Page 178 of Sour Notes

I’m not a medic who saves people’s lives like Beckett.

Mia needs to Dr. Reality Check these crazies before they throw good money after bad.

My heart pangs again just thinking of her name.

God, I miss her. I’ve slept probably three hours max since I left her side.

Apparently, I can’t sleep without her body wrapped around mine like a little koala anymore. Who knew how quickly you could form a new habit? I sure as shit didn’t. If I had, I’d have stayed on that sofa.

The only way I’m gonna get some shut-eye now is to physically push myself to the point of exhaustion or pass out blind drunk.

Both feasible options for when I creep back into my office later tonight.

“Fifteen hundred,” Mary shouts, the chief now storming furiously towards her.

That’s right, rein her in, sir.

“Two thousand dollars,” the woman in the middle volleys back.

“Three thousand,” Mary retorts sharply. I’m sure the crowd is getting whiplash with the way their heads are swiveling between the two women.

“Three thousand five hundred dollars,” Middle fires back.

“Four thousand,” Mary screams, looking a little unhinged if I’m being honest. She’s even ignoring her dad who’s angrily murmuring in her ear.

The middle woman’s hand shoots up again, but before she shouts, a new voice joins the fray.

“Fifteen thousand dollars.”

My heart jumps. That sounded like…

No. Don’t be an idiot, Wolff. She doesn’t have that kinda money lying around.

The crowd gasps and mutters, turning left and right to see who’s crazy enough to bid that much for a miserable fucker like me.

Even the idiot MC is stunned into silence.

“Fi—fifteen thousand dollars. Do I hear sixteen anywhere?” He looks between Mary and the middle lady, who both look furious, shaking their heads angrily while they try in vain to locate the hidden bidder too.

Well, thank fuck I’m not gonna be Mary’s little bitch boy, but I guess I have to upgrade Wendy’s to a Five Guys or something if some rich lady thinks I’m worth dropping that kinda money on.

I hope she’s ready to be disappointed.

“Fifteen thousand, going once… going twice… sold to the lady in white.”

White?

He bangs his gavel and my head snaps up, scanning the crowd to see who I’ve just sold my soul to.

When the crowd parts and a golden-skinned, dark-haired woman in a floor-length, iridescent white gown steps forward, I convince myself I’m dreaming.

Because there’s no way the woman who just bid an obscene amount of money is one and the same as the one who owns my heart, right?

I scrub a hand down my face, blink hard, and take another look. Yep.

Still there.

She mouths a hi, her ruby red lips lifting in a shy smile.