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Scott saw Tasha start toward the stage stairs, and he grimaced. Up on stage, his cousin looked either ready to explode or be ill. It was difficult to tell.
“Going twice.”
Sympathy for his cousin filled him. It looked like Derek was about to be saddled with perhaps the last woman on earth he’d ever want to spend time with. And as much as felt bad for the guy, he was damn glad it wasn’t him Tasha had in her sights. He shot a quick look at Paige. He knew very little about her, but he anticipated their time together to be enjoyable and uncomplicated.
“One hundred and fifty-eight thousand dollars.” The announcement silenced the whispers at his table and silence filled the ballroom.
He recognized the voice. Scott glanced around the room until his eyes settled on his cousin’s close friend Brooklyn Novak.
“Didn’t have a plan, huh,” Scott muttered. Derek had arranged for Brooklyn to bid on him all along. No wonder he’d looked so relaxed backstage.
“Wow,” Paige said, probably echoing the sentiments of everyone in the audience. “I think the other woman really thought she’d won.”
When Brooklyn made her announcement, Tasha stumbled. Now, as Brooklyn joined Derek on the stage, she stood up again.
“I feel bad for her. She really seemed to have her heart set on your cousin,” Paige said, speaking to him directly for the first time in a while.
His first instinct was to say, “don’t feel bad, she deserves to lose,” but he stopped himself. For the most part, people outside the family didn’t know how Tasha flung herself at every single man named Sherbrooke in the hopes of catching one.
“She’ll be okay. Besides, Tasha knew there was a chance she wouldn’t win.” And my cousin made sure of it, he thought while he watched the photographer snap a few pictures of the couple on stage. He couldn’t wait to bust Derek’s chops on this one.
“That brings our auction this evening to a close. Thank you all for attending and showing your support for the foundation. Without the generosity of individuals like you the foundation wouldn’t be able to provide the assistance it does every day,” Rose said, causing applause to fill the room. Once it tapered off she continued, “I hope you all enjoyed yourselves as much as I did and will consider joining us again next year.”
Not in this lifetime. No matter what his mom said or did, no way was he ever getting on a stage again for something like this.
“Well, this was fun,” Bebe said, and several of the other women seated there nodded in agreement.
Not Paige though. Scott caught the glare she sent her aunt’s way. A look that told him she had no intention of attending this event ever again either.
“But I’m ready to leave. Very busy day tomorrow, and I still need to pack. Are you ready, Paige?” Bebe asked as people all around them started talking.
He suspected Paige’s answer to Bebe’s question was most definitely.
“Whenever you are, Aunt Bebe.” Paige looked over at him and gave him a slight smile. Unlike the one she wore when the photographer snapped pictures, this one looked genuine. “It was nice to meet you, Scott. I guess I’ll see you soon.”
Her voice told him everything. If given the chance, she’d opt out of the dates with him. Oddly it stung his pride. Perhaps it was because women usually both sought out and enjoyed his company. He couldn’t recall a woman not wanting to spend time with him.
“Definitely. But please let me walk both of you out.”
“Thank—”
Before Paige finished her sentence, Bebe interrupted her. “That would be lovely, wouldn’t it, Paige? Thank you.”
“Yes, it would. Thanks.”
Paige’s tone gave nothing away this time. So while the women said their good-byes, he slipped his tuxedo jacket back on and waited.
“Sorry to keep you waiting. You know how it is when women get together,” Bebe said when she finally stood.
“Not a problem, Mrs. Fleming,” he said, offering the woman his arm.
Rather than accept it, she gave his forearm a slight tap
with her clutch. “None of that. You don’t belong arm in arm with an old lady like me. Go with Paige.”
Pink filled Paige’s face, although at least this time it wasn’t as bright as up on stage, and she looked up at the ceiling. He imagined she was counting to ten.
Except for his two younger sisters and occasionally his female cousins, he avoided arguing with women—especially those old enough to be his grandmother. “Gladly,” he responded, offering his arm to Paige instead.
