Total pages in book: 122
Estimated words: 112884 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 564(@200wpm)___ 452(@250wpm)___ 376(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 112884 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 564(@200wpm)___ 452(@250wpm)___ 376(@300wpm)
“Thank you,” she says softly and my thumb moves on her back up and down. “You look very handsome,” she adds and immediately looks down at our feet.
“I mean, it’s not what I would usually wear.” I try to make a joke out of it.
“Oh no,” she joins in on the joke, “you don’t like dressing up in a tux every Saturday?”
I laugh. “I mean, I’m usually suited up on Saturday nights.” We sway side to side. “But that is only because I have no choice.”
“I forgot, you guys have to dress up before the games.” She softly laughs. “We used to call it the thirst traps.”
“What?” I can’t help but laugh at her.
“Yeah, the guys dressing up before the game and being filmed walking in. The swagger you guys have because you are being filmed.” She’s laughing now, and not a fake laugh, it’s a real fucking laugh. A laugh that makes her eyes crinkle at the sides. “Matty was the biggest one. Then Michael was second, for sure, no doubt about it. He would even give a little smirk. Dylan did it, not even aware he was doing it. Franny’s husband, Wilson, used that as his personal fucking Tinder.” She mentions the men in her family with so much love and pride.
“I never even thought of it like that,” I admit to her, “but you might be right. I have to check next season when I do it if my follower count goes higher when I swagger in there.”
“I bet it does, for sure,” she assures me and she’s about to say something else when we both look to the side, hearing Cheryl speaking.
“Okay, time to switch out,” she says, letting go of Darryl and smiling at me. “Come here, handsome.” She motions with her head, and I let go of Lexi’s hand almost unwillingly.
“Be careful with that one,” Darryl warns, “she’s handsy.” He winks at me as he laughs at the joke, making Cheryl gasp.
“You should be so lucky.” She turns her head to the side.
“Burn, Darryl,” Lexi jokes with him, holding out her hand for him. “Come on, let’s get this over with.”
“I am feeling so much love right now,” he mumbles. “I don’t know what to do with it all.”
The three of us laugh as I walk to Cheryl and take her hand in mine. “How amazing is tonight?” she asks me. I look back over at Lexi and see her in her gown, and again, she takes my breath away. When I walked in and saw her, it was as if she was the only one in the room. Her blue eyes shone even brighter as she talked to people coming in, and when our eyes finally met, it was as if the earth shifted under my feet. For the rest of my life, I will be looking for that moment, and it scares the ever-loving fuck out of me, because I am petrified I’ll never find it.
“I’ve attended my fair share of fundraisers throughout the years, and this has to be the best one.” I smile at her.
“I totally agree and I wish I could take half the credit, but Lexi,” she says, her face filling with the biggest smile, “she is the one who did it all.”
“It’s always a team effort,” I remind her, “and knowing Lexi, there is no way she would let anyone think otherwise.”
“You know her well,” she observes and I want to answer that I wish I could get to know her even better.
The song ends and she lets go of my hand and I bow my head. “That was the best dance of my life.” I put my hand to my chest. “Thank you.”
“Oh, you are smooth.” She shakes her head. “Very smooth. Now get to your seat because the auction is about to start.”
I look around to see if I can spot Kylie when I see Lexi standing at the side next to Trent, who has a glass of whiskey or scotch in one hand, while the other is in his suit pocket instead of holding his wife’s hand. The two of them are chatting with Darryl and one of the other bachelors.
“If I can get everyone to their tables, please, we are going to be serving the first course and starting the auction.”
I walk over to my table and find Kylie walking back from the bar with a glass of champagne in her hand. The smile on her face is from ear to ear. “I feel so fancy.” She sits down next to me, putting her purse in front of her name. “Table two.” She wiggles her eyebrows. “You’re a big deal.”
“It’s only because they are auctioning me off.” I lean back in my chair and look over at the table beside me, seeing Lexi is sitting down next to Trent on one side, who is busy talking to the lady beside him, while Lexi just looks around the table.