Page 106 of The Marriage Auction 2: Part 4

“Alana, I’m not kidding. Juniper Ross wants to choose a husband at the next auction.”

“Seriously? How did she even find us? It’s not as though we advertise. Everything is word of mouth.”

“Yeah, and that word of mouth got back to her publicist who contacted me. Juniper wants a man in her life that is willing to go on tour with her, attend red carpet events, and let the public see their romance play out live.”

“Is that what Juniper wants or her publicist? Is this one of those fix her image type of deals? Because that’s not the business we’re in.”

Jade shook her head. “Nope. I spoke to Juniper myself. She claims no one knows the real her and she wants true love. She says she doesn’t believe it’s possible for her to find it, so she’s going to buy it.”

“Hmmm, I’m not sure about this one. Set up a meeting between me and Juniper and her publicist. I’d like to speak to them personally.”

Jade jotted down the request. “The last thing is The Christmas Auction. You said you had a candidate in mind but didn’t share any details.”

I smiled remembering the bartender I’d met at that dive bar I happened upon by accident when the car I’d hired had blown a tire. The driver who’d picked me up had barely made it to the rickety locale. While he’d dealt with the car and waited for assistance, I went inside to have a drink.

Holly was her name.

She was incredibly beautiful with long blonde hair, big brown eyes, and a buxom body. When I sat down, she took one look at me and said, “We don’t have fancy cocktails or martinis here. If that’s what you want, you’re in the wrong place.”

I smiled and ordered a double shot of her best tequila. She added the lime, for which I was grateful. Then she asked me what a classy woman was doing on that side of town. We talked, and I found out she was a native to Las Vegas, having beenborn and raised in the desert. Her father was a card dealer. Her momma a waitress in the same casino.

When I asked why she bartended, she said it was the best money she could make that wasn’t shaking her ass or climbing a pole. But she aspired to own her own bar one day. Then she playfully asked if I wanted to be her fairy godmother and bankroll her.

I told her not that day, but one never knew what awaited them in the future.

She was perfect for the Christmas auction.

And Bruno Castellanos would be the perfect bidder.

I tapped my pencil on my desk and played out a scene where I’d force the two to meet in advance. Some people thought my matches were all luck of the draw, or luck of the bidder. And in some cases, that was true.

Other times, like with this special auction, I knew exactly who to pair, I just needed to do some old-fashioned reconnaissance like I did in the past.

What was the first way to get back into the saddle if you’ve fallen off? Go back to what you know best.

And the best thing I knew how to do was matchmake.

“Mon Coeur,I’m feeling like a drink. Shall we head out?”

“Can I eat my tamales in the limo?” He gave me puppy dog eyes. Food was one of my husband’s love languages. I’d never deny him.

“Of course,mi amor. Jade, you’ve got things handled. We’ll see you tomorrow.”

I linked my arm with my husband’s and smiled as I mentally started planning in my head how I was going to finagle a meet and greet between Bruno and my soon-to-be new candidate Holly.

“I love my job.” I sighed and cuddled next to my husband as we headed to a filthy dive bar on the outskirts of Las Vegas.

Holly and Bruno had no idea their lives were about to change forever.

The End of The Marriage Auction Season 2.