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Authors: Victoria Michaels
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baker.”
It was supposed to be anonymous, but Wade was making it obvious who he was bidding on and Sydney felt exposed to the crowd. In contrast, Luke hadn’t once looked her direction, his attention solely on Wade. At a bid of three hundred and fifty dollars, Luke cursed, shook his head in surrender, and stormed to the back of the hall. A cheer went out to celebrate the generous donation from the sheriff.
Wade won her pie. She had a date with Wade Jenkins.
Sydney was in a complete daze as the last few pies were auctioned off without nearly as much fanfare as hers had garnered. It was all so surreal. Melissa was beaming. Faith fed off the excitement in the room and was bouncing up and down at her side. Soon the auction came to an end.
“I’m thrilled to announce that we have set a new fundraising record, nearly doubling the amount we raised last year for the elementary school’s library.”
A loud thunder of applause rumbled through the room. The principal beamed with appreciation on the stage. Sydney was happy to know it had all been for a good cause and the children in town would benefit from it. She tried to focus on that fact as they called the ladies who had entered the contest to the front of the room for the reveal.
Any questions about whose pie Wade had been bidding on were about to be answered. And who he had a date with.
“Now for the fun part of the evening!” The announcer, who Sydney thought might have had a little too much coffee this afternoon, excitedly launched into introductions. “Pie number one was made by Mrs. Walter, and the winner of that delicious pie and a date with Misty is none other than… Reverend Walter. No surprise there, he’s been eating that delicious Mayflower pie for years! Come on up, Reverend, and claim your pie and your date.”
Applause rang through the room as the names were read and winners announced. Every pie had been purchased, thank goodness, and names continued to be rattled off. As predicted, husbands were paired with their wives. After some encouragement from the crowd, Pete laid a huge kiss on Cara as he claimed her signature cherry pie.
“It’s almost your turn, Momma!” Faith was far more excited than Sydney about the impending announcement. A swarm of butterflies were raging in her stomach, making it difficult to breathe. There was no doubt she and Wade would become the talk of Elton. Even if it was only one date, the gossip mill would be working overtime.
Luke offered her a brief distraction from her panic. “Did you enter, Sydney? I had no idea.”
“Funny, neither did I.” She shot Melissa a withering look. “Did you have fun bidding on all those pies?”
“Yeah.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “You should have told me what number you were and I could have saved you from one of these idiots.” He waved his hand at the crowd of men who were left.
“Well, like I said, I had no idea I was being turned into a paid escort for the night. And besides,” she peeked toward Wade and noticed him watching her talk to Luke, her heart rate picking up, “I’m pretty sure that’s against the rules.”
“Momma was number sixteen,” Faith whispered with a grin. She was terrible at keeping secrets, unlike her mother. “You almost won her pie.”
“Faith,” Sydney reprimanded, “you weren’t supposed to tell.”
“That was you he was bidding on?” Of course Luke would be annoyed that it was Sydney’s pie Wade had won, but the venom in his voice was over the top. Melissa didn’t hesitate to put him in his place.
“If you would have looked around a little instead of staring holes into the back of Wade’s head you might have noticed, Luke,” Melissa chastised him. “You really have to let it go. Not everything is a competition.”
“Right,” he said as he looked at Sydney with a frown then walked away.
“I think he’s sad he lost,” Faith whispered tugging on her mother’s arm. Any further conversation was interrupted by the
It was supposed to be anonymous, but Wade was making it obvious who he was bidding on and Sydney felt exposed to the crowd. In contrast, Luke hadn’t once looked her direction, his attention solely on Wade. At a bid of three hundred and fifty dollars, Luke cursed, shook his head in surrender, and stormed to the back of the hall. A cheer went out to celebrate the generous donation from the sheriff.
Wade won her pie. She had a date with Wade Jenkins.
Sydney was in a complete daze as the last few pies were auctioned off without nearly as much fanfare as hers had garnered. It was all so surreal. Melissa was beaming. Faith fed off the excitement in the room and was bouncing up and down at her side. Soon the auction came to an end.
“I’m thrilled to announce that we have set a new fundraising record, nearly doubling the amount we raised last year for the elementary school’s library.”
A loud thunder of applause rumbled through the room. The principal beamed with appreciation on the stage. Sydney was happy to know it had all been for a good cause and the children in town would benefit from it. She tried to focus on that fact as they called the ladies who had entered the contest to the front of the room for the reveal.
Any questions about whose pie Wade had been bidding on were about to be answered. And who he had a date with.
“Now for the fun part of the evening!” The announcer, who Sydney thought might have had a little too much coffee this afternoon, excitedly launched into introductions. “Pie number one was made by Mrs. Walter, and the winner of that delicious pie and a date with Misty is none other than… Reverend Walter. No surprise there, he’s been eating that delicious Mayflower pie for years! Come on up, Reverend, and claim your pie and your date.”
Applause rang through the room as the names were read and winners announced. Every pie had been purchased, thank goodness, and names continued to be rattled off. As predicted, husbands were paired with their wives. After some encouragement from the crowd, Pete laid a huge kiss on Cara as he claimed her signature cherry pie.
“It’s almost your turn, Momma!” Faith was far more excited than Sydney about the impending announcement. A swarm of butterflies were raging in her stomach, making it difficult to breathe. There was no doubt she and Wade would become the talk of Elton. Even if it was only one date, the gossip mill would be working overtime.
Luke offered her a brief distraction from her panic. “Did you enter, Sydney? I had no idea.”
“Funny, neither did I.” She shot Melissa a withering look. “Did you have fun bidding on all those pies?”
“Yeah.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “You should have told me what number you were and I could have saved you from one of these idiots.” He waved his hand at the crowd of men who were left.
“Well, like I said, I had no idea I was being turned into a paid escort for the night. And besides,” she peeked toward Wade and noticed him watching her talk to Luke, her heart rate picking up, “I’m pretty sure that’s against the rules.”
“Momma was number sixteen,” Faith whispered with a grin. She was terrible at keeping secrets, unlike her mother. “You almost won her pie.”
“Faith,” Sydney reprimanded, “you weren’t supposed to tell.”
“That was you he was bidding on?” Of course Luke would be annoyed that it was Sydney’s pie Wade had won, but the venom in his voice was over the top. Melissa didn’t hesitate to put him in his place.
“If you would have looked around a little instead of staring holes into the back of Wade’s head you might have noticed, Luke,” Melissa chastised him. “You really have to let it go. Not everything is a competition.”
“Right,” he said as he looked at Sydney with a frown then walked away.
“I think he’s sad he lost,” Faith whispered tugging on her mother’s arm. Any further conversation was interrupted by the
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