Page 42 of Penalty Shot

Two tickets to the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford.

Starting bid: $5,000

I lean down and write on the bidding sheet.

“Ahem,” the headset girl clears her throat to get my attention. She leads me to a woman wearing a long black dress.

Geraldine turns around to greet me, opening her arms to exchange a friendly hug.

“Thank you, Randall! I’m so happy you could make it. I saved a spot for it in the middle.” She guides me to a section with a bidding sheet. “Should we start the bid at five hundred dollars?”

I don’t have the heart to tell her that regular season seats go for that amount, but playoffs are another level altogether.

“May I?” a guy addresses Geraldine. He takes the pen and writes$1,000on the top bid line. That’s more like it.

“Good of you to make the donation, Haughland,” the man says, sticking his hand out. “Conrad Coates. I head the fundraising board.”

“Hi, good to meet you Conrad.” I’m friendly, although Geraldine rolling her eyes doesn’t escape my notice.

Conrad, however, is oblivious to Geraldine’s annoyance. He rubs his chin. I know this look. He wants to talk hockey all fucking night.

A few other guys who smell like whiskey and talk loudly gather around me. I answer their inquiries about the next series with vague gibberish. We’re a tight team, we find strength in adversity, blah blah. All the shit I could say in my sleep. While fawning over me, they’re also checking the bidding sheet. The price for the Mavericks tickets rises steadily.

I see Elise across the ballroom, briskly walking in my direction.

Not wanting her near the loud, claustrophobic group of men, I mumble, “Excuse me, gentlemen.”

We meet halfway. There’s a swell of pride in my chest knowing that, in a room full people, Elise homes in on me. She looks different, her cheekbones exaggerated and her eyes dark with makeup. This version of Elise is straight from a fashionmagazine. I’m so taken by her beauty, we’re toe to toe before I notice the worry on her features.

Automatically, my arm wraps around her waist, and I offer my chest to lean on. “What’s wrong?”

“Walk with me for a minute?”

“Of course.”

She leads me behind a partition where there’s a metal door. We push past it to find ourselves in a bare hallway with rolling carts. Servers buzz around. We tuck ourselves against the wall.

“Thanks. I needed a breather. This dress got tighter since I last wore it.”

If by tight she meansbeautifully molded to show her curves, than yeah, that it is. Her shoulders look like porcelain against the red dress. Elise’s thick hair is twisted in an elegant style, soft tendrils escaping to brush against earrings that shine and dangle.

“You, however, clean up real well Randall Haughland.”

“Thank you. That means a lot coming from the most beautiful woman in that room.” Even with a ratty shirt and someone else’s jeans, Elise stands out. Tonight, she could stop traffic.

“That’s sweet. Thanks.” Elise presses her lips together. “I’m just so fucking pissed right now.”

“At who?”

She looks at her feet and stomps one of them. “At my mom. I understand how these events put her in a lot of pressure. The success of the auction is important to her, and I wouldn’t resent that except…” She pauses.

“You’re killing me, Elise. Except what?”

“Did she have to involve Miles?” Her hands shoot up in frustration. “I mean, seriously? I’ve made it clear that we’re over, and she never stops harping about him.”

Calculations come at lightning speed.

Miles is a man she isoverbut her mom keeps involving. He must be an ex-boyfriend and Geraldine’s choice for her daughter.