Page 203 of Filthy Beautiful
I stopped again and looked up at him. “They were bidding over a hundred grand for you when I left.Somebodywon that date with you.”
“It’s not a real date, Court. It’s for charity.”
“Uh-huh.” I went back to my packing. “Tell that to all the horny women in the audience with the open checkbooks. They could write a check to the children’s foundation anytime. They were there to bid on something they saw that theywanted.”
“Okay. And why the fuck wereyoubidding?”
“Why shouldn’t I?”
“For fuck’s sake, will you look at me?”
I stopped packing and looked. “What do you want me to say, Xander? Larissa asked me if I wanted to go. And I went. But Trey had already filled the seats at their table, and Summer said I could sit with her.” True. “You weren’t the only reason I was there.” Not true, but whatever. “I had friends there. And it was a charity event. Since when is bidding on a charity for kids a bad idea?”
“And you’re telling me you had fifty-five grand to throw away?”
“I wasn’t throwing it away. It was a donation.”
“Bullshit. You weren’t donating to the charity. You were bidding on something you saw that youwanted.”
Oh, no. Fuck no.
He didn’t get to throw my words back at me.
Even if they were true.
“Yeah, well, Ilost.” I dropped the book in my hand into the box. It wasn’t full yet, but I’d just have to come back for it later. I needed to get out of here.
“And what if you didn’t lose?” he pressed, as I got to my feet. He loomed into my space, kinda trapping me. “Where were you gonna get that money from?”
I shrugged. “Cary would’ve paid it. It’s for charity.”
“Right. Great idea. And how exactly were you planning to explain to him why he had to cough up fifty-five-thousand dollars so you could go on a dinner date with me?”
“Whatever. I’d sell my car if I had to. I’m not destitute.”
“You’d sell your fucking car?” He was in my face, and he was getting all growly and loud. “Just so some other woman couldn’t go to dinner with me?”
“Why are you yelling at me? I lost the stupid bid, okay?”
“Because what the fuck were even doing there? You shouldn’t even be in that bar.”
I rolled my eyes, hard. “For Christ’s sake. This again?”
“What the hell were you trying to prove?”
“Why do you even care? Ilostthe bid. I left the bar. You got what you wanted.” Now I was in his face, too, and we were yelling at each other again. “So, congratulations! Guess what? You won.Again.”
“What do you mean, I won?”
I threw up my hands. “Youwon, Xander. You always win.”
He looked genuinely fucking confused about that, and it just pissed me off more. “Win…what?”
“Everything! Do you think Ieverwanted to see you hanging out with other girls…Fuckingother girls? Because you’re fucking right I could see that, right from my bedroom window, through this stupid window of yours!” I pointed accusingly at the window, where the shades were open.
And across the dark backyard, I could faintly see my bedroom window… beyond the reflection ofusin the glass, yelling at each other.
He looked in the direction I was pointing… made the fucking connection in his head… and looked at me.
