Chapter Twenty-Six

“You look like an ass,” Brynn said, giggling.

Annie pulled off the headpiece portion of her costume so Brynn could see her glare.

“Is it because I’m dressed like a donkey? Also, are you going to be lobbing jokes like this all night?”

Brynn gave her a fervent nod. “All night.”

“And he has no idea I’m coming to the auction, right?”

Brynn’s smile faded.

“I feel really shitty keeping this from Wes, Annie. And before you ask, no. I haven’t told anyone. Not Jamie, not your brother. This is your thing. So it’s not my place.”

Annie nodded. “Thank you.”

She’d tried calling Wes once, the day after the ale house situation. But when it went right to voicemail, she didn’t know if it was because of bad reception or because he didn’t want to answer, and her nerves got the best of her once she heard his voice on the recording. So she said nothing.

Now it was time to do something big. Because who could ignore big? And even if he rejected her after this, at least she could say she tried. She could say she fought. Annie had never fought for someone before, but then again, she’d never loved someone like she loved Wes.

“I’m scared,” she added, after letting her nerves get the best of her. “What if I’m too late? This isn’t like Brett or anyone before him. I feel like I got over those relationships the moment they ended. This is—different.” She loved Wes too much to admit this could still be the end.

Brynn grabbed the donkey head from her and rested it on the foot of Annie’s bed.

“Sorry,” she said. “I didn’t like the way it was looking at me. But here’s the thing, sweetie. Being scared is part of the fun.”

Annie wrinkled her nose, and Brynn knocked her softly on her donkey shoulder.

“I’m serious,” she said. “Any relationship that doesn’t heighten your emotions—that doesn’t get your heart racing for one reason or another—it’s just filler. A placeholder, really. The happy ending is just the beginning.”

Annie plopped down on her bed. She wondered if her parents ever got each other’s hearts racing or if they were always just placeholders until something better came along. She didn’t want to follow in those footsteps. And if the rapid drumbeat of her heart was any indication, she was far, far off that course.

She narrowed her eyes at her friend who was dressed in a Chicago Cubs baseball uniform.

“You’re such an expert?” she asked. “Jamie won’t want to get near you tonight if you’re wearing that.”

Brynn laughed. “Or,” she said, “he’ll want to tear it off me the first chance he gets.” She waggled her brows. “And yes—to answer your question, I am an expert now. Because I was just like you, filling the space until I realized Jamie was the only one who fit. But you’ve got the advantage, here. You know who fits. But you doubted him. You didn’t trust him, and that’s a hard thing for someone to take.”

Annie forced a smile. “Like Jamie doubted your feelings for him.”

Brynn nodded. “He had every right, even if he was stupid enough to think I could have wanted anyone else after that night in Amarillo.”

Brynn’s eyes got all dreamy and far off.

Annie held up her hands in surrender. “I love you guys. I really do. But if I have to hear about Amarillo again…”

Brynn crossed her arms and gave her friend a knowing grin. “You could tell me about the Blissful Nights hotel,” she said.

Annie bit her lip, remembering her first night with Wes. And she’d enjoyed keeping the details of said night to herself, like it was something just for them.

“I think I’m going to hold on to that one,” she said.

Brynn shrugged. “Hold on to hope, too. A good-looking ass is hard to resist.”

Annie shook her head at her friend, then picked up the headpiece that completed her costume.

“I’ll have you know that Bottom, in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, was actually one of the wittiest characters, even if he didn’t know it.”

Brynn offered her a hand to pull her up from the bed.

“Then let your witty words win back your hero,” she said.

No. Annie was going to take her cue from Wes this time. Because they were more than words on a page. She knew that now. She knew without a doubt that he loved her that night after his dad’s apartment. He didn’t need to say it. He’d shown her what she should have been able to see but was too scared to admit.

Now it was her turn to show him.

She threw on the mask.

“Let’s go bid on some bachelors,” she said, her voice muffled inside the donkey’s head.

“You sound like an ass,” Brynn said, giggling. “But a really hopeful one,” she added. “I’ll text Jamie and make sure Jeremy and Wes are on the upper level getting ready for the auction so I can sneak you in. Not that you’re at all inconspicuous.”

Annie took a deep breath.

Please be right, B. Not about the inconspicuous part. But about the hope.

Because hope was all she had left.

“Out,” Jamie said when she and Brynn walked through the door and he saw his fiancée’s Cubs gear. “Your kind is not welcome here,” he added.

Annie let out a nervous laugh inside her mask. Jamie was decked out, head to toe, in a White Sox uniform, of course. Brynn ignored him, planted a kiss on his angry looking lips, and then whispered something in his ear.

His shoulders relaxed. “Well, I’m fucking powerless against that,” he said. Annie didn’t even want to ask.

“Who’s the ass?” he asked, and Brynn snorted.

Annie wanted to stomp her foot, but then she thought that might be too asslike. But come on. There was a literary connection here. Plus, the metaphorical interpretation of her being an ass for not believing in Wes. But she should have known the night would be filled with donkey jokes.

Brynn whispered something in Jamie’s ear again.

“Upstairs getting ready to parade themselves in front of generous donors looking for a good time.”

Annie’s throat tightened, and Brynn backhanded Jamie on the chest.

“What?” he asked.

Brynn pulled him and Annie toward his office. When they got inside, Annie barely had room to move. Brynn must have sensed this because it was she who lifted her mask off her head.

“Christ,” Jamie said. “I knew you were putting together some crazy grand gesture scheme, but don’t you think it would have been nice to give your fiancé warning about more drama happening in his place of business?”

Annie gave him a nervous smile while Brynn tried to level him with her gaze.

“Remember what you whispered out there?” Jamie nodded back toward the main bar area. “That was for your—costume. But now that there’s this?” He motioned between the two girls with an accusing index finger. “I want it twice.”

Brynn feigned a dramatic gasp, palm to her chest.

“You drive a hard bargain, Mr. Kingston.”

Jamie raised his brows and nodded, a smile spreading across his face.

“Ick,” Annie said. “I’d really prefer not being a part of your foreplay.”

Brynn squeezed Jamie’s cheeks in her palm and kissed him.

“No drama,” she said, then crossed her heart.

“Does your brother know?” he asked, looking at Annie expectantly. She gave him a sheepish grin and shook her head.

“Jesus, Annie.” He adjusted his baseball cap. “I want whatever you’re planning to do to work, but if it doesn’t—and I’m just considering all scenarios—is your brother going to put a lawsuit on my hands?”

Crap. She hadn’t considered Jeremy’s reaction. The only thing she knew about the Jeremy and Wes situation was that Wes hadn’t done anything drastic like press charges but that he had moved out of the apartment, all in the span of five days. She’d buried herself with work and avoided the bar and her brother.

“You said they were upstairs together,” Annie said. “That means they’re getting along, right? Jeremy wouldn’t have him in the auction if there was still bad blood between them.”

Jamie shrugged.

“Wes kind of quit all of us,” he said. “Left the apartment and called that night to tell me he thought it was best he stopped working here. Said he was heading back to New York next week anyway to finalize some stuff with his agent and publisher. I haven’t seen him since your brother laid him out on my floor, and I really don’t want to see that happen again.”

Annie was finding it harder to breathe.

“Back to New York?” she asked, eyes wide. “Like, for good?”

“Shit,” Brynn said under her breath.

“Shit?” Annie added, hearing the desperation in her own voice. “You didn’t know about this?”

Brynn shook her head.

Annie grabbed her donkey head back, mustering up as much resolve as she could manage.

“I’m just here to bid on a bachelor,” she said. “And I promise anything that happens after that will not put your bar in danger, Jamie.”

She placed the mask back on her head, completing her ensemble.

The bar was safe. But her heart? That was another story.