AllFreeNovel
Share Us
It’s everything I could ever have wished for, and more. So much more.
EPILOGUE
Eden
The night of the auction proceeds the amazing Thanksgiving dinner that we thoroughly enjoyed with all of our family. It really was a wonderful night and a sweet celebration for us getting back together. It couldn’t have been better timing, or more perfect. Things are only getting better and better the more time we spend together, so making it official was always the next step for us.
Now I’m here with the girls at the town hall ready to bid on my man and take him home. That shouldn’t be too hard to do, surely.
Word has certainly spread, but I’m not sure how far and wide.
It’s only when I spot Dolly Simpson and Amber Jenkins together that I feel a little pang in my belly. I’m really hoping Amber got the memo and she isn’t going to go all out, as she suggested to Brook that night at Moose’s when her assets were out on display, in more ways than one.
Brook agreed to not disappoint the town committee by pulling out at the last second, even though he isn’t technically a bachelor anymore. And since the auction is for a good cause, we figured it would be a laugh or two for me to bid on him and make things official and put to rest any rumors circulating. We don’t even consider the fact that I might get outbid.
Kill me now if Amber, or anyone else, is on the prowl.
Georgia and Celeste come along for the ride, Carrie and Autumn too, and what looks to be like most of the town. I helped set up the event as well as out all the folding chairs in front of the stage where the guys will be auctioned off by Verne from the bakery. A tea and coffee station has been laid out, along with some sweet treats, compliments from Verne herself for a gold coin donation.
Carrie and Autumn are my wing ladies on the other side of me as we eagerly get our front row seats. Amber has just sashayed down the middle aisle to the opposite side of us at the front with another Mom, Peggy-Sue. Dolly and a few of her posse follow close behind.
“They’re on the prowl for sure,” Autumn giggles next to me.
They all know about the Amber incident by now and Brook may never live down how he got sprung in the carpark when she cornered him.
“I suppose you can’t blame a girl for trying,” Carrie adds. “I mean, come on, I might be married and all, but Brook is a smokin’ cowboy. It’s just a fact there’s some very cute bachelors in Stoney Creek.”
“Which means Autumn and Georgia should have a go for a bachelor!” I chortle.
Celeste, who’s two seats up from me, agrees while Georgia gives me a nudge.
“I’m already bidding for Beau,” Autumn whisper-shouts over the crowd of women already piling in. Hart and Skye have just found a seat directly behind us. Some of the guys have come along too to have a laugh.
Georgia-Blue whips her head around at Autumn’s news. “Well, I’ll be damned, A.”
“It’s not like that.” She waves it off. “We’ve come to an agreement.”
“You said yourself he was cute.” I shrug.
Georgia’s eyes grow round like saucers. “Am I the last to be told anything around here?” She grumbles.
“You really want me to harp on to you about your brother being cute?”
“I’m a great matchmaker, I’ll have you know. And I could have picked you and Beau eons ago.”
“I’m just here as his best friend,” Autumn says. “He might be cute, but that’s where it ends. It gets messy otherwise.”
“I beg to differ,” I say. “Look at me and Brookie. We were friends from the beginning, and that never stopped. I honestly think that’s been a pivotal part in our relationship.”
“If you take the accidental non-divorce out of the equation,” Carrie reminds us.
We all have to laugh at that. “It came good in the end.” Celeste smooths her palms together. “That’s what counts.”
“Here, here!” I laugh as the lights dim and everyone comes to a hush. Hart and Skye quickly scoot in behind us when Verne appears on the stage with a bright spotlight over the podium. She has a title stand for her notes and looks almost peculiar out of her bakery attire and her apron.
“Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to this year’s Annual Charity Bachelor Auction!” Everyone claps in succession, along with a few hoots holler from the back and everyone laughs. Verne smiles at the crowd, looking back down to her notes and bends back in toward the microphone. “Before we bring our bachelors on stage, I just want to give a huge thank you for being here tonight, and for the money we’ll raise, which you all know will go to an amazing cause. Can I get three cheers for this year’s contestants!”
She waves her arm towards the side of the stage where we can see some shuffling going on before guys start walking out onto the stage one by one. Lining up along the back of the stage like they’re about to be… raffled. I laugh internally at my own thoughts.
