Total pages in book: 171
Estimated words: 167204 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 836(@200wpm)___ 669(@250wpm)___ 557(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 167204 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 836(@200wpm)___ 669(@250wpm)___ 557(@300wpm)
“Wait. Um… I’m sorry, I’m a little confused. I’m not a Zeta, why would I be in the program?”
Sloane glances at Vanessa. “She’s here to be in the auction, correct?”
“Yeah. I mean, that’s what she told me,” Vanessa says, cutting me an uncertain glance.
“The booklet layout is already set for the number of girls you told me we have. The evening has been cut up in timed sections for the number of girls you told me we have.”
Feeling bad for Vanessa’s growing discomfort—fear?—I cut back in. “I’m not saying no, I just… I just thought I was here for free manual labor. I thought Vanessa wanted me to help with setup, but if I misunderstood, it’s not a big deal. I still want to help.”
“Good,” Sloane says brightly, bringing her sharp blue-eyed gaze back to me. “I’m glad to hear it. We love a team player at Zeta.”
“Great. So, wait, why do we need pictures in the… pamphlet? I still didn’t get an answer to that one.”
“Like I said, I’m making a composite of all the girls in the date auction for the date auction page. That way attendees can look it over before the event starts—we’re having a little mocktail reception for when people first come in—and also know the name of the date they’d like to bid on so they recognize it when she’s announced. We have a lot of blondes,” she says lightly, “and not all of the bidders will be discerning, so without the page in the booklet, they may not be able to tell who’s who.”
“Date auction. I wasn’t told anything about a date auction.”
“Oh, we just call it that. It’s not that serious,” Sloane assures me, waving it off. “You wear a cute dress and parade in front of the crowd, and people bid on a ‘date’ with you, but most people don’t even hang out with the winning bidder.”
“But some people do, and they have a good time,” Vanessa says, looking almost disappointed.
Sloane rolls her eyes. “He’s not gonna bid on you, honey.”
“You never know. Anything can happen.”
“His girlfriend would have to get hit by a bus, and even then, I’m not sure you’d be next on the list.”
Vanessa pouts. “When I asked if he was coming, he didn’t say no.”
“He’s not coming,” Sloane states, patting the other girl on the arm. “And he’s not for you. You really need to give it up.”
“It would be the cutest story,” Vanessa insists. “We could tell our kids someday.”
Sloane shakes her head, grabbing my arm. “Let’s leave her in delulu-land and I’ll take you up to Addison’s room so you can get ready.”
I smile faintly, walking with Sloane up the stairs. “I take it Vanessa has an unrequited crush.”
“She has a mental condition,” Sloane says lightly, shaking her head. “He’s doing her a favor by not liking her. He’d literally ruin her life.”
Yep, I know how that goes.
“Anyway, do you have a special talent we can highlight? Addison bakes, so she’s making oatmeal raisin cookies for her winner. Another girl is offering ‘laundry services for all of next week.’ We have a weekend movie date. Another girl is making brownies. One’s offering a back rub, but she already knows her boyfriend is bidding. Date at the art museum. Ice cream date. Cooking class, we have a girl who will teach her date how to make homemade pasta.”
“I can sing,” I say almost apologetically.
“That’s perfect,” she says. “A serenade from the lovely Brynn Blakely.”
“I don’t really want to sing to a stranger, though,” she murmurs. “Sounds a bit awkward.”
“You know Ryan McDermott, right?”
That’s Killian’s friend who picked me up the day I ran into Aiden. “Yeah, we’ve met.”
She nods. “He’ll be here. I’ll tell him to bid on you if no one else does. We have backup bidders in the audience to get things started, and so no one has to worry about being embarrassed by not getting a bid, just in case the organic attendees don’t bite for whatever reason. I can tell Ryan to keep bidding on yours if some rando does so you don’t have to actually sing to anyone. I mean, unless you want to,” she teases. “Ryan is cute.”
I smile faintly, but I don’t know how to label what I have going on with Killian right now, so I don’t say anything.
“For your listing, do you want just guys to be able to bid on you, or guys and girls?”
“Since it’s not really romantic in nature, it doesn’t matter. Whoever wants to donate money is fine with me.”
“Okay,” she says with a little nod.
“Are you going to be up for auction?” I ask her.
“God, no,” she answers automatically, but I think it was an accidentally honest response. She laughs a little as if embarrassed, then looks over at me and explains, “I’m already spoken for.”