I don’t know what comes over me, but I raise my paddle high in the air.
“Ah, the gentleman in the back,” the woman says. “Do I hear fifty?”
My opponent raises his paddle.
“Fifty-five?”
I raise my paddle.
“Sixty?”
He raises his.
“Sixty-five?”
“One hundred thousand,” I call out, raising my paddle.
There’s a stirring and a general murmur. The man I’m bidding against turns to look back at me, and I finally get a sense of him. He’s younger than everyone else here, younger than me. I think I recognize him, but I can’t be sure from the distance, and he quickly turns back.
“Two hundred thousand,” he says to the woman.
She looks taken aback. “Well, now, this is very generous.”
Sadie herself looks incredibly nervous, but she keeps smiling. I know she can’t see me, not with the spotlight in her eyes, but I don’t care.
I have to have her.
“Half a million,” I call out.
There’s an uproar as people cry out about the absurd amount of money. Sadie looks nervous. The drunk man next to me laughs and claps me on the back.
I don’t care about any of that. I only have eyes for Sadie, and I want this more than anything. The money doesn’t matter to me.
“Well, this is unprecedented,” the woman says. “Do I hear five hundred and ten?” There’s silence, and my opponent doesn’t move. “Going once, going twice, sold to the gentleman in the back. You are incredibly generous and the children of Mercy General thank you.”
I give a little nod to the crowd as they cheer and clap. I hate being the center of attention like this, but I can’t help but think it was worth it.
Sadie stands on the stage for a moment, frowning out at the crowd, trying to spot me. But she’s quickly ushered off, and dinner begins.
“Mr. Waller.” The woman from the stage approaches me. I stand and shake her hand. “My name is Belinda Stitcher.”
“You know me,” I say to her.
“Of course. I was the one that invited you.” She beams and I don’t like her smug look, but it doesn’t matter. She leans toward me, directing me away from the table and the crowd. “Listen, that was a lot of money you pledged.”
“I wanted to win,” I say.
“Good, very good. And we appreciate it. But, ah, it’s not a binding thing. See what I’m saying?”
I shake my head. “I follow through on my promises. Where do I write the check?”
She blushes. “Of course, of course. No need for that now. Stay, enjoy yourself.”
“I’m going to head home,” I say. “Contact my office about the girl and the check.”
She frowns. “Surely you want to stay for a free meal at least? You’re so generous.”
“Contact my office,” I say again, glancing back at the room. “And tell the girl that Gavin Waller won her. I’m very much looking forward to meeting her.”
Without another word, I hurry away. Partly because I want to get away from that crowd, and partly because I don’t want to meet Sadie, not yet at least. I want to meet her on my terms, on a date of my choosing. Besides, I feel like I’ve made a fool of myself, bidding so much on her. That’s going to give the rich a lot to gossip about.
I don’t care though. All I can think about as I head home is Sadie Tillman, gorgeous and embarrassed, looking like something I’ve never seen before.
2
Sadie
“Are you ready, honey?”
My mother fusses over my hair and my outfit. I frown at the ground, trying not to think too much about what I’m going to do.
Just stand there and smile, I think to myself. I can do that, it’s not so hard.
“She’s on in a minute,” a man holding a clipboard says to my mother.
“You look great,” mother says to me, fussing again with renewed energy. “Remember, it doesn’t matter how much they pay for you. I just want you to get out there. Besides, Milo plans on winning.”
I have to force myself not to groan. Milo Fitzwilliam is a favorite of my mother and father. He’s the son and heir to the Fitzwilliam fortune, one of the most powerful families in the whole city. My family is up there, and they’ve been trying to arrange something with the Fitzwilliam family for a long time.
I’m supposed to be that something. I’m a bargaining chip to my parents. My mother is fussing and being kind right now, but only because she’s worried that I’m going to embarrass her out on that stage.
It doesn’t matter. I’m used to that sort of thing. My parents are constantly acting like I’m a failure and an embarrassment all because I don’t love horseback riding and I haven’t locked down a rich man yet. They’re excited that Milo is interested, but they’re afraid he’s our last chance.