Star of His Heart - Brenda Jackson [51]
Simultaneous gasps spread throughout the room as everyone stretched their necks toward the back to see who had placed such a high bid.
“Close the bidding. Now,” Ashton ordered as he whispered for Trask’s ears only. Trask quickly moved to do just that before either Angela or Nettie could gather her wits and attempt to outbid the woman standing in the back.
“Going once, going twice,” Trask called out. “Awarded!” he proclaimed. “For one hundred thousand dollars to…” He frowned. “Sorry, ma’am, I didn’t get your name.”
Everyone watched as the young woman came forward. The males in the room, some of whom had become slightly bored with the bidding between Angela and Nettie, sat up straight in their chairs and cleared their throats. The young woman whose age appeared to be in her early twenties was utterly gorgeous. When she reached the front of the room everyone stared at her in expectant silence. Netherland felt her heart completely drop to the floor. She had lost out on her opportunity to spend a weekend with Ashton.
The woman turned around and faced the audience. “My name is Mackenzie Standfield,” she said, speaking clearly and loudly for all to hear. “I’m an attorney with the Oklahoma law firm of Standfield, Di Meglio and Mahoney. The bid of one hundred thousand was made on behalf of my client, Ashton Sinclair. Mr. Sinclair supports the Children Home Society and wanted to make this bid on himself, which allows him to select the woman he wants to take to New Orleans.”
“He can’t do that!” Angela Meadows’s voice rang out loud in the room. She was clearly upset with the outcome of events.
“Yes, he can,” Mackenzie Standfield responded to Angela. “My firm reviewed the rules for this event carefully. This is not a contest. Anyone can make the winning bid—even a participant—since all the proceeds are going to charity.” She then turned her attention to the stage. “Mr. Sinclair will now select the woman of his choice.”
When his attorney stepped aside, Ashton slowly walked off the stage with a dozen roses in his hand.
Netherland’s heart thudded in her chest as she watched Ashton walk over toward her. She inhaled sharply, deeply and almost to the point of not exhaling when she realized what he was about to do. The gaze in his eyes held hers with unspoken confirmation.
Ashton’s long legs made the pace easy for him, and he closed the distance between him and Netherland in record time. When he reached her he kept his gaze locked with hers. He handed her the dozen roses as he said loud enough for everyone in the room to hear, “I choose you, Netherland.”
Cheers, catcalls, whistles and applause ripped through the room. Then in a soft, intimate voice for Netherland’s ears only, he bent his head toward her and whispered, “I choose you, Netherland, for always.”
“Ashton—” Netherland could barely squeeze the one word past the deep lump in her throat. A single tear escaped her eye. She pulled a single rose out of her bouquet and handed it to him and said softly, “And I choose you, too, for always.”
The corner of Ashton’s mouth tilted into a smile. He accepted the rose before pulling Netherland into his arms. Ignoring everyone and everything around them, he kissed her.
There wasn’t a dry feminine eye left in the house. It seemed every woman was crying. Except for Angela Meadows, who angrily walked out.
“Well, folks,” Trask was saying as he looked over the audience and saw how emotional they had become. Even his own wife, Felicia, was sobbing. He shook his head. “That ends the auction portion of tonight’s affair. I must admit that this evening has been quite interesting. We appreciate what each and every one of you have done for the Children Home Society. Stick around for the dance that will follow immediately.”
Corinthians Avery Grant wiped her eyes as she tapped her husband on the shoulder. He turned around and looked at her. “Yes, sweetheart, what is it?”
“I hate to be a party pooper, but I’m in labor.”
Trevor sat up straight.