Standing up straight, I lifted my shoulders, adjusted them back and down, and then plastered on my best shit-eating grin.
“Well, there’s nothing like a little acrobatics to get things going.” Madam Alana laughed gently.
Some low chuckles rumbled through the dark silhouettes of the audience. I clenched my teeth and tried to calm my ire and ignore the throbbing at my knees. I’d been hurt worse, plenty of times. Nothing like a fist to the face from dear old Dad or breaking a salty horse like Marigold while taking a horseshoe to the thigh to make you strong. Bruised knees were nothing but an annoyance.
“Why don’t we go right to entertaining bachelor interest in Ms. Dakota McAllister?” Madam Alana announced.
A strange quiet weaved through the room, and sweat broke out at my hairline and palms. I closed my hands into fists and waited until Madam Alana gasped.
I turned around, took in the giant screen behind me, and my stomach dropped. My mouth watered with that sick, sour taste that usually preceded vomit as I read my stats.
YES – 1
NO – 40
MAYBE – 9
Madam Alana tsked aloud. “It seems we’ll have to adjust. Apparently, the audience needs a little reminder why my candidates make the best arranged marriages around. Ms. McAllister, remove your dress, please.”
“Um, leave the stage and get changed?” I whisper-gulped.
One side of her lips curled up. “No. Remove the dress. Right here, right now.”
I licked my lips and nodded, then turned to stare out at the dark crowd.
No one is looking. It’s just like stripping off your filthy, mucked-up clothes in the mudroom back home.
Not wanting to drag this out, I reached up, pulled the bow at the back of my neck, and let the slinky, swishy fabric slide over my body like water until the entire thing was pooled around my feet. And there I stood, wearing cutout boy shorts, a modern, complicated crisscross bra over my average-sized boobs, and my cowboy boots.
“I see you can take the cowgirl out of the country, but you can’t take her out of her boots!” She laughed heartily, the sound that of a pretty melody. Everything that woman did was beautiful. Even laughing. “Let’s try this again. Have a little spin around, dear,” she demanded.
Following her command, I spun around. A loud, piercing whistle stole through the open room. I glanced over my shoulder and grinned.
At least we had an ass man in the crowd. I knew for a fact my ass was stellar. I’d been told that enough by the opposite sex when I gave myself the rare night off to go carousing for a male to warm my sheets.
“As I suspected,” Madam Alana tittered. “Please cast your vote for Ms. McAllister once more,” she instructed.
I closed my eyes and waited a breath, then looked back at the screen. I smiled wide at the new numbers.
YES – 10
NO – 15
MAYBE – 25
“Let’s not delay. As with every auction, may I have the first bidder for three million for three years of marriage to our feisty cowgirl, Dakota,” Madam Alana called out.
Several lit paddles that contained big numbers on them appeared like spotlights out in the crowd. I couldn’t see much of what they were attached to, but my gaze zeroed in on the shape of a cowboy hat .
I smiled when I saw that. If a rich man wore a cowboy hat, that meant he likely owned land of some kind. Maybe he’d allow me to help work my own ranch in between whatever highfalutin’ crapola one of these guys expected the new little wifey to do.
“How about three and a half million?” Madam Alana upped the amount by a cool half mil.
Now that’s what I was talking about. Wanting to get them bidding, I spun in another circle, lifted my arm in the air, and pretended to ride a horse while roping a steer.
The paddles flew into the air.
“I’ve got three and a half million. How about four?”
Cowboy Hat lifted his paddle. Number five, which was also my personal lucky number.
“I’ve got four million. Do I have any other bidders for four million?” she asked the crowd, but sadly no other paddles lit up.
Hell, I didn’t care. Four million was an entire million more than I’d hoped for.
“Sold to bidder number five!”
The crowd clapped wildly, and being the dork I was, I kicked up and knocked my booted heels together in the air like Jiminy Cricket. I was gifted that same whistle as before which I knew in my heart came from my shadowy cowboy.
I bowed at the waist and gathered up my dress.
“You may leave the stage, Dakota. Congratulations. Are you ready for our next candidate?” Madam Alana was already moving on to the next auction, which I knew meant my baby sister.
I held my dress in a ball at my side as I dashed down the stairs and back to the other side of the stage.
Not far from the bottom of the stage sat Jade in a heap of black sparkly fabric. She was crying. Both Faith and Memphis were tending to her so when I saw the group catch my gaze, I held a finger up and ran to my sister.
Savannah’s eyes were wide, her gaze tracing my form. “ Why are you undressed? I thought you had to do a part two with a robe and a reveal. That’s what Ruby is doing.”
“Shit doesn’t always work out as it’s supposed to.” I waved her concern off and spoke fast. “I just wanted to tell you I was picked and got four mil! That might be enough. Maybe I could ask my husband-to-be to advance me the rest of the money and we can save the land without you having to go through with this? It’s worth a shot!”
Excitement poured through my veins as I held on to the tiny hope I could pull something like that off.
Savannah took my hands and tilted her head. “I know you want to save me from every possible hurt the world may bring my way, but this isn’t something you can save me from. I need to do this. For you. For me. For our grandaddy. For our future.”
I closed my eyes. “But I could try...”
She put her finger to my lips, cutting off my words.
“Let’s welcome Ms. Savannah McAllister…” Madam Alana’s voice shredded through the moment like a machete to a jungle plant.
The drapes opened, and my sister dropped my hands.
“Wish me luck,” Savannah said, then took to the stairs.
I could not have been more proud of her. Fighting for what she believed. Putting herself out there and taking charge of her life.
At the same time, I hated myself for not being able to protect her.
Episode 12
Savannah’s Auction
SAVANNAH
“I’m sorry, Dakota. It’s going to be okay. Go help Jade.” I gestured at the sobbing woman Faith and Memphis were crowded around. Dakota firmed her jaw, nodded, and left me alone on the stairs. For a single moment I closed my eyes, centered my mind, and breathed through all the possibilities in front of me. I was going to help save our legacy.
Legacy.