Weekend With Her Bachelor (Bachelor Auction Returns Book 4) Read Online Free
Author: Jeannie Moon
bought a big ring. Bigger meant better.
It was the beginning of the end for them.
In the long run, Lars dumping her just days before their wedding wasn’t a bad thing. Ally had seen the marriages that were built around excess and self-absorption unravel. It happened more often than not. Everything appeared perfect, until it wasn’t. The imperfection eventually took over the relationships, seeping out one drop at a time. Couples who relished the small things in life, the flaws and challenges, did a lot better in the long run.
That’s what Ally was holding out for, and looking back, she hoped that she would have walked away from Lars on her own before it was too late. But who knows. She was blinded by the white dress.
It had been over a year since her life fell apart. But she’d pushed forward, giving everything she had to other couples looking for a happy ever after. Her business took off like a rocket.
Mardie delivered their drinks and before Ally realized it, she was downing another. Liquid courage, her mother always called it.
The bar was standing room only. Looking around at the folks gathered for the event, she could see by the way everyone was talking to Coach Downey and his wife that this was more than social. This was support, and it was the thing she missed most about her home.
Ally glanced up to see the four bachelors looking down at the crowd from the landing above the main room. Damn they were hot, and each in their own way. But Gavin? There was something about him—strong, quiet, brilliant—the man had it all, and it was nicely wrapped up in a dark-haired, hazel-eyed, six-foot-four-inch package of gorgeousness.
There was a squeal from a table near the stage, and Ally saw Mandy Pryce and her mean-girl friends looking over the program and then glancing up at the landing. Jenny Gaston was with them, but she wasn’t looking at the guys. No, her wicked baby blues were trained right on Ally. Honestly, considering the trouble she caused, Ally was surprised Jenny even made eye contact. But always having more nerve than conscience, Jenny was behaving as she always had—like an entitled brat. She lied and manipulated people to get close to Gavin, and Jenny didn’t care who was hurt in the process.
Looking up at the guys one more time, Gavin was surveying the crowd, and Ally’s breath caught just taking him in. He was thirty-one to her twenty-nine, and once upon a time she’d dreamed of being with him forever.
Gavin had that effect on women. He was probably doing it right now, without even knowing it, casting his spell over the crowd. Ally—practical, focused Ally—was falling deep into the romantic well. Just looking at Gavin made her ache.
Some things never changed.
Without warning, Gavin turned his head and his eyes locked on hers. He froze. She could see his posture go rigid right where he stood. His face, stony and hard to read, made Ally reconsider her entire plan.
The last thing she needed was an angry cowboy on her hands.
No. She couldn’t second guess herself.
Ally needed him, and there was no one else she could trust to play a convincing boyfriend, while keeping things platonic between them.
He was still staring at her, and in the excitement of the moment, she smiled at him. She couldn’t help it.
The problem was he didn’t smile back.
*
“Shit,” Gavin muttered.
Code Matthews looked over the rail and Gavin saw him scanning the crowd. “What?” Code asked. “Is crazy Mandy looking up here? She was scoping out Palotay earlier. And Jenny is here. You knew that, right?”
He’d seen Jenny; and he’d found out she intended to bid on him, just as his brother said.
Damn. “No. Not Mandy. It’s…it’s nothing. There are just a lot of people here.”
One person in particular, though, had his attention. She looked different, but there was no doubt the redhead sitting near the stage was Ally Beaumont. When she flashed her million-dollar smile up at him, Gavin was eighteen
It was the beginning of the end for them.
In the long run, Lars dumping her just days before their wedding wasn’t a bad thing. Ally had seen the marriages that were built around excess and self-absorption unravel. It happened more often than not. Everything appeared perfect, until it wasn’t. The imperfection eventually took over the relationships, seeping out one drop at a time. Couples who relished the small things in life, the flaws and challenges, did a lot better in the long run.
That’s what Ally was holding out for, and looking back, she hoped that she would have walked away from Lars on her own before it was too late. But who knows. She was blinded by the white dress.
It had been over a year since her life fell apart. But she’d pushed forward, giving everything she had to other couples looking for a happy ever after. Her business took off like a rocket.
Mardie delivered their drinks and before Ally realized it, she was downing another. Liquid courage, her mother always called it.
The bar was standing room only. Looking around at the folks gathered for the event, she could see by the way everyone was talking to Coach Downey and his wife that this was more than social. This was support, and it was the thing she missed most about her home.
Ally glanced up to see the four bachelors looking down at the crowd from the landing above the main room. Damn they were hot, and each in their own way. But Gavin? There was something about him—strong, quiet, brilliant—the man had it all, and it was nicely wrapped up in a dark-haired, hazel-eyed, six-foot-four-inch package of gorgeousness.
There was a squeal from a table near the stage, and Ally saw Mandy Pryce and her mean-girl friends looking over the program and then glancing up at the landing. Jenny Gaston was with them, but she wasn’t looking at the guys. No, her wicked baby blues were trained right on Ally. Honestly, considering the trouble she caused, Ally was surprised Jenny even made eye contact. But always having more nerve than conscience, Jenny was behaving as she always had—like an entitled brat. She lied and manipulated people to get close to Gavin, and Jenny didn’t care who was hurt in the process.
Looking up at the guys one more time, Gavin was surveying the crowd, and Ally’s breath caught just taking him in. He was thirty-one to her twenty-nine, and once upon a time she’d dreamed of being with him forever.
Gavin had that effect on women. He was probably doing it right now, without even knowing it, casting his spell over the crowd. Ally—practical, focused Ally—was falling deep into the romantic well. Just looking at Gavin made her ache.
Some things never changed.
Without warning, Gavin turned his head and his eyes locked on hers. He froze. She could see his posture go rigid right where he stood. His face, stony and hard to read, made Ally reconsider her entire plan.
The last thing she needed was an angry cowboy on her hands.
No. She couldn’t second guess herself.
Ally needed him, and there was no one else she could trust to play a convincing boyfriend, while keeping things platonic between them.
He was still staring at her, and in the excitement of the moment, she smiled at him. She couldn’t help it.
The problem was he didn’t smile back.
*
“Shit,” Gavin muttered.
Code Matthews looked over the rail and Gavin saw him scanning the crowd. “What?” Code asked. “Is crazy Mandy looking up here? She was scoping out Palotay earlier. And Jenny is here. You knew that, right?”
He’d seen Jenny; and he’d found out she intended to bid on him, just as his brother said.
Damn. “No. Not Mandy. It’s…it’s nothing. There are just a lot of people here.”
One person in particular, though, had his attention. She looked different, but there was no doubt the redhead sitting near the stage was Ally Beaumont. When she flashed her million-dollar smile up at him, Gavin was eighteen
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