Page 61 of Cole

When the auction portion of the evening began, Cole leaned close to her ear. “Ready to see how the other half spends their money?”

“I think I have an idea,” Annie replied with a small smile, thinking of her father’s extravagant purchases over the years.

The auctioneer, a charismatic man with a booming voice, took the stage. Items ranging from exotic vacations to priceless artwork were presented with a flourish, each bringing in substantial bids. Annie watched, fascinated by the casual way people raised their paddles for amounts that would change most people’s lives.

“Next up,” the auctioneer announced, “a private basketball clinic with none other than Cole Halverson!”

Annie turned to Cole in surprise. “You didn’t mention this.”

He shrugged, a hint of color in his cheeks. “It’s just something I do every year.”

The bidding started at five thousand dollars and quickly escalated. As the amount climbed past twenty thousand, Annie felt a surge of pride sitting beside Cole, watching how valued his time and expertise were.

“Sold for thirty-five thousand dollars!” the auctioneer declared, pointing to a middle-aged man across the room who was grinning broadly.

“That’s amazing,” Annie whispered.

Cole squeezed her hand under the table. “It’s for the kids.”

When the formalities ended and the dance floor opened, Cole stared out at the couples gathering there for a moment before turning back to Annie. “Would you like to dance?”

Annie hesitated. “Not really.”

“Are you not a dancer?”

“Oh, I’ve taken dance lessons, so Icandance. I just don’t really feel like doing it in this dress and heels. Sorry.”

“Don’t apologize,” Cole said with a grin. “I’m not a big fan of dancing myself. I never did it growing up, and it’s not something I enjoy overly much.”

“Perfect. We can sit and watch other people dance.”

“Or… we could go out into the gardens. They are beautiful here.”

“I like the sound of that,” Annie said, mindful that she’d need to let James know that she was leaving the ballroom. “I’d like to go to the washroom first.”

“Sure.”

When Cole offered her his arm, she slipped her hand around his bicep. He led her around the tables, but as they approached the exit of the ballroom, an older couple stopped Cole to talk to him.

“I’ll be back in a minute,” Annie said after Cole introduced her. “Just going to freshen up.”

“Sounds good.”

Annie hurried out of the ballroom and turned toward where the bathrooms were located. She spotted James in the distance and gave him a nod, wiggling her phone in his direction to let him know she’d be contacting him.

When she reached the door to the bathroom, she slipped inside, not at all surprised by the opulence of the space. She might have come from wealth, but she didn’t really like the over the top elegance. It didn’t make her feel relaxed or comfortable at all.

There were two older women at the sinks who smiled at her as she walked past them. After giving them a smile and a nod, she turned the corner to where the stalls were located.

They were actually mini rooms, with a floor to ceiling door, cutting her off from the rest of the space. It looked like a couple were occupied, but there were still a few empty.

She went into the one farthest from the occupied ones, then closed the door and locked it. There was a small bar height table in the corner with flowers on it, and she put her purse there. Before doing anything else, she texted James to let him know that they’d be going into the garden.

After he sent back a thumbs up, she quickly finished using the toilet. She’d just stepped out of the bathroom when she heardvoices that sounded different from the women who’d been there when she walked in.

“I was so shocked to see him with anyone but Tamara. She said they were coming together.”

“Cole was only ever going to bring Tamara in Tamara’s own mind. But she’s going to lose said mind when she gets a look at the woman hedidbring. Certainly different from who we expected him to ever be with.”

---