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“You are a wealthy man.”
Mike nodded toward Jeff. “True.”
The group laughed.
Annalise ran up to Mike, her tutu bouncing as she went. “Daddy! Daddy! They’re about to finish. I think Uncle Dubs’s cookies are the bestest.”
“You haven’t tried them yet though, honey.”
“I know. But he made them the other day with Miss Noelle and they were so yummy. I just know they’ll be the same today. Can I be the one to buy them?”
Noelle couldn’t help but feel relief at the child’s question. She had thought of bidding on Wes’s cookies but didn’t want it to come across as if there was something going on between them or that she was interested in him. Not that she wasn’t—she was very interested. But that wasn’t something she was ready to share with the town or let the gossip mill start turning. She hardly understood her feelings herself. And they were going to be kept private, for sure.
Maybe she’d bid on the second or third Bake-Off. Besides, it wasn’t as if whoever bought the desserts got a date with the bachelor or anything. However, with how the single women of Marietta were tossing out bids as the auction started, maybe they were under the impression it did come with a date.
“I think we can bid on Uncle Wes’s cookies.”
“Yay!!” Annalise raised her hands in the air and ran over to tell her grandfather the good news. He smiled and hugged her then followed her as she ran back to her dad and the group.
Noelle watched Wes. She could see he was relieved the baking part was over but the auction part began and he tensed again. Maybe he was worried there were strings attached to whoever bought the cookies. It wasn’t nice, but she laughed a little at his angst. It was good for Mr. Nothing Can Rattle Me to be rattled a bit.
The bidding started for his cookies and his shoulders went so stiff Noelle thought for sure he’d need massage therapy for weeks to get the knots out. Lacey Hathaway bid on the first batch and won them. Two women had a decent bidding war going for the second batch, but when Annalise stepped in with a crazy amount of money for the cookies, the others backed off.
“Those women are going to Grey’s after this to cry in their drinks,” Franchesca whispered to Noelle. “They just got outbid by a kid.”
Noelle laughed. The women did look pretty disappointed. But again, did they think he’d go out with them or fall madly in love because they bought his cookies? The jealous tingle that rose up Noelle’s spine was unfamiliar, but she was grateful to Mike and Annalise for stepping in.
As things wound down, Wes came over to where the group stood. Annalise ran into his open arms as he approached.
“You did it, Uncle Dubs! You came second! I knew you could.”
“Thanks, Squirt. You were my inspiration.”
“I was?” Her little arm hooked around his neck as she sat on his forearm. He held her as if she weighed almost nothing. Her tutu so small and dainty against the muscles that held her.
“Yep. And thanks for buying a batch of my cookies. I think we should invite everyone over to the house to eat them; what do you think?”
Her face lit up at the suggestion. “Daddy, can we? I don’t mind sharing my cookies I bought with everyone.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Mike agreed.
Wes put Annalise down. She ran to her father and grasped the hand he held out for her. The group dispersed, Franchesca asking for a rain check for next time since she was meeting her mother and couldn’t make it. Jeff and Holly left together, saying they’d meet everyone at the house, while Mike left with his dad and Annalise.
Wes stood before Noelle. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“You’re kidding, right?”
“You did great. I just guided you.”
“Believe that if you will, but the truth is, I was dying up there and would have never made it through without your help.”
“You’re welcome. It was fun.”
“Fun watching me suffer?”
She had to laugh at that. “Maybe a little bit. But no. Fun to bake with you.”
