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Bastard.
I raise my paddle, then I feel Bella’s hand squeeze my thigh. She leans in and says into my ear, “Let him have it. It obviously means a lot to him. Besides, we could put Dante through college for that much money.”
My lips press into a thin line. Not because I’m annoyed with my wife but because I know she’s right.
One more, I tell myself and raise the paddle.
“Two hundred fifty thousand. Do I hear two-sixty?” the auctioneer asks.
“Three hundred fifty thousand,” Dom calls in his booming voice with his paddle raised high.
“Damn it.” I toss my paddle on the table while the auctioneer counts down then announces Dom as the winner. “Congrats,” I say, though I feel like punching him.
“Oh my god!” Val practically leaps out of her seat and drags Dom into a kiss.
See? That’s how I wanted my wife to act after I won her the prize. Now I’m just some chump who lost to his brothers twice today.
I slump back in my chair with my arms crossed like the sore loser I am. I’m not afraid to admit it.
“I’m sorry, girls.” Val seems to feel guilty for winning and her display of excitement.
Now I feel like an asshole for my reaction.
“It’s fine,” I say at the same time Bella and Annie let her know there’s no hard feelings. And I can tell they mean it. Obviously they’re more gracious than I am.
Bella whispers in my ear, “Carm, quit sulking.”
“I’m not sulking.”
She raises an eyebrow. “You look exactly like Dante does when I tell him TV time is over.”
He’s my little mini-me, so she’s probably right. I straighten up in my chair, trying to put on a happy face. It’s hard. Both losses today still sting.
Bella pushes her chair back and stands. “Come with me.” She holds her hand out to me.
What is this? Am I about to get scolded? Or maybe she wants to go hookup in the coat check to make me feel better. I’d be down for that.
I stand and take her hand.
“We’ll be right back,” she says.
I catch a look between her and the ladies, but I have no idea what it’s about. It’s probably a “my husband is a man-child who can’t take losing and I’m going to go set him straight” look.
I follow Bella out of the ballroom and into the spacious hallway, enjoying the way her hips move side to side in her emerald dress just a little too much. I feel a chub starting in my tuxedo pants and sure as hell hope I’m right about the coat check thing.
Once we’re away from anyone, she stops and turns to face me. “You need to learn how to be a gracious loser.”
Huh. So this is a scolding and not a quick dip into the coat check. Damn it.
“It wasn’t just about losing. It was about failing to get you something I know you wanted. I wanted to see you as excited as Val.”
She gives me a soft smile and places both palms on my chest. “It was a little bit about losing to your brother.”
Jesus. She knows me too well. “A little. But I swear it was mostly that you didn’t get what you wanted.”
“I did actually.” She smiles at me, and it’s one of those smiles that makes that twinkle shine in her eyes.
I wrap my arms around her waist and tilt my head. “What do you mean?”
