Concealed by Victoria Michaels Read Free Book Online Page B

better of her. The whole town would be at this auction and the last time she saw most of them, she’d been foaming at the mouth like a rabid dog. She smoothed her hands down her hair and tucked the few stray pieces behind her ear, praying that she looked like a stable human being. If she did, they might forget her outrageous display from days earlier at the diner.
    “I got the pie!” Faith darted toward her, the large blackberry masterpiece about ready to topple out of her hands.
    “Put that on the table here by number sixteen.” The dish holding the pie hit the table with a bang, but fortunately, everything remained intact. While Faith toddled around the room checking out the competition, Sydney sliced the second pie into bite sized pieces for people to sample before they placed the bids. When the doors opened in ten minutes, all the interested bidders would arrive and let their taste buds guide them. Melissa said it was a ‘blind auction’ so the names of the people who baked the pies were kept anonymous so as to not influence the bidding in any way. It all sounded a bit complicated from Melissa’s hasty explanation, but the idea of anonymity worked for Sydney. If no one bid on her pie, she’d be the only one to know.
    “There you are!” Melissa rushed in looking like the picture of fall with her jeans and cream color cardigan sweater accented by the bright scarf around her neck. She slowly looked Sydney up and down with a smile. “You look super cute! You aren’t trying to impress anyone in particular, are you?”
    “I do have a knife in my hand.” Sydney waved the berry-covered blade toward Melissa’s pristine sweater.
    “Brat. Come on, you’ve got to get away from this pie before the guys arrive.” She looked at her watch. “It’s almost time to start. Let me help you finish.” Together they scattered the small plates around the table. Even Sydney had to admit the pie looked damn good arranged in the basket with cute fall decorations around it. Hopefully someone would think it was worth bidding on.
    “Perfect,” Melissa said as she scooped Faith up on her hip. Sydney followed them toward the door just as a rush of men poured into the hall from the opposite side. “Let’s take Faith to sample some applesauce in the apple tent while the auction is going on.” Melissa’s grip on her arm tightened as she dragged Sydney away from the pie tables.
    “Lookie, lookie who just strolled in here looking all sexy in those tight fitting jeans you love so much, Syd.”
    “Will you please be quiet?” Sydney hissed trying not to laugh. Melissa was outrageous and Sydney loved her all the more for it. She braved a peek over her shoulder and had to admit that Wade did look damn good, but that was nothing new. The man could wear a sack and somehow make it look scrumptious. But the simple jeans and T-shirt he was wearing did send Sydney’s heart into overdrive, especially after having spent a little time with him earlier in the day and all the talk about kissing. Her overactive imagination was a very dangerous thing.
    “Here for some pie, Wade?” Melissa shouted across the room with a wave.
    Wade looked their way and smiled. Whatever else she planned to say was interrupted by the squeaking microphone. Melissa picked up the pace and hustled Sydney and Faith out the door, but not before they heard the opening announcement.
    “Welcome, gentlemen, to the Perfect Pairing Pie Auction. It’s tasting time! Pick a pie, pick a date,” a female voice declared with great enthusiasm as the door shut behind them.
    Sydney grabbed the back of Melissa’s sweater. “Tell me you didn’t do what I think you did.”
    “I didn’t do what you think I did,” she deadpanned, hiding behind Faith’s brown curls.
    “Melissa!” Sydney stomped her foot in frustration. “What did you get me into?”
    “I told you it was a blind date pie auction.”
    “No, no, no, no, no. You said it was a blind auction. As in, they wouldn’t