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“You know the Kissing Corn Maze?” Mom asks.
“Sure. The Mackay Farm’s version of a bachelor auction.” Every year at the end of October, they hide a bunch of men in their cornfield, and a crowd of women rush through trying to be the first to their chosen man. They have one where women wait in the cornfield for a swarm of men, too, but I wouldn’t say it’s a step forward for equality.
“They’re finalizing this year’s bachelors, and they’re one short.”
I’m waiting for more, but Mom’s watching me so steadily, my gut twists. This is the favor?
“You want me to be the last bachelor?” I can’t imagine anything worse. I guess standing on a stage and being auctioned off to the highest bidder would be up there, but waiting to be “picked” in the cornfield sounds humiliating any way you look at it.
“It’s for a good cause. All the money they raise this year is going to the Cortez family. Their teen daughter has a long road of physical therapy in front of her after getting hit by that drunk driver over the summer.”
I know she didn’t say it to be manipulative, but that’s all I needed to hear. Victims of drunk driving are a soft spot for all of us since we lost Dad the same way.
“How does this work? Am I supposed to go on a date withwhoever ‘wins’ me?” I don’t know how that sentence could be any more awkward.
“I think it’s tradition.” Her eyes turn so gentle, it’s like she’s read the pages of my heart. “It doesn’t have to mean forever.”
No, it doesn’t. But it’d be a whole lot easier if I weren’t already in love with someone else.
It’s ridiculous, and terrible timing, but obviously, I’m not going to turn her down.
“I’ll do it.”
Georgia’s trying to set me up, and my mom and aunt are volunteering me for a bachelor auction. And here I thought I’d have a quiet, relaxed fall without any dating whatsoever.
Text Thread
Georgia: I’ve got some ideas of dates for you, but I need you to rank them
Miles: Feels wrong
Georgia: Would you rather go out with a teacher, an insurance agent, or a florist?
Miles: Don’t matchmakers decide that?
Georgia: Matchmakers do a lot of research
Georgia: I’m researching
Miles: I won’t be surprised to get a 100 question survey in the mail
Georgia: You’re a genius! I’ll do that
Miles: Do not do that
Georgia: Are you opposed to single moms?
Miles: I am opposed to questions
Georgia: Do you care about an income gap?
Miles: I wouldn’t mind being a sugar baby
Georgia: OMG
Georgia: Do you want kids?
Miles: One day, yes
