Len smiles at me as she carries over two glasses of champagne. She hands me one and then leans in and kisses my cheek. “It’s a fantastic event.”

“I’m not willing to admit victory until the final numbers are in,” I tell her, but I smile. We sold out of tickets and everyone is having a great time and there’s been a lot of activity at the table showcasing the auction items.

“I heard two guys from your dad’s office talking about outbidding each other on the deep-sea fishing trip,” Len says. “And a woman was telling her friend over by the pool that she will do anything for that Barons hockey package.”

I nod at that and my brain instantly goes to Alex. Len told me she saw him walk in about half an hour ago with a pretty brunette. I’d be lying if I didn’t say I was looking for him. But the party is spread out all over the first floor of the house and spills out onto the sprawling backyard, since the weather is unseasonably warm for October and that pesky rain from yesterday completely disappeared. We haven’t even had to turn on all the portable heaters yet and it’s almost nine at night.

“Where’s Vic?” Len asks as she sips champagne.

“Victor,” I reply pointedly, “is on the patio with his buddies from his office.”

“Did he bring any cute ones this time?” Len asks. “Does he even have any cute friends?”

“Of course he has attractive friends,” I reply and roll my eyes. “But I don’t think any of the guys he invited tonight would be your cup of tea. Two are married, one is gay and the other is going through a rough divorce. It’s all he talks about.”

“Ugh,” Len sighs dramatically and then perks up instantly. “Maybe you can give him therapy and make him datable again.”

I laugh. “I specialize in family and child therapy, Lennie.”

“Let’s be honest, most men are just overgrown children, so it’s not out of your wheelhouse,” she says tartly and I laugh. Her blue eyes widen and she points, very obviously, at a stunning woman in a red cocktail dress. “Oh! That’s the woman Alex came with. I told you she was pretty.”

I take in the woman walking in from the patio. Her hair is long and silky and a rich color that may actually be more black than brown. Her skin is like flawless alabaster and the perfect amount of smoky makeup accentuates her wide dark brown eyes. The dress is flirty and cute but also clinging enough to all the right places to make sure everyone in this room knows she’s got a killer figure.

“That isn’t the fiancée of the Seattle teammate, is it? The one he was apparently getting jiggy with on that road trip?” Len asks in a lower whisper.

I shake my head no, because I hate to admit it but I kind of memorized that dubious photo. “That woman had longer, lighter brown hair and much lighter eyes. She seemed taller and had more of an athletic build. Not that I analyzed it or anything…”

Len barks out a “Ha!” so loud that a couple near us turns to look. I smile politely and tug her over a few feet to an area near the fireplace where no one is congregating. “Are you interested in Alex?”

“What? Oh God no!” Now it’s my turn to laugh. “I have a boyfriend. And also, he’s not my type.”

“Let’s pretend Victor doesn’t exist for a second.” She pauses and smiles way too happily at that idea. “You’re single. You’re so single you’re contemplating getting a cat. Are you interested in him?”

I roll my eyes. “No. He’s still not my type.”

“What about him is not your type?” Len asks. “Is it the rugged, Greek god–like physique? Or is it the fact that he’s got a beautiful face even with all the scars and nicks? Or wait! I know! It’s the charm and sex appeal that seeps out of every pore on his body. That’s not what you’re looking for right? I mean what woman would want that?”

“You should give up accounting and become a comedian.” I take a gulp of champagne so big the bubbles make my nose tingle. My eyes land on Alex’s date again as she reaches for her own glass of champagne. “It’s the fact that he reportedly messes around with women who don’t belong to him.”

“You don’t know the details about that Seattle thing,” Len reminds me.

“No, but you said he came with her and she’s wearing a ring the size of a Fiat.” I nod toward the mystery date again and watch as Len’s eyes find what I couldn’t help but notice as she reached for her champagne.

“Lordy! I bet that thing can be seen from space,” Len gasps. “And here he comes!”

I turn and see Alex walking toward the girl in red. He must feel the weight of our eyes because he turns his gaze to us. Len grins and waves and I nod. He leans in to say something to the woman when he reaches her and then he’s got a hand on her back, guiding her toward us.

As soon as they reach us, he opens his mouth to say something, but Len steps forward and speaks first. “Hi! I’m Len Levitt. I volunteer at Daphne’s House. This is Brie Bennett, she’s the director.”

I extend my hand. “You must be Alex’s fiancée?”

Len chokes on her champagne. Hard.

“Oh my God! Are you okay?” Red Dress asks Len, eyes filled with concern. She hands Len her cocktail napkin and gently pats her on the back. “Alex, get her some water.”

“I’m fine,” Len manages to spit out. “Thank you, though.”

“Len and Brie, this is my friend, Rose Caplan,” Alex explains, glaring at me.

“Oh. I just saw your lovely ring and I thought…” I let my sentence trail off.

“She’s engaged to my teammate, Luc,” Alex explains and gives me a tight smile. “She’s a teacher and she’s also very interested in Daphne’s House.”

“Nice to meet you, Rose,” I say, quickly absorbing this new information. “I’d be happy to answer any of your questions about the charity, and thank you so much for attending tonight.”

“If Brie doesn’t have the answer I’m sure her mom and dad do,” Alex says with a big, fake smile on his face. “Mommy and Daddy own the place, don’t they, Brie?”

Mommy and Daddy?

I hesitate. His condescending tone makes me want to tell him the truth. I open my mouth to explain, when Luc, his friend from the Starbucks, is suddenly standing beside me. Rose’s face lights up and she reaches for him. “This is my fiancé, Luc. Luc this is Brie and Len. They work with the charity.”

Luc shakes both our hands. “Nice to see you again.”

“You too.” Len is staring at him, openmouthed, so I subtly nudge her.

“This is a great event. And a great cause. I’ve done a fund-raiser for a similar place in Maine called Hope House. Have you heard of it?”

“Yes! I worked closely with Keith Duncan when he was starting it. He based his place on us.” I’m really excited that they’re genuinely interested.

“Rose has been itching to find a place like this here in New York to volunteer with,” Luc says. Rose nods as he weaves their fingers together. “We both grew up without real parents so we know how necessary this type of thing is.”

“Oh.” I’m totally stunned by that statement. “Were you in foster care?”

Rose shakes her head and her face darkens a bit. “My sisters and I essentially raised ourselves, and Luc was lucky enough to have family friends take him in.”

I’m more than stunned; I’m blown away really. Len clearly is too. “Make sure you give us your contact info because we’re always in need of volunteers.”

“And our kids are always looking for tutoring help so they can improve their GPA or get help passing their GED.”

“I would love to tutor them,” she says.

Len pulls out her cell phone from her purse and starts to take Rose’s info as I feel a warm hand on my back. I look up and see Victor. His eyes are darting from Luc to Alex. “Hey. Barons, right?”

They both nod and introduce themselves. Victor shifts his glass to his other hand and shakes with Luc and then Alex. “Larue, right? You just got traded here from San Diego? Brie mentioned you were volunteering. Taking the kids jogging something.”

“Yeah. Among other things,” Alex says with a nod.

“Just don’t teach them how to cross-check or slew foot.” Victor chuckles. “Hockey’s violent, but Daphne’s House isn’t.”

I think he thinks that’s funny, but even I don’t and I’m one of the only people who laughs at his jokes. Before anyone can react, or I can figure out how to subtly apologize, Victor looks at me. “They’re going to start the auction, honey. The MC wanted me to get you. I guess he has some questions before he starts.”

“Oh. Okay.” My eyes move from Alex to Luc to Rose. “Excuse me. It was so great meeting you and I hope we can chat again before the night is over.”

I take Victor’s hand and tug him away with me because I don’t want him to stay and keep insulting their profession. My dad is by the side of the small stage we set up under a tent on the patio. He’s talking to the MC, a local radio personality he knows. His face lights up when he sees me and he pulls me into a hug. “There’s my girl.”

I close my eyes and absorb his hug, which I swear is a cure for everything. I instantly feel better and calmer as we break apart. He introduces me to the MC, who asks a few quick questions and then walks to the back of the stage to check on the mic.

My dad leans in and shakes Victor’s hand as Victor says, “Good to see you again, sir.”

My dad nods. I’m not sure he’s a huge fan of Victor’s, but he’s never been a big fan of any of my boyfriends, so I don’t let it bug me.

“The event is going well,” my dad says. “Everyone is raving about the food and there’s been a big buzz about the auction items.”

“Good. I’m glad!” I reply. “Thanks again to you and Mom for letting me host this here. And strong-arming all your rich friends into coming.”

He laughs at that, his gray eyes crinkling in the corners. “My friends didn’t have to be strong armed. They know a good cause when they see it and they’re more than willing to support it. Except for William. That cheap bastard had to be strong-armed. But I reminded him about all the damn stuff he made me donate to when Len, Lance and Louis were kids and involved in all those ‘Save the Everything’ campaigns so he owes me.”

I laugh. The whole reason I know Len is because my dad and her dad have been best friends since they were children. “All those things Len supported were good causes too.”

“Yeah, yeah,” he says, winking at me. “Your mom is very proud too. She’s around here somewhere probably pressuring people to bid on auction items.”

I grin. “This is why you guys are the best parents. Because you’re not above squeezing cash out of your friends to help your daughter.”

He kisses the top of my head. “I’m going to go find her. Be back in a minute.”

I watch Dad retreat into the crowd as my program manager Selena walks over to the stage. Victor looks confused. “She’s announcing?”

“Yeah. She’s so excited, she practiced her speech all week,” I explain and smile at the memory.

Victor’s not smiling. “But it’s your show. It’s your business.”

“It’s not a business,” I argue softly. “I’m not a CEO and besides, I speak every year. I thought it might be nice for everyone to hear from someone else. Selena’s been a dedicated employee since day one.”

Why am I trying to justify my decision to him? Why does he care? He’s still frowning. “I’ve just been telling everyone you’re speaking. I wanted to show off my girl. It’s strange to me that you wouldn’t want that moment.”

I just shrug. I can’t trust myself not to start a fight if I respond. I’m not a prize Pomeranian to parade around on stage so people can pat Victor on the back for having such a pretty girl. What the hell is wrong with him? Luckily Selena is holding the mic and walking to the front of the stage so there’s no time to argue.

She gives a great speech, talking about how many young lives she’s seen changed thanks Daphne’s House and how much she loves her job and then she surprises me with a part of the speech I hadn’t heard her practice—she talks about me. Selena tells everyone that I’m the best boss she’s ever had and that she’s never met anyone with a bigger heart. I start to tear up a little.

She introduces the MC, and I hug her as he starts the auction. Everything is going for more than I expected it to, which makes me excited. We really are going to meet our goal. The last prize to be auctioned is the entire row of seats, right behind the bench, to a Barons home game. Like with every item, the bidding starts at three hundred dollars, but this item escalates even more quickly than the others. By the time it hits two thousand dollars it’s basically a battle between two people—a sixty-ish man and a forty-something woman.

I notice Alex in the corner of the patio, he’s holding a drink, head tilted down, surveying the bidding from under his dark lashes. I get that odd, intense wave of déjà vu for a fleeting moment. He notices me noticing him and our eyes connect, but the woman bidding says something that spins both our heads toward her.

“Five thousand dollars, if the donor will throw in dinner.”

“What the fuck?” I whisper as Victor and just about everyone around me chuckles at the brazen request.

The MC looks at the card in his hand, which I know also contains the donor’s name. It was also posted on the printed card everyone was given detailing the auction items so she knows exactly who she’s asking to have dinner with. “Mr. Alex Larue?” he says into the mic. “Is this item sold?”

I spin around so quickly I almost lose my balance. Our eyes connect, like he was looking for me too and I slowly and clearly mouth, “You don’t have to.”

If he understands what I say, he doesn’t make it clear. Instead he slowly looks away from me and to the MC and starts to raise his glass. “Sold!”

My jaw drops. The lady squeals at her victory and everyone claps, except me. I’m horrified. I feel like she just hired him for services, which kind of makes this event seem dirty. Ugh.

The DJ takes over and the music starts and everyone goes back to mingling, drinking and dancing.

“Sweetie, come meet my boss.”

“I will in a moment, I promise,” I say and reach up and kiss his cheek to lessen the blow. “I just have to speak with Alex.”

“Why?”

“I don’t want him to feel obligated to go on a date with that woman,” I explain. “He wasn’t for sale.”

Victor scoffs and gives my back a condescending little rub. “Honey, it’s not like he’s some innocent virgin. The man is a professional athlete.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means he has done worse than put out in the name of charity,” Victor replies and kisses the top of my head. “I’m going to offer my boss a cigar. I’ve got the expensive Cuban kind he likes.”

I nod but he doesn’t see it. He’s already walking away. I make my way into the house because Alex is no longer standing in the corner looking broody with his scotch. I find Len in the dining room. She grabs my arm. “That was the woman who said she’d do anything for the Barons package, but in the end it’s Alex who will have to do anything.”

She laughs. I don’t. My stomach twists. “Speaking of, have you seen him?”

She points down the long hall toward the front door. “He went that way.”

“Thanks.” I turn and leave even though I know she’s about to say something else. I need to find him.

He’s standing in the hall, beside the staircase, talking to Luc. I walk over and try to give them both an easy smile, but it must look as tight as it feels because Luc asks, “Everything all right?”

“Yes, but do you mind if I steal Alex for a minute?”

He nods. “Sure thing. I’m going to go find Rose anyway.”

Luc walks into the living room and I turn and look up at Alex. His expression is relaxed, but I know mine isn’t. “I just wanted to let you know I don’t expect you to go out with that woman.”

He looks perplexed. “But she won.”

I nod and smooth my hair. “Yes, but you weren’t on the auctioning block. I’m not comfortable with this.”

He laughs. It’s this deep, somehow cocky sound. “Brie, I’m a big boy. I have been used for sex more than once in my life. I’m okay with it. In fact, I prefer it.”

“Sex?” I blurt out the word way too loudly. Panicked, I glance around. No one seems to have noticed. I lower my voice. “No one is saying you have to have sex with her!”

His laugh gets deeper and louder. An older couple holding martinis at the end of the hall look up. So does the waiter walking by. This is so not a conversation we should continue in public. Not knowing what else to do I open the door to the powder room, grab his wrist and pull him inside. I grope for the light as soon as the door is shut and flip it on. I’m startled to find a stricken look on his rugged face. Not startled, or confused by my actions but…anguished. Like he’s about to have a panic attack.

“Alex?”

“Let me out,” he demands in a voice so deep and choked I don’t even recognize it. I take a step back.

He turns away from me and fumbles for the door handle. I feel this overwhelming need to comfort him so I reach out and touch his shoulder. “Alex. What’s wrong?”

He jerks away from my touch and flings the door open, stumbling out into the hall. Now people are really staring. He doesn’t seem to notice as he storms off. I stand in the open door watching his retreating back and I realize “storm” isn’t the right word. Flee. He’s fleeing.

Dear God, what happened to him?