One More Time

“Four hundred dollars,” Tommy called out.

I looked over at him and smiled. I had given him four hundred dollars to bid on Chanel so that she wouldn’t end up with anyone else.

“One thousand dollars!” came another call and the room went silent.

Everyone turned to look at who had spoken, and I thought Connie’s face was going to crack she was smiling so big. Luke Thomas stepped forward, holding a wad of cash in his hand.

“I bid one thousand dollars,” he said again.

I glanced up at Chanel, who looked like she was going to be ill. I thought back to the dinner where Luke had been trying to put the moves on her and my blood began to boil. I tried to catch Tommy’s eye to get him to outbid Luke, but he wasn’t paying attention.

“One thousand, going once, going twice, sold!”

CHAPTER 15

CHANEL

I had decided against dolling up for dinner that night being that Luke had been the one to win the date. I couldn’t help but feel that he was trying to put the moves on me and I didn’t want to do anything to encourage him. He was a nice enough guy in high school, but he’d started giving me the creeps the past few days on the boat.

I decided that I would just go to dinner, try and be nice, and get it over with. Afterward, I could claim a headache to excuse myself, and come back to my room and relax. I freshened up my mascara just a bit and headed up to the ballroom for the special dinner.

When I got there, Luke was already waiting at our table with a bouquet of red roses and a smile. I looked around the room to see if Rhett and Marcie were there and spotted them in a corner. I could tell by the set of his jaw that it was taking everything in Rhett not to tell Marcie to shut up.

“Oh, I’m so glad to see you smiling,” Luke said, coming up to me and mistaking my mirth at Rhett’s predicament for a sign that I was happy to see him.

“Hi Luke. Wow, those flowers are really something,” I said.

“Anything for you Chanel. You deserve nothing but the best,” he replied.

I nodded politely as he pulled my chair out for me and sat. His hands settled briefly on my shoulders and I resisted the urge to buck him off. I reminded myself that it was just dinner.

“So Luke, what have you been up to since high school,” I asked.

He sat back and smiled, looking very pleased with himself before he said. “I have my own company.”

“What type of company?” I asked.

“It’s a clothing company,” Luke said.

“What has made it so successful?” I asked, slipping easily into journalist mode.

Luke scooted his chair closer to the table and leaned in toward me

“It’s high-quality wear that isn’t made in sweatshops. There’s a particular way the fibers of the cloth are woven and blended together that’s proprietary,” Luke said.

“And you built your entire company off just that?” I asked.

“Yeah. I don’t know why everyone is so surprised. I guess no one really appreciated my genius in high school.”

/> “Guess not,” I said, trying not to roll my eyes.

“But it takes a smart woman to do what you’ve done. You get to sit in the comfort of your own home and do what you do best and make money at the same time,” he said.

“I don’t always sit around at home. I have local publications I write for as well. I get out into the community and do all sorts of pieces,” I said.

“I’m honestly shocked they didn’t talk more about you,” Luke said.

“Why do you say that?” I asked.