Page 115 of Mr. Aster
“If I told you, it wouldn’t be an auction, would it?” Collin answered. “Don’t worry about me, partner. You know I’ll go all night if you wanna play hardball,” he said, looking at Jake with a silly expression.
“Charlotte, sit down,” Margot said, practically rushing the stage. “Do you men think this is a joke?” She stared down at Jake and Collin with the fury of all the Nordic gods.
“Far from that, madam, but it’s easy to see that you do,” Jake answered. “Just because you don’t want your son to date the stunning woman in the back doesn’t mean he can’t date me or my other boyfriend, does it?”
“He’s not your type,” she seethed, and the only sound in the room was the soft laughter coming from the table where I sat.
“Not my type?” Jake scoffed. “Sure he is. He’s just as pampered and cute as I ever was, and we both have something in common with our mothers.”
Jake’s voice grew serious when he said that, and that’s when Jim stood up.
“That’s enough of the auction and of the games,” Jim interrupted Jake from giving Margot a considerable insult, given that Jake and Jim’s mom was a horrible person.
The room grew quiet as Jim excused himself from the table, and his long strides swiftly ushered him onto the stage. We watched as Margot glared at Jim, but she could say nothing. Her husband was in business with Jim, and keeping the peace between the two powerful families was essential.
“This evening has been eventful, to say the very least,” Jim snickered, taking his place at the podium and dousing the fires that’d been ignited. “The bidding is closed for Sebastian. Although if I allow Dr. Mitchell and Dr. Brooks to continue bidding on Miss Burke’s boyfriend, I’m afraid I might lose the amazing winery my adorable wife insisted I invest in.”
I smiled but had no idea what the hell was happening.
“Darcy, please join me on the stage,” Jim said, and now I could kill this guy.
I stood and made my way to the front of the room and up the stairs, imagining how embarrassed those actresses must’ve been when they tripped over their dresses on the way to receive their awards. Once I was on stage, Sebastian came over to stand at my side, and Jim continued his speech.
“I am truly honored and extremely grateful to have all of you in attendance tonight. Mitchell and Associates has never hosted an event like this, and I must admit that it has been quite a treat for me to experience. Mrs. Aster,” he looked at Margot, who was glaring over at the three of us, “it is an honor to have you in our presence tonight. I want to thank you for being such a good sport tonight for pretending that you would dare auction off your own son merely to raise money for the winery.” He looked out at the audience, “I truly hope that none of you feel you’ve wasted your money at this event, as it was all done from Mrs. Aster’s beautiful mind with one goal: to benefit the winery fromyour charitable offerings. As with all these galas, it’s not only the donations that make it worthwhile,” he glanced back to Margot, “it’s the friendships and new relationships we form from being in the same room together. I am privileged to have joined all of you tonight. Now, I’m sure Sebastian here must be relieved to go home tonight with the woman he loves, but I hope the rest of the bachelors enjoy their dates. I am amused and grateful to have joined you all tonight in the amazing venue that only Margot Aster could’ve put together for us.” He smiled at Margot’s deadly gaze, “Cheers to you, Mrs. Aster. Burke Wines is indebted to you for this boost. Thank you, everyone.”
We exited the stage, and I clenched Sebastian’s hand when he snatched mine to hold it. God only knew what his mother would do to us now. This night was filled with plot twists that no one saw coming.
It was a game of chess well played, won by the only people smiling in the room—Jim, his friends, and Sebastian. But I wasn’t so quick to celebrate. I stayed quiet, waiting for Margot to pull the fire alarm because something told me this show wasn’t over yet.
Chapter Forty-Eight
Sebastian
To say I was embarrassed and feeling like the biggest idiot on the planet would’ve been an understatement. Because of my mother’s rage and manipulative bullshit, she got her moment to attempt to get back at me for putting her and my father in their place. Even though I was grateful for Jake and Collin’s assistance, I was still agitated that I looked like the world’s biggest clown up on that stage, which was the reason I tried to avoid all this shit in the first place.
“I have nothing to say to you,” I told my mother.
I held tightly onto Darcy’s hand, trying to leave this damn venue and seriously considering disappearing to Mexico for the rest of my life.
“Do you think this is a game, son?” she barked, cornering me before I could narrowly escape the room. “What kind of?—”
“Again, I have nothing to say to you,” I responded, and then her eyes fell on Darcy.
“You and those childish men are responsible for my son’s embarrassment at an event that he should’ve?—”
“You’re wrong,” I interrupted her attack on Darcy. I had nothing left to say to the woman, but I wouldn’t stand here and let her direct her fury at Darcy. If I didn’t stop this now, it would happen behind my back later, and I wouldn’t allow that. “This stupid eventonlyturned into a circus becauseyouthought throwing me on that stage was okay.”
“This event was not my idea,” she kept her eyes focused on Darcy. “It was yours.”
Darcy squeezed my hand to stop me from speaking on her behalf. “It was,” Darcy said. “And while it raised more money for the winery than I could’ve ever imagined, I never would have expected you to use your own son to accomplish that. That’s what all of this is, isn’t it? The Asters, taking their name and using it for profit? Sadly, in this case, it was brought about by the exploitation of your son atyourhands. I find that more disrespectful than auctioning off wealthy bachelors to women who would gladly pay to date them for a charity fundraiser.”
“Watch your tongue when you speak to me,” my mother snarled.
“She’s correct, and you know it,” I said. “Your decision to expose my personal life to everyone in that room tonight is unbefitting a woman of your influence and status. In fact, I find it more abhorrent than you find my relationship with Darcy.”
“How can you possibly defend this woman?” she snapped.
“I am in a relationship with her. Why wouldn’t I?” I said with disgust. “Unfortunately, your days of cherry-picking potential partners for your children are over. We have our own lives, and you and Father have yours. Times have changed, and I would appreciate it if we kept our relationship strictly based on our mutual business.”
