“Come on Mauro, take off the jacket,” the MC insists, and all the ladies scream like he’s a Chippendale dancer. Are there still Chippendale dancers? I’ll have to google that when I get home.
He side-eyes the MC but lowers the zipper and sheds the jacket from his body like he just got home after a long day. There’s nothing sexual, nor a hint of seduction in his movements, but my cheeks heat anyway. My heart skips a few more beats as he reveals a CFD navy t-shirt, fit snug around his muscular shoulders and biceps. He’s still the GQ heartthrob I remember.
I pull the straw from my cup and toss it aside on the table, then down the rest of my drink.
His jacket is clutched in his hands and he looks impatient for the MC to begin the bidding. Almost like he’s pissed off about the whole thing. Maybe he’s annoyed at what his brothers wrote about him being a mama’s boy and the expectations he holds for his future wife. No doubt becoming a daughter-in-law in that family will be no picnic. Mama Bianco is the queen in that family and I’m not sure anyone could ever live up to her standards.
“Let’s get the bidding started,” the MC says.
At least ten paddles raise in the air immediately.
I let out a relieved breath as Lauren sits there, the paddle with my number still on the table beside her as we watch the bidding quickly sore to the highest number of the night.
The waitress brings over another drink for me, and I’m thankful for her perfect timing. I swallow down my hatred for whatever woman is the lucky winner of Mauro.
“Do I hear nine hundred?” the MC says, and no one raises their paddle. “Eight fifty?” A woman raises her paddle in the air. “The brunette in the corner has the bid.”
Just like Cristian, Mauro squints, trying to see who has the winning bid and I have no idea if he can actually see past the spotlight.
“Going once…” The MC looks around the room and the woman in the corner is already celebrating with her girlfriends.
I loathe her, and I don’t even know her.
“Going twice…”
The brunette is biting her lip, her eyes roaming over Mauro again like he’s a tub of Ben and Jerry’s and Aunt Flo has come to visit.
“One thousand!” someone calls out and when I look in front of me I realize that Lauren is standing holding her paddle in her hand.
“Whoa! One thousand to the lady in the back.”
“Lauren,” I scold but she pays me no attention. Does she ever?
“Do you counter?” the MC directs his question to the other woman whose smile has fallen.
Great. Now I feel bad for her. She thought she had him and Lauren stole him away.
Her friends are all whispering, and I wonder if they’ll pool all their money together. Lauren stands there, her paddle still raised in the air.
The other woman shakes her head.
“Then sold for one thousand dollars!” He points the gavel at Lauren.
Mauro turns and heads off the stage.
Lauren tosses the paddle in the middle of the table. “You can thank me on your wedding day.”
“I didn’t want Mauro,” I argue, even if my stomach is too busy flipping and fluttering at the thought of a night alone with him.
“Yes, you did. This is your chance. Either you find out he’s a complete douche and stop comparing every man you meet to him or you find out he’s everything you ever thought he was. Either way win-win.”
“Okay, I need to be filled in here,” Vanessa says. “Especially since I’m supposed to be going out with his brother.” She points to Cristian’s bio in the book and narrows her eyes at me.
“Later,” I say.
“Fine. If this is the way we’re going to play it…” Vanessa turns away from our conversation and fixes her attention on the MC.
“If you lost out on the first two Bianco’s, the third time’s the charm with the youngest or baby Bianco as he’s referred to by his brothers. If you love a bad boy who can’t keep it in his pants, then Luca Bianco is the man for you! Be prepared to dance the night away while swatting away the competition. Don’t bid unless you can handle yourself in a cat fight.” The MC chuckles. “Luca Bianco!” he says with flourish and points to the curtains.
Luca comes out like he’s walking the catwalk of a fashion show, full of cocky confidence. He’s wearing his formal EMT outfit and he unbuttons his jacket, sliding out of it, swinging it over his shoulder as he spins around. His smile is flirtatious as his dark eyes scan over the women in the crowd.
Where Cristian looked uncomfortable and Mauro looked a little irritated, it’s clear that Luca is in his element. He nods to the MC to get the bidding going.
Paddles raise in the air as soon as it starts. Some lowering as the price steadily goes up.
“Eight hundred?” The MC asks, and Vanessa raises her paddle behind Lauren’s head.
“Eight to the pretty blonde in the back.” He smiles at her like he’s got a chance with her himself.
Luca smiles too, and I wonder if it’s because he can see who’s bidding on him.
“Eight fifty!” A woman shouts out from three tables over.
“Nine hundred!” Vanessa stands.
Lauren whips around, grabbing the paddle from Vanessa’s hands.
“Don’t you dare.” She pulls on the paddle, but Vanessa pulls harder in the other direction.
“Okay, ladies, no fighting,” The MC says.
“Nine twenty-five!” the other woman yells.
Vanessa wrenches the paddle back and Lauren lurches forward. “Nine fifty!” Vanessa stands and smiles, raising the paddle high in the air like they’re playing monkey in the middle.
Lauren steps on a chair and stretches her small body forward. “You don’t know what you’re doing,” she says with wide eyes.
I just look on and chuckle.
“It’ll be fun. Maybe we can all go out together,” Vanessa says.
I shake my head at her. That’ll be her excuse to give Cristian the cold shoulder I’m sure.
“One thousand!” the other woman declares, smiling smugly at her friends like she’s got this.
“Lauren you are the one who said we couldn’t fight the other on who they chose,” I remind her.
“That’s before I thought she’d bid on him,” she says, him with disgust.
I don’t know what she has against Luca Bianco and I wonder if my best friend has been keeping secrets from me.
Unable to reach the paddle, Lauren teeters on the edge of the chair and has to crouch down before she falls.
“Just tell me, what’s the highest you’ll go?” Vanessa asks the woman.
The redheaded woman shrugs like game on. Vanessa blows at a strand of hair out of her vision. “Fifteen hundred!”
“Vanessa!” I scold because she cannot afford that. She can’t even hold down a steady job. I mean, she pays me her rent in five, ten, and twenty dollar bills every month.
“NO!” Lauren screams and stands trying to grab the paddle again.
She finally loses her balance and crashes into Vanessa who can’t stop them from falling. They topple to the ground in a tangle of limbs, but Vanessa is sure to keep the paddle in the air.
“Nice,” I say, shaking my head.