"I can't believe he said that to you!" Keeley gasped. She and Bailey had stayed in the bathroom long enough for the latter to provide her friend with a brief retelling of what happened between her and Ted at the table. "I can't believe you got up an' walked away!"
"I was just so angry that he could think that about me, I didn't know what else to do." Bailey told her. They both left the bathroom and walked back towards their table.
"You want me to say something to him?" Keeley offered. "You're fucking a catch. He should know that."
"It's been a long night." Bailey sighed. "I just want to go home. Maybe I'll ask Roy about leaving soon." The conversation ended as the two of them arrived at the table. Roy was glaring daggers at Ted who was pretending not to notice. More interesting, the girl in the emerald dress was sitting in Keeley's seat.
"Hi." Keeley introduced herself to the girl. A sickeningly sweet and obviously fake smile plastered on her face. The girl in the dress introduced herself as Bex. Bailey wondered if that was a nickname or the one her parents had given her. Keeley was unfazed by the woman or her name. She continued to smile and politely asked Bex for her seat back. Bex obliged and returned to her own table.
"She your new girlfriend?" Keeley asked Jamie. The smile disappearing from her face.
"Relax, babe." Jamie told her in a bored tone. "It's all part of the branding innit? If I've got two women bidding on me, it makes me look more valuable. Do you know what I mean? Thinking smart, eh?"
Wedged between Keeley and Roy, Bailey watched the model's eyes fall downward towards the table. She wondered how long Keeley and Rebecca had been talking in the bathroom before her arrival and how much of that conversation had been dominated by Jamie Tartt. To her right, Roy's attention had now been drawn to Jamie. He scowled at the Head Coach and then the young athlete. No sure which one of them he wanted to row with first.
"And now, the only former Champion's League winner on the menu, say hello to Roy Kent!" Rupert Mannion announced from the stage.
Roy debated ignoring the wanker of a former owner but decided doing so would only make himself look bad. He pushed back his chair and stalked towards the stage.
"And the highest bidder," Rupert continued. "Gets to spend a day in a swanky hotel by the pool drinking frozen daiquiris and soaking up the rays…"
"No!" Roy exclaimed, wrenching the mic stand towards himself and away from Rupert. "No daiquiris and no rays." The crowd laughed. "There's not going to be a fucking pool either. We're not leaving SW14."
"You got so jealous earlier." Jamie said to Keeley. "It was so cool."
"I wasn't jealous." Keeley lied. Bailey almost even believed her. "I was doing it because you asked me to." She didn't hear Jamie's response as Rupert was talking again.
"Uh, can we have a hundred quid for what's turning out to be a very boring date?" He snickered.
Bailey didn't like Rupert Mannion. She didn't like the way he was mocking Roy now and she didn't like the way he'd tried to undermine Rebecca by showing up that night and taking over the auction. She didn't like the way Jamie was treating Keeley and she certainly didn't like the way Ted had treated her. She didn't like the look on Roy's face as quiet fell over the crowd. She didn't like the idea that someone might not actually bid on him.
A hundred quid. Bailey was pretty sure a quid was a pound. Like how Americans say a buck instead of a dollar. You can afford to donate a couple hundred pounds for charity. She rationalized with herself before reaching for the paddle in front of Keeley. She raised the paddle high over her head and called out to the smug looking Rupert Mannion.
"Two hundred pounds." She said clearly.
"Alright." Rupert looked taken aback. "Two hundred quid to Mr. Kent's gorgeous date. Do I hear any advances on that?"
"Two thousand pounds!" The same elderly woman who had first bid on Jamie raised her paddle. Bailey couldn't afford to go any higher. At least now someone else was bidding, she decided. Until Keeley's sharp elbow collided with her side.
"Go higher." She whispered. "I've got you."
"Three thousand pounds?" Bailey raised your paddle, casting an uncertain look at Keeley. She nodded, encouraging her.
"Four thousand pounds!" The woman, who Rupert had called Cheryl, bid again. Keeley nodded again and Bailey raised the bid. Cheryl countered with six thousand.
"Go for ten." Keeley ordered and Bailey did. Ten thousands pounds. She'd never had ten thousand of any currency. Ten thousand was the amount Ted had offered her as a bonus to move jobs. Ted! Had he thought she was bidding on Roy to make him jealous the way Keeley had with Jamie? Roy! Roy had told her when he picked her up from Ted's flat that he didn't want to be a pawn in someone else's game. She had to stop before she hurt either one of them, assuming she hadn't already done irreparable damage to both relationships.
Whatever Cheryl bid next; she'd let her have it. But the next bid never came. Her paddle remained on the table and Rupert declared Bailey the winner. Bile began to build in her throat. She couldn't muster the courage to look at Ted across the table or watch Roy step off the stage. Rupert kept talking and Keeley was congratulating her, but she didn't hear any of it. She made some excuse to get up from the table, but as she got up from her seat, she walked straight into Roy.
"Get your coat. We're leaving." He growled. Bailey nodded, too afraid that if she spoke she might vomit on his shoes. Roy looked at Keeley, the only other person at the table he wasn't furious with. "You need a ride home?"
"Oh." She was surprised he'd noticed her discomfort. She wasn't used to men noticing much about her besides her looks. "Actually, I think I'm gonna check on Rebecca. You two get home safe though, yeah?"
Roy offered Bailey his arm again. She decided to take it. Her feet had started to ache hours ago and her current emotional state mix with the alcohol was making her a little wobbly. Roy didn't stop walking until they were outside. The cool night air hit their faces. Bailey gobbled in the fresh air in. Not realizing how hot and stuffy it had been inside.
"Are you alright?" He asked, looking her in the eyes.
"Me? I…Roy, I'm so sorry I swear I wasn't doing that to make Ted jealous you asked me not to make you a pawn and…" She swallowed down air, bracing herself for another panic attack.
"Fuck all of that." Roy waved the situation off with a casualty that shocked her. "I asked if you're okay."
She closed her eyes, letting the cool air hit her face. What can you feel? Her hand on Roy's arm. The scratchy wool material of his jacket. What can you smell? Cold. Cold isn't a smell, is it? She tried again. Cologne. Roy's cologne. He'd put it on hours ago, but it still smelled strongly of leather and pine? Yes, it was definitely pine. She was calming down. She could feel her breathing getting easier. She opened her eyes. Roy was waiting patiently.
"I'm fine." She answered.
"Stay here, I'll get the car." Roy left her by the entrance to talk with the valet. In two minutes, the valet had Roy's car pulled up where they stood. Roy helped her into the car just like before. He pulled out of the venue's parking lot. "I don't have to take you right home. I just wanted to get the fuck out of there. You hungry?"
"We just had dinner." She reminded him.
"Yeah, but it was fancy food with tiny shit little portion sizes!" He complained which made her laugh.
"I could eat." She agreed with him. "But this doesn't count as our ten-thousand-dollar date." Roy let out a howl of genuine laughter. He didn't even make a comment about her mentioning the wrong currency.