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“This one won’t work,” she said, and I nodded in agreement. Frankly, I would have agreed to buy it if she had liked it.
“Up next, a piece from acclaimed artist Abee Guddard,” said the emcee.
As soon as the fabric fell, the crowd murmured its appreciation. “Oh, that is beautiful,” Laura said beside me. “I love the colors he chose for the sunset.”
“Mmm,” I said, noncommittally. I didn’t want to sway her decision. “Did you want to bid on it?”
She bit her lip. “I don’t know. It is very nice. But I don’t know if it’s the one.”
I enjoyed how her voice got animated when she was excited, but her eyes remained focused on the task at hand. She hadn’t glanced in my direction at all. I would have thought myself more annoyed by her lack of attention, but instead, I loved how much she threw herself into a task. I respected it.
“I think I’ll pass,” she said and frowned while watching the auction unfold.
“This next piece,” the emcee began after the Guddard portrait had sold, “is from a local artist named Anahita. She is new to the scene. In fact, I believe this is her first time taking part in our auction. I’m sure there is someone out there willing to take a chance.”
Laura was on the edge of her seat and I knew as soon as the emcee lifted the veil that this would be the one. She had a soft spot for the underdog. That much I knew.
A small sigh escaped her lips and my eyes fell on her mouth. Her lips opened slightly, and she brushed a finger over her lower lip. The movement had me mesmerized.
“It’s stunning,” she said.
I pulled my attention to the stage. I agreed. The painting was exquisite. It was a depiction of the city, skyscrapers, and blurry people running about. There were street vendors and children playing, but those were just the periphery. The colors of the park behind the city brought the painting to life. The artist had mixed shades of green, orange, and blue creating this perfect balance of nature living in harmony with the busy world. It was calming and inspiring at the same time. It was perfect.
“This is the one,” she said.
“I agree. It’s perfect.”
She turned, and the smile on her face stopped my heart for a moment. The sheer happiness of that smile would make a man do things he never thought he’d do. Like, give her carte blanche to pay whatever it takes to buy this painting if it made her this happy.
“We’ll start the bidding at $5,000,” announced the emcee.
Laura raised her sign. “$5,000,” she said.
“Do I hear $5,500?”
“$5,500,” someone in the back called.
Laura turned to me. “How high do you want me to go?”
“I’m willing to go as high as it takes, Laura.”
She nodded, determined now.
She raised her hand again. “$6,000,” she said.
“$6,500,” the voice called out.
“$7,000,” Laura called.
“10,000,” from another attendee.
Laura frowned, annoyed by another bidder, but then straightened in her seat and raised her sign. “$15,000.”
I smiled at the fierce look she shot the new guy. He barely spared her a glance.
“$20,000,” he said calmly.
She clenched her fist beside me. A flush spread across her chest and rose to her neck. “Ooh. I don’t like how bored he looks. I don’t think he’ll appreciate it the way you will.”
