I tucked my lipstick away in my purse. “Anyway, we should get back to the table before my potential future husband forgets what I look like.”
Sandra picked up my hand and swung it as we made our way to the bathroom exit. “There’s no forgetting you in that dress, Bethany-Melissa. Every eye in the room is on you tonight.”
I blushed at the compliment. “Thank you.”
It was a little over the top though, when the entire ballroom was filled with beautiful people, all dressed to the nines. I found my date at our table and was once again blown away with how handsome he was. His blond hair was slicked back neatly, just like it always was. But tonight, his regular business suit had been replaced by an expensive tuxedo. He glanced up when I approached, and he excused himself from his conversation to pull my chair out for me.
I smiled at him. “Thank you, sir.”
He smiled back. “The pleasure is all mine, mademoiselle.”
I giggled, enjoying his attention.
It was short-lived.
Caleb took his seat beside me and fell straight back into conversation with the man to his left. I tried to pay attention, but as usual, Caleb’s business talk was an in-depth labyrinth of confusing numbers and terms, none of which I understood. He didn’t try to explain them to me, nor did he introduce me to his acquaintance, and the other man didn’t even spare me a glance.
I sighed quietly, telling myself to suck it up. If Caleb really was close to proposing like Sandra thought, I’d get all the attention I wanted from him. In the meantime, I needed to get used to these types of events and my role within them.
Which seemed to be, ‘look pretty and be quiet.’
The role would evolve once I was his wife. Maybe I could get more involved with the charity and help run events like these. That might be fun. I’d need something to fill my time once I quit my job. None of his friends’ wives worked in childcare centers for a miniscule wage like I did. It wasn’t a good look when their husbands earned millions. They all filled their days with long lunches and Pilates and charity work.
The same would be expected of me once Caleb was my husband.
The master of ceremonies for the night cleared his throat from behind a podium on the stage. “Ladies and gentlemen. Would everybody please take their seats? We’re about to start the main fundraising event of the evening—the charity auction.”
Sandra squealed from across the table, her plastic surgeon husband at her side. “This is always such fun.”
At the announcement, Caleb ended his conversation with the man on his other side, so I took the opportunity to lean into him.
“Are you going to bid on anything?” I asked in a whisper.
He sat back on his chair with a smug smile. “I might have my eye on a little something.”
My heart lit up in a flutter. Maybe Sandra was onto something. If Caleb bid on that ring tonight, I could be an engaged woman by the end of the weekend.
The MC clapped his hands. “Okay, I think that’s about enough time for everyone to get their credit cards out…”
There was a titter of laughter around the room, though I didn’t think it was really supposed to be a joke. That was the whole reason we were here after all.
“Let’s begin with the Titleist golf clubs.”
“These are mine,” Caleb muttered beneath his breath, his fingers curling around an auction paddle with his assigned number. He held it up in the air. “Twenty thousand dollars.”
I widened my eyes. Twenty thousand dollars…for golf clubs? He already had three sets.
The master of ceremonies peered into the audience and pointed in our direction. “Okay then! Mr. Caleb Black, opening things up with a very strong bid before I could even suggest one. Thank you, Caleb. Do I hear twenty-five thousand?”
The man next to Caleb raised his paddle. “Twenty-five thousand.”
Caleb laughed and elbowed his colleague before raising his paddle in the air once more. “Let’s just skip to the good stuff, shall we? Fifty thousand dollars.”
I tried to stifle the choking feeling that swelled my throat, but it just came out an uncomfortable cough.
Caleb glanced over at me, his forehead furrowed. “Are you okay?”
I nodded, taking a sip of water from my glass. “Of course. I’m sorry. My throat was a little dry.” I forced a smile across my face. “Congratulations on your golf clubs.”
He grinned, slinging an arm around the back of my chair as he leaned in close to me, his mouth hovering over my ear. “Truthfully? The clubs probably aren’t worth a hundred bucks. I’ll give them to Goodwill. But I couldn’t let Norman one-up me. I’d never hear the end of it.”