The Final Bid (The Auction Series Book Two) Read online

  She called out to her, “Gracie! You ready to go get some pizza and cake?”

  Grace’s head swung in her mother’s direction, her face lighting up with a smile as she turned and skipped her way back over to where she stood. “Can we get ice cream too Momma?”

  Hannah smiled, “Uh yeah! We can’t have cake without ice cream!”

  “Yay!” Grace jumped up and down with excitement before zipping her way back to the van, both of them climbing in for the trip back home.

  Drew twirled the stem of the martini glass in his fingers as he debated whether or not to have another. He was sitting in one of the leather upholstered stools in the bar of his hotel, so it wasn’t like he had to get into a car and drive. But he was seeing Hannah in a little over twelve hours and wanted to have a clear head.

  “Another Hendrick’s martini Mr. Sapphire?” The bartender asked, reaching to take the empty glass from his hands.

  “Please.” Fuck it. One more wasn’t going to hurt at this point. He watched as the pretty bartender filled a new martini glass with ice to chill it, and then the shaker and pour in a healthy amount of gin. As she shook the container, she looked up and caught him watching her. She smiled shyly, her cheeks blushing a light pink, before she looked away to finish preparing his drink.

  She walked over and placed a new napkin in front of him before setting the full glass down on it. “Sir.”

  He took the drink, raising the glass in a toast, before bringing it to his lips for a sip. “Thank you.”

  He couldn’t help notice that the bartender’s eyes followed the glass to his mouth and stayed there until he lowered it back to the bar, finally rising again to meet his stare.

  “Can I get you anything else Sir?” Her voice husky, lower than before.

  He knew her question implied more than a polite inquiry for a dish of nuts. She would happily accompany him to his room and serve him anything he wanted if he asked. And three months ago he probably would have done just that. She was attractive, attentive, and best of all, they way she called him ‘Sir’ suggested she would be more than submissive.

  “No, thank you.” He smiled kindly at her to make her feel less embarrassed about her suggestive request. The only person he wanted now was Hannah. No one else was even remotely tempting to him.

  She nodded her head, “Just let me know if you need anything then.” She turned and walked to the other end of the bar to attend to another patron.

  Drew raised the glass to his mouth and was about to take a large swig as someone sat down beside him, slapping him on the shoulder causing some of the gin to slosh out of the glass and onto the bar. He turned quickly to give the person a piece of his mind but stopped abruptly when he saw who it was.

  “Son.” His father made himself comfortable on the stool next to him and raised his hand to get the bartender’s attention.

  “Father.” Drew brought the glass up again and this time managed to take that large swig.

  “Give me three fingers of the Talisker, straight up please.”

  The bartender poured the scotch and had it sitting in front of his father on a fresh napkin in less than thirty seconds. She was good. He picked it up and sniffed the warm, brown liquid before taking a drink.

  “What are you doing here this late?” Drew asked as his father took a drink of his scotch.

  “I was going to ask you the same thing. You’re not usually here on the weekends.”

  “I have business tomorrow and didn’t want to deal with driving in and out to the house.”

  His father’s thick white eyebrows lifted in question, “Business on a Sunday?”

  “Personal business.” Drew would be damned if he was going to explain Hannah to him.

  His father looked at him for a moment before turning away and taking another swig of his scotch. “I see.”

  “So, what’s your excuse?”

  “Business.” His father looked at him, an edge to his voice before continuing, “personal.”

  Drew knew just what kind of business his father was dealing with tonight. He had probably taken his latest affair out to one of the most exclusive restaurants in the city and then back to one of the luxury suites upstairs for an hour. All while his mother waited at home, thinking god only knows what. He hated his father for disrespecting his mother like that and didn’t understand why he just didn’t divorce her. Or why she didn’t divorce him.

  He was sure his mother was aware of his father’s indiscretions. He was also sure his father actually loved his mother. It was an arrangement they both seemed to be content with, but not one he could begin to comprehend. He swore after he found his first wife cheating on him, that he would never live a life like that. He would never have a marriage like his parents. For three years he’d kept that promise to himself. Damn Hannah for getting under his skin.

  His father interrupted his thoughts. “Will we see you at the house for dinner tomorrow? I believe Benjamin may actually join us.”

  “Don’t count on me.” He watched as his father’s face pinched in anger.

  “Your mother will be disappointed.” Well, if that wasn’t the pot calling the kettle black.

  “Please tell her I’m sorry. I’m quite certain my business will run late tomorrow. Tell her I’ll have Felicia set up lunch for us one day this week.”

  His father nodded, smiling tightly. “I’m sure she’d like that.”

  He brought the glass up, drained the rest of the scotch and placed it back on the bar before standing up. “Well, Carl’s waiting with the car. I saw you sitting here and just wanted to say hello.”

  Drew raised himself up off the barstool so he could stand and face his father. “Send mom my love.”

  “Jesus, what happened to your eye!” His father reached his hand out and brought it up to the left side of Drew’s face. He realized his father wouldn’t have been able to see that side of him when they had been sitting at the bar. Drew pulled his face away from his father’s hand and grinned slyly.

  “Benny took me boxing the other day. I lost.”

  “Is this why you cancelled our lunch meeting yesterday?”

  Drew shrugged his shoulders and nodded in response.

  “God damn Benjamin.” His father laughed and shook his head in dismay. “He always loved to give you a beating.”

  Drew shrugged in response. “Nah, it’s all good. It wasn’t Benny. I was in the ring with some other guy and he was just better.”

  His father reached up and touched the side of his face again, gently this time, and then

  leaned forward and wrapped one arm around Drew’s shoulder, clapping him on the back quickly before walking away, “Good night Andrew.”

  “Good night Dad.” Drew watched his father walk out of the low lit lounge area into the lobby toward the front doors before turning back around. He picked up his martini glass, finished what was left and motioned to the bartender that he was leaving.

  After signing the slip and leaving the bartender a fifty-dollar tip, he headed up to the suite he kept at the hotel. He looked at his watch in the elevator and saw it was just after midnight. Only eleven more hours until he saw Hannah. It was going to be a long fucking night.

  Chapter Three

  Hannah entered the lobby of the hotel and walked towards the concierge desk. Her heart was beating so hard she wondered if it could be heard over the clacking sounds the heels of her boots made on the marble with each step she took. She had changed no less than four times before finally deciding on a pair of boyfriend style jeans, (with the perfectly configured ripped patches of course), a simple black off the shoulder t-shirt and black ankle booties. It finally came down to just wearing an outfit she would normally have worn if going out to visit with friends. She wanted to be in her own skin, and not what she thought Drew would want to see her in for this meeting with him.

  She smiled as she she reached the concierge desk and realized George, an attendant she collaborated with often, was working.

  “Good mor
ning George.”

  “Hannah! Good morning to you! Are you working on a Sunday?”

  Hannah shook her head and felt her cheeks flush as she responded, “No. I actually have an appointment with Drew—er, Mr. Sapphire at 11. I’m a bit early though.”

  Hannah glanced down at her watch and realized she was a whole fifteen minutes early and silently chastised herself for looking too anxious.

  George smiled warmly at Hannah and picked up the phone. “Let me just call up to see if he’s available now. He just came back from a run not too long ago so I believe he’s in.”

  Hannah glanced around, taking in the sights and sounds of people making their way through the lobby, wondering where people might be visiting from or where they were heading to. George had come around the desk and touched her lightly on the elbow, guiding her toward a set of elevators.

  “Hannah, if you’ll come with me? Mr. Sapphire’s on a secure floor, so I’ll just need to punch in an access code.”

  “Of course.” Hannah followed George and stood silently as they both waited for the doors of the elevator to open. George swept his hand out, holding the door of the elevator open and inviting her to enter first. He continued to hold the door as he quickly entered a code on a key pad under the floor numbers, before pressing PH3 and stepping back out.

  “Off you go then Miss.” He tipped his head and smiled as the doors slid shut.

  Hannah raised her hand to wave goodbye and got out a quick, “Thank you George,” before the doors closed tight and the elevator started to rise. Her heart, which had calmed a bit while speaking with George, seemed to increase its rhythm with every floor she climbed. This was a moment she had hoped she wouldn’t find herself in, but she knew she was being unfair to her own feelings, and to Drew’s, by not giving him some kind of closure to their weekend. She scoffed a bit at that, remembering suddenly that he was the one that had stormed out on her and left her alone and confused in his house. The elevator came to a quick stop with a ‘ding!’ indicating her floor had been reached and the doors slid open. She took a deep breath before stepping out into a foyer area of the suite and right into Drew’s steely blue gaze. She stopped abruptly upon seeing him, a small gasp of surprise escaping her lips. He was leaning against the wall, just feet away from the elevator entrance, wearing deliciously faded jeans and a light grey fitted t-shirt. His toned arms were crossed, as were his bare feet, his hair still wet from a recent shower, giving him an air of casual demeanor.

  “What happened to your eye?” She asked in concern, taking a few steps closer while reaching her hand up, but then stopping short before actually touching his face.

  He pushed himself up off the wall, watching as her hand slowly sank back down to her side, and leaned forward to kiss her softly on the cheek.

  “Hello Hannah. You’re early. Anxious as ever?” That sly grin she had come to know quickly over the weekend they spent together was now present on his stubble lined jaw.

  She frowned slightly at his brush off of her question.

  “Drew, your eye? What happened? Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine. It’s nothing. A little reminder that I’m not as good at boxing as I used to be.” He turned and started walking down a short hallway and motioned for her to follow. “Come, let’s go sit in the dining room. I ordered some food in case you’re hungry.”

  Hannah followed Drew down a hallway that opened into a large space that contained a kitchen, dining and living room area. Three walls of the space were made up entirely of windows allowing the bright sunshine of the day to light up the room. He walked over to the table, filled with several silver covered platters, and pulled out a chair for her to sit in.

  “Can I take your jacket?”

  “Sure, thanks.” Hannah shrugged out of her jacket and handed it to Drew before sitting down in the seat. He laid it down over the arm of a nearby couch and walked back to the table. As he passed by her, his fingers skimmed ever so softly over her bare shoulder, and then he sat down at the table in the seat next to her. He stared at her, staying quiet for several moments.

  “What is it?”

  “I always forgot how beautiful you are. Every time I see you I’m reminded.”

  Hannah’s cheeks flushed lightly in embarrassment.

  “Does your eye hurt?” This time she did reach her hand up and brush her fingertips lightly over the bruise. He reached up and took her hand gently in his own before looking seriously at her.

  “I’m sure it’s nothing compared to the pain I must have caused you when I left you at the beach house.”

  Hannah’s eyebrows shot up in surprise at his admission. She was sure he would evade that subject in pursuit of her secrets and truth. She tilted her head in thought before answering.

  “Confused, and yes, I suppose hurt. I didn’t really want to believe that you had just left after, well…. After everything we had just shared together.”

  Drew scooted his chair a bit closer to her, his knees now bumping into hers, while still holding her hand. “I’m so sorry about that. For losing my temper. For not respecting your privacy. For leaving you. You were trying to meet me in the middle and I had to go and try to take more from you. I know it wasn’t fair.”

  Hannah looked past Drew and stared blankly out the window behind him as she tried to register his apology. It wasn’t what she was expecting from him and it was throwing her off balance. Why did he have to be so god damn nice?

  “Hannah?” Drew’s voice pulling her out of her thoughts. “Are you okay?”

  She stood quickly and pulled her hand from Drew’s. He stood up just as quickly in response. “Can I use the bathroom please?”

  A look of confusion crossed Drew’s features as he responded, “Um, of course.” He pointed towards a hallway off the kitchen. “It’s the first door on the right.”

  “Thanks. Just be a minute.”

  Drew watched as Hannah made her way quickly down the hallway and into the bathroom, shutting the door firmly behind her. He ran a hand through his hair before shaking his head in confusion. What the fuck was that about? Unsure what to do, but feeling the need to keep himself busy, he poured each of them a mimosa, and started removing the covers from all the platters. He placed them on the counter and then went back and sat at the table to wait.

  Within a moment, he heard the door of the bathroom click open and Hannah’s footsteps walking back toward him. Would she go now?

  “Are you---”

  “I’m sorry---“

  They both started speaking at the same time and then both laughed nervously. Drew stood.

  “Are you okay?” He asked softly.

  “Yes, yes.” She looked down as her embarrassment flooded across her cheeks. “I just needed a minute. I just…”

  There was a pause as he waited for her to continue, but when she didn’t, he placed a finger under her chin, raising it so he could look her in the eyes. “You just what?”

  “I just wasn’t expecting that.”

  “That? What do you mean?”

  She took a slight step back so that his finger released her chin and separated them a fraction. “I wasn’t expecting you to apologize. To take any responsibility for your actions that evening. And for not respecting my need for some control over my situation.”

  He looked at her in astonishment and couldn’t help chuckling in disbelief. “Has no man ever apologized to you before? Your husband?”

  She shook her head, a wry smile appearing. “I was wondering when you were going to bring that up.”

  “Well, you must know seeing you with a man and a child would be a shock to me. Your husband and daughter I presume?”

  Drew moved to sit back down at the table, motioning for her to do the same. He took the flute of the mimosa and drained it in a single gulp. He watched as Hannah’s expression changed to sadness before she took a small sip of the drink sitting in front of her.

  “Yes, that was my daughter you saw me with. Grace. She’s four, almost five now. But
that wasn’t my husband. It was my brother.”

  “Your brother? He’s in the military? I noticed he was wearing fatigues.”

  “He’s a recruiter now.” He watched as she paused, fidgeting with the glass between her fingers before continuing. “Danny, that’s my brother, had picked Grace up from school for me that day. He helps me a lot.”

  Drew nodded his head, but still needed to know the answer to the most important question. “And your husband?”

  “Jackson.” A shaky hand lifted the glass to her lips and he watched as she took a longer sip this time. She glanced at the food, but so far it remained untouched.

  “Jackson is your husband?” He prodded her, wanting more information but not wanting to scare or push her away again.

  She nodded her head again and started talking again. “Danny and Jackson were best friends growing up. Danny’s four years older than me and somewhere around the time I turned fifteen, I fell madly in love with Jackson. He was always at our house and I remember I followed him around like a puppy dog.”

  Her eyes crinkled at the edges from the smile on her face as she recalled her memories to him.

  “Of course, Jackson wanted nothing to do with me. Why would he? I was this skinny little teenager and he was on the cusp of becoming a young man. Jackson and Danny both joined the army and did basics together. Somehow they even ended up managing to be deployed together overseas.”

  Drew watched as different emotions crossed her features while she told her story. “Everyone was so pissed off when they got deployed. Everyone was supposed to be coming home from Iraq and Baghdad, but here they were, getting sent over.”

  She shrugged her shoulders as if in defeat. “They were there for over two years before they returned on leave home.”

  She looked up at Drew then, and he was stunned to see a wide smile on her face.

  “They came home to surprise me for my high school graduation. They didn’t tell anyone they were coming. Not even my parents. It was the best surprise. I remember going up to get my diploma, and all of a sudden there were these loud whooping cheers from the middle row of the audience and there they were. All decked out in their dress uniforms. I couldn’t believe my eyes. I jumped off that stage and ran right into Jackson’s arms.”