Coming Home (Only Time Will Tell #1) (15 page)

Mr. Cooper’s eyebrows screw up briefly but quickly disappear as it clicks into place. “Well, aren’t you a blast from the past. I wasn’t expecting to see you here.” He smiles and it feels like such a relief to see a genuine smile from a parent of Kyle’s.

“I’m sure you weren’t but, here I am, some people you just can’t get rid of,” I laugh. “It’s nice to see
you
again though. You look like you’re keeping well.”
 

“Better than ever,” he winks. “It’s a shame you’ve all been pushed to the back. I thought you two always sat with, Kyle?” He says, looking towards his wife looking puzzled.

“Normally, yes. But, Catalina was a late addition, and we had to move the seating around slightly as Kyle said she’d want to sit with Ryan and Nadine. It’s such a shame.” It doesn’t go unnoticed that my name is almost spat from her lips and the regretful tone is exchanged for gloating.

I start to wonder if it’s just my ears as Mr. Cooper doesn’t seem to notice, shrugging it off. “Oh well, maybe next time.” He pats Ryan on the shoulder as he passes and they both leave but not without Mrs. Cooper casting me a smug smile over her shoulder.

Dinner is served not too long after that, portions fit for a toddler and probably cost the same as my weekly grocery shop. Got to love posh, expensive cuisine.

Once we’d all finished the three courses and I was on the verge of bursting point, Mr. Johnson begins his speech.

“I just want to say how extremely thankful we are to have you all here tonight. This year we are raising money on behalf of the American Cancer Society. Many lives are taken, young and old by cancer. Every day is a blessing to someone fighting the disease and I want us to help them fight the war against it, because I know one day with our help and generosity, we will win.

“To raise money, we have arranged an auction to take place tonight, which will start in approximately twenty minutes in the room on the left, just down the hallway,” he pointed to said hallway to the back of our table. “In the room on the right, there is a mini casino, where all money won will be donated. And lastly, in the room right at the very end there will be music and dancing along with money collectors. So, although the bar may be free may be you can give that saved money to the charity.

“Other than that ladies and gentlemen, have a great evening.”

The room erupts into a round of applause as he excuses himself from center stage. People begin buzzing around, making their way to different areas in the venue.

“Where would you two like to go first?” Ryan asks both me and Nod.

I shrug, really not bothered about what we do, but Nod becomes all excited. “Please, can we go in the casino? I’ve always wanted to give one of those places a go.”

He laughs and takes her hand. “Sure can, baby.” Giving her a gentle kiss on the forehead. I follow behind them like a lost sheep. As we walk down the hall, I lose them in the crowd, someone grabs my upper arm and I hope it was one of them; only that flattens the minute I am pulled back into the dining room and through another door into a small seating area. “What the hell Kyle?” I screech as he flings me into the room, releasing me. I watch as he slams the door and locks it.

Leaning against it he looks at me with pleading eyes. “I’m sorry about that, I just really needed to see you. I need a huge favor.”

I quip a brow. “Favor?” I ask, crossing my arms over my chest.

“Yes, a huge favor. My Mom volunteered me for an auction prize, and I really want you to win it.”

“Me? Why?”

“Because,” he sighs, “I don’t want some random woman winning me. For all I know she could be about eighty and just in it to cop a feel.” He stands and shudders, like he is picturing the scene.

I can’t help but laugh at him, the wine I’ve consumed through dinner making me forget for a brief moment that this guy irritates me tonight, just so I can have some fun with it. “I thought you were all for the random woman thing? Besides, it’s not fair to cheat at an auction, if they want you, they should have you.”

He squints his eyes at me. “Don’t you want me?”

Along with plenty of women in here and possibly quite a few dates of his. Rolling my eyes I reply, “That’s not what I said. What do they win anyway?”

“A dance.”

“A dance? You’re getting worked up over a dance? Jesus Kyle, it’s hardly a wedding proposal is it? Just go into the auction and man up.”

“Please,” he steps forward a few steps. “I’m begging you, bid for me.”

“No. Besides I can’t possibly offer what these women can, but then again, who said it would be a woman? I’m sure men might like to cop a feel. They are paying for you, they can do what they like.” A grin slightly spreads across my face as his eyes grow big and his jaw slack.

“I didn’t think of that,” he mutters. “For God’s sake Cat, please. I don’t care what the bid is, I’ll pay it.” He closes the final few steps and shakes me slightly by the shoulders, which makes me laugh stupidly.

“Aww K.C., that’s no fun. I’ll see what mood I’m in when I get in there…If I get in there,” I wink as I shrug his hands away and walked around him. As I unlock the door I turn round with an evil grin on my face. “Enjoy your dance. If you’re lucky it might be an eighty year old man with drugs to knock you out in one pocket and Viagra in the other for him. That could make it a long night.”

I see his death stare as I walk out the door. It’s a shame he inherited that from his mom; luckily though, not her personality.

As I walk towards the hallway, a shit-eating grin on my face, the first real smile I’ve had all day when it’s come to him, Josie enters the dining room. She glares at me, then barks, “You seen Kyle?”

“Hm hmm. He’s in there,” I point towards the door behind me, “I’d knock though, he’s a little worked up.”

She storms past me muttering, “Slut” as she does, but that just fuels my smile.

I locate Ryan and Nod in the hallway, exiting the casino. “How did you do?” I startle them from behind.

“I won!” Nod screeches, wrapping her arms around my neck in a hug and laughing stupidly. “Where have you been though? You just vanished…” she points her finger at my mouth, “and you never smile like that, what have you been doing?”

“Nothing,” I sing. “I just had a bit of fun, but not in that way, though. Where are you going now?”

Ryan nods his head towards the door behind him. “The auction, I wanna see how my man does.”

“Who? Kyle?”

“Yup, got roped into it. I’m hoping it’s not big bucks so I can tease the shit out of him.”

“Come on then, lets go find some seats,” I urge, suddenly eager to watch this and see if I could make the fun last a bit longer.

We find three seats at the back and get comfy with our paddles. I quietly ponder how I could work this; should I not bid at all or bid a ridiculous amount of money? After all, it was his idea, and it’s for charity.

The auction begins and one by one the men start parading on the stage like a classic car. All of them in tuxes and all of them going for stupid amounts of money, courtesy of the desperate women in the audience.

On occasion, I lean towards Nod on the other side of Ryan and start betting on the value of each man. Ryan is quiet, letting us get on with our game, except for the odd tut.

Eventually, Kyle walks out on stage. A few rows in front, a couple of women start getting excited over the prospect, giggling like teenagers.
What is the world coming too?
The bidding begins at a thousand dollars. Various women from around the room start battling it out, the price rising. I sit there, a smug smile on my face, just as Kyle finds me in the crowd and the death stare continues. His jaw moves like he is muttering something to himself and yet, I really couldn’t find the energy to raise the paddle.
 

The bidding eventually settled down at ten thousand dollars, one of the women few rows in front holding that bid. The auctioneer asked if anyone else wanted to raise it and I could almost see the sweat beads rolling down Kyle’s temple.

A glint of teal catches my eye close to the stage and as I find her stare I realize I can infuriate his Mom. It’s a double-whammy. If she’s here and I win, the woman will be spitting flames for the rest of the evening.

I don’t approve of his lifestyle choices these days and I’m certainly unhappy with the way I am caught up in the middle of it, but for some reason, the wine and knowing I’d irritate the living hell out of her if I won, kind of becomes a highlight of this evening for me. I know there wouldn’t be any more and I hadn’t had any yet, so I was going to grab this one while I could.

I give in, raising my paddle and shout my bid. “Eleven.” The weight seems to shift off of Kyle’s shoulders.

Thinking that would be it, Josie raises me another thousand. I peek at Kyle, wondering if he’d be happy with her winning, surely it was better than the other options, even if it was her. Penelope, who I’d finally latched eyes onto during the speech—had a bid and then someone else. But, I see a slight shake of the head from him.

And so the battle begins.

We all raised it another thousand as each paddle shoots into the air. I can see slight agitation in them though as the bidding rises to thirty, so I think fuck it, it’s not my money. Hopefully for the last time I raise my paddle, Nadine tugging on my arm to lower it, so I chuck it to my free hand. “Fifty!” I shout, much to Nadine and Ryan’s shock.

As the auctioneer starts his count down, “going once, going twice…” Nadine gets her fangs out.

“What the hell are you playing at? You don’t have that kind of money, how are you going to pay fifty thousand dollars for him—for someone you can have whenever you like?”

With my paddle still raised so that my number can be taken I turn to her. “Will you stop nagging me. I know what I’m doing.” The hammer falls and I jumped out of my dress from shock. Nod slumps back in her seat, scowling at me and huffing through her nose.

At the end I make my way to the front, only to get turned around and pushed back the way I’d come. “Don’t I need to sort out my bid?” I ask over my shoulder.

“Nope. Done it.”

“Done it? Did I go too high? I just, went with it. It kind of got addictive.”

“No, it’s fine. It’s for charity.”

“Will you stop pushing me, I can walk normally. And, you’re welcome by the way, I really wasn’t going to bid, I wanted to see you suffer.”

Shoving his hands in his pockets he glances over my face. “Suffer? Why?”

“For being a whore. Do you know what it’s like having everyone tell you that the person you once loved doesn’t give a shit about women’s feelings? How many people have you asked here tonight?” The wine gives me the back bone I wanted before I even got here and I’m in need of vent some frustration. I’ve just battled it out with one his dates and someone who wants to be with him. And God knows who else.

He swallows nervously. “Once?”

“That’s not the important part of this conversation. The important bit is you using people.”

“You don’t love me now?”

Throwing my hands in the air in defeat I turn and walk out the room, heading for the dance hall to try and find those two.

The majority of the guests are in there now and more are arriving just for the party. The casino is still buzzing slightly with life as I pass and I catch a glimpse of Mr. Johnson gambling away. It making me smile at the “normality” of him, because tonight, he isn’t my boss.

First port of call is the bar and a glass of champagne.

After that, I buzz around the room looking for a sparkling, turquoise dress. I find her at the front of the room, right in the middle, next to the dance floor. I creep up behind them, peeking between their shoulders. “I’m sorry for shouting.”

They both jump in surprise and look at me like I’m a zombie. “Apology accepted. I’d love to know where you got that kind of money from though.” Nod wonders, spying me wearily.

“Long story. Not my money though, I was told to bid, no matter how high, so I did.”

“Told to? Did Kyle make you do this?” Ryan asks, looking at me questionably.

I shake my head but my mouth won’t hold back the grin. Me and my lips need words. Ryan shakes his head and turns back towards the dance floor.

“Kyle paid for himself?” Nod whisper-shouts.

“Kind of. That’s why I didn’t care what the bill was.”

“You two aren’t normal. Why did he look like he wanted to tear your face off while he was up there then?” Nod asks.

Walking around to the side of her I leaned in. “Because I wasn’t bidding, I was in two minds over it and he knew it.”

“Was that the reason you came back with that ridiculous grin on your face?”

I nod. “Between him, Josie and his Mom, I had a little bit of fun.”

She shakes her head and laughs to herself. Both of us turn to look at the smattering of dancing couples on the dance floor, slowly swaying to the singers and the band.

An oldish-looking man takes to the microphone, tapping it to make sure it’s turned on. “Ladies and Gentlemen, please can we have a round of applause for the volunteers and winners of the auction.”

I hold my breath, ducking slightly just in case Kyle is looking for me, knowing that this is what I won, but it‘s pointless.

His hand finds my lower back through the crowd as the lyrics to “Burn for You” emanate around the room and he pushes me towards the dance floor. I instantly turn into Bambi on ice. “Why are you doing this?” I ask, trying to resist his push.

“It’s what you won.” He clarifies, spinning me around and taking our position on the dance floor. Him with a hand on my lower back, our hands clasp and my other hand settles on his shoulder.

I roll my head back, hating him, wishing I had just let some old bag win him. “Technically, you won yourself, so can’t you dance on your own?”

He laughs. I think he enjoys my pain. “Nope. Besides, people would ask questions about you paying a stupid amount of money for me and then not wanting to claim your prize.”

“Answer for fucking everything.” I mutter as I try to concentrate on not tripping over the dress. I briefly glance around the room, which was a mistake, because it seems that every female is hating me right now.
Fan-fucking-tastic.