Chapter Seventeen
Standing in the bathroom, I pull in a deep breath and try to calm myself. It’s nearly time for Chance to pick me up for our date, and my nerves are on high alert. It seems silly to be so anxious over going to a charity auction, but I am nervous. I can’t help it; I’ve never done anything like this before, never even wore a formal gown before. It’s exciting, but it’s also completely overwhelming.
Looking into the mirror, I swipe on another coat of mascara then blink my eyes. There is more makeup on my face tonight than I have worn in my entire life. My green eyes are surrounded by shades of smoky gray, and my lips are a deep burgundy. Even my cheeks are streaked with a peach blush.
My hair is still perfect, looking just like it did when I left the salon. The only difference is I’ve added the clip, which matches my jewelry, to pull it back on one side. Combining the clip with my necklace and earrings changes my look completely. For the first time in my life, I feel absolutely beautiful.
Shaking off my thoughts, I head into the living room and grab the matching purse from the island. I’m just shoving my lipstick into it when lights from Chance’s truck flash through the windows. I quickly grab my phone, putting it on vibrate only, and stick it into my purse. By the time I am done, Chance is knocking on the door.
I rush over, flinging the door open. “Hello.”
He says something, but I don’t hear it. Instead, all of my attention is focused on taking in the way he looks. He is wearing a well cut, black suit. Under it, he is sporting a silver button up and dark gray tie. It all fits him perfectly, somehow making him even more handsome than he normally is.
“My God, Gypsy Girl, you look wonderful in that dress,” he whispers, drawing my attention back to his face. “Hell, you look wonderful in anything. In that dress, you look absolutely incredible.”
I smile, feeling heat hit my cheeks. “Thank you. You look nice, too.”
Nice doesn’t quite seem like the right word, but it’s all my mind can come up with at this moment. Amazing, devastatingly handsome, or breathtaking would have been better, but none of those seem right either.
Feeling embarrassed for some reason, I keep my eyes trained on my feet and say, “I’m ready to go if you are.”
“We’re not going anywhere until I get to kiss my girl.” He grabs my hand and pulls me against him, wrapping his arms around me.
Forgetting my embarrassment, I lean my head back and smile. His lips meet mine, gently but firm. As usual, it only takes a second for the kiss to turn from gentle to carnal. His tongue invades my mouth, letting me have a taste of him as he does the same. By the time he pulls back, I’m gasping for breath.
“Now, we can go,” he says, a cocky smile on his face.
With that, he leads me outside. Giving me time to lock the door, he walks me to his truck and opens the door. Once I’m inside, he buckles me up and brushes another kiss over my lips. A few seconds later, he crawls into the driver’s side and starts the engine. Just like every other time I’ve been in his truck, the sound of country music fills the cab.
He attempts to sing as he pulls away from the trailer. I join along as we drive down the road. Other than our singing, we stay quiet as we drive into town. Not a word is said until Chance pulls the truck to a stop in front of a huge house. My eyes take in the building as he puts the truck into park.
The home is beautiful. It is three stories tall with a wraparound porch and a balcony on the top floor. Windows line the front of the house, all surrounded by large black shutters. Huge columns line the front porch, reminding me of an old plantation house.
“Have you ever driven by here before?” he asks as he pulls the keys from the ignition and stuffs them into his pocket.
“No,” I reply with a shake of my head.
“This is the Bardwell Mansion. It’s nearly two hundred years old. I don’t know much about it, but I do know it is the prettiest house I have ever been in.” He smiles, looking up at the house. “The auction is set up near the lake out back, but the dinner and dance are going to be in the ballroom.”
My eyes take in the area, catching sight of the old oak trees surrounding the house. The lawn is perfectly manicured with not a weed in sight. There are blooming rose bushes lining the porch and a small fountain near the sidewalk. It all comes together beautifully, letting me get a glimpse of what it probably looked like back in the day.
I keep looking at the house, excited that I will be spending the evening here. “I’ve never seen anything so beautiful.”
“Just wait until you see the inside,” he says as he opens his door and climbs out. “I’ll be around to help you out in just a second, so don’t even try to open the door.”
A grin tips up my lips as I unbuckle my seat belt. “I promise not to even touch the door handle.”
He rushes around the truck, opening my door, and helping me out. He wraps his hand around mine and leads me to the house. A man in a dark suit opens the door before we even step on the porch. He motions for us to come inside. We walk through the door and into the crowded foyer. Once inside, I’m surprised to see Chance was right. The outside may be beautiful, but the inside is completely breathtaking.
I ignore all of the people standing around and look around the room. I can’t decide what to look at first. The foyer, on its own, is amazing. The further we go, it just gets better and better. The winding staircase and marble floors, not to mention the huge crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling, has my mouth hanging open in awe.
“Wow,” I whisper, looking at the gold sconces mounted on the walls. “I’ve never seen anything like this place.”
“Told you it was amazing,” Chance whispers back as he squeezes my hand. “The ballroom is even better.”
We say nothing more and just follow others as they make their way out back. Once outside, I take in the beauty of the small lake and its surroundings. My attention is quickly diverted to the auction items. Chance leads me over to get a closer look as I take in all the things they have up for auction.
There are several paintings, a golf cart, an all-inclusive weeklong vacation to Aruba, and even a speedboat. Many of the local businesses have also donated their time and services. There are so many nice things, things I would love to have, but none that I can afford.
There is a little area sectioned off with a microphone and podium beside the auction items. Adam and Sylvia join us just as the auctioneer takes his spot. We make small talk for a minute or two until he starts talking. As soon as he opens his mouth, everyone gets quiet. You can feel the excitement from the crowd as they try to outbid each other.
The bidding goes by quickly, moving from one item to another without a break. I have never been to an auction and am surprised by how much fun it is. The auctioneer is talking so fast, I can’t understand what is even being said. Everyone else seems to have a grasp of it with no problem as all the items are sold quickly. Chance bids on the vacation and yearly membership to one of the local gyms, but doesn’t win either one. Adam, after bidding on almost everything, gets the golf cart, and Sylvia wins one of the paintings.
“The painting you won is beautiful, Sylvia,” I tell her as we all start walking back inside to get ready for dinner.
Sylvia nods her head with a smile on her face. “I think it will look great hanging in my living room right over the fireplace. You’ll have to come see it after it is delivered and the boys have it hung up.”
She is right; it will look awesome hanging there. The bright colors of the painting will bring out the dark mahogany of the mantel. I’ve been to Sylvia’s home twice, both times to eat dinner with her and her sons. It’s a gorgeous house that her boys built with their own hands.
“I would love to come see it,” I reply with a nod. “I’ll ride over with Chance when he comes to hang it.”
With my hand in his, Chance leads me back into the mansion. He hasn’t let go of my hand since we got out of the truck. With so many people here, I would probably be overwhelmed without him by my side.
As we walk through the house to the ballroom, I continue to look at all the antique furnishings and stunning paintings hanging on the walls. As pretty as everything I’ve seen has been, it seems almost bland to the ballroom. The room itself is huge, one side lined with tables and chairs, the other opened up for dancing.
It is so fancy, and I almost feel out of place. I am struck once again with the realization that I am actually here. I never thought I would even walk into a place like this, much less be attending an event here. Being here with a man like Chance makes it even better.
“I get why you bought the painting. You like that kind of stuff,” he says to his mother before looking to Adam. “But, why in the hell did you buy a golf cart? As far as I know, you don’t even play golf.”
“I wasn’t coming to this thing and going home without getting something, and who knows, I might even take up golfing,” Adam replies with a shrug. “All I have to do is drive around and hit balls. I’d probably enjoy it.”
Giggling at Adam’s comment, I take my seat and wait for Chance’s response. They bicker back and forth until our dinner is set in front of us. We eat, filling up on the best food I’ve ever put in my mouth. When dinner is done, the music starts and the dance floor begins to fill up.
Adam pushes his chair back and stands up, putting his hand out to his mom. “Come on, Mom. It’s time for us to cut a rug.”
I smile, watching them walk away from the table. Seeing either of the men with their mother always brings a smile to my face. With knowing what she went through with her marriage, I am glad that finally she has found her happiness. I’m even happier that I get to be here to witness it.
Turning to look at Chance, I lean over and give him a soft kiss on the cheek. “Thank you for bringing me.”
Before he can say anything, I add. “I wouldn’t be here without you, wouldn’t have gotten to experience such a magical night or have the opportunity to spend it with you and your family. You’ll never know how much it means to me.”
Chance gives me a kiss on the cheek in return and says, “You never have to thank me for that. Believe me, being here with you is my pleasure. I’d do anything to see that smile on your face, Gypsy Girl.”
Not quite knowing how to respond, I pick up my glass of wine. Taking a drink, I stare at him. His beautiful hazel eyes are shining with happiness as he watches his mother and brother dance. He is so handsome, the most handsome man I’ve ever seen.
Setting my glass down, I turn to Chance. “I believe you promised me a dance.”
His face drains of color before finally nodding. “You’re right, I did. Remember, though, that I’m not much of a dancer. I may step on your toes, so consider yourself warned.”
He stands up and pulls out my chair. Holding onto my hand, he helps me to stand and leads me to the dance floor. He pulls me into his arms and starts swaying back and forth. At this moment, I feel so good that I don’t care how bad of a dancer he is. Just being in his arms is good enough for me.
“I’m okay with you stepping on my toes as long as you hold me like this while you do it,” I whisper, laying my head against his chest. “I hope we can do this again.”
Chance holds me close as we sway across the dance floor. I breathe in his now familiar musky scent and let out a contented sigh. Feeling his heart beating against my cheek, I realize that I’ve never felt anything more perfect in my entire life.
Chance’s thumb rubs along my bare back, causing shivers to cover my body. “I don’t think I mind dancing as long as it’s with you.”