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A broad smile never left Carrie A
As Carrie A
Nerves fluttered in her tummy. As she reached for the microphone, the drummer of the jazz band gave a soft roll on his cymbal. A hush fell over the crowd.
“Good evening everyone.” Carrie A
The simple introduction earned a roar of fashionable applause.
“We’ve got an amazing evening in store for you. In addition to our smokin’ hot bachelors and sizzling, sexy bachelorettes, we have a room full of silent auction items ranging from surf lessons, to extravagant di
Carrie A
“We each have different reasons for being here tonight.” Carrie A
“For some of you, it’s the best way to guarantee a date.” Shayla could barely contain her giggles adding her five seconds of comedic relief.
“But most of you are here because you know someone with heart disease. And unfortunately, like myself, some of you have lost someone you hold dear in your life to heart disease. A father. A mother. Perhaps a grandparent or sadly enough even a child.” She sniffed back the burning sensation threatening to spill. “So that being said, in the name of those we love, let’s make tonight’s event one to remember.”
Shayla’s husband, John, approached the stage, asking for the microphone with his long reach. Carrie A
“What Carrie A
Deafening cheers and applause erupted beneath the canopy, bringing a wry grin to John’s mug as he handed her back the mic.
“I couldn’t have said it better myself. Now, who’s ready to get this party started?”
“Twenty thousand.” A deep raspy voice called out from the back of the room.
A swarm of butterflies set free in her belly. She felt herself blanch, color draining from her face. Fuck! Fuckity-fuck! Her pulse hammered too fast, too hard, watching a pair of well-defined shoulders attached to a headful of sandy blond hair make their way through the crowd.
A cold ache chased through her body causing her to tremble. Carrie A
Shayla carefully interceded, “See what I mean? I know you’re all excited, but you’ve got to wait for us to a
A pair of whisky-colored eyes, demanded her attention as Summer moved toward the stage. His piercing stare shot straight through her, robbing Carrie A
She cleared the nerves from her throat. “You’re a little premature. Aren’t you, Ryan?”
Carrie A
“Never,” he taunted. The curve on his lips had nothing to do with a smile. “I’m bidding on you, Carrie A
Stu
“Twenty-five thousand.” Another familiar voice joined in the bidding.
Her head twisted, seeing Jason’s tall silhouette closing in behind Summer.
“Thirty-thousand dollars.” Summer’s tone held firm, tossing out the figure like he was throwing change in a wishing well.
Her eyes tracked his every movement. He didn’t budge an inch when Jason joined him center stage. Separated by a mere inches.
Jason countered without hesitation. “Thirty-five.”
“Fifty,” Summer interjected, before the bid barely left Jason’s lips.
Shayla whispered in her ear, “What should I do?”
Tension gathered force as hundreds of jaw-dropping faces waiting on bated breath. The absurdity of the situation was already too far gone to rein in the madness. She couldn’t turn down a donation of that magnitude. Only twice in the history of the event had a bid gone to this proportion.
Purely by some divine intervention, she managed to pull a coherent thought from her scattered brain. She conceded with a curt nod, “For charity.”
Given the green light, Shayla took control. “Mr. Calver? Will you be taking us to fifty-five?”
Jason didn’t even have time to open his mouth, let alone give a response. Without so much as flinching, Summer threw down the gauntlet, stealing any chance Jason thought he might have at wi
“One hundred thousand dollars.” His chin lifted as he approached the stage, never breaking eye contact. The reflection of her red dress, set fire to his amber irises. Summer slid his hands into his pockets, asking in a low voice, “Would you like me to add another zero?”
Cocky. Mother. Fucker.
Masking her fury, she forced a pleasant smile. “How generous.”
Peeling his focus away from Carrie A
In one swift movement, he hopped onto the stage to claim his prize. Applause erupted to a near earsplitting decimal. Feeling his hand at the small of her back, she had no time to react. In a blur, Shayla’s eyes popped as big as quarters as Summer escorted Carrie A
The smell of tobacco put her on high alert. Her eyes darted into the corners of the veranda, praying not to find her father. Her life did not need any more special surprises. A bartender stood in the shadows smoking a cigar-like cigarette. He took one glance at their weighted demeanor and split without saying a word. She’d deal with him later for walking past two no smoking signs to light up.