Total pages in book: 23
Estimated words: 21547 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 108(@200wpm)___ 86(@250wpm)___ 72(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 21547 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 108(@200wpm)___ 86(@250wpm)___ 72(@300wpm)
Lila holds her hands up. “All right, wait, let me guess.... You finally went out with Blake in Labor and Delivery? I mean he’s asked you out every week for the past year, so what, you finally gave in?”
I shake my head. “No. Better!”
Her eyes sparkle with excitement. “Oooh, okay, better... uh—” She gasps and looks around to make sure we’re still the only ones in the breakroom. “You finally lost your virginity!”
I laugh because I don’t know what it is about Lila, but it kills her that I’m a twenty-one-year-old virgin. “No, that’s not it... even better.”
Now she looks discouraged. “Really? Better than a date with the hottie doctor and losing your virginity... I have no clue what it could be. I give up. What is it?”
I reach into my purse and unfold the registration paper. My heart is hammering in my chest with excitement right now, and I don’t even know how I’m going to make it to next week. Lila unfolds the paper, and her eyes scan it. Her mouth falls open. “What is this?”
“I signed up! I’m doing it.”
Her voice is a very loud whisper. “You signed up to have your virginity auctioned off at the Breeding Bidders Auction House?”
She’s staring at the paper and shakes it at me. “Nicole, it says you get married on the spot. Oh my God, what have you done? Is it too late to back out? Damn, you’ll have to get out of it or something. You’ll have to go into hiding. You can’t do this! What were you thinking?”
I take the paper back and fold it up before putting it in my purse. I knew she’d be surprised, but I wasn’t prepared for that reaction. I walk across the room to put my purse and belongings into my locker. “I’m not backing out. I want to do this.”
Lila’s chair scrapes across the floor when she gets up and follows behind me. “Honey, damn, I thought you were getting better. Look, let’s make an appointment... let’s talk to someone.”
I slam the locker door closed. “Lila, look, I love him, and I have to find a way to move on—with or without him.”
She leans against the lockers. “I’ve heard of these things before. They’re high-dollar auctions, and I’ve heard that they let anyone in.”
I shrug. “What’s wrong with that?”
She grabs my hand. “No, I mean anyone. I’ve heard there are shifters... even aliens that can come and do the bidding.”
I laugh and roll my eyes. “You’re crazy, Lila, and none of that matters. I’m only worried about one man being there.”
It takes a minute, but when it finally clicks, her eyes get big. “Who? Ethan Cannon? You think Ethan Cannon is going to be there?”
I shrug but refuse to give up on my plan. I know it’s a good one. Maybe a little out of the ordinary, but this is the first thing that’s given me hope in quite a long time.
Lila puts her hand on my shoulder and squeezes. Her face is filled with pity, and I’m sick of getting that look from people. “Honey, he’s refused to see you for a year now. Hell, he moved onto a mountain where no one can even get to him. He doesn’t answer your calls, texts, or anything else. He’s a recluse. He’s not going to be there.”
I pull from Lila’s grasp and start to pace back and forth across the small room. I can’t be mad at her because I know she’s just worried about me. “He may be there. Bobby is going to get him there.”
Lila steps into my path. “His brother is in on this? Honey, what if he doesn’t, though? Some random guy is going to bid on you and what—you’ll get married to him instead?”
“He’s going to be there!” I tell her, refusing to even think that there is another option.
She shakes her head. “Nicole, I’ve tried to be a good friend. I’ve tried to give you time to grieve your relationship. Hell, I know how much you love him, but this is crazy. I can’t just stand by and let you do this.”
I grab on to Lila’s hands and hold them between us. “You’ve been such a good friend to me. I know I was lucky to get this job at the hospital, but meeting and being your friend has been the best part of it. You didn’t know Ethan and me when we were together. I love him, and I can’t let go. I can’t. This is it. This is the only thing I can do that will force his hand. I know it’s crazy. Hell, I know it’s not practical and there’s a thousand things that could go wrong, but even knowing that, I still want to do it. That has to tell you something, Lila. I’m not crazy, I haven’t lost my mind. I just need Ethan back, and I’m willing to do whatever I have to do to make it happen.”