Page 69 of The Seashell of ’Ohana

I’d thought they would sit with us, but they sat with Isaac’s friends.

An announcer on the stage stood in front of the podium. He dusted something off his tailored gray suit jacket and grinned. “Good evening, beautiful people. My name is Aaron.”

Polite clapping filled the tent.

The speaker took a bow. “Thank you, my friends. And thank you so much for coming. Ian and his crew have been working hard to set up this amazing auction. I’m not going to bore you with a long speech. That’s Ian’s job.”

Laughter rang in the air.

“So, without further ado, let’s give a hand to the marvelous, handsome Ian Bordonaro.”

The thundering applause faded as Ian strutted across the stage from the side. He had been waiting to be announced. I had been so focused on Aaron, I hadn’t seen Ian.

My breath hitched, and my heart skipped a beat. He sported a fine silver suit, the material hugging his muscular frame. He moved with ease and confidence, commanding the stage.

The men cheered, and the women blew wolf whistles. When he raised his hand to quiet the crowd, his gaze zoned in on me as if he knew exactly where I’d be seated. The sly tug of his lips and his twinkling eyes had me melting. It suddenly got hot despite the cool breeze.

“Good evening, friends,” Ian said. “For those of you who don’t know me, I’m Ian Bordonaro. We’re gathered here for a great cause. Some of you know friends or loved ones suffering from dementia. It’s a terrible disease, but with your help, we can fight back—enough of the serious talk. There’s a long list of hardworking, dedicated people I want to thank, along with those who donated priceless items for the auction. Their names are listed on our website as well as in the pamphlet. I know you’re anxious to get started, so let me introduce you to Rachel Bates.”

I’d thought Ian would be busy taking care of business, but he came off the podium and sat in the empty chair beside me. He waved at Lee and Kate, then he gave me the most innocent puppy eyes, his long eyelashes fluttering. Acting boyish and cute.

“Hello, Abby,” he said.

A smile played on my lips. “Hello, Ian. Great speech. Are you allowed to sit here? Shouldn’t you be up there doing something?”

His shoulder touched mine, his warm breath brushing against my cheek. “But I’d much rather be here with you.”

I flushed with warmth and used the auction stick to fan myself. Ian smelled like lavender and the ocean breeze. The scent whisked me back to the night on the beach when the two of us had been alone under the night sky and the stars.

Guilt rebounded through me just as quickly. I shook off the thought as Rachel began her speech and presented the first item. A trip to the Bahamas.

I sat up taller, prepared to give Rachel all my attention, when Ian patted his face.

“I’m not just a face of this auction,” Ian whispered. “I’m allowed—”

“Shhh …” I placed a finger over my lips. “We’ve started.”

Ian crossed his arms and frowned, like a child who had been scolded, but I could feel his eyes on me.

He bumped my shoulder lightly. “I just want to say, you look beautiful.”

Heat flushed up my neck, and I swallowed to maintain my composure. I couldn’t look at him. He was dangerously close, and if I’d turned, our lips would touch.

“Thank you,” I said softly. I craned my neck a fraction to see him smirk, those pirate eyes staring back at me. “You look beautiful, too.”

I tried to break my shyness by drawing attention back to him. Sitting next to him was too distracting, and the next thing I heard was Rachel saying sold.

Rachel held up a large photo. “This isn’t something you get in stores. This is a seventy-seven-inch 8k resolution flat screen. It has Dolby vision HDR Support. IQ Enhancement Technology. Built-in Wi-Fi & Ethernet Connectivity. And so much more. Bidding starts at twenty thousand.”

Someone from the back raised their bidding stick.

“Thirty grand. Do I hear thirty-one?” Rachel said.

A lady from the second row raised her stick.

“Do I hear thirty-two? Thirty-three. Thirty-four. Thirty-five? Thirty-five. Going once. Twice. Anyone? Last call. Sold.”

“These items are boring,” Ian said.