I honestly think I needed those patients as much they needed someone like me. And somehow, someway, I felt like my career would eventually need to revolve around focusing less on just typical nursing jobs and more on case-managing women like Carmen.
“You’re one of the good ones, Melody,” Georgia complimented with a tender smile. “Those patients are lucky to have you. Hell, my brother is lucky to have you. He better not fuck it up,” she added with a playful wink, and I laughed softly. I was pretty sure I was the one lucky to have Will.
The squeal of the microphone reverberating through the speakers pulled our attention to the front of the room. “Sorry for the interruption, ladies and gentleman,” the auctioneer announced. “We’ll now resume bidding on the last half of the lots. The next item up for bid is lot number 175. It’s an oil on canvas called Mademoiselle X by famous French Impressionist painter, Maurice Ehlinger. He was renowned for his stylized nudes on canvas, and…”
Georgia and I both glanced at each other with wide eyes.
Jesus…not another nude…
“Here we go,” she muttered before our attention shifted toward Cassie.
“Hey, uh, Cass,” I tried, but it was too late, she was already glaring at the old lady—before the auctioneer had even opened up the bidding.
He pointed to the painting and proudly announced to the crowd, “We’ll start the bidding at two hundred.”
“One thousand!” Cassie exclaimed, and the auctioneer’s eyes went wide.
“Uh…Okay…” he stuttered into the microphone. “Do I have eleven hundred?”
The old lady gave a quick raise of her hand to indicate her bid.
“Fifty-five thousand!” Cassie shouted. Understandably, the old lady just shrugged into her seat when the auctioneer looked in her direction. Holy fuckballs, she’d just upped the bid by nearly fifty-four thousand dollars!
“Fifty-five thousand going once…going twice…sold to the…well…the very exuberant lady to the left.”
“Hell motherfluffing yes,” Cassie cheered loud enough for all of New York City to hear. And she sealed the envelope of crazy by pointedly staring at her bidding opponent while moving two of her fingers between her eyes and the old lady’s. “I’m watching you,” she mouthed, and the little woman quickly broke eye contact.
I didn’t blame her. I wouldn’t have wanted to be on the receiving end of Cassie’s wrath. Her kind of crazy appeared to have no limit or boundaries.
“Uh…” Georgia looked toward Cass. “You do realize that painting is only worth like two thousand, right?”
“So?”
“You just paid fifty-five thousand for it,” I reminded her, and she shrugged.
“Thatcher paid fifty-five thousand for it.”
“And do you think he’ll mind that you’ve spent one hundred thousand dollars on paintings today?” Georgia asked.
Yeah, I should probably mention here that Cassie and Thatch are loaded.
Like, they could probably buy three yachts tomorrow, and it wouldn’t even put a dent in their savings. I don’t know if I will ever get used to knowing people that rich.
“No way,” Cassie disputed. “I haven’t spent that much today.”
“Actually, you have,” I added, but it didn’t matter. Cassie’s sights were already set on the next lot up for bidding, and like a homing device, once the auctioneer announced the item, her focus darted directly to the old lady across the aisle.
Honestly, it was like watching a car crash. I didn’t want to look, but I couldn’t look away.
God, I hope that little old lady makes it out of this auction house alive today.
With the motive of distracting myself from the fact that Cassie was one nude painting away from going what Georgia described as fight club, I pulled out my cell phone and sent a quick text to Will.
Me: I’m not sure if it was such a good idea to bring Cassie to this auction.
My phone vibrated with his response a minute later.
Will: Lol. I can only imagine…
Me: I think she’s about to fight this old lady for nude oil paintings. She’s convinced it’ll drive Thatch crazy and give him “constant bonertimes.” Her words, not mine.
Will: Jesus. What kind of auction are you at? I thought you were getting items for the charity event…
Me: Get your mind out of the gutter. It’s not like porno nudes. It’s classic, 20th-century art. Mostly boobs, no crotch shots.
Will: Well…Thatch is a boob man.
Yeah, that was obvious. I was certain everyone in this auction house knew Thatch was a boob man.
Me: Yeah, well, Cassie is about to throw down on account of his boob obsession.
Will: I’d like to say everything will be okay, but…
Me: Help me.
Will: LOL. What’s Georgia doing?
Me: Eating Skittles.
Will: In the middle of an auction?
Me: Yeah, I’m basically with Thelma and Louise. Only instead of driving the car off the cliff, Cassie’s going to set this place on fire just to piss off the old lady who keeps bidding on all of the nudes she wants.
Will: I think you should record this. For future viewing purposes.
Me: You’re zero help!
Will: You have to admit the entire situation is hilarious.
In that moment, it didn’t fucking feel hilarious. My palms were sweaty, and the stress had spurred a constant, sharp ache in my chest. If I weren’t under thirty and my family hadn’t had any known history of heart disease, I would’ve been convinced it was a heart attack. Sure, it might have seemed a little dramatic to be stressed over Cassie trying to buy everything nude or boob-focused, but seriously, the looks we had been getting from everyone around us weren’t exactly friendly or welcoming. I felt like a caged animal in the zoo. Only, the people staring at me weren’t excited, they were two seconds away from calling the cops.
I was just glad she hadn’t tried to bid against me on anything. There’s no telling what emergent medical episode would have befallen us.
Me: Yeah, maybe when you’re an outsider. It’s not when you’re actually in the middle of it.
Will: Were you able to bid on enough items for the charity function? Or is Cassie outbidding you, too?
Me: Luckily, yes. Thank God, I was focused on sculptures and boob-less paintings of landscapes and flowers. Otherwise, Cassie might have killed me by now.
Will: Lol.
Me: I’m glad this is so amusing for you.
Will: Does it help if I say I think you’re amazing?
It helped a little… but that didn’t mean I had to tell him that. I typed out a two-letter response and hit send.
Me: No.
Will: What about… I’m so proud of you for arranging this charity function?
He really was so sweet to me sometimes.
But still, that didn’t mean I had to tell him he was…
Me: Nope.
Will: You’re the most brilliant woman I know.
Me: Still not working.
Will: Stay the night at my place tonight, and I’ll eat your pussy for a really long, long time…
My brows shot up with intrigue the instant I read the text.
Hmmm… Things have started to get interesting…
Me: How long?
Will: I won’t stop until you’re begging for my cock.