Wild Goose On The Fly—-The Highest Bidder Part 6

The bartender handed Ellis her drink.  “Fantastic.  It looks like an elegant pink slushy.”  She took a sip.  “Heavenly.  I can hear the angels playing their harps.”

As Ellis turned to leave, she glanced over to her nemesis.  He and the woman in grey satin were whispering furiously.

Ellis threaded through the crowd back to the table.  On the table were dazzling platters of fruit and cheese, one for every two persons.

“Is the size and number of these babies a sign this shindig is going to be all nighter.  How are we suppose to eat all this?”

“We aren’t.  It’s part of the flash of the event.  Quit fussing about the food, who was the hunk I saw you talking to?”

“Hunk?” said Ellis.

“Yeah, the guy who looked like he stepped out of a Calvin Klein ad in the jeans that fit?  Since he wasn’t in a tux, is he part of the security team?” asked Renie.

“Security? I doubt that.  I stepped on his toe and he was wimpy jerk about it.”

“Great ploy to meet a  guy.  I’ll have to give it a shot, because the two of you were certainly chatting it up,” said Renie.

“Oh right, that’s me using my clever womanly wiles in order to have a scintillating conversation with handsome guy about the condition of his big toe.”

“Aha, so you’re finally admitting the guy was a head turner,” said Renie.

“Okay he’s good looking if you like wimps,” said Ellis.  He did have those gorgeous hazel eyes with the thick lashes.  “Hey you should try one of these rhubarb bellinis.  Unbelievable.”

“You and your rhubarb.  I swear you were born under a rhubarb leaf.  Oh goody the auction beginning. The auctioneer has arrived.”

Ellis took her glasses off, ” Now I can take my glasses off and give the backs of my ears a break.”

“Put those glasses right back on.  You’ll miss best part.  Quit being such a recluse,” said Renie.

“I won’t need my glasses.  You’ll be commenting like a pro newscaster.  Remember girly, I’m only here to help you.  If a chicken breast cost five hundred buckos, I wonder how much beef cakes will cost.”

A waiter placed a rosy pink rhubarb bellinis and a cocktail napkin on the table.

“Waiter, this is a mistake.  I didn’t order this.”

“A gentleman sent it over,” said the waiter.  On the cocktail napkin was a drawing of a big toe.  Ellis looked around instinctively looking for the man in the line.

“Oh so you merely talked about his big toe.  I don’t think that was all he was thinking about.” said Renie.

“Don’t be ridiculous.  He  probably realized he acted like a jerk and this is an apology gesture.”

” It looks to me he likes having you step on his toes.”

“Don’t be silly, Renie,” said Ellis feeling a funny lilt in her solar plexus she hadn’t felt in a long time.  Renie isn’t the only silly one.

As the auction progressed, Ellis was astounded at the sums of money the women were willing to pay.  Out of my league even if I wanted to thought Ellis.

At the intermission another rhubarb bellinis was delivered.  This time the drawing on the cocktail napkin was a stick figure on crutches.  Ellis couldn’t keep a little smile from forming.

“You’ve an admirer and one with a great butt too.  The second half of the auction is about the begin.   Ladies, rev your engines and put your credit cards on the table.”

Ellis found herself fidgeting during the second hour.  After three drinks she was feeling woozy both from the drinks and thinking about the man who had sent them.

“Ellis put your glasses on,” commanded Renie.  “Your guy is the last  bachelor, Tate Hillard.   Holey Moley Ellis he’s the CEO of that medical equipment company making such a splash.”

“He’s not my guy,” said Ellis as she quickly put her glasses on.   He had changed to a tux and looked like a cover shot on a GQ magazine.

“You have to bid on him,” said Renie.

“No way.  I don’t have that kind of money.”

“I have my credit card.  What are friends for,” said Renie whipping out her wallet.

“Don’t you dare.  I’ll print your darkest secrets on the internet, if you don’t put that card away,” said Ellis.

Two determined women engaged in a bidding war.  Tate didn’t even glance at her once.  Finally one of the women raised both hands high as a sign of victory.

As people were  starting to leave, Ellis looked around hoping to catch a glimpse of Tate.  Feeling more disappointed than she cared to admit, Ellis picked up her purse to leave.

A bartender came rushing over.  “Cripes I almost missed you.  This is for you.” He handed her a folded cocktail napkin.

Ellis unfolded the napkin.  It had a phone number and a smiley face.

And that my dear readers is a generally true story of how my friend met her husband.  Sooooooooo romantic.