“And now, the moment we’ve all been waiting for,” Stacey said dramatically. “Win a date with Whispering Bay’s most eligible bachelor, Luke Powers!” The crowd began to clap and cheer. Zeke put his fingers in his mouth and let out a wolf whistle.
Stacey motioned for Luke to come up to the mic. He made his way up to the stage and tried not to look as ridiculous as he felt. “And the winner, with a bid of two thousand and five hundred dollars,” Stacey announced, dragging out the moment as long as she could, “is…Juliet!”
A chorus of disappointed boos hummed through the room. A squeal, no, make that two squeals followed by polite clapping soon overcame the boos. “Juliet, will you please come up to the mic?” Stacey asked.
The room hushed and a couple hundred pairs of eyes looked on as his mother and Viola came up to the stage. “How sweet! Your own mother bid on you!” S
tacey said, making the crowd laugh.
What in God’s name were his mother and Viola up to? He put on his best game face. “I would have taken them both out for free,” he said into the mic, causing the crowd to laugh even more.
His mother took the mic from Stacey’s hand. “Don’t be silly. This date isn’t for me. Viola and I bid on you for someone who’s very excited to be going out with you!” She handed the mic over to Viola.
“As many of you know, my niece Jenna is now Whispering Bay’s new city manager. And very single.” She turned to Luke. “When she discovered she had to miss the silent auction she was devastated, so your mother and I decided to bid on you for her! Isn’t that exciting?”
“Wonderful!” Stacey cried. “And how utterly romantic!”
Then Stacey announced how much money had been raised by the event and everyone clapped even louder. “This has been such a great night, I think we’ll do this again next year!” she said.
The band played one last tune, and then the overhead lights flooded the room, causing everyone to shield their eyes from the sudden brightness.
The show was now officially over.
“Well, that’s not too bad,” Zeke said, coming up to slap him on the back. “Mimi says Jenna is a nice girl. Cute, too.”
“It could be worse,” Luke agreed.
“Yeah. Betty Jean could have won you.”
Luke laughed, then rolled his neck to the side to loosen a crick. A night on display as Whispering Bay’s most eligible poodle had worn him out. Time to get out of this suit. He kissed his mother goodbye and promised to come over for dinner on Sunday.
People began gathering their things and soon the parish hall was nearly empty. He spotted Sarah putting away the few desserts still left into a large plastic container.
“Need some help?” he asked.
“I’ve got it, thanks.” It was a dismissal if ever he heard one, but as much as he wanted this night to be over, he wasn’t ready to see her go yet. They lived in the same house, but if the pattern repeated itself, she’d be holed up in her little room and he wouldn’t see her till the next day. If he was lucky.
He shoved his hands into his trouser pockets and tried to think of something to say. Funny. He’d never had trouble talking to a woman before. “Some night, huh?”
She glanced up at him. “I bet you’re glad it’s over.”
“I still have to go out on the date,” he said.
“Yeah, but that should be easy. I’ve met Jenna. She’s really nice.”
He nodded without thinking. “See you back at the house?”
She smiled, but it seemed forced. “Sure.”
Despite her protests, he walked her out to the parking lot and helped her load the dessert container into her car, even though there was no real need for it. For one thing, it wasn’t heavy, and Whispering Bay was about as safe a town as you could get.
And as he watched her drive off, the realization hit him.
He wouldn’t have minded tonight at all, if Sarah had been the one to win the date with him.
Chapter Fifteen
“What are you reading now?” Lucy asked. It was Wednesday evening and The Bistro was providing coffee and muffins for tonight’s career night at the high school.