With a majority of women filing into the bar, I’d guess I’m not the only one who thinks that.
Wyatt’s arms lift out to his sides in offering, and I know someone is about to walk through the doors to take them. It has jealousy searing through my veins like acid, and I quickly let go of Savanna to turn back to the bar, so I don’t see it.
Over the last few days, it’s become harder to think about tonight. Someone else going on a date with Wyatt. Even if it doesn’t mean anything, and even if it’s for charity, I’ve realized I really hate it. And it’s my own damn fault.
“I’m going to go start taking orders,” I tell Savanna, nodding towards the room where a bunch of tables have already been sat. Getting ahead of things early will make the rest of the night gomore smoothly, even though we’ve got extra hands helping out.
It’s not long before the entire place is filled to capacity, drinks are flowing, and I’m running my ass off between tables and the bar. Liam, who has hosted every auction, starts the show by introducing each of the firefighters up for bid tonight. Full of charm and charisma, he has the crowd eating out of the palm of his hand, warming them all up to hopefully spend a decent amount to help a local business.
Once that’s over, the real show begins, and one by one, each of the firefighters comes up and does something for the crowd prior to bidding for their date. A magic trick by one, modelling of a finely built body by another. Tyson even uses Quinn to show off the ease in which he can bench press, squat, and arm curl a woman.
The crowd goes wild for him.
With each “Sold!” that Liam shouts, the auction inches one step closer to Wyatt, and me one step closer to throwing up. I know he’s the last one, right after Brody, and when the big, broody surfer steps on stage, I give myself a moment of grace by heading to the bathroom.
In the stall, I lean back against the door for a moment, closing my eyes to take a deep breath and calm my racing heart. Jealousy pricks at every nerve ending in my body, and the breath I release feels shaky at best. This feels wrong on every level, just like it did when I broke things off with him, and yet, what am I supposed to do? I have no stake or claim on the man, nor did I want one. I mean, I did, but I also know Gran had to be my priority.
Has to be.
Will be.
It’s the same pep talk I’ve given myself a hundred times the last few days. Maybe it’ll work for longer than the five minutes it usually does. Maybe I won’t need it after someone wins the datewith him.
This is just me wanting something I can’t have, especially when someone else has it. That’s all.
After using the bathroom, I walk back out, only to run into a familiar face. Gran. Who is clearly on her way into the bathroom, but stops when she sees me, her face lighting up.
“Oh good, I was coming to find you,” she says, wrapping her arms around mine. Turning us away from the bathroom, she drags me back towards the bar. “Wyatt is next. You can’t miss that.”
“Gran, I’m working,” I tell her. “I have tables I need to get back to.”
My arm is yanked back when she stops and I don’t, nearly tripping me up as I twist around to her. The smile has left, her lips forming a thin line of agitation, wrinkles forming around her mouth.
“When are you going to wake up?” she demands, taking me by surprise. This isn’t her normal sass. She’s angry. “For months I’ve watched the two of you dance around each other. For days I’ve seen you grow more anxious by the second, and I know it’s because of tonight. You don’t fool me, Brynleigh.”
“We’re just friends, Gran,” I counter, looking over my shoulder towards the bar where I really do need to get back to work. Brody’s bidding is already well on its way, Liam and the audience calling out numbers.
“Rubbish.” Gran squeezes my wrist, and when I turn back to her, she’s shaking her head, the purple scarf I gave her for Christmas one year around her neck falling open. “You two were never just friends. That man is crazy about you.”
“Even if that were true, I have—”
“Priorities! Yes, I’m well aware of what you always tell me,” she says, and for how harsh her tone sounds, to anyone looking ather from a distance, they’d never suspect how upset she is. Her face holds composure, minus the pull around her mouth. “You always talk about the memories you want to make with me, but what about the memories I want to make with you? Do you not think I want to see you fall in love? To experience my little girl finding a man who treats her like your grandpa treated me? To see her get married and have babies all of her own?”
There’s a bright sheen coating her eyes, and I swallow roughly. She’s talked about it before, but I’ve never heard the desperation like I hear it now. Has it always been there?
“Even before your grandfather died, I hoped you’d allow someone to sweep you off your feet, but afterwards, I realized you wouldn’t. Too much pain and hurt, and I let that consume me too,” she says, softer now, and I have to work to hear her over the chatter on the speakers. “But it’s time to let that go. You deserve to be happy.”
I grab hold of her hand, squeezing it tight. “You make me happy.”
The smile she gives me is all at once heartbreak and joy. “I know. And I love that I do. But you deserve a lifetime of happiness, and we both know I won’t be here for all of that.”
Before a tear can fall from my eyes, I force my gaze away, finding Tyson on stage. Which I know means Wyatt’s about to be introduced, since Liam is about to take the stage with everyone else for Wyatt’s dance. This isn’t the time or place for this conversation, and I can’t have my makeup running while also running tables, so I nod my head in acquiescence, looking back to Gran without meeting her eyes.
“I’ll think about it.” Angling my head towards the stage, I add, “Get back to your seat. He’s about to go on.”
“Promise me you’ll watch,” she asks, but she startsto let me go.
“I’ll try, but I’m still working.”
