Enjoy!


Book Twenty-Nine: The Auction

Mercedes stared down at her hands as she waited for Sam to walk back into his office. Once Quinn stormed out of the conference room, Sam asked her to wait for him as he spoke to Blaine. She wasn't sure what was on his mind, but just a few moments with Quinn, she knew he deserved better.

Quinn was one of those women who seemed to get whatever she wanted, and for some reason, Mercedes didn't want him mixed up with her. The look on his face told her that he had really been hurt by Quinn, and if she got her hooks in him again, she was certain Sam would not only be miserable but he would lose most if not all of his money.

As the door opened she looked up seeing Sam move to sit on the edge of his desk. "Thank you for waiting for me. I am sorry this is how your day turned out."

Mercedes shrugged. "It's ok. It's not like I have somewhere else to be."

"Look I have a few meetings to get to, but I was wondering if you would meet me for dinner."

"Dinner?" She asked, confused.

"Yes. I want to go over the Fundraiser for Howell Industries,"

Mercedes nodded. "Oh, yeah that."

"This actually helps me out, as I was not looking forward to going alone. These Corporate Events always feel so…phony I guess you can say."

Mercedes nodded. "So why do you go?"

"Howell Industries are in the midst of developing new complexes and I want that business. So you go , smile and strike deals. But we can talk about that later. What do you say? Tonight, dinner at Osteria Mozza?"

"That Italian restaurant?"

Sam smiled. "One and the same. I can have Blaine make reservations and we meet there say nine?"

"Nine?" Mercedes blurted out. "No, that feels like a date thing. Seven will work."

Sam shook his head. "I have a meeting that doesn't end until Seven. Will eight work?"

Mercedes sighed silently for a moment before she nodded. "Yeah. eight works, I just have to pay my brother's nurse for overtime."

Sam nodded. "I will cover it. It's me who is inconveniencing you."

Mercedes opened her mouth to speak but Sam stopped her. "Tonight. Eight. Text me how much the nurse charges and I will make sure to send it over. Let me do this for you." He insisted.

Mercedes stood. "Fine. I will see you tonight."

Sam stood with her, walking her to the door, "Maybe I should pick you up?"

"Because?" She asked before she could stop herself.

"We are supposed to give the show that we are engaged. Engaged couples arrive together. So I will pick you up. Just add your address to the text."

"You keep bossing me around like I am one of your workers and I will call Quinn myself and tell her that she can have you." Mercedes warned.

Sam frowned. "I'm sorry, I am so used to doing everything for everyone, it's like second nature to me. I am not used to being around someone who doesn't need me to micromanage them."

"Well Sam, I am not one of those people."

"I am starting to see that." Sam mused.

Mercedes stood, smiling. "I will see you tonight, then."

Sam nodded, opening the door and watching as she headed towards the elevator.

Blaine walked towards Sam handing him a file. "Everything you need to know about Ms. Jones can be found right here."

"That was quick." Sam said, walking into his office as Blaine followed him.

"Well, she is an open book. It's just her and her brother, a few friends who she actually trusts. She used to work at a nursing center and had nothing but rave reviews. She is an all around good person from what I can see. Then again this was a twenty minute dive."

Sam glanced at a photo of Mercedes and the Latina he had seen at the Auction house. "You think I am crazy for using her to keep Quinn away?"

"No, I think you are a man who doesn't want to fall back down the rabbit hole that is Quinn Fabray, I didn't need a work up on her to know she is looking for her next bank to bleed dry."

"Yeah she made that clear when she stated she was single."

Blaine snickered. "Ms. Jones certainly played her part well. Had even me convinced that she was your fiancee."

"Were you able to put the reservations in?" Sam asked as he put the file into his drawer.

"Yes, Eight. That still work for you?"

Sam smiled. "Yeah, eight is perfect. Now get me the McCoby file before Aly and Ruben come in here. We still have work to do."


Mercedes was lost in thought as she stepped off the elevator. She'd went in for a job and ended up being the fake fiancé of one the man that saved her from those men at the auction.

Pulling her phone out she began to text Santana before bumping straight into someone.

"Oh, no! I'm sorry. I need to pay attention." She said looking up before seeing the blonde from earlier glaring at her.

She looked Mercedes up and down before sucking her teeth, disapprovingly. "So you're the one that Sam is engaged to huh?"

Mercedes shifted. "I really don't want any issues, whatever issues you have with Sam need to be dealt with by the two of you." She replied, attempting to walk away.

Quinn stepped in her path, crossing her arms. "You're certainly… different." She said, circling Mercedes before smirking. "How much is he paying you?"

Taken aback, Mercedes blinked before scoffing. "Cute of you to assume I'd need to be paid to be with him but then again money hungry bitches like you have a dollar amount while grown ass women like me are priceless." She snapped.

Quinn seemed unphased and began slowly clapping. "Bravo, he's trained you well. Money hungry or not, Sam can't be seen with you… not on a professional level so that little speech lets me know you're just a warm body and when the time comes, he'll come running back to me. So enjoy him while it lasts." She replied, flipping her hair and sauntering away.

Mercedes watched her leave before shaking her head. "What in the hell have I gotten myself into?" She asked herself because dialing Santana and walking to her car.

"What up chica! How'd the interview go?" Santana asked as soon as the call connected.

Mercedes sighed. "I didn't get the job but I have a fiancé…" There was a long pause before she heard laughing. "What?"

Santana continued laughing. "Only you would go to an interview and come back as someone's fiancée! Your life is a movie I swear."

Mercedes thought it over before laughing herself. "If it helps, his ex is some crazy blonde who seems to believe I'm a placeholder… fake or not I'm kinda offended she thinks she can steal him back." She said giggling.

"So explain it to me so I can understand." Santana said after setting back down.

Mercedes pulled out of the parking lot, explaining everything that happened realizing more and more just how crazy it all sounded.

"… So now you and the guy that technically bought you at the auction are fake engaged and you're going to some stuck up event to… keep his money hungry ex away?"

"Basically… oh and we're meeting for dinner tonight to 'go over everything' which is why I called you. I don't know what the hell I'm doing and it's some fancy restaurant…"

"Ahh, just dress nicely and pretend you belong with him."

"That's the thing… Quinn immediately asked how much he was paying me so what's to stop others immediately assuming I'm just for hire?"

"I think we need to call a friend of mine… but she's hard to get a hold of right now. Meet me at my place at five."

"Wait, who are you calling?" Mercedes asked, pulling into her driveway.

"Unique." Santana answered before ending the call.

She looked at her phone before realizing just how serious this was for Santana to call Unique freaking Adams. Unique was somewhat of a local celebrity, she did what most wished and gotten the hell out of that small town they called home. She left when she was seventeen and went off to Europe where she made a name for herself. She left with one bag and just enough money to get a one way flight.

Mercedes had only met her once when she was visiting family and Santana. It was like being in the presence of a star. Unique was bright and warm and made everyone she spoke to like the most important person in the room. Now she was going to help Mercedes fake being married to a man she slowly realized she might have a crush on.

Shaking her head, she got out of her car and ran inside, she only had a few hours before her life was thrown upside down again.


Mercedes checked herself out in the mirror once more, as someone knocked on the door. Hearing Jane yell she would open it, caused Mercedes to grow even more nervous, Hanging with Santana and Unique didn't help at all.

The moment she arrived, it felt how she imagined having sisters would feel, they teased her and called her out for actually crushing on Sam. Then Santana pulled up a few photos of Sam and all three were swooning over the shirtless pics.

Santana swore that even though she was a proud lesbian, she couldn't deny how hot that man was. The teasing was worth it, because the way her hair was styled, had her feeling all kinds of sexy. It was was pulled up into a high ponytail with curls.

Once done with her hair, Unique did her makeup and dare Mercedes say it was flawless, the natural look with bold smokey eyes and a bold red lipstick, it wasn't her but she was glad they took that chance.

Santana pulled out a V-neck off the shoulder, low back dress, The top was ombre with pink, yellow and green, while the bottom was black, beautiful sequins covered the dress that fell right above her knee.

She slipped into it and it truly felt like a second skin, and though this was just dinner to figure out what was going to happen with the event, she wanted Sam to at least be taken aback by her appearance.

After she dressed, she headed home, to grab a pair of black strappy heels and a sequin clutch she happened to have. Adjusting the diamond tear dropped earrings she inherited from her grandmother, Mercedes exhaled and left her room to go check on Carter.

But to her surprise he wasn't in his room, he was in the living room, talking to Sam and Jane. All three stopped talking when they got a look at her and she could have sworn she saw Sam gulp.

Mercedes had to gulp herself seeing Sam standing there. Gone was the three piece suit he wore to work, now he wore a pair of dark wash jeans, a white buttoned down shirt and black suit jacket.

"Well now who would have thought my sister could look like that." Carter teased.

"Oh shut up you, and don't you go giving Jane any issues." Mercedes warned as she moved to kiss his forehead. "She works way too hard for that."

Carter shrugged. "No promises."

Sam cleared his throat stepping closer to Mercedes. "Wow, you look beautiful. Are you ready?"

Mercedes nodded. "Yes."

"Oh before i forget." Sam pulled an envelope from his suit jacket pocket and handed it to Jane. "Here, Mercedes forgot to text me the amount but I think this should suffice."

Jane took the envelope and opened it, eyes widening. "On-one thousand?"

Sam nodded. "That should be above the going rate and should I keep Mercedes out later than eleven, I will pay you for that additional time."

"Sam…" Mercedes said, shaking her head.

"I know, let's go. Carter, it was great meeting you, I am going to give Stevie your number. I really think you two would hit it off and he needs more friends."

Carter beamed. "You be good to my sister now, she really deserves it."

"I agree, she does." Sam said, placing his hand on her lower back and leading her outside to the awaiting town car and opened the door for her. As she entered the town car, Sam smiled, handing her a single white rose.

"For you. You really do look beautiful."

Mercedes hadn't ever been treated like this, though it wasn't a real date, most guys didn't bother opening the car door for her, let alone getting her any flowers. Sniffing the rose she smiled over to him. "Thank you, for the rose, for paying Jane, you didn't have to do it."

"I did, you are only coming out because I asked you too, and you aren't working."

"Well I hope she doesn't expect that much a night now, because I can't afford that." Mercedes teased.

"Well, maybe you can…or at least, once we work things out we can put it in writing that whenever you are with me and she is with your brother, then I pay her."

Mercedes turned towards him. "You expect me to pretend to be your fiancee for longer than just the fundraiser?"

Sam licked his lips with a smirk. "How about we get to dinner first and we can talk about it all there?"

Mercedes nodded looking out the window as she wondered just what Sam had in mind for the two of them.


Mhm... Sam ain't slick lol