Page 50 of The Lost and the Found

Logan turned to me. “I think dinner is being served soon. Are you hungry?”

I nodded. At two-thousand bucks a plate, yeah, I was hungry. The food better be amazing.

“Alright. Let’s go find our seats.” Logan led me out of there, with Mason and Gage following close behind. Once we were seated, I was happy to see our tablemates included only Mason and Gage, Gage’s date, and two other couples, both old enough to be my grandparents.

“So, we’ll mingle a little during dinner, then comes the auction, and finally some dancing. I actually think we can get out of here early. And then you’re mine.” Logan said the last part in a whisper, his eyes flashing dangerously.

All that sounded nice, but one thing caught my attention. “Auction?”

“Yeah. Everyone here donated something of value, like a trip somewhere, some art, a boat, if I remember correctly, and even dates.”

“Dates. You mean like, with people?”

His lips curved up in an amusing smile. “Yes. That’s usually what a date means.”

“Will you be buying a date with someone tonight?” I hated even asking him that. Because if I heard the tightness in my voice, then I was sure Logan did, too. But I hated the idea that it might be a possibility. If Logan planned on doing something like that, I needed to know now.

“Why would you think that?” he asked, his eyebrows pulling together in a frown.

I shrugged. “Sounds like something a man in your position would do.”

He moved closer to me, and I refrained from moving back. Then he lowered his lips until they were directly by my ear. “Why would I buy a date when I have the most beautiful girl on my arm tonight?”

I relaxed then. “So there really won’t be any other future dates for you?”

“The only person I’m taking out on a date is you. And that better be the case for you, too.”

“Okay. The only person I’ll be taking out on a date is me.”

He pinched my side, a retaliation from before. “Hey,” I warned. He knew I was ticklish.

“You’re such a smartass. Who knew?”

I smiled, but I didn’t get the chance to say anything since the food was brought out. A small portion of an appetizer that wouldn’t be enough for a small child, something brown and indistinguishable. I bit my lip and watched Logan take a bite out of it. He seemed to enjoy it, so I copied him, using the same utensils he used, and scooped up the small gunk with my spoon, shoving it in my mouth.

It tasted better than it looked. I was really enjoying it, but I had to remind myself to slow down.I didn’t want everyone in the room to know how unfamiliar I was with everything. Everything and everyone here screamed class, and I was sorely out of my element. Logan didn’t seem to mind one bit, though, and he even held my knee underneath the table with his large warm hand.

“It’s okay. Just relax and enjoy your meal. I promise no one is even looking at you,” he whispered, so our tablemates wouldn’t hear.

But Logan was wrong. People were looking at me. They looked at me the second I stepped through those doors with him on my arm, and they were staring now. Logan had to be blind not to notice it.

I nodded anyway, because I didn’t want to make a scene or want him to spend the night trying to reassure me that everything would be fine.

By the time the main course came out, I was famished. Neither the appetizer nor the side salad was enough to fill me up, and I was happy that I finally recognized what was on my plate: chicken breast. Expensive chicken breast smothered in some sort of sauce with vegetables on the side.I savored the taste of a finely cooked meal, and I wanted to kiss the chef.

For a while, I was able to ignore the staring. Logan was making small talk with Gage and one of the older couples, and from the sound of it, they were clients of the firm. Mason was sitting across from me, and when he caught my eye, he raised his glass of wine.

I smiled, thankful that he seemed to be taken with me. He had been nothing but nice. A littler warmer than I was used to from people, but I found myself at ease with him, which was surprising. I clinked our glasses together and took a small sip of my red wine. I loved the taste but had never allowed myself to fully indulge. But this evening was an exception, and I didn’t want to think about all the stuff I usually thought about. Tonight was about indulgence. Plus, there was no doubt that one glass of this costed more than any of the bottles we kept at Off The Grid.

Mason smiled and I smiled back, welcoming the distraction. “Tell me what you do, Hayden.”

“Well, I’m a bartender near the University of Chicago. I’m also a student there.”

He nodded, and though he was good at keeping his expression contained, I caught a hint of surprise in his eyes. I wondered which part he was surprised about. That I was a bartender or that I was a student.

“Oh, when do you graduate?”

“This May,” I answered politely.

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