What If You & Me (Say Everything #2) - Roni Loren Page 0,100
Andi. They’d given everyone little cardboard auction paddles with numbers on them. He waited for her to lift hers but before she could, a voice from the right side of the crowd shouted. “I bid fifty!”
“Fifty dollars to the lovely lady holding number twenty-two,” Ramsey said.
Hill found the bidder, a pretty woman with light-brown skin and long, dark hair—Amir’s sister. Hill remembered meeting her once at one of the events for firefighters’ families, but it’d been a while. Amir was another of his friends being auctioned tonight.
“Seventy-five,” someone shouted from somewhere near the back wall. A blond with a group of laughing girlfriends.
The quick bids surprised Hill. He glanced toward Andi. Her face was half-turned, an annoyed look on her face. She raised her number fourteen sign. “One hundred!”
“We have one hundred from the front row,” Ramsey said, sending a knowing smile Hill’s way.
“One fifteen,” Amir’s sister announced.
“One twenty-five.” This from a new voice near Andi.
Oh shit.
Andi was looking truly perturbed now, and Hill was trying to keep the worry off his face. He’d only given Andi a hundred and fifty bucks. He hadn’t expected the bidding to go this high.
“One fifty,” the blond in the back said.
Hill’s stomach flipped over. She’d topped out what Andi had.
“I love this,” Ramsey said. “A battle with a good cause as the winner. Let’s throw some more money at him, ladies!”
Andi looked at Hill with wide eyes. A different version of his nightmare was coming true. He never should’ve agreed to this or made this plan to outwit the system, but how could he have guessed that anyone would spend that much money just to sing karaoke with some washed-up firefighter?
“Two hundred!” Andi announced, waving her sign.
Hill let out a breath. Thank God.
“Two twenty-five,” the blond countered.
Andi turned her head, a you’ve-got-to-be-kidding-me look on her face. Hill knew she didn’t have a pile of available cash to throw at this. Panic that he’d be stuck with some stranger tonight grew. But as he watched Andi, her friend Eliza grabbed Andi’s wrist to lift the sign in the air. “Five hundred!”
“Whoa,” Ramsey said, sending Hill a delighted look. “Five hundred to the ladies up front.”
To Hill’s great relief, that over-the-top donation quieted the competition. Andi grinned and put her arm around Eliza and kissed her cheek.
“Going once, going twice,” Ramsey said, thankfully not drawing it out. “Number fourteen, you have won yourself an evening of karaoke and drinks with Mr. Hill Dawson. Thank you for your generous donation!”
Andi let out a whoop, and the rest of the crowd clapped. She hurried to the steps at the edge of the stage and Hill headed down to meet her. He wrapped his arms around her, picked her up off her feet, and kissed her, forgetting people were still watching.
There were a few sounds of encouragement from the crowd.
Ramsey cleared his throat. “And just to clarify. These two know each other, so please don’t kiss your firefighter when you win him. Boundaries, y’all.”
There was a ripple of laughter, and then Ramsey moved on to the next introduction, taking the spotlight off of them. Andi grabbed Hill’s hand and led him away from the front and toward a spot where her friends had gathered. “Look, everyone,” she announced. “We’ve bought ourselves a firefighter!”
The guy who had his arm around Hollyn—a lanky dude with dark hair and glasses—smiled. “Wow, I’ve always wanted one of those. Does he come with his own fire truck and Dalmatian?”
Hill laughed.
The guy stepped forward and put out his hand. “Jasper Deares. Hollyn’s fiancé.”
Hill shook his hand. “Nice to meet you. Hill Dawson, Andi’s purchase.”
Andi snorted. “I hate to break it to you, but you’re a shared purchase tonight. Eliza here contributed to the fund.”
Hill turned to Eliza. “You’re my hero. Thank you. I can pay you back.”
Eliza laughed. “You don’t have to do that. It was my pleasure. No way someone else was getting my girl’s date.” She shrugged. “Plus, it’s a good cause. I’ve spent money on worse things.”
Andi leaned her head on Eliza’s shoulder. “My friends are the best. They buy me men.”
“Men?” Hill teased. “Who are these other men?”
Andi sidled up next to him and hooked her arm in his. “Kidding. I’ll just take the one.” She glanced at the stage where bidding was firing up again. “So, do y’all want to go next door to the party area or do you want to see more of this part?”
“I’m ready for a drink,” Hollyn said, and Jasper nodded.