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They exited the ballroom arm in arm while Bebe walked a slight distance ahead of them. “Smart move. It’s never wise to argue with my aunt.”
Scott smiled at her whispered statement. “I got that impression. She reminds me of a few of the women in my family.”
The trip from the grand ballroom to the downstairs lobby took much longer than it should have, as other women stopped Bebe to chat with her. Each time someone stopped them, he noticed none ever greeted Paige by name. Many smiled and said hello, but it was as if no one knew her. He didn’t understand how it was possible. Her grandfather was one of the biggest oil tycoons in the country, while her aunt was a popular socialite. How could someone with relatives such as those go completely unknown? While he managed to avoid the media and the attention of others much more than his cousins, even he couldn’t go many places and not be known by name.
Seated inside for so long, he’d forgotten all about the record high temperature today. As he waited for Mrs. Fleming’s limo to be brought around, the heat had him wishing he’d left his tuxedo jacket inside.
“Thank you again for escorting us out tonight, Scott,” Mrs. Fleming said when her limo stopped at the curb. “Please give my regards to your mother. I didn’t get an opportunity to speak with her this evening.”
“I will.” He watched the woman enter the vehicle. Once she’d moved out of hearing, he looked at Paige, who still had her arm linked with his. “Tomorrow, I’ll make our reservations for the Fourth and I’ll call you.”
“Sounds good. Have a safe trip back to New York.”
Although no cameras were around like in the ballroom, at least none he could see, he placed a kiss on her cheek before she released his arm.
“Good night, Scott.”
Before he said anything in return, she ducked into the limo.
Paige waited until the driver closed the passenger door before she looked out the window. On the sidewalk Scott checked his watch before turning and walking back inside the hotel. When he disappeared from view, she turned toward Aunt Bebe. Alone, she could tell her what she really thought about her stunt tonight.
“Oh, my God! How could you do that?” She hadn’t intended to shout, but all the embarrassment and frustration churning inside her made it impossible to keep her tone normal. “I told you before the auction started that I didn’t want to participate.”
Aunt Bebe waved a dismissive hand in her direction, the gesture annoying her more. “Where’s the fun in that? These types of events are all about enjoying yourself. Watching everyone else bid and then leave with a gorgeous man wouldn’t be any fun.”
“You planned on bidding all along, didn’t you? Even when you asked me to come, it was your plan to bid on my behalf.” Her aunt had a shrewd and calculating mind. Sometimes Paige thought Aunt Bebe should’ve gone into politics.
Aunt Bebe shrugged. “I knew you’d never do it. So I figured if the right man came up, I’d give it a try. See what happened. If I won, great, if not, oh well. Scott Belmont seemed like the right man for you.”
“Aunt Bebe, you bought me a man. You do realize that’s what you did, right, even if it was for a good cause? Going up on stage tonight and kissing a stranger was the most embarrassing thing I’ve ever done.” Before tonight she’d thought walking out of the girls’ bathroom in third grade with her skirt tucked into her tights had been her number-one most embarrassing moment. Tonight’s event had stolen that spot.
“Don’t be ridiculous, Paige. I didn’t buy you a man. I simply arranged for you to spend some time with a successful gentleman. You need to go out more. Have fun. When you’re old like me, you can sit at home with your dog. Trust me, you’ll have a wonderful time with Scott.” Aunt Bebe squeezed her hand. “Wait. You’ll see. You might even thank me later.”
She wanted to bang her head on the window. Instead she groaned. Aunt Bebe didn’t get it. “They could turn out to be the four worst dates of my life. Scott Belmont could be the biggest jerk alive.” She’d dated her share of jerks in the past. She didn’t need or want to add any more to her list.
“Pish. Every Sherbrooke male I’ve ever met has been a perfect gentleman. Why do you think I picked him for you and not someone else? At first I considered his cousin, but knew the media attention around Derek would be unbearable.”
Lucky me.
“While nothing may develop between you and Scott, you’ll have some enjoyable dates with a nice man. I don’t understand what’s so terrible about that.”
Where should she start? Listing all her reasons seemed pointless. It wouldn’t change the situation or her aunt’s opinion. “Never mind, Aunt Bebe. You just don’t understand.”
Aunt Bebe smiled. “It’ll all work out. You’ll see. So where did you two disappear to when you left the stage?”
“The garden terrace. Have you ever seen the view from there? It gives you an entirely different perspective on WaterFire and downtown.”
“No never. But I hope you didn’t only admire the city view while outside.”
Her aunt’s comment could be interpreted in a few different ways. For her own peace of mind, she decided her aunt referred to also talking while looking at the view. “We had a nice conversation.”
“Excellent. When will you be seeing him?”
“Fourth of July.”
“Perfect, it’s not far from now. You’ll have to let me know how it goes.”
Did her aunt expect a report after each of their dates? Some questions were better left unasked. “Sure. So what time does your flight leave tomorrow?”
