the one to—” She broke off as Fiona started making clucking noises. “How many guys have you asked out since you arrived in Apple Grove, Miss Fiona?”
“None, yet, but I—”
“Did you bring your checkbook?”
“It’s always in my wallet, but I’m not going to—”
“Why not?” Beth stared her down. “What better time to take the plunge than tonight, when the money supports a worthy cause?”
“I’m supporting it in other ways. I bought one of Lucy’s sketches.”
“So did Eva and I, but they weren’t expensive. The bachelor auction is the big money maker.”
“But you just said you weren’t biding on Jared, so you’re not contributing to the cause, either. If I’m doing it, you’re doing it.”
Beth sighed. “All right. I’ll risk making a fool of myself. You need to pick somebody.”
“I didn’t even look at this thing.” Fiona pulled the flyer out of her purse and consulted it. “I don’t know any of these guys, except Jared, of course. Stationery shops don’t attract male customers, as a rule.”
“I wouldn’t know them, either,” Eva said, “except they come in for haircuts. If we all went to the Moose on a regular basis, we’d—”
“I can’t justify it,” Fiona said. “Getting that business off the ground is more important than meeting sexy cowboys.”
“Clearly they don’t come into Racy Lace, either,” Beth said. “Eva, you have the inside track. Who should she bid on?”
“Well, I—”
“What about him?” Fiona tapped on a picture. “Leo Marston is gorgeous. I’ve never dated anybody that handsome.”
Eva glanced at the picture. “He’d look even better if he’d get his hair cut at Tres Beau.”
“I thought they all did, now.”
“All of them except Leo. He’s the only Buckskin Brotherhood holdout.”
“Is it because Tres Beau is more expensive? I don’t want to bid on a tightwad, especially since we’d be going on a dinner date.”
“It’s not the money. Nick says it’s almost as if Leo resents being so handsome. He constantly downplays his appearance.”
“I’m intrigued.” Fiona tucked the flyer back in her purse. “A handsome guy who’s not full of himself. I’ll bid on him, but I refuse to empty my checking account.”
“I’m not doing that for Jared, either.”
“Should we all agree on a set amount?” Eva had one in mind, but she’d let them chime in.
“Here’s a reasonable benchmark,” Beth said. “The price of a cut, color and tip at Tres Beau.”
“That works.” Eva had intended to spend twice that. Nick would probably bring a lot more, which meant if she stuck with their agreed-upon limit she wouldn’t win the bid.
“Where do you suppose they’re keeping the guys?” Beth scanned the arena. “You’d think they’d want them out here where we could eyeball them.”
“Not necessarily.” Eva looked around, too. “They could be hiding in plain sight, but I don’t think so. My guess is they’re tucked away somewhere to build the suspense. Henri’s going up to the mic. We must be getting close.”
Fiona leaned toward Eva. “I want to be Henri Fox when I grow up. I’ve always been self-conscious about being tall, but look at how she carries herself.”
“She’s regal. All the Babes walk tall and proud, for that