The Bachelor's Baby (Bachelor Auction Book 3)(8)

“I won’t tell Blake you said that,” Meg teased, “But yeah. Jett’s family owns a ton of property in the area. No one ever sees him, though. He loves the back country and pretty much stays there. I’m surprised he’s here, actually. He was offering a guided ski trip but hurt his leg. Thought he might have cancelled.” She picked up the brochure, but didn’t have to read it. Buck explained that Jett was offering a week’s worth of handyman jobs—which was all Buck needed to put the room into fits with his lightning-fast double-entendres.

Jett was a sport about it and went for a cool two grand offered by Ella Grace Emerson who gifted the bachelor to Mardie Griffin. Mardie was delivering drinks tonight, but really needed the help at home.

“That’s nice,” Meg explained to Liz. “Mardie has a baby girl and just bought a house—if it’s the one I think it is, it’s a real dump. This’ll be a huge help for her.”

Ryan Henderson was next and pregnant Hannah bought him which made Meg do a double-take until she overheard the dinner was actually a birthday present for Rachel.

“When is your birthday?” Liz asked Meg when she explained.

“Do not even think it,” Meg warned, dragging her stern look from Liz’s grin of enjoyment to Buck as he called, “Lincoln Brady.”

Linc ambled onto the stage while Buck kept his leathery face directed at the card he held. “Says here this Renegade From The Oil Rigs is new to Marietta. You took over the Circle H a few months ago? Where from?”

“Most recently Texas—”

“Got us a longhorn here, ladies,” Buck said in a suggestive aside.

A ripple of laughter went through the crowd.

Linc offered a tolerant smirk.

“How did you come to join our auction, Linc?”

“I believe it was a bait and switch technique.”

Most tittered at his laconic joke. Meg felt the glance of his gaze like a swooping magpie, talons catching in her hair and giving it a yank.

“Being new in town, I’m sure you’re anxious to meet some of our single women,” Buck continued smoothly. “And I know how priceless and exotic out-of-state breed stock is to them,” he drawled, then read from his card. “Ladies, a date with this bachelor will include champagne and chocolate in the limousine that picks you up, a helicopter tour of the area, piloted by Mr. Brady, lunch at a five star restaurant in Great Falls, and maid service to clean your house while you’re out. Who wants to open with three hundred dollars?”

“Three twenty-five.”

“Three fifty.”

The bidding went up to five hundred very quickly with Buck’s smooth patter working the crowd. Meg waited until it wavered at six seventy-five then threw out, “Seven,” figuring she owed him after getting him into this.

“Seven from our celebrity guest.”

Meg hid her cringe, always annoyed when people here made a big deal about what she did for a living.

“Do we have seven-fifty?” Buck coaxed.

“Eight,” a male voice said.

It took everyone a moment to realize Linc had spoken.

“Did you just say eight? You can’t bid on yourself,” Buck told him. “Never in my career have the cattle done this to me, folks.”

“I can do whatever I want.” Linc tucked his hands in his pockets, rocking back on his heels, as he waited out the chuckles. He was completely at ease as he took control of the room and held it in thrall. “As it was pointed out to me when I offered to write a generous check and skip this silliness, it’s a good cause and people are here for a show. Let’s make it interesting.”

He wasn’t being sarcastic, but there was a dig in there toward her, Meg was sure. At the very least, it was a challenge.

“We’ve barely covered the cost of fuel at this point,” Linc added. “I could write the check myself, stay home and get in a good day’s work. If you want me to go through with this, let’s make sure we’re getting this boy what he needs.”

“Fair enough,” Buck said, then prompted, “Ladies? Do we have nine hundred?”

“Nine,” Meg stated.

Linc sharpened his gaze on her. “A thousand,” he said blithely.

“Eleven hundred,” she tossed, equally unconcerned.

The air in the room began to pressurize as breaths were drawn in with anticipation.

“Twelve…?” he invited.

“Thirteen,” she called flippantly, nodding at Buck that she was serious.

“Fourteen,” Linc said. “And I can stay silent when you say…”

“Fifteen,” she pronounced deliberately.

Everyone clapped. Meg started to grin with triumph.

“But I won’t,” Linc said. “Sixteen.”

Meg sobered.

The room silenced.

“Really?” she asked.

“It’s a good cause,” he reminded. Taunted.

“Seventeen,” she allowed.

“Two thousand,” he said.

“What?” His leap over three hundred dollars startled her. He was doing this on purpose. Punishing her. She rose to her feet. “Twenty-one,” she said in a strong voice, firm with warning.

“Twenty-two.”

“I’m getting the feeling I’m not needed here,” Buck joked. “In fact, I think we should all leave the room.”