Chapter Five
Scarlett
I walk up to Aunt Betty slowly. She’s talking to some guy, God he’s so hot. Chiseled face, piercing green eyes and dark hair. I wonder what they’re talking about? Then again, he’s the type that I’d see in a club and would never look my way. I blink because for a brief second I thought that he was licking his lips. I’m trying to focus on not tripping in these damn heels, but it’s so fucking hard because they keep slipping off whenever I try and walk too fast.
As I approach her, he’s gone. I feel disappointed wondering if he left as a result of me. It’s as if he disappeared, because I keep expecting him to see him near us, but I don’t.
“Oh my God child, you look like an angel.”
I beam forgetting why I nearly killed myself to get here. It was the man. The God of man that was near her.
I hug her, “Aunt Betty I loved it. It fits like a glove. How did you know my size and everything?”
She taps her nose and says, “Well, you know your Aunt. She’s always looking out for her niece.”
Then she winks at me and there’s an awkward silence because I want to ask the one thing that’s really bugging me, “Aunt Betty who was that?”
She doesn’t even pretend that she doesn’t know who I was talking about as she smiles and says, “You’ll see.”
I should be nervous about the way she just said it, but I can’t help but feel excited about being introduced to him. Maybe Gretchen’s right and I should have fun.
“The announcements are going to be made soon and the auction.”
“Auction?”
She ignores my question and asks, “So, you do like the dress, don’t you?”
“What’s not to like. It’s more about love. I love this dress.”
“You pinned your hair back and left a few lose strands. And as for the necklace, it makes the gold pieces on the dress shine. I don’t know what I’m more excited about, the dress or the night?”
That’s a strange comparison and I wonder if Aunt Betty has something up her sleeves. Then again, she always has something up her sleeves.
I’m about to ask her if there’s something that I should know, but I don’t get the chance as others greet her and before I know it we’re at a table.
She declares, “This seat is for you.”
Then one of the waiter’s takes out my chair and I sit down. She air kisses me and says, “I need to go and make a speech. You’re on the best table. Mingle my dear.”
I feel as if all eyes are on me as I stretch out my hand and I’m smiling but really, I want to scream out to her, ‘Don’t leave me!’
She didn’t even introduce me and the man on the right is acting as if he wants to eat me. His wife notices because she taps him on the side and then introduces herself.
“I’m Wendy Hart. I’ve been coming to the ball for nearly ten years. I gather that you’re Scarlett.”
I nod, “Yes, Aunt Betty often talks about you. She says that you’re one of her dearest friends.”
“Oh, does she?” her double chin swings as she starts to chuckle. I flatter her because Aunt Betty has never mentioned her, but she’s seated at her table and she’s been coming here for ten years. By the way she tapped the grey-haired man next to her, I can only assume that’s her husband. The one that wants to eat me. He’s speechless and he’s still staring at my chest, but not as obviously as he was a few minutes ago.
My eyes dart to the woman seated next to me. I’m just about to introduce myself to her, when Aunt Betty asks for everyone to be quiet.
“Welcome friends, newcomers and everyone that’s seated tonight.”
Everyone starts to clap and I follow suit as we sit in the marquee. Aunt Betty may be doing this for charity, but I must admit that I’m impressed with the ball. There’s entertainment for absolutely everyone from the chocolate to the champagne fountain. There were dancers and the acrobats outside. They were subtly performing by everyone so they did not have to stop and watch them. Even the synchronized swimmers distracted me for a while as I was looking for Aunt Betty. Part of me wonders if this is really for charity or just an excuse for a lot of middle-aged, or maybe more like retired people to meet up. Apart from the guy. The one who’s hand that she’s now holding on stage. Before I was distracted looking around the room and admiring everyone here for showing up tonight.
Now, both of my eyes are on him. The stranger that she gave me the impression she would introduce later is on stage with her and they’re smiling together as if they’re old friends.
“Some of you may know Joshua Moore.”
A few ladies clap and one of them even winks at him. I wonder how exactly they know Joshua Moore, but I can’t get over the fact that even his name is sexy.
If I was slimmer, feeling better and all that jazz. I wouldn’t hesitate in getting my aunt to introduce us. He could be exactly the type of distraction that I need to get me out of this hole. Depression. Sadness or whatever it is, I just wish it’ll go away and I must admit that I haven’t really felt that sad since I’ve been here which is the first time in weeks that I’ve gone more than an hour without feeling that way. Maybe this is exactly what I needed and I smile as Aunt Betty sits next to me. It’s as if he’s got me under a spell or something, because I don’t know what he’s doing center stage right now, but I can sit here and stare at him all night long.
“Now for the fun to begin,” she laughs and Wendy claps with her.
“This is a fantastic idea!” Wendy screeches and then I feel as if I’m the only one that doesn’t know what the hell is going on. My eyes are on Joshua and if I’d been paying attention, I would have kept my eye on Aunt Betty.
“What are you doing?”
I blurt out as another woman takes the place of my aunt on stage and announces the auction. I soon realize that the auction that was on the billboards wasn’t for items or even pieces of art. It was for hot men like Joshua.
She laughs as the bids are going as high as ten thousand dollars for a weekend with Joshua Moore. It soon falls into place, why she was excited about tonight. It wasn’t the entertainment or even helping those poor children in Africa. It was simply because of the auction!
She’s bidding to spend a weekend with Joshua Moore. I don’t even know the guy, but I can’t help but ask the question.
“Aunt Betty, what are you going to do with him for a whole weekend?”
She winks at me and says, “I’m not bidding on him for me. But for you dear.”
“What?”
I screech as I want to protest and tell her to stop, but then there’s this other part of me. The side that can’t take my eyes off of him which can’t help staring and licking my lips the way that Wendy’s husband was doing a few minutes ago.
Is she really doing this for me?
“But now you’re up to fifty thousand dollars. That’s a bit too much.”
Wendy flaps her hand, “It’s your birthday. Enjoy!”
I’m just about to tell her that my birthday isn’t for another couple of months, but then Aunt Betty kicks my foot under the table.
“Seventy-five thousand dollars!” she screams as she stands up. There’s a cheer and scream from the woman that Aunt’s been bidding against.
“Good, serves her right!” Wendy claps her hand and I feel as if I’m stuck in the middle of a war between them all and I have no idea how it started, but as Aunt Betty’s declared the winner. She kisses me on the cheek and says, “Happy Birthday.”
Joshua Moore winks at me and all of a sudden my birthday does feel early and for once I’m not dismissing the fact that it’s not my birthday for another few months. In fact, I’m welcoming it with open arms as I pick up a fan which could have been my aunt’s as I think that Joshua Moore’s wink wasn’t just for our date. I have a feeling that he has something dirtier in mind and as I look at Aunt Betty’s cunning face. I can tell that she’s thinking the same thing too.