McDonald_TWT_GENVers_Feb2014 Read Free Page A

at the winning bid, but was secretly glad the amount was so low. Seconds later, the woman’s squeal of triumph was deafening. Sabine put her hands over her ears to protect them.
    “Sorry. So sorry,” the woman said in squealing apology.
    Sabine heard the woman giggle as she stood up. She almost laughed out loud when the woman rushed to the back of the room on six-inch pointed heels that any stripper would have envied.
    “Oh good. One more bidder down,” Sabine said softly to herself, watching her go. She set her purse on the woman’s vacated seat to save it in case Joe actually made it on time.
    While she waited for the next auction to start, Sabine studied the black ballet flats peeking out of her nicest pair of black leggings. Paired with a gold metallic tunic that covered her hips, the outfit was a good look for her. And flats went well with such outfits. Maybe three-inch heels would have made her legs look thinner. Was she going to have to learn to walk on heels again if she started dating? She hadn’t thought about that, but she hated the idea of hose and heels as bad as she hated being single.
    “Okay, ladies. I know you’ve been waiting patiently for this one. Bachelor number five is Seattle’s very own Todd Lake, The Sexy Chef himself. One of our sweetest deals tonight, Todd tells us Seattle Live is going to match whatever money is collected for the winning bid. And I hear Todd is planning to cook his date’s favorite meal tomorrow night. So what do you think? Does that sound good, ladies? Let’s open the bid at five hundred dollars and see how many takers we have.”
    Sabine drew in a breath as nearly every fan in the place was raised. “Well holy shit,” she said, forgetting her role in the auction as she dealt with her surprise. Joe hadn’t told her that the man was freaking famous. Was being a chef his hobby?
    She looked back at the stage at the tall stoic male who so far hadn’t smiled once at the audience. His serious and brooding expression seemed more natural for the intense face as he stood scanning the sea of squealing females.
    And Todd Lake was way more good-looking than Joe had indicated. Somewhere between deciding for the hundredth time that all the best looking men were gay and realizing her fan was still lifeless in her lap, Sabine remembered to raise it to enter a bid.
    “Wonderful! We now have a bid for two thousand. Lady in the gold shirt—I saw your fan go up too. Do I hear two thousand five hundred from you?”
    Before Sabine could recover from the shock of so much money already being on the block for good-looking maybe-gay Todd, a loud voice rang out from the back.
    “ Three thousand .”
    Sabine pivoted in her seat to see an extremely tall woman standing at the back who was smiling evilly at the man on the stage. Sabine looked back at the stage and saw him frown as he glared at the back of the room. Whoever the woman was, Todd Lake definitely did not like her—not at all. She studied him as the auctioneer was calling for more bids. The last guy had looked ill as the bidding had neared a closing point. Chef Lake just looked really, really pissed. Yet for some reason, she still felt sorry for him. Her gut told her the woman at the back was up to no good.
    “ Three thousand five hundred ,” Sabine shouted loudly, turning and glaring at the woman for good measure.
    “ Four thousand ,” the woman shouted back, turning her evil smile toward Sabine. “What do you think you’re going to get for that much cash, honey? I can tell you that it’s only going to be dinner. The man doesn’t put out.”
    Sabine stood and felt all eyes turn on her. “Hey, this auction is being televised. There’s no need to be disrespectful to any of the bachelors. Mr. Lake is doing this for charity.”
    Sabine turned her attention to the stage. Her gaze sought and found his, while all gazes were still on her. There was a glint in his eyes and something else. A plea maybe. Damn it, she was