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Sebastian grabbed my wrist, and when my gaze met his, he said, “You’re my date.”
I rested back on the bench. “What are you talking about?” Then I remembered he’d bid on me. “Did you bid on me, or was I out of it and imagining things?”
Was this all a dream? I’d wake up, and this whole thing wouldn’t have been real. I’d still be living with Sebastian and hiding my feelings for him.
A slow smile spread over his face. “I was the highest bidder. Or at least Marley declared it when you went down.”
“The bidding wasn’t finished when I fainted?” I was so confused. Why had Sebastian bid on me? Why would he want to?
“Marley had just said I was the winner when you started falling backward.”
I touched my head. “Nothing hurts. Did I hit my head?”
“Heath caught you. He was standing just off to the side and saw you go down. I just wish I’d been standing closer.”
“I’ll have to thank him.” If he wasn’t there, I would have gotten a goose egg on my head, and probably a headache.
“If he hadn’t caught you, I wouldn’t be able to take you on our date. There’s food there. If you can eat a few crackers, will you feel well enough to ride the golf cart over?”
“Oh, you don’t have to take me out. I can ask Marley to award the date to someone else.”
Sebastian frowned. “Why would you do that?”
“You didn’t mean to win me, did you? You were just bidding so I wouldn’t feel like I wasn’t desirable.” Why else would a friend bid on me? The other possibility was too crazy to even mention out loud. I didn’t want him to laugh.
Sebastian shook his head. “I bid on you because I want to take you on a date. In fact, I planned something special for you.”
I wasn’t processing anything he was saying. “I planned the dates. Which one is it?”
Sebastian grinned as if he was pleased with himself. “I planned the entire thing from start to finish.”
“Marley mentioned something about add-ons to the dates, but not a bachelor planning one himself.”
“We kept it a secret from her. Heath just told her when I led you outside.”
“What is it?” I asked, instead of asking the more important question: Why did you bid on your best friend?
His dimple popped. “It’s a surprise.”
I’d already eaten a few crackers and drank the water. I was feeling better, but I was still unclear about how Sebastian had won the date with me and planned something special.
“You feel okay for the ride?” Sebastian asked.
“I think so.” My head felt better, and I wasn’t sore from the fall.
He held my hand as we stood, and he led me over to the golf cart, helping me inside. Then he rounded the hood and climbed in next to me. He started the engine, and we made our way down the lane. It was more romantic to travel the paths in the open golf cart. The cool air still felt good to me, and the lights were twinkling around us. Everyone was still in the barn, so it felt like we were alone.
“You’re really not going to tell me what you have planned?” I asked him.
His lips twitched. “Nope.”
I chewed my lower lip.
He interlaced his fingers with mine on top of my lap, and my heart flip-flopped in my chest. I could wave it off as a friendly gesture, but it wasn’t. This wasn’t friends holding hands. He’d interlaced his fingers with mine. It was intimate.
Did he feel protective of me for fainting? That couldn’t be the entire story because he’d planned this date personally. I felt like I’d missed something huge.
“Wait.” I pulled my hand from his as he came to a stop in front of some trees. “Did you plan this date for someone else?”
