The bidding begins. Women go back and forth for the best looking men. Rico’s bids went as high as $300. Brian’s went as high as $500. There was an audible ‘aw’ when the bidding stopped, the war going back and forth fighting for the date with him was exciting.
John’s up next. Elsie is a nervous wreck. She can’t stand the thought of another woman going out with the man that she loves. He belongs to her, dammit, and she’ll be damned if she’s gonna let that happen.
“John Wolfe, decorated Marine, MMA fighter and all around good guy. Can we start the bidding at $100,” Marco suggests.
There’s a gleam in Marco’s eye, as he turns to look at John with a smirk curving the corner of his mouth. It appears he’s enjoying making a spectacle out of John and is going to milk it for all it’s worth.
John is fully aware of what Marco’s up to, he sees his mocking look and raises it with a daring glare.
Elsie’s waiting to see how the bidding is going to go. Janie and Elizabeth steal glances at her trying to gauge what she’s thinking and feeling. Their looks are puzzled.
“We are up to $500 ladies. It seems like Mr. Wolfe is a hot commodity, do we have $550?” Marco continues.
Elsie raises her hand.
“$1,000,” she says evenly.
Marco, Janie, Elizabeth, and even John, look at her stunned.
Elsie smiles triumphantly.
“$1,500,” calls a female voice from the back.
The crowd does a collective neck turn towards the voice, followed by a wave of whispers.
“The lady in the back bids $1,500,” Marco says disbelievingly.
A hush falls over the room.
Elsie chews on her lip, wondering what to do now.
A pregnant moment passes as everyone waits for a new bid.
Marco points to Elsie.
“The lady in the beautiful red dress in the front, $5,000 for a night with Mr. Wolfe, going once, going twice, sold to the lady in red!”
A loud ruckus ripples through the room as Elsie sits transfixed to her seat.
What the hell just happened? Elsie thinks, lost, her mouth hanging open.
Elsie’s eyes shift to John. His face is expressionless as he winks at her.
Why that naughty little boy, he had this whole thing planned, Elsie thinks, narrowing her eyes at him and smiling.
Elizabeth and Janie fall against the backs of their chairs, each sighing in relief.
“Holy shit, that was so freakin’ cool,” Janie exclaims.
“I know, right,” Elizabeth chuckles.
“Just wait ‘til I get my hands on him,” Elsie says, shaking her head slowly.
“I think that’s exactly what he’s counting on, El,” Janie laughs.
*
The auction was a huge success. Marco did a wonderful job hosting, always ensuring the crowd was thoroughly entertained. Now that the bidding is over, he’s finally free to join Elizabeth at their table.
“You two totally had that planned, didn’t you?” Elsie accuses him when he sits down.
“That’s something you’re going to have to talk to John about, but I don’t think you’ll have long to wait,” Marco answers, laughing and looking out into the crowd.
Elsie turns to see what he’s looking at. John, Brian, and Rico are all moving stealthily towards their table. There’s a momentary glimmer of amusement in John’s eyes, and Brian has a shit-eating grin on his face, while Rico finally looks relaxed amongst everyone.
Rico is the first one to reach Elsie,
“Hey Elsie, how are you? You look fantastic,” Rico says, giving Elsie a big hug.
“I’m great, thanks. How’ve you been? Sorry I haven’t called in a while. You know…,” Elsie says, a little embarrassed, shrugging her shoulders.
“No, don’t be. Like they say, no news is good news. It’s just really good to see you,” Rico says, sincerely happy to see his friend.
Brian is standing behind him, shuffling back and forth from one foot to the next, impatiently waiting his turn.
Rico finally steps aside and Brian swoops in, taking Elsie in his arms and spinning her around.
“Jesus, Elsie, it’s so fucking good to see you, Baby Girl!” Brian yells, squeezing her tightly.
Elsie laughs, hugging him back hard. Brian’s like a ray of sunshine, shining brightly.
“It’s good to see you too, Brian. And, again, thanks so much for the flowers…and all of your emails and chats, they really helped.”
No one had known about their communications. She’d made Brian promise that he wouldn’t tell anyone. But it was her little place she allowed herself to feel an inkling of affection. Brian’s easy-going personality was a balm to Elsie’s aching soul at those moments, one that she allowed herself to indulge in only every so often. And it really helped her.
“I wish I could have done it all in person, but you’re here now, and that’s all that matters…,” his smile is so big it feels like it’s going to split his face.
“I see you’re still breaking the women’s hearts,” Elsie teases him. The genuineness that Brian exudes warms Elsie to her core.
“Well, it’s a tough job but somebody’s got to do it,” he says, setting her down gently and giving her a sly wink.
“Behave yourself, Brian,” Elsie laughs.
Brian steps aside.
John is standing there, waiting.
Time has frozen, the past few months no longer exist, it’s just John and Elsie, here, now, together.
No one knows that the entire world has just shifted off its axis, and that time no longer exists.
“Hi, Angel,” John greets her quietly, his endearing name for her is like sweet music to her ears.
John is the fire that ignites her and brings her back to life.
She looks so fucking perfect, so beautiful. Her hair’s longer, and I can tell she’s nervous, but she’s more relaxed. She’s come out the other side and is more…everything, John thinks, devouring every inch of Elsie with his eyes.
He’s not hiding what he’s feeling for her, there’s no reason to. She proved that she wanted him by bidding. When he saw his collar wrapped around the porcelain column of her neck, his heart stopped. She belongs to him, she always, and always will.
He’s not going to lose
