May’s POV“Tell me why you don’t want to go for the auction in Love Castle, May,” Emily said, following me into the café and joining the queue. We were at a different café downtown, but close to my house, because we were going jogging.Honest to God, I wasn’t interested to go jogging, but Emily had dragged me into it, and I just couldn’t say no when she had arrived at my house so early this morning.It was a cold morning, and all I could think about was getting a hot cup of coffee into my system, not talking about some auction she wantedto talk about. She had been bugging about it since I told her about it.My mistake, though.Don’t get me wrong; it was for a good cause, but it was also not a must I attended. The fact that Ellen had said we would be auction off for a date amused me though, a date with whoever won my hand at the bid or auction or whatever it was called.I didn’t even understand why Ellen had invited me when I was not even part of her family anymore, at least, not techn
May’s POVOh that’s right! I just remembered I needed to get some groceries, but I was going to have to do that later this evening, and mentally, I calculated what I had left. My savings were draining fast. Really fast.The amount to be paid if I went for the auction was really going to hold the fort a whole lot, but I just wasn’t comfortable with the invite, and with the fact that Asher would be there. I mean, why in the whole did they invite me to be one of the people auctioned off at that event?Was Ellen trying to pity me by adding me to the people that would be auctioned off, and paying me? That and so many questions were on my mind.Who knew what creep or arrogant bastard would win my hand at dinner, and what else they might ask of me, even though the letter she sent clearly stated that all we needed to do was eat with them.“I know you’re still thinking about that, but don’t you think you’re overthinking this?” Emily asked, being the usual pain in the neck she usually was. “I a
Asher’s POV“Damn, I think you’re in for a surprise.” Brent said as he sat across from me after we both had lunch and I was back to my office.I frowned slightly as I looked up at him from my computer. If I didn’t know him any better, I would have thought he was teasing me, with that stupid smirk he had at the corner of his lips, but he was serious about something, something he was staring down at.“What is it?” I asked and he waved the screen of his phone at me as if I should be able to see it and tell what he was talking about.I gave him a look and then he shook his head. “Oh, right. What I’m talking about. I just saw the guest list for your mother’s auction, and you’re in for a surprise.” He said.“What surprise, that’s what I’m asking you.” I said as I looked back at the screen of my computer. Whatever he was saying, it wasn’t making any sense.I grabbed the jug that had some water from the tray my secretary had placed there, and then I poured myself some water, then I started to
Asher’s POVTaking a deep breath to steady my nerves, I dialed my mother's number, staring down at the screen of my phone to see when my mother picked it up.The phone rang briefly before she answered, her tone light and carefree. I pressed the phone to my ear, and then I cleared my throat, so that my voice won’t come out croaky."Hey, Mom," I started, trying to mask the tension in my voice. "Brent just told me something about the auction... that May is on the guest list and she's being auctioned off for a date. That's not true, is it?"I just wanted her to say that we had got things wrong, that that wasn’t the case. I wanted her to laugh at my question and tell me that I was saying nonsense, but she didn’t.There was a brief silence on the line, and then my mother's voice came through, confirming what I dreaded to hear. "Oh, yes, it's true. May called a little while ago to confirm her attendance, so I've added her name to the list. Isn't that wonderful?"“Isn’t that wonderful?” Reall
Asher’s POV“Do you think you’re irreplaceable?” It was the first thing I asked my secretary the next morning when I got to work and she told me someone was waiting for me. My voice was laced with all the snakiness in me I was feeling lately. Okay, maybe I was just angry about the person she had told me was waiting for me there. Maybe I wouldn’t be this angry if she told me it was literally any other person in the world.But it had to be Gary!She stared at me as if I had gone mad, but maybe I had. “I’m sorry, Mr. Campbell. I don’t think I’m irreplaceable, I just didn’t know you wouldn’t like to see him, that was all.” She said.“How dare you be sarcastic with me?” I said, my voice so cold it might be able to freeze her if I put my mind to it. She recognized that voice though, and she backed off.“I’m sorry, sir. I wasn’t trying to be sarcastic. I just really didn’t know. You’ve never had a problem with anyone waiting for you in your office until now.”Well, that was true, but that
Asher’s POVJust eight more minutes, and I would have been waiting a full hour for Brent. I hate waiting. I glanced down at my Rolex, shaking my head in frustration before returning to the glass of brandy I had been nursing since I walked into the hotel bar.Where the hell was Brent, anyway? As I scanned the crowd, my irritation grew. I had called him from the office to meet me here, and somehow, I had managed to arrive before him and had been waiting nearly an hour.If he didn’t show by nine o’clock, I was going to have to leave. Whatever he wanted to discuss could wait until tomorrow. I had better things to do than sit around in a bar.Oh, crap. I suddenly remembered I had the early morning meeting tomorrow that would run into noon, and the brief one with my father.“May I help you with anything else, signore?” A uniformed waiter approached, breaking my train of thought. Being in an Italian hotel, it wasn't unusual to be addressed this way, but I’ve never gotten used to it.“No, tha
May’s POV“Are you ready?”I squinted my eyes as I thought about anything I might have forgetting, chewing my lower lip as she did that. When I realized that I hadn’t, I blew out a breath and said. “Yes I am. I have all I need with me.”Emily smiled and gave me a thumb up. “Now that’s a smart woman, always doing everything in a smart way.” She said, and I rolled my eyes. She was just happy I was doing what she advised me to do, and the gist I would bring back.Opening the front door, I turned back to my small living room to look around. I was going to miss the cozy feel of this place, and I would miss it terribly.“Let’s go outside, May. You’re not going on a death row, it’s just a three-day trip you know.” Emily said from behind me when she felt my hesitation, and then she sighed.I nodded my head and turned to face her. “Fine, I hear you.” I said as I walked outside with her and locked the door of the house.I was going to drop Emily back at her place with her car that I was taking
May’s POVIt was evening when I got to the big iron-clad gate of the Love Castle estate, and I honked so that the security at the place would open the gate for me. I had only ever come here twice, and both times were with Asher.The first time, we had come here after our wedding, and the other time, it was for the auction I was here for again. None of both times did we have to wait because they had already been informed we were coming.Although, I was sure they were already notified that people were also coming to the estate today, arriving for the auction that would be happening tomorrow.A man soon appeared from the small security stand that was attached to the side of the gate, and he walked to me. He knocked on my window and I realized I didn’t know him. He must be trying to know who I was before allowing me in.“Hello ma’am. Good evening and welcome to the Love Castle estate.” He said with a pleasant smile on his face.“Thank you.” I said, offering a small smile of my own.“May I