Page 103 of Auctioned To Be Mine

The entire room let out a collective aww at the sight. Oh yeah, exploding ovaries. There will be some baby-making happening tonight.

When the final piece sold, I stood at the edge of the stage and watched the numbers on the screens tally up. The total was staggering. Far more than I’d dared to hope for.

Tiana appeared beside me. Her eyes were bright. “Victoria, this is extraordinary.”

“It’s because of your family,” I said. “They brought everyone here.”

“It’s because of you and Callum.” She squeezed my arm and moved away before I could respond.

“There’s one more special item up for auction tonight,” Callum announced, his voice filling the space. “But I need Victoria Cavendish to come up here and help me. Give her a round of applause, folks. Let’s get her up here.”

The spotlight swung toward me, blinding me momentarily. The audience erupted in applause. I felt my face flush with heat. What was he doing? This wasn’t in the script. I hadn’t agreed to be part of the show.

“Victoria?” he said again, gesturing toward me.

I had no choice. Hundreds of eyes were on me. I smoothed my dress and made my way through the crowd. I didn’t do public things. And after seeing all the models, I felt seriously underdressed and underwhelming. What was he planning? My mind raced through possibilities, none of them good.

When I reached the edge of the runway, Callum extended his hand to help me up. I took it reluctantly, praying he wasn’t about to humiliate me.

37

CALLUM

Iwatched her walk up, the spotlight following her every move. I could feel my heart in my throat. How the hell was I supposed to tell her how I felt if I couldn’t speak? She looked absolutely breathtaking, even in her simple dress. When I’d spotted her earlier, it had taken every ounce of self-control not to pull her aside immediately. Now, here she was, walking toward me, and I was about to lay everything on the line.

I wasn’t the showy type. I was the guy that just got shit done. My mom was the actress. She loved the stage and cameras. I did not inherit that from her.

But I knew how to do it. I would do whatever I had to, even if it made me nauseated. Even if I risked public humiliation that would follow me for the rest of my days.

The crowd fell silent as I pulled Victoria up onto the runway like she didn’t weigh a thing. I could see her confusion, the wariness in her eyes. She didn’t know what I was planning, obviously. I hoped she would think it’s a good surprise.

I cleared my throat and spoke into the mic. “The final item up for auction tonight is me.” The crowd erupted in whispers. “Not the suit I’m wearing, just me. But only one person is allowed to bid on me, if she wants me.” I turned to face Victoria directly. “Victoria Cavendish.”

The room exploded with gasps and cheers. I glanced over and saw my family all watching. Elizabeth was grinning and bouncing her son in her arms. None of them had known what I was going to do. I wasn’t even entirely sure I was going to do it until I actually started.

Victoria’s face flushed that adorable shade of red I loved so much. She stared at me like I’d lost my mind. Maybe I had.

I took her hand in mine, ignoring the cameras flashing around us. “I know I’m not perfect,” I said, my voice much calmer than I expected. “And sometimes I lead with my heart instead of my head.” I squeezed her hand gently. “I can’t promise I won’t act like a fool sometimes, but I can promise that I’ve never felt this way about anyone before.”

The words poured out of me, the truth I’d been hiding from even myself until recently. “I love you, Victoria, and if you’ll give me another chance, go ahead and bid on me. I’m all yours.”

The room fell silent. Victoria’s eyes glistened with unshed tears. Good tears or bad? It was impossible to tell. For a horrible moment, I thought she might turn and walk away.

Instead, she reached for the microphone. Her hand trembled slightly. “One dollar,” she said quietly.

The crowd laughed, and I smiled in surprise. “Only a dollar?” I asked her, away from the mic so no one could hear me but her. I felt like my chest might explode with relief and joy.

“Yep,” she said with a grin, then pulled the mic close to her face to address the crowd. “I’ve never had someone fight for me before. Not like this. Not in front of everyone.” She stepped closer. “I love you too, Callum. You’re worth way more than a dollar, but that’s all I have to offer you. Me, just as I am.”

The audience erupted in applause. I didn’t care. I pulled her into my arms and kissed her right there on the runway with a hundred people watching. It was the kiss I’d been missing for days, the one I thought I might never have again.

When we finally broke apart, the room was still cheering. Victoria smiled up at me. I knew I was looking at my future.

“Sold,” I said into the microphone, “to the beautiful woman in my arms.”

Laughter filled the space.

“Thank you, everyone, enjoy the rest of the party and feel free to write some more checks for the foundation,” I said. “Ask a Blackwell about the foundation if you have questions.”