Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 86808 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 434(@200wpm)___ 347(@250wpm)___ 289(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86808 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 434(@200wpm)___ 347(@250wpm)___ 289(@300wpm)
By the time the auction is ready to start, I’m relaxed and have forgotten all about Diane Turner confronting me in front of Marcie. It’s been a long damn time since I’ve been truly at ease, even letting go of the long list of tasks I have to accomplish tomorrow to keep the Blackburn machine running.
The emcee for the auction is Harry Hagen, a lovable real estate agent here in Shelbyville who has his face plastered on every billboard in the county. He hams it up to the extreme but he gets the ladies to open their pocketbooks and spend.
There’s a stage set up at one end of the ballroom and the lights are turned down low as he takes the mic and strolls out. A warm light illuminates him, making the bald spot on top of his head shine.
“Welcome, welcome, welcome to the twenty-third annual Shelbyville Bachelor Auction. We are here tonight to raise money for literacy awareness and funding for underprivileged kids so that they can share in the wonderful world of books.”
I tune him out as he prattles on, having heard this speech every year since I started attending. I glance across the table at Wade and Trey, both of my brothers with wide grins on their faces. They have fun with this and there are times I wish I could be as carefree as them. It’s sad to say, but the burden of responsibility has made me quite dull. It’s a sacrifice already made.
“I’m going to call the bachelors up here and give you a little information about each one, and once the lineup is set, we’ll start bidding from left to right. Now, first up, we have the gorgeous, well-muscled and if I don’t say so myself, the most charming bachelor in the county. You all know and love him as a horse trainer extraordinaire and he’s been known to make single ladies faint with those crystal green eyes of his. Let’s welcome to the stage, Wade Blackburn.”
My brother pushes his chair back, he and Trey fist bump, and he struts up on the stage like a peacock. He takes off his suit jacket and dangles it over one shoulder, does a flashy spin when he reaches Harry, and then suavely slides a hand in his pocket before striking a pose.
The women go nuts and start cat-calling. A shrill whistle from the back of the room makes everyone laugh.
I lean left, nudging my shoulder into Marcie’s and whisper, “Sure you don’t want to bid on my bonehead brother? You could probably get him for cheap.”
Marcie giggles and nudges me back. “I’m happy with the current Blackburn, thank you.”
That pleases me immensely. We all watch as the bachelors are called up and our family gets in on the cheering action. It whips the crowd into a frenzy, the fun and hilarity of it all, which will only drive up the donations.
The stage is filled with nine bona fide, single Kentucky male specimens. Harry looks down at his card and says, “And the last entry of the evening is a doozy, folks. It’s a rarity and I’m thinking he’s going to drive the price up really high. Let’s hear it for the king of the saddlebreds, Shelbyville’s own Ethan Blackburn.”
Hearing my name called out sends a shockwave through my body and for a split second, I go almost entirely deaf. The room freezes and when motion starts again, I hear a thunderous roar of cheers.
I whip my head to look at my mom, thinking she’s trying to pull one over on me, but I can see she’s as surprised as I am. I look at Kat who also seems dumbfounded and up to the stage to see my brothers clearly had no hand in this.
I’m shaking my head no, waving my hands at Harry to indicate no way in hell I’m getting up there.
Harry thinks I’m just playing coy. “Come on up, Ethan. Don’t be shy.”
I shake my head harder.
Harry lays it on thick. “Come on, everyone… let’s show Ethan how much we love him.”
People start chanting my name and I look at Marcie helplessly, as if she can save me somehow. She merely gives me a sympathetic smile and shrugs.
“Ethan,” Harry bellows into the microphone, “this is for charity. For the love of all the kids who deserve access to great books, get your ass up here.”
“For fuck’s sake,” I mutter, knowing that I’ve been called out in a way I can’t disregard. Putting a hand on the back of Marcie’s chair, I start to rise but not before saying, “I’m going to kill whoever did this.”
Marcie’s eyes twinkle and she pats my shoulder. “I’ve got about twenty dollars in my purse and it’s all going on you.”
“Gee, thanks,” I drawl, but I find myself smiling in spite of the shitty situation.