Emily McKay - The Billionaires Bridal Bid

R umor has it, youve agreed to be one of the bachelorettes in the auction this weekend.

Claire Caldiera looked up from pouring coffee for Rudy Windon, one of the old-timers who frequented her diner, to see Victor Ballard leering at her with one elbow propped on the counter. Suppressing an eye-rollshe so did not need to waste time fending off Vics advances this morningshe pulled the rag from the waistband of her apron and swiped at the counter near Rudys coffee cup.

You need anything else, Rudy, you ask, okay? She smiled warmly at the aging farmer and school board member.

Nah, honey, Ill be fine here with my doughnut.

Nodding, she carried the pot back to the coffeemaker and slid it onto the warmer. Vic propelled himself away from the counter and followed her down to the end.

In the small town where theyd both grown up and now lived, Vic fancied himself a great catch. Too bad she knew he was a slimeball.

Is it a rumor or am I finally going to get a chance to take you out on the town? Vic asked.

She turned to face Vic, scanning her restaurant, Cutie Pies, for a distraction. Unfortunately, the half dozen customers she had midmorning were contentedly munching away on their meals. She forced a smile. Its true. Ill be up on the auction block tomorrow night.

Vics face spilt in a slow smile that would have had half the women in town fanning themselves. The problem was, she was part of the half of the population that was tired of his slick good looks. Vic may have the lantern jaw of a superhero and the clear blue eyes of a choirboy, but his practiced charm made her stomach churn.

Good thing Ive been saving up my change then, he murmured.

I guess.

As if hed need to save up money for anything. Vic came from one of the richest families in their small town of Palo Verde, California. But that was the least of her complaints about Vic.

The real reason shed never voluntarily go on a date with Vic Ballard was the he reminded her too much of his brother, Matt. Matt had all of Vics good looks and none of the dissipation. To her, Matt was infinitely more appealing. Or rather, he had been back when she was young and stupid. For six brief weeks when she was eighteen, Matt had made her believe a guy like him could really love someone like her. Hed convinced her that the kind of fairy-tale love shed always dreamed of was possible. Shed never forgive him for that.

Vic Ballard was merely a creep, but it was Matt who had broken her heart.

She considered herself lucky that it was Vic who wandered through her diner at least once a day, whereas Matt never returned to Palo Verde. He hated the small town in which theyd all grown up almost as much as she suspected he hated her. Since their breakup, Matt had gone on to be one of the founders and the current chief technology officer of FMJ Inc., a hugely successful company based in the Bay Area.

Matt and his high school buddies Ford Langley and Jonathon Bagdon had formed the company while they were still in college. Even before FMJ was officially incorporated, they had a long history of pooling their resources in profitable ventures. All of which had made Matt a very rich manand even more out of her league than he had been when they were in high school. Back then, hed merely been the second son of the towns wealthiest family to her poor white trash.

So then the rumors are true? Vic was saying. Youre finally breaking your no-dating rule?

What can I say? She forced a smile. Its for a good cause.

The Palo Verde Benevolent Society was hosting a huge gala to raise money to stock the childrens section of the new library. Bachelorette auction fundraisers were more the domain of sparkling debutantes than of hardworking business owners like her. She knew she was out of her league. But when one of the slated bachelorettes broke her leg at the last minute and had to drop out, the Benevolent Society had talked Claire into stepping up and filling the gap. How could she say no when shed spent so much of her own troubled youth in the sanctuary of the previous library? It was a cause dear to her heart, even if it meant shed have to suffer through an evening with a jerk like Vic Ballard.

Why hed even want to bid on her, she didnt know. Vic had ruined her sisters life. He couldnt seriously believe she was interested in him. Of course, that hadnt stopped him from hitting on her repeatedly over the years. In fact, he was the reason shed instituted the blanket no-dating rule. But apparently his ego knew no bounds. Besides, it could be worse. It could be Matt Ballard threatening to bid on her instead of Vic. Then shed really be in trouble.

If she had to choose between philandering jerks, shed gladly choose the one who wasnt her first love.

Youre bidding a thousand dollars forwhat is that? Muffins? The womans voice came from just over Matts shoulder. For someone who didnt want to come tonight, youre sure spending a lot on muffins.

Matt finished writing his paddle number on the silent auction form and straightened before turning around. After all, the sardonic purr of Kitty Biedermanns voice was one he was familiar with. Earlier that year, FMJ had bought up Kittys company, Biedermann Jewelry. FMJ usually specialized in buying out tech companies, rather than chains of jewelry stores. But the decision to branch out had been profitable for FMJ. As an added bonus, Ford had fallen hard for the sultry Kitty. Matt couldnt blame him.