To the highest bidder goes...

A friendship with benefits?

When Tessa Noble takes the stage at a charity auction after a sexy makeover, her best friend, Ryan Bateman, must place the winning bid. It’s definitely not because he’s jealous. Their weekend getaway is a ploy for positive press...or so the rancher tells himself. But soon things take an unexpected turn from platonic to passionate, catapulting the couple far beyond the friend zone...

REESE RYAN writes sexy, deeply emotional romances full of family drama, surprising secrets and unexpected twists.

Born and raised in the Midwest, Reese has deep Tennessee roots. Every summer, she endured long, hot car trips to family reunions in Memphis via a tiny clown car loaded with cousins.

Connect with Reese at ReeseRyanWrites on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook or at reeseryan.com/desirereaders.

Also by Reese Ryan

The Bourbon Brothers miniseries

Savannah’s Secret

The Billionaire’s Legacy

Texas Cattleman’s Club: Bachelor Auction miniseries

His Until Midnight

Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk.

His Until Midnight

Reese Ryan

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ISBN: 978-1-474-07696-8

HIS UNTIL MIDNIGHT

© 2018 Harlequin Books S.A.

Published in Great Britain 2018

by Mills & Boon, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF

All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, locations and incidents are purely fictional and bear no relationship to any real life individuals, living or dead, or to any actual places, business establishments, locations, events or incidents. Any resemblance is entirely coincidental.

By payment of the required fees, you are granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right and licence to download and install this e-book on your personal computer, tablet computer, smart phone or other electronic reading device only (each a “Licensed Device”) and to access, display and read the text of this e-book on-screen on your Licensed Device. Except to the extent any of these acts shall be permitted pursuant to any mandatory provision of applicable law but no further, no part of this e-book or its text or images may be reproduced, transmitted, distributed, translated, converted or adapted for use on another file format, communicated to the public, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of publisher.

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www.millsandboon.co.uk

To Johnathan Royal, Stephanie Perkins,

Jennifer Copeland, Denise Stokes, Sharon Blount,

Stephanie Douglas-Quick and all of the amazing readers

in the Reese Ryan VIP Readers Lounge on Facebook.

Seriously, y’all rock! I appreciate your readership,

engagement, enthusiasm and continued support.

Thank you to each and every one of you!

To my infinitely patient and ever-insightful editor,

Charles Griemsman, thank you for all you do.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

About the Author

Booklist

Title Page

Copyright

Dedication

One

Two

Three

Four

Five

Six

Seven

Eight

Nine

Ten

Eleven

Twelve

Thirteen

Fourteen

Fifteen

Sixteen

Seventeen

Eighteen

Nineteen

Twenty

Extract

About the Publisher

One

Tessa Noble stared at the configuration of high and low balls scattered on the billiard table.

“I’m completely screwed,” she muttered, sizing up her next move. After a particularly bad break and distracted play, she was losing badly.

But how on earth could she be expected to concentrate on billiards when her best friend Ryan Bateman was wearing a fitted performance T-shirt that highlighted every single pectoral muscle and his impressive biceps. He could have, at the very least, worn a shirt that fit, instead of one that was a size too small, as a way to purposely enhance his muscles. And the view when he bent over the table in a pair of broken-in jeans that hugged his firm ass like they were made for it...

How in the hell was she expected to play her best?

“You’re not screwed,” Ryan said in a deep, husky voice that was as soothing as a warm bath. Three parts sex-in-a-glass and one part confidence out the wazoo.

Tessa’s cheeks heated, inexplicably. Like she was a middle schooler giggling over double entendres and sexual innuendo.

“Maybe not, but you’d sure as hell like to be screwed by your best friend over there,” Gail Walker whispered in her ear before taking another sip of her beer.

Tessa elbowed her friend in the ribs, and the woman giggled, nearly shooting beer out of her nose.

Gail, always a little too direct, lacked a filter after a second drink.

Tessa walked around the billiard table, pool cue in hand, assessing her options again while her opponent huffed restlessly. Finally, she shook her head and sighed. “You obviously see something I don’t, because I don’t see a single makeable shot.”

Ryan sidled closer, his movements reminiscent of a powerful jungle cat stalking prey. His green eyes gleamed even in the dim light of the bar.

“You’re underestimating yourself, Tess,” Ryan murmured. “Just shut out all the noise, all the doubts, and focus.”

She studied the table again, tugging her lower lip between her teeth, before turning back to him. “Ryan, I clearly don’t have a shot.”

“Go for the four ball.” He nodded toward the purple ball wedged between two of her opponent’s balls.

Tessa sucked in a deep breath and gripped the pool cue with one hand. She pressed her other hand to the table, formed a bridge and positioned the stick between her thumb and forefinger, gliding it back and forth.

But the shot just wasn’t there.

“I can’t make this shot.” She turned to look at him. “Maybe you could, but I can’t.”

“That’s because you’re too tight, and your stance is all wrong.” Ryan studied her for a moment, then placed his hands on either side of her waist and shifted her a few inches. “Now you’re lined up with the ball. That should give you a better sight line.”

Tessa’s eyes drifted closed momentarily as she tried to focus on the four ball, rather than the lingering heat from Ryan’s hands. Or his nearness as he hovered over her.

She opened them again and slid the cue back and forth between her fingers, deliberating the position and pace of her shot.

“Wait.” Ryan leaned over beside her. He slipped an arm around her waist and gripped the stick a few inches above where she clenched it. He stared straight ahead at the ball, his face inches from hers. “Loosen your grip on the cue. This is a finesse shot, so don’t try to muscle it. Just take it easy and smack the cue ball right in the center, and you’ve got this. Okay?”

“Okay.” Tessa nodded, staring at the center of the white ball. She released a long breath, pulled back the cue and hit the cue ball dead in the center, nice and easy.

The cue ball connected with the four ball with a smack. The purple ball rolled toward the corner pocket and slowed, teetering on the edge. But it had just enough momentum to carry it over into the pocket.

“Yes!” Tessa squealed, smacking Ryan’s raised palm to give him a high five. “You’re amazing. You actually talked me through it.”

“You did all the work. I was just your cheering section.” He winked in that way that made her tummy flutter.

“Well, thank you.” She smiled. “I appreciate it.”

“What are best friends for?” He shrugged, picking up his beer and taking a sip from the bottle.

“Thought I was playing Tess,” Roy Jensen grumbled. “Nobody said anything about y’all tag-teaming me.”

“Oh, quit complaining, you old coot.” Tessa stared down her opponent. “I always turn a blind eye when you ask for spelling help when we’re playing Scrabble.”

Roy’s cheeks tinged pink, and he mumbled under his breath as Tessa moved around the table, deciding which shot to take next. She moved toward the blue two ball.

“Hey, Ryan.” Lana, the way-too-friendly barmaid, sidled up next to him, her chest thrust forward and a smile as wide as the Rio Grande spread across her face. “Thought you might want another beer.”

“Why thank you, kindly.” Ryan tipped an imaginary hat and returned the grin as he accepted the bottle.

Tessa clenched her jaw, a burning sensation in her chest. She turned to her friend, whispering so neither Lana nor Ryan could hear her.

“Why doesn’t she just take his head and smash it between the surgically enhanced boobs her ex-boyfriend gave her as a consolation prize? It’d be a lot easier for both of them.”

“Watch it there, girl. You’re beginning to sound an awful lot like a jealous girlfriend.” Gail could barely contain her grin.

“There’s nothing to be jealous of. Ryan and I are just friends. You know that.”

“Best friends,” her friend pointed out, as she studied Ryan flirting with Lana. “But let’s face it. You’re two insanely attractive people. Are you really going to try and convince me that neither of you has ever considered—”

“We haven’t.” Tessa took her shot, missing badly. It was a shot she should’ve hit, even without Ryan’s help. But she was too busy eavesdropping on his conversation with Lana.

“Well, for a person who doesn’t have any romantic interest in her best friend, you seem particularly interested in whether or not he’s flirting with the big-boobed barmaid.” Gail shrugged when Tessa gave her the stink eye. “What? You know it’s true.”

Tessa scowled at her friend’s words and the fact that Roy was taking advantage of her distraction. He easily sank one ball, then another. With no more striped balls left on the table, Roy had a clear shot at the eight ball.

He should be able to make that shot blindfolded.

“Well?” Gail prodded her.

“I’m not jealous of Lana. I just think Ryan could do better. That he should do better than to fall for the calculated ploy of a woman who has dollar signs in her eyes. Probably angling for butt implants this time.”

Gail giggled. “And why would he want a fake ass when he was mere inches from the real deal?” She nodded toward Tessa’s behind, a smirk on her face.

Tessa was fully aware that she’d inherited her generous curves from her mother. She was just as clear about Ryan Bateman’s obliviousness to them. To him, she was simply one of the guys. But then again, the comfy jeans and plaid button-down shirts that filled her closet didn’t do much to highlight her assets.

Hadn’t that been the reason she’d chosen such a utilitarian wardrobe in the first place?

“Dammit!” Roy banged his pool cue on the wooden floor, drawing their attention to him. He’d scratched on the eight ball.

Tessa grinned. “I won.”

“Because I scratched.” Roy’s tone made it clear that he felt winning by default was nothing to be proud of.

“A win’s a win, Jensen.” She wriggled her fingers, her palm open. “Pay up.”

“You won? Way to go, Tess. I told you that you had this game in the bag.” Ryan, suddenly beside her, wrapped a big, muscular arm around her shoulder and pulled her into a half hug.

“Well, at least one of us believed in me.” Tessa counted the four wrinkled five-dollar bills Roy stuffed in her palm begrudgingly.

“Always have, always will.” He beamed at her and took another swig of his beer.

Tessa tried to ignore the warmth in her chest that filtered down her spine and fanned into areas she didn’t want to acknowledge.

Because they were friends. And friends didn’t get all...whatever it was she was feeling...over one another. Not even when they looked and smelled good enough to eat.

Tessa Noble always smelled like citrus and sunshine. Reminded him of warm summer picnics at the lake. Ryan couldn’t peel an orange or slice a lemon without thinking of her and smiling.

There was no reason for his arm to still be wrapped around her shoulder other than the sense of comfort he derived from being this close to her.

“Take your hands off my sister, Bateman.” Tessa’s brother Tripp’s expression was stony as he entered the bar. As if he was about five minutes away from kicking Ryan’s ass.

“Tessa just beat your man, Roy, here.” Ryan didn’t move. Nor did he acknowledge Tripp’s veiled threat.

The three of them had been friends forever, though it was Tessa who was his best friend. According to their parents, their friendship was born the moment they first met. Their bond had only gotten stronger over the years. Still, he’d had to assure Tripp on more than one occasion that his relationship with Tess was purely platonic.

Relationships weren’t his gift. He’d made peace with that, particularly since the dissolution of his engagement to Sabrina Calhoun little more than a year ago. Tripp had made it clear, in a joking-not-joking manner, that despite their longtime friendship, he’d punch his lights out if Ryan ever hurt his sister.

He couldn’t blame the guy. Tess definitely deserved better.

“Way to go, Tess.” A wide grin spread across Tripp’s face. He gave his sister a fist bump, followed by a simulated explosion.

The Nobles’ signature celebratory handshake.

“Thanks, Tripp.” Tessa casually stepped away from him.

Ryan drank his beer, captivated by her delectable scent which still lingered in the air around him.

“You look particularly proud of yourself today, big brother.” Tessa raised an eyebrow, her arms folded.

The move inadvertently framed and lifted Tessa’s rather impressive breasts. Another feature he tried hard, as her best friend, to not notice. But then again, he was a guy, with guy parts and a guy brain.

Ryan quickly shifted his gaze to Tripp’s. “You still pumped about being a bachelor in the Texas Cattleman’s Club charity auction?”

Tripp grinned like a prize hog in the county fair, his light brown eyes—identical to his sister’s—twinkling merrily. “Alexis Slade says I’ll fetch a mint.”

“Hmm...” Ryan grinned. “Tess, what do you think your brother here will command on the auction block?”

“Oh, I’d say four maybe even five...dollars.” Tessa, Ryan, Gail and Roy laughed hysterically, much to Tripp’s chagrin.

Tripp folded his arms over his chest. “I see you all have jokes tonight.”

“You know we’re just kidding.” Ryan, who had called next, picked up a pool cue as Roy gathered the balls and racked them. “After all, I’m the one who suggested you to Alexis.”

“And I may never forgive you for creating this monster.” Tessa scowled at Ryan playfully.

“My bad, I wasn’t thinking.” He chuckled.

“What I want to know is why on earth you didn’t volunteer yourself?” Gail asked. “You’re a moderately good-looking guy, if you like that sort of thing.” She laughed.

She was teasing him, not flirting. Though with Gail it was often hard to tell.

Ryan shrugged. “I’m not interested in parading across the stage for a bunch of desperate women to bid on, like I’m a side of beef.” He glanced apologetically at his friend, Tripp. “No offense, man.”

“None taken.” Tripp grinned proudly, poking a thumb into his chest. “This ‘side of beef’ is chomping at the bit to be taken for a spin by one of the lovely ladies.”

Tessa elbowed Ryan in the gut, and an involuntary “oomph” sound escaped. “Watch it, Bateman. We aren’t desperate. We’re civic-minded women whose only interest is the betterment of our community.”

There was silence for a beat before Tessa and Gail dissolved into laughter.

Tessa was utterly adorable, giggling like a schoolgirl. The sound—rooted in his earliest memories of her—instantly conjured a smile that began deep down in his gut.

He studied her briefly. Her curly, dark brown hair was pulled into a low ponytail and her smooth, golden brown skin practically glowed. She was wearing her typical winter attire: a long-sleeved plaid shirt, jeans which hid her curvy frame rather than highlighting it, and the newest addition to her ever-growing sneaker collection.

“You’re a brave man.” Ryan shifted his attention to Tripp as he leaned down and lined his stick up with the cue ball. He drew it back and forth between his forefinger and thumb. “If these two are any indication—” he nodded toward Tess and Gail “—those women at the auction are gonna eat you alive.”

“One can only hope.” Tripp wriggled his brows and held up his beer, one corner of his mouth curled in a smirk.

Ryan shook his head, then struck the white cue ball hard. He relished the loud cracking sound that indicated a solid break. The cue ball smashed through the triangular formation of colorful balls, and they rolled or spun across the table. A high and a low ball dropped into the pockets.

“Your choice.” Ryan nodded toward Tessa.

“Low.” Hardly a surprise. Tessa always chose low balls whenever she had first choice. She walked around the table, her sneakers squeaking against the floor, as she sized up her first shot.

“You know I’m only teasing you, Tripp. I think it’s pretty brave of you to put yourself out there like that. I’d be mortified by the thought of anyone bidding on me.” She leaned over the table, her sights on the blue two ball before glancing up at her brother momentarily. “In fact, I’m proud of you. The money you’ll help raise for the Pancreatic Cancer Research Foundation will do a world of good.”

She made her shot and sank the ball before lining up for the next one.

“Would you bid on a bachelor?” Ryan leaned against his stick, awaiting his turn.

He realized that Tess was attending the bachelor auction, but the possibility that she’d be bidding on one of them hadn’t occurred to him until just now. And the prospect of his best friend going on a date with some guy whose company she’d paid for didn’t sit well with him.

The protective instinct that had his hackles up was perfectly natural. He, Tripp and Tessa had had each others’ backs since they were kids. They weren’t just friends, they were family. Though Tess was less like a little sister and more like a really hot distant cousin, three times removed.

“Of course, I’m bidding on a bachelor.” She sank another ball, then paced around the table and shrugged. “That’s kind of the point of the entire evening.”

“Doesn’t mean you have to. After all, not every woman attending will be bidding on a bachelor,” Ryan reminded her.

“They will be if they aren’t married or engaged,” Gail said resolutely, folding her arms and cocking an eyebrow his way. “Why, Ryan Bateman, sounds to me like you’re jealous.”

“Don’t be ridiculous.” His cheeks heated as he returned his gaze to the table. “I’m just looking out for my best friend. She shouldn’t be pressured to participate in something that makes her feel uncomfortable.”

Tessa was sweet, smart, funny, and a hell of a lot of fun to hang out with. But she wasn’t the kind of woman he envisioned with a paddle in her hand, bidding on men as if she were purchasing steers at auction.

“Doesn’t sound like Tess, to me. That’s all I’m saying.” He realized he sounded defensive.

“Good. It’s about time I do something unexpected. I’m too predictable...too boring.” Tessa cursed under her breath when she missed her shot.

“Also known as consistent and reliable,” Ryan interjected.

Things were good the way they were. He liked that Tessa followed a routine he could count on. His best friend’s need for order balanced out his spontaneity.

“I know, but lately I’ve been feeling... I don’t know...stifled. Like I need to take some risks in my personal life. Stop playing it so safe all the time.” She sighed in response to his wide-eyed, slack-jawed stare. “Relax, Rye. It’s not like I’m paying for a male escort.”

“I believe they prefer the term gigolo,” Gail, always helpful, interjected, then took another sip of her drink.

Ryan narrowed his gaze at Gail, which only made the woman laugh hysterically. He shifted his attention back to Tessa, who’d just missed her shot.

“Who will you be bidding on?”

Tessa shrugged. “I don’t know. No one in particular in mind, just yet. The programs go out in a few days. Maybe I’ll decide then. Or... I don’t know...maybe I’ll wait and see who tickles my fancy when I get there.”

“Who tickles your fancy?” Ryan repeated the words incredulously. His grip on the pool cue tightened.

He didn’t like the sound of that at all.

Two

Tessa followed the sound of moaning down the hall and around the corner to her brother’s room.

“Tripp? Are you all right?” She tapped lightly on his partially opened bedroom door.

“No!” The word was punctuated by another moan, followed by, “I feel like I’m dying.”

Tessa hurried inside his room, her senses quickly assailed by a pungent scent which she followed to his bathroom. He was hugging the porcelain throne and looking a little green.

“Did you go out drinking last night?”

“No. I think it’s the tuna sandwich I got from the gas station late last night on my way back in from Dallas.”

“How many times have I told you? Gas station food after midnight? No bueno.” She stood with her hands on her hips, looking down at her brother who looked like he might erupt again at any minute.

Austin Charles Noble III loved food almost as much as he loved his family. And usually he had a stomach like a tank. Impervious to just about anything. So whatever he’d eaten had to have been pretty bad.

“I’m taking you to Urgent Care.”

“No, I just want to go to bed. If I can sleep it off for a few hours, I’m sure I’ll be fine.” He forced a smile, then immediately clutched his belly and cringed. “I’ll be good as new for the bachelor auction.”

“Shit. The bachelor auction.” Tess repeated the words. It was the next night. And as green at the gills as Tripp looked, there was little chance he’d be ready to be paraded on stage in front of a crowd of eager women by then. The way he looked now, he probably wouldn’t fetch more than five dollars and a bottle of ipecac at auction.

“Here, let me help you back to bed.” She leaned down, allowing her brother to drape his arm around her and get enough leverage to climb to his feet on unsteady legs. Once he was safely in bed again, she gathered the remains of the tainted tuna sandwich, an empty bottle of beer, and a few other items.

She set an empty garbage can with a squirt of soap and about an inch of water beside his bed.

“Use this, if you need to.” She indicated the garbage can. “I’m going to get you some ginger ale and some Gatorade. But if you get worse, I’m taking you to the doctor. Mom and Dad wouldn’t be too happy with me if I let their baby boy die of food poisoning while they were away on vacation.”

“Well, I am Mom’s favorite, so...” He offered a weak smile as he invoked the argument they often teased each other about. “And don’t worry about the auction, I’ll be fine. I’m a warrior, sis. Nothing is going to come between me and—” Suddenly he bolted out of bed, ran to the bathroom and slammed the door behind him.

Tessa shook her head. “You’re staying right here in bed today and tomorrow, ‘warrior.’ I’ll get Roy and the guys to take care of the projects that were on your list today. And I’ll find a replacement for you in the auction. Alexis will understand.”

Tripp mumbled his thanks through the bathroom door, and she set off to take care of everything she had promised him.

Tessa had been nursing her brother back to health and handling her duties at the ranch, as well as some of his. And she’d been trying all day to get in touch with Ryan.

Despite his reluctance to get involved in the auction, he was the most logical choice as Tripp’s replacement. She was sure she could convince him it was a worthy cause. Maybe stroke his ego and tell him there would be a feeding frenzy for a hot stud like him.

A statement she planned to make in jest, but that she feared also had a bit of truth to it. Tessa gritted her teeth imagining Lana, and a whole host of other women in town who often flirted with Ryan, bidding on him like he was a prize steer.

Maybe getting Ryan to step in as Tripp’s replacement in the auction wasn’t such a good idea after all. She paced the floor, scrolling through a list of names of other possible options in her head.

Most of the eligible men that came to mind were already participating, or they’d already turned Alexis and Rachel down, from what Tessa had heard.

She stopped abruptly mid-stride, an idea brewing in her head that made her both excited and feel like she was going to toss her lunch at the same time.

“Do something that scares you every single day.” She repeated the words under her breath that she’d recently posted on the wall of her office. It was a quote from Eleanor Roosevelt. Advice she’d promised herself that she would take to heart from here on out.

Tessa glanced at herself in the mirror. Her thick hair was divided into two plaits, and a Stetson was pushed down on her head, her eyes barely visible. She was the textbook definition of Plain Jane. Not because she wasn’t attractive, but because she put zero effort into looking like a desirable woman rather than one of the ranch hands.

She sighed, her fingers trembling slightly. There was a good chance that Alexis and Rachel would veto her idea for Tripp’s replacement. But at least she would ask.

Tessa pulled her cell phone out of her back pocket and scrolled through her contacts for Alexis Slade’s number. Her palms were damp as she initiated the call. Pressing the phone to her ear, she counted the rings, a small part of her hoping that Alexis didn’t answer. That would give her time to rethink her rash decision. Maybe save herself some embarrassment when Alexis rejected the idea.

“Hey, Tess. How are you?” Alexis’s warm, cheerful voice rang through the line.

“I’m good. Tripp? Not so much. I think he has food poisoning.” The words stumbled out of her mouth.

“Oh my God! That’s terrible. Poor Tripp. Is he going to be okay?”

“I’m keeping an eye on him, but I’m sure he’ll be fine in a few days. I just don’t think he’s going to recover in time to do the bachelor auction.”

“We’ll miss having him in the lineup, but of course we understand. His health is the most important thing.” The concern was evident in Alexis’s voice. “Tell him that we hope he’s feeling better soon. And if the auction goes well, maybe we’ll do this again next year. I’ll save a spot in the lineup for him then.”

“Do you have anyone in mind for a replacement?” Tessa paced the floor.

“Not really. We’ve pretty much tapped out our list of possibilities. Unless you can get Ryan to change his mind?” She sounded hopeful.

“I considered that, and I’ve been trying to reach him all day. But just now, I came up with another idea.” She paused, hoping that Alexis would stop her. Tell her that they didn’t need anyone else. When the woman didn’t respond, she continued. “I was thinking that I might replace my brother in the lineup.” She rushed the words out before she could chicken out. “I know that this is a bachelor auction, not a bachelorette—”

“Yes!” Alexis squealed, as if it were the best idea she’d heard all day. “OMG, I think that’s an absolutely fabulous idea. We’ll provide something for the fellas, too. Oh, Tessa, this is brilliant. I love it.”

“Are you sure? I mean, I like the idea of doing something completely unexpected, but maybe we should see what Rachel thinks.” Her heart hammered in her chest.

She’d done something bold, something different, by offering to take Tripp’s place. But now, the thought of actually walking that stage and praying to God that someone...anyone...would bid on her was giving her heart palpitations.

“That’s a good idea, but I know she’s going to agree with me. Hold on.”

“Oh, you’re calling her now?” Tessa said to the empty room as she paced the floor.

Rachel Kincaid was a marketing genius and an old college friend of Alexis’s. She’d come to Royal as a young widow and the mother to an adorable little girl named Ellie. And she’d fallen in love with one of the most eligible bachelors in all of Texas, oil tycoon Matt Galloway.

“Okay, Rachel’s on the line,” Alexis announced a moment later. “And I brought her up to speed.”

“You weren’t kidding about doing something unexpected.” There was a hint of awe in Rachel’s voice. “Good for you, Tess.”

“Thanks, Rachel.” She swallowed hard. “But do you think it’s a good idea? I mean, the programs have already been printed, and no one knows that there’s going to be a bachelorette in the auction. What if no one bids on me? I don’t want to cause any embarrassment to the club or create negative publicity for the event.”

“Honey, the bachelors who aren’t in the auction are going to go crazy when they discover there’s a beautiful lady to bid on,” Rachel said confidently.

“We’ll put the word out that there’s going to be a big surprise, just for the fellas. I can email everyone on our mailing list. It will only take me a few minutes to put the email together and send it out,” Alexis said.

“Y’all are sure we can pull this off?” Tess asked one last time. “I swear I won’t be offended if you think we can’t. I rather you tell me now than to let me get up there and make a fool of myself.”

“It’s going to be awesome,” Alexis reassured her. “But I’m sensing hesitation. Are you second-guessing your decision? Because you shouldn’t. It’s a good one.”

Tessa grabbed a spoon and the pint of her favorite Neapolitan ice cream hidden in the back of the freezer. She sat at the kitchen island and sighed, rubbing her palm on her jeans again. She shook her head, casting another glance in the mirror. “It’s just that... I’m not the glamorous type, that’s for sure.”

“You’re gorgeous, girl. And if you’re concerned...hey, why don’t we give you a whole beauty makeover for the event?” Rachel said excitedly. “It’ll be fun and it gives me another excuse to buy makeup.”

“That’s a fantastic idea, Rachel!” Alexis chimed in. “Not that you need it,” she added. “But maybe it’ll make you feel more comfortable.”

“Okay, yeah. That sounds great. I’d like that.” Tessa nodded, feeling slightly better. “I was gonna take tomorrow off anyway. Give myself plenty of time to get ready. But I’m sure you both have a million things to do. I don’t want to distract you from preparing for the auction, just to babysit me.”

“Alexis is the queen of organization. She’s got everything under control. Plus, we have a terrific crew of volunteers,” Rachel piped in. “They won’t miss us for a few hours. I promise, everything will be fine.”

“Have you considered what date you’re offering?”

“Date?” Tessa hadn’t thought that far in advance. “I’m not sure. I guess...let me think about that. I’ll have an answer for you by tomorrow. Is that all right?”

“That’s fine. Just let me know first thing in the morning,” Alexis said.

“I’ll make a few appointments for the makeover and I’ll text you both all the details.” Rachel’s voice brimmed with excitement.

“Then I guess that’s everything,” Tessa said, more to herself than her friends. “I’ll see you both tomorrow.”

She hung up the phone, took a deep breath, and shoveled a spoonful of Neapolitan ice cream into her mouth.

There was no turning back now.

Three

Ryan patted the warm neck of his horse, Phantom, and dismounted, handing the majestic animal off to Ned, one of his ranch hands. He gave the horse’s haunches one final pat as the older man led him away to a stall.

Ryan wiped his sweaty forehead with the back of his hand. He was tired, dirty and in desperate need of a shower.

He’d been out on the ranch and the surrounding area since the crack of dawn, looking for several steer that had made their great escape through a break in the fence. While his men repaired the fence, he and another hand tracked down the cattle and drove them back to the ranch.

He’d been in such a hurry to get after the cattle, he’d left his phone at home. Hopefully, his parents hadn’t called, worried that he wasn’t answering because he’d burned down the whole damn place.

He grumbled to himself, “You nearly burn the barn down as a kid, and they never let you forget it.”

Then again, his parents and Tess and Tripp’s seemed to be enjoying themselves on their cruise. Their calls had become far less frequent.

Who knows? Maybe both couples would decide it was finally time to retire, give up ranch life, and pass the torch to the next generation. Something he, Tessa and Tripp had been advocating for the past few years. They were ready to take on the responsibility.

When he’d been engaged to Sabrina, his parents had planned to retire to their beach house in Galveston and leave management of the ranch to him. Despite the fact that they hadn’t much liked his intended. Not because Sabrina was a bad person. But he and Sabrina were like fire and ice. The moments that were good could be really good. But the moments that weren’t had resulted in tense arguments and angry sex.

His mother, in particular, hadn’t been convinced Sabrina was the girl for him. She’d been right.

A few months before their wedding, Sabrina had called it off. She just couldn’t see herself as a ranch wife. Nor was she willing to sacrifice her well-earned figure to start “popping out babies” to carry on the Bateman name.

He appreciated that she’d had the decency to tell him to his face, well in advance, rather than abandoning him at the altar as Shelby Arthur had done when she’d decided she couldn’t marry Jared Goodman.

At least she’d spared him that humiliation.

Besides, there was a part of him that realized the truth of what she’d said. Maybe some part of him had always understood that he’d asked her to marry him because it felt like the right thing to do.

He’d been with Sabrina longer than he’d stayed in any relationship. For over a year. So when she’d hinted that she didn’t want to waste her time in a relationship that wasn’t going anywhere, he’d popped the question.

Neither he nor Sabrina were the type who bought into the fairy tale of romance. They understood that relationships were an exchange. A series of transactions, sustained over time. Which was why he believed they were a good fit. But they’d both ignored an essential point. They were just too different.

He loved everything about ranch life, and Sabrina was a city girl, through and through.

The truth was that he’d been relieved when Sabrina had canceled the wedding. As if he could breathe, nice, deep, easy breaths, for the first time in months. Still, his parents called off their plans to retire.

Maybe this trip would convince them that he and the Bateman Ranch would be just fine without them.

Ryan stretched and groaned. His muscles, taut from riding in the saddle a good portion of the day, protested as he made his way across the yard toward the house.

Helene Dennis, their longtime house manager, threw open the door and greeted him. “There you are. You look an unholy mess. Take off those boots and don’t get my kitchen floor all dirty. I just mopped.”

Sometimes he wondered if Helene worked for him or if he worked for her. Still, he loved the older woman. She was family.

“All right, all right.” He toed off his boots and kicked them in the corner, patting his arms and legs to dislodge any dust from his clothing before entering the house. “Just don’t shoot.”

Helene playfully punched his arm. “Were you able to round up all of the animals that got loose?”

“Every one of them.” Yawning, he kneaded a stubborn kink in his back. “Fence is fixed, too.”

“Good. Dinner will be ready in about a half an hour. Go ahead and hop in the shower. Oh, and call Tess when you get the chance.”

“Why?” His chest tightened. “Everything okay over at the Noble Spur?”

“Don’t worry.” She gave him a knowing smile that made his cheeks fill with heat. “She’s fine, but her brother is ill. Tess is pretty sure it’s food poisoning. She’s been trying to reach you all day.”

“I was in such a hurry to get out of here this morning, I forgot my phone.”

“I know.” She chuckled softly “I found it in the covers when I made your bed this morning. It’s on your nightstand.”

Managing a tired smile for the woman he loved almost as much as his own mother, he leaned in and kissed her cheek. “Thanks, Helene. I’ll be down for dinner as soon as I can.”

Ryan dried his hair from the shower and wrapped the towel around his waist. The hot water had felt good sluicing over his tired, aching muscles. So he’d taken a longer shower than he’d intended. And though he was hungry, he was tempted to collapse into bed and forgo dinner.

Sighing wearily, he sat on the bed and picked up his phone to call Tess.

She answered in a couple of rings. “Hey, Rye. How’d it go? Were you able to find all the steer you lost?”

Helene had evidently told her where he was and why he hadn’t been answering his cell phone.

“Yes, we got them all back and the fence is fixed.” He groaned as he reached out to pick up his watch and put it back on. “How’s Tripp? Helene said he got food poisoning.”

“Wow, you sound like you’ve been ridden hard and put away wet.” She laughed. “And yes, my brother’s penchant for late night snacks from suspect eateries finally caught up with him. He looks and feels like hell, but otherwise he’s recovering.”

“Will he be okay for the auction tomorrow?”

“No.” She said the word a little too quickly, then paused a little too long. “He thinks he’ll be fine to go through with it, but I’m chalking that up to illness-induced delusion.”

“Did you tell Alexis she’s a man down?”

“I did.” There was another unusual pause. Like there was something she wanted to say but was hesitant.

Ryan thought for a moment as he rummaged through his drawers for something to put on.

“Ahh...” He dragged his fingers through his damp hair. “Of course. She wants to know if I’ll take Tripp’s place.”

Tessa didn’t respond right away. “Actually, that’s why I was trying so hard to reach you. I thought I might be able to convince you to take Tripp’s place...since it’s for such a good cause. But when I couldn’t reach you, I came up with another option.”

“Which is?” It was like pulling teeth to get Tess to just spit it out. He couldn’t imagine why that would be...unless he wasn’t going to like what she had to say. Uneasiness tightened his gut. “So this other option...are you going to tell me, or should I come over and you can act it out in charades?”

“Smart-ass.” She huffed. “No charades necessary. I’m the other option. I decided to take Tripp’s place in the auction.”

“You do know that it’s women who will be bidding in this auction, right?” Ryan switched to speakerphone, tossed his phone on the bed, then stepped into his briefs. “Anything you need to tell me, Tess?”

“I’m going to give you a pass because I know you’re tired,” she groused. “And we’ve already considered that. If you check your in-box, you’ll see that Alexis sent out an email informing all attendees and everyone else on the mailing list that there is going to be a surprise at the end of the auction, just for the gents.”

“Oh.”

It was the only thing that Ryan could think to say as the realization struck him in the gut like a bull running at full speed. A few days ago, he’d been discomfited by the idea of his friend bidding on one man. Now, there would be who knows how many guys angling for a night with her.

“You sure about this?” He stepped into a pair of well-worn jeans and zipped and buttoned them. “This just doesn’t seem much like you.”

“That’s exactly why I’m doing it.” Her voice was shaky. “It’ll be good for me to venture outside of my comfort zone.”

He donned a long-sleeved T-shirt, neither of them speaking for a moment.

Ryan rubbed his chin and sank on to his mattress. He slipped on a pair of socks. “Look, I know I said I didn’t want to do it, but with Tripp being sick and all, how about I make an exception?”

“You think this is a really bad idea, don’t you?” She choked out the words, her feelings obviously hurt.

“No, that’s not what I’m saying at all.” The last thing he wanted to do was upset his best friend. He ran a hand through his hair. “I’m just saying that it’s really last minute. And because of that, it might take people by surprise, that’s all.”

“I thought of that, too. Alexis and Rachel are positive they can drum up enough interest. But I thought that...just to be safe...it’d be good to have an ace up my sleeve.”

“What kind of an ace?”

“I’m going to give you the money to bid on me, in case no one else does. I know it’ll still look pretty pathetic if my best friend is the only person who bids on me, but that’s a hell of a lot better than hearing crickets when they call my name.”

“You want me to bid on you?” He repeated the words. Not that he hadn’t heard or understood her the first time. He was just processing the idea. Him bidding on his best friend. The two of them going out on a date...

“Yes, but it’ll be my money. And there’s no need for us to actually go on the date. I mean, we can just hang out like usual or something, but it doesn’t have to be a big deal.”

“Sure, I’ll do it. But you don’t need to put up the money. I’m happy to make the donation myself.”

His leg bounced. Despite what his friend believed, Ryan doubted that he’d be the only man there willing to bid on Tessa Noble during her bachelorette auction.

“Thanks, Ryan. I appreciate this.” She sounded relieved. “And remember, you’ll only need to bid on me if no one else does. If nothing else, your bid might prompt someone else to get into the spirit.”

“Got it,” he said gruffly. “You can count on me.”

“I know. Thanks again, Rye.” He could hear the smile in her sweet voice.

“Hey, since Tripp won’t be able to make it...why don’t we ride in together?”

“Actually, I’m going straight to the auction from...somewhere else. But I’ll catch a ride with a friend, so we can ride home together. How’s that?”

“Sounds good.” He couldn’t help the twinge of disappointment he felt at only getting to ride home with her. “I guess I’ll see you there.”

“I’ll be the one with the price tag on her head.” Tessa forced a laugh. “Get some rest, Rye. And take some pain meds. Otherwise, your arm’ll be too sore to lift the auction paddle.”

Her soft laughter was the last thing he heard before the line went dead. Before he could say good-night.

Ryan released a long sigh and slid his feet into his slippers. He didn’t like the idea of Tess putting herself on the auction block for every letch in town to leer at. But she was a grown woman who was capable of making her own decisions.

Regardless of how much he disagreed with them.

Besides, he wasn’t quite sure what it was that made him feel more uneasy. Tess being bid on by other men, or the idea that he might be the man who won her at the end of the night.

Four

Tessa had never been plucked, primped and prodded this much in her entire life.

She’d been waxed in places she didn’t even want to think about and had some kind of wrap that promised to tighten her curves. And the thick head of curls she adored had been straightened and hung in tousled waves around her shoulders. Now Milan Valez, a professional makeup artist, was applying her makeup.

“I thought we were going with a natural look,” Tess objected when the woman opened yet another product and started to apply what had to be a third or fourth layer of goop to her face.

“This is the natural look.” The woman rolled her eyes. “If I had a dime for every client who doesn’t realize that what they’re calling the natural look is actually a full face.” The woman sighed, but her expression softened as she directed Tess to turn her head. “You’re a beautiful woman with gorgeous skin. If you’re not a makeup wearer, I know it feels like a lot. But I’m just using a few tricks to enhance your natural beauty. We’ll make those beautiful eyes pop, bring a little drama to these pouty lips, and highlight your incredible cheekbones. I promise you won’t look too heavily made up. Just trust me.”

Tessa released a quiet sigh and nodded. “I trust you.”

“Good. Now just sit back and relax. Your friends should be here shortly. They’re going to be very pleased, and I think you will, too.” The woman smiled. “Now look up.”

Tessa complied as Milan applied liner beneath her eyes. “You sure I can’t have a little peek?”

“Your friends made me promise. No peeking. And you agreed.” She lifted Tess’s chin. “Don’t worry, honey, you won’t have to wait much longer.”

“Tessa? Oh my God, you look...incredible.” Rachel entered the salon a few minutes later and clapped a hand over her mouth. “I can hardly believe it’s you.”

Alexis nearly slammed into the back of Rachel, who’d made an abrupt stop. She started to complain, but when she saw Tessa, her mouth gaped open, too.

“Tess, you look...stunning. Not that you aren’t always beautiful, but...wow. Just wow.”

“You two are making me seriously self-conscious right now.” Tessa kept her focus on Milan.

“Don’t be,” the woman said emphatically. “Remember what we talked about. I’ve only enhanced what was already there.”

Tessa inhaled deeply and nodded. She ignored the butterflies in her stomach in response to the broad grins and looks of amazement on Alexis’s and Rachel’s faces.

“There, all done.” Milan sat back proudly and grinned. “Honey, you look absolutely beautiful. Ready to see for yourself?”

“Please.” Even as Tessa said it, her hands were trembling, and a knot tightened in her stomach. How could something as simple as looking in the mirror be so fraught with anxiety? It only proved she wasn’t cut out for this whole glamour-girl thing.

Milan slowly turned the chair around and Alexis and Rachel came over to stand closer, both of them bouncing excitedly.

Tessa closed her eyes, took a deep breath and then opened them.

“Oh my God.” She leaned closer to the mirror. “I can hardly believe that’s me.” She sifted her fingers through the dark, silky waves with toffee-colored highlights. “I mean, it looks like me, just...more glamourous.”

“I know, isn’t it incredible? You’re going to be the star of the evening. We need to keep you hidden until you walk across the stage. Really take everyone by surprise.” Rachel grinned in the mirror from behind her.

“Oh, that’s a brilliant idea, Rachel,” Alexis agreed. “It’ll have more impact.”

“This is only the beginning.” Rachel’s grin widened. “Just wait until they get a load of your outfit tonight. Every man in that room’s jaw will hit the floor.”

Tessa took another deep breath, then exhaled as she stared at herself in the mirror. Between her makeover and the daring outfit she’d chosen, there was no way Ryan, or anyone else, would take her for one of the boys.

Her heart raced and her belly fluttered as she anticipated his reaction. She couldn’t wait to see the look of surprise on Ryan’s face.

Ryan entered the beautiful gardens where The Great Royal Bachelor Auction was being held. Alexis Slade, James Harris and the rest of the committee had gone out of their way to create a festive and beautiful setting for the event. Fragrant wreaths and sprigs of greenery were strung from the pergolas. Two towering trees decorated with gorgeous ornaments dominated the area. Poinsettias, elegant red bows and white lights decorated the space, giving it a glowing, ethereal feel. The garden managed to be both romantic and festive. The kind of setting that almost made you regret not having someone to share the night with.

He sipped his Jack and Coke and glanced around the vicinity. Everyone who was anyone was in attendance. He made his way through the room, mingling with Carter Mackenzie and Shelby Arthur, Matt Galloway and Rachel Kincaid, Austin and Brooke Bradshaw, and all of the other members of the club who’d turned out for the event. Several of the bachelors moved around the space, drumming up anticipation for the auction and doing their best to encourage a bidding frenzy.

But Tessa was nowhere to be found. Had she changed her mind? He was looking forward to hanging out with her tonight, but he’d understand if she’d gotten cold feet. Hell, there was a part of him that was relieved to think that maybe she’d bailed.

Then again, Tess had said she’d be coming from somewhere else. So maybe she was just running late.

He resisted the urge to pull out his cell phone and find out exactly where she was. For once in his life, he’d be patient. Even if it killed him.

“Ryan, it’s good to see you.” James Harris, president of the Texas Cattleman’s Club, shook his hand. “I hate that we couldn’t convince you to be one of our bachelor’s tonight, but I’m glad you joined us just the same.”

“Didn’t see your name on the list of bachelors either.” Ryan smirked, and both men laughed.

“Touché.” James took a gulp of his drink and Ryan did the same.

“Looks like y’all are doing just fine without me.” Ryan gestured to the space. “I wouldn’t have ever imagined this place could look this good.”

“Alexis Slade outdid herself with this whole romantic winter wonderland vibe.” James’s eyes trailed around the space. “To be honest, I wasn’t sure exactly how her vision would come together, but she’s delivered in spades. I’m glad we gave her free rein to execute it as she saw fit.”

“Judging from everyone here’s reaction, you’ve got a hit on your hands.” Ryan raised his glass before finishing the last of his drink.

“Let’s just hope it motivates everyone to dig deep in their pockets tonight.” James patted Ryan on the back. “I’d better go chat with Rose Clayton.” He nodded toward the older woman, who looked stunning in her gown. The touch of gray hair at her temples gleamed in the light. “But I’ll see you around.”

“You bet.” Ryan nodded toward the man as he traversed the space and greeted Rose.

“Ryan, how are you?” Gail Walker took a sip of her drink and grinned. “You look particularly handsome tonight. But I see Alexis still wasn’t able to talk you into joining the list of eligible bachelors.”

“Not my thing, but looks like they’ve got plenty of studs on the schedule for you to choose from.” Ryan sat his empty glass on a nearby tray. “And you clean up pretty well yourself.”

“Thanks.” She smoothed a hand over the skirt of her jewel-tone green dress. “But I’ve got my eye on one bachelor in particular.” Her eyes shone with mischief. “And I’m prepared to do whatever it takes to get him.”

“Well, I certainly wouldn’t want to be the woman who has to run up against you.” Ryan chuckled. “Good luck.”

“Thanks, Ryan. See you around.” Gail made her way through the crowd, mingling with other guests.

Ryan accepted a napkin and a few petite quiches from a server passing by. Ignoring the anticipation that made his heart beat a little faster as he considered the prospect of bidding on his friend.

Tessa paced the space that served as the bachelors’ green room. Everyone else had spent most of the night mingling. They came to the green room once the start of the auction drew closer. But she’d been stuck here the entire evening, biding her time until she was scheduled to make her grand entrance.

“Tessa Noble? God, you look...incredible.” Daniel Clayton shoved a hand in his pocket. “But what are you doing here? Wait...are you the surprise?”

“Guilty.” Her cheeks warmed as she bit into another quiche.

She tried her best not to ruin the makeup that Milan had so painstakingly applied. The woman had assured her that she could eat and drink without the lipstick fading or feathering. But Tess still found herself being extra careful.

“Everyone will definitely be surprised,” he said, then added, “Not that you don’t look good normally.”

“It’s okay, Daniel. I get it.” She mumbled around a mouth full of quiche. “It was a surprise to me, too.”

He chuckled, running a hand through his jet-black hair. “You must be tired of people telling you how different you look. How did Tripp and Ryan react?”

“Neither of them has seen me yet.” She balled up her napkin and tossed it in the trash. “I’m a little nervous about their reaction.”

“Don’t be,” Daniel said assuredly. “I can’t imagine a man alive could find fault with the way you look tonight.” He smiled, then scrubbed a hand across his forehead. “Or any night...of course.”

They both laughed.

“Well, thank you.” She relaxed a little. “You already know why I feel like a fish out of water. But why do you look so out of sorts tonight?”

He exhaled heavily, the frown returning to his face. “For one thing, I’d rather not be in the lineup. I’m doing this at my grandmother’s insistence.”

“Ms. Rose seems like a perfectly reasonable woman to me. And she loves you like crazy. I’m pretty sure if you’d turned her down she would’ve gotten over it fairly quickly.”

“Maybe.” He shrugged. “But the truth is that I owe my grandmother so much. Don’t know where I would’ve ended up if it wasn’t for her. Makes it hard to say no.” A shadow of sadness passed over his handsome face, tugging at Tessa’s heart.

Daniel had been raised by Rose Clayton after his own mother dumped him on her. It made Tessa’s heart ache for him. She couldn’t imagine the pain Daniel must feel at being abandoned by a woman who preferred drugs and booze to her own son.

“Of course.” Tess nodded, regretting her earlier flippant words. She hadn’t considered the special relationship that Daniel had with his grandmother and how grateful he must be to her. “I wasn’t thinking.”

They were both quiet for a moment, when she remembered his earlier words.

“You said ‘for one thing.’ What’s the other reason you didn’t want to do this?”

The pained look on Daniel’s face carved deep lines in his forehead and between his brows. He drained the glass of whiskey in his hand.

“It’s nothing,” he said in a dismissive tone that made it clear that they wouldn’t be discussing it any further.

She was digging herself deeper into a hole with every question she asked of Daniel tonight. Better for her to move on. She wished him luck and made her way over to the buffet table.

“Hey, Tessa.” Lloyd Richardson put another slider on his small plate. “Wow, you look pretty amazing.”

“Thanks, Lloyd.” She decided against the slider and put some carrots and a cherry tomato on her plate instead.

There wasn’t much room to spare in her fitted pantsuit. She wore a jacket over the sleeveless garment to hide the large cutout that revealed most of her back. That had been one idea of Rachel’s for which she’d been grateful.

“Hey, you must be plum sick of people saying that to you by now.” Lloyd seemed to recognize the discomfort she felt at all of the additional attention she’d been getting.

Tess gave him a grateful smile. No wonder her friend Gail Walker had a crush on Lloyd. He was handsome, sweet and almost a little shy. Which was probably why he hadn’t made a move on Gail, since he certainly seemed interested in her.

“Okay, bachelors and bachelorette.” Alexis acknowledged Tess with a slight smile. “The proceedings will begin in about ten minutes. So finish eating, take a quick bathroom break, whatever you need to do so you’ll be ready to go on when your number is called.”

Alexis had her serious, drill sergeant face on. Something Tessa knew firsthand that a woman needed to adopt when she was responsible for managing a crew of men—be they ranchers or ranch hands.

Still, there was something in her eyes. Had she been crying?

Before she could approach Alexis and ask if she was all right, she noticed the look Alexis and Daniel Clayton exchanged. It was brief, but meaningful. Chock full of pain.

Could Alexis be the other reason Daniel hadn’t wanted to be in the bachelor auction? But from the look of things, whatever was going on between them certainly wasn’t sunshine and roses.

Tessa caught up with Alexis as she grabbed the door handle.

“Alexis.” Tessa lowered her voice as she studied her friend’s face. “Is everything okay? You look like you’ve been—”

“I’m fine.” Alexis swiped at the corner of one eye, her gaze cast downward. “I just... I’m fine.” She forced a smile, finally raising her eyes to meet Tessa’s. “You’re going to kill them tonight. Just wait until you come out of that jacket. We’re going to have to scrape everyone’s jaws off the floor.” She patted Tess’s shoulder. “I’d tell you good luck, but something tells me that you aren’t going to need it tonight.”

With that, Alexis dipped out of the green room and was gone.

When Tess turned around, Daniel was standing there, staring after the other woman. He quickly turned away, busying himself with grabbing a bottle of water from the table.

There was definitely something going on with the two of them. And if there was, Tessa could understand why they wouldn’t want to make their relationship public. Daniel’s grandmother, Rose Clayton, and Alexis’s grandfather, Gus Slade, once an item, had been feuding for years.

In recent months, they seemed to at least have found the civility to be decent toward one another. Most likely for the sake of everyone around them. Still, there was no love lost between those two families.

“Looks like Royal has its very own Romeo and Juliet,” she muttered under her breath.

Tess took her seat, her hands trembling slightly and butterflies fluttering in her stomach. She closed her eyes, imagining how Ryan would react to seeing her out there on that stage.

Five

Ryan hung back at the bar as the bachelor auction wound down. There were just a couple more bachelors on the list, then Tess would be up.

He gulped the glass of water with lemon he was drinking. He’d talked to just about everyone here. But with neither Tripp nor Tess to hang out with, he’d been ready to leave nearly an hour ago.

Then again, his discomfort had little to do with him going stag for the night and everything to do with the fact that his best friend would be trotted out onto the stage and bid on. His gaze shifted around the garden at the unattached men in attendance. Most of them were members of the Texas Cattleman’s Club. Some of them second, third or even fourth generation. All of them were good people, as far as he knew. So why was he assessing them all suspiciously? Wondering which of them would bid on his best friend.

The next bachelor, Lloyd Richardson, was called onto the stage and Alexis read his bio. Women were chomping at the bit to bid on the guy. Including Gail Walker. She’d started with a low, reasonable bid. But four or five other women were countering her bids as quickly as she was making them.

First the bid was in the hundreds, then the thousands. Suddenly, Steena Goodman, a wealthy older woman whose husband had been active in the club for many years before his death, stood and placed her final bid. Fifty-thousand dollars.

Ryan nearly coughed. What was it about this guy that had everyone up in arms?

Steena’s bid was much higher than the previous bid of nine thousand dollars. The competing bidders pouted, acknowledging their defeat.

But not Gail. She looked angry and hurt. She stared Steena down, her arms folded and breathing heavily.

Alexis glanced back and forth at the two women for a moment. When Rachel nudged her, she cleared her throat and resumed her duties as auctioneer. “Going once, going twice—”

“One hundred thousand dollars.” Gail stared at Steena, as if daring her to outbid her.

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