"Sixty-five thousand," the announcer repeated, sounding slightly stunned. "Do I hear seventy?"
The dark-haired man raised his paddle. "Seventy."
"Eighty," I said.
Murmurs rippled through the crowd. People were staring openly now, phones appearing in hands, the scent of scandal perfuming the air.
Congressman Halloway’s eyes darted between us. He knew he was losing. "Ninety," he yelled, raising his paddle even higher.
I didn’t speak yet. I turned my attention to Aria. I held her gaze. She was glaring at me with such intensity that I could practically feel the heat of it from across the room. Her hands had curled into fists at her sides. Her chest was rising and falling rapidly beneath that green silk.
She was furious.
Good.
"One hundred thousand dollars," I said.
The room went silent.
The three men that had bid against me turned to look at me fully with their mouths wide open.What the hell are you doing?Their faces seemed to say.Just let me have this. Back off.
I didn't back off. I held my ground, my gaze locked on Aria's, and waited.
"One hundred thousand dollars," the announcer said, her voice slightly breathless. "Going once... going twice..."
The dark-haired man shook his head. Dropped his paddle. Congressman Holloway rose to his feet, threw his paddle onto the chair, and stomped out. The third man just slumped in his seat.
"Sold! To the gentleman in the back for one hundred thousand dollars!"
The crowd erupted in applause. I saw phones lifting, photos being taken, and knew this would be on social media within the hour. Probably even less knowing this crowd. The gossip columns would have a field day.
I didn't care.
Aria was still staring at me from the stage. Her eyes had gone from blue to something closer to black, dark with fury. Her smile had vanished entirely. She looked like she wanted to march across the room and throttle me with her bare hands.
I couldn't remember the last time I'd enjoyed myself this much.
"Dad!"
Evie appeared at my elbow, practically vibrating with excitement. "Oh my God," she breathed. "That was literally the coolest thing ever. You just bid a hundred thousand dollars! For Aria! You're going on a date with Aria!"
I looked down at my daughter. "I suppose I am," I said.
"This is amazing." She grabbed my arm, bouncing on her heels.
On stage, Aria had stepped back, her place taken by bachelorette number six. But her eyes were still on me, still burning with that dark fury.
I met her gaze and smiled.
Your move, Kealoha.
She looked away first. I counted that as a victory. Even more so when she continued to avoid me for the rest of the evening. Every time I moved toward her, she moved away. When Iapproached a conversation she was part of, she excused herself. When our paths threatened to cross, she found someone else to talk to, something else to attend to.
She was good at it. Seamless. Anyone watching would think she was simply a busy hostess, pulled in a hundred directions at once.
But I knew better.
She was running from me. And we both knew it.