“Three thousand!”
“Thirty-five hundred,” Harper countered.
Rusty didn’t know what to do. Everyone else had put their numbers down and were watching the two women fight... over him.
“Five. Thousand. Dollars.” Brielle sat back in her chair, giving Harper a haughty look.
“Ladies and gents,” the emcee said. “We have a record bid right here. Told you we saved the best for last.”
Harper didn’t move, but Rusty could tell she was mulling things over. His heart hammered in his chest. Five thousand dollars was an insane amount. She wouldn’t possibly bid any more than that...
She grabbed a glass of champagne and gulped it down. “Ten thousand,” Harper said, this time looking at him.
The crowd gasped.
“Ten thousand dollars, going once.”
Still smirking, Brielle shook her head and set down her number.
“Twice.”
“Are you crazy?” the guy sitting next to Harper exclaimed.
Rusty’s eyes locked with Harper’s. The hope ignited again. Was this for real? She was actually spending all this money for a date with him? Shucks, he’d go out with her forfree.
“Sold for ten thousand dollars!”
The man rolled his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest as the color drained from Harper’s face. She looked at Brielle, who sat calmly sipping her champagne and scrolling through her phone.
Dread orbited his gut as the truth plowed into him. They weren’t fighting for a chance to go out with him. They were fighting each other.
“Harper, come meet your bachelor!”
The emcee’s unrelenting cheer grated on Rusty’s nerves. Slowly Harper stood, seemingly in shock as she walked to the stage, then to the stairs on the side of the stage. The emcee helped her navigate them, and then she walked to Rusty.
“You two enjoy your date,” Brooks said, his white teeth nearly blinding as he grinned.
Harper didn’t respond.
Rusty wasn’t sure what to do. He looked at Senior, who was clapping along with the audience. But all Rusty felt was humiliation. He held his arm out to Harper, and she slipped her hand through it. Cammi, the woman who had opened the curtain and led him on the stage, opened it back up and waved her hand at them to follow her.
Harper didn’t say a word as they walked off the stage,and once Cammi disappeared, they were alone. She dropped her arm from his, seemingly still in shock about what had happened.
“Rusty, I...” She clamped her mouth shut. Then she said, “I’m sorry.”
Pain slashed his heart. He hadn’t known what to expect tonight, other than for the entire event to be excruciatingly uncomfortable for him. That was an understatement. He wasn’t only hurt, though. He was angry. Not only had he been used, but he’d also been humiliated, even if no one at the gala knew.I know.That was enough.
“Congratulations, you two.”
He turned around to see Brielle standing there, that same smirk on her face.
***
Harper stepped around Rusty and stormed to Brielle. Harper hadn’t planned on bidding on Rusty—until she saw how many women were bidding on him. Jealousy had slammed into her, and she’d raised her brochure. She could afford a thousand dollars—barely—especially for a good cause and especially to have Rusty for one night to herself, even if it wouldn’t be a real date.
Then Brielle had pulled her stunt, and now Harper was in the hole for ten thousand dollars. Clearly Rusty was worth much more than that, but she didn’t have ten thousand to spare. And when they finished bidding, he’d looked furious. He should be. She was interfering with his chance to finda woman he would hit it off with. She wasn’t sure how to explain why she’d blocked him, other than tell him the truth, and she couldn’t do that. And right now she needed to deal with Brielle.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” she said to her through clenched teeth.
