Chapter 24

24

By the time the four women walked into the elegant lobby of the Fairmont Hotel, however, Lauren's confidence started to somewhat flag. She really hadn't thought this through, and rushing headlong into something without having meticulously planned for every eventuality was not her modus operandi. Not even close.

Looking around at her surroundings, she saw why. Not only did the building fairly scream moneyed sophistication, but she also saw that everyone going in and out of the ballroom where the bachelor auction was being held was dressed in formal attire.

She closed her eyes. Of course it was a black tie event! What was she thinking?

She wanted to turn and walk right back out the door, hand the valet her ticket, and drive straight back to the safety of Hope Falls. Hell, Sam could stop for all the snacks she wanted! However, it was not in her DNA to retreat, particularly after having come this far, so she steeled herself and turned to the girls.

"Okay," she said, "we're already so far out of my comfort zone that I'm going to do one more thing that is highly out of character for me: I'm gonna ask for help. So...what do you guys think? What's next? What's the plan?"

Sam and Amanda looked blank, but Karina smiled broadly.

"I got this," she said confidently and strode up to the concierge's station, the other three girls trailing her like ducklings. Karina then turned on the charisma and star power energy was radiating from her at full force.

The concierge looked up and did an immediate double take. It was clear from his expression that he recognized Karina, but the stricken look on his face was quite different than the fumbling or even thrilled reactions Lauren had seen people have to Karina in the past. This guy looked like someone had just told him that his dog was dead.

"Miss Black," he said solemnly, "I feel entirely remiss in my duties. I had no idea you were staying with us this weekend."

Karina smiled her star wattage smile, the effect like a beam of pure, golden sunlight radiating from her face.

"I wasn't, James" she said cheerfully, glancing at his name tag, and then snapped her Amex Black card down on the desk between them. "I am now, and I'm going to need some things."

The man's face lit up like the sun coming out from behind the clouds.

"Absolutely," he said smoothly, taking the card and beginning to type into his computer. "What can I provide you with?"

"First of all, do you know when the bachelor auction begins?"

"In forty-five minutes," he replied without even having to consult a schedule.

"All right, then. We really don't have much time. I'm going to need a room, first of all..."

"The penthouse?" James interjected, sounding confident.

"Absolutely," Karina replied equally as confident. "We will need a selection of gowns brought up, as well as a makeup artist and a hair stylist. Actually, time is short. Probably two of each to be safe—and I need that within fifteen minutes. Additionally, I'm going to need four tickets to the bachelor auction."

His forehead wrinkled. "I believe the minimum commitment is a table."

"That's not a problem," Karina assured him. "Just make it happen, James. I'm counting on you."

James smiled. "Excellent, Miss Black." He typed furiously for a few moments and then handed her a leather portfolio. "In here, you will find your room keys and a guide to various complimentary services provided for our top-tier guests. Your makeup artists and hair stylists are on their way, as is the selection of gowns. I have arranged for champagne, chocolates, and a selection of seasonal fruit to be waiting for you and your guests to enjoy in the room while you wait.

"I will personally now see to your tickets to the bachelor auction, and please don't worry about the tight time frame. I will make it my business to ensure that the auction does not begin until your party has arrived. The tickets and your card will both be delivered to your room as soon as the arrangements have been made.

"Is there any other way that the Fairmont can be of service to you, Ms. Black?"

"James, you're fantastic!" Karina said warmly.

James was clearly basking in the praise from this famous, beautiful woman, but he merely replied, "The Fairmont thanks you for your business, Ms. Black. Please don't hesitate to get in touch with me if there's absolutely anything else I can do for you."

The girls gathered their things and made their way to the penthouse, stepping into the breathtaking three-bedroom suite and halting, stunned. Even Karina, who was used to this sort of luxury, was duly impressed with the grandeur surrounding them.

"Oh my, Karina!" Lauren exclaimed, almost choking on the words. "This must've cost—"

"Best not to think about it," Karina assured her. "Now let's find that champagne, shall we?"

"But...we didn't need the penthouse, for God's sake!" Lauren sputtered, growing ever more nervous and uncomfortable.

"Yeah, we did, actually," Karina said matter-of-factly. "That's the tradeoff for all of the perks, you know? If you want them to give you the star treatment, you have to spend like a star. It's only fair. Now stop thinking about the moolah and start focusing on your mission, woman. Let's uncork this bubbly and plan what you're going to say to Ben."

Lauren agreed, and they sat down, munching on the delicious goodies and sipping the fine champagne until backup arrived in the form of wardrobe, hair, and makeup.

If not for Lauren's recent foray into the world of being primped and dressed by others as part of her TV hosting gig, she would've been much more uncomfortable during the hurried dressing and styling session that followed, but she was amused at herself to find that she actually considered it old hat, familiar.

When a porter arrived with the envelope containing their tickets and paddles for the bachelor auction, Lauren actually started to feel somewhat confident again. This plan was really falling into place.

As they were walking out the door of their suite to make their way back down to the lobby, Karina stopped Lauren.

"Open your purse," she said decisively.

Lauren's forehead crinkled. "Do you think I stole something and put it inside of this tiny little clutch they gave me?"

Karina smirked. "Stop trying to out-smartass me. It'll never happen. Now, open your purse."

Lauren complied, and Karina dropped the keys to the penthouse suite into the small bag.

"There," she said with satisfaction. "Now if things work out with you and Ben, you guys can just come straight back here without having to find me and get the key."

Lauren's eyes widened. "You're giving us the penthouse suite for the night?"

Karina grinned. "Awfully cool of me, right?"

Lauren shook her head, not understanding. "Where will you guys go?"

Karina laughed. "I think James might be able to scare something up for us. No worries."

As it happened, the auction didn't even need to delay its start, so skilled and efficient were the beauty technicians James sent up. The four of them took their seats at their otherwise empty table and watched as the parade of men took the stage.

Amanda was actually appalled at the barbarism of the whole thing. "They just... They just...put themselves out there like pieces of meat for women to ogle and fight over..."

Karina snorted. "Please. You just described, like, their wet dream."

With every man who walked out and wasn't Ben, Lauren grew more and more fidgety.

Karina said, "You better sit still, or you're gonna accidentally buy another bachelor."

Finally, the emcee announced that Ben was next. He was the celebrity guest, so he was saved for the grand finale.

Before Ben had taken two steps down the runway, Lauren's hand shot into the air, displaying her paddle and its number clearly.

The auctioneer called out her number and she lowered her paddle, heart pounding.

Karina looked at her, shaking her head. "Maybe that was a tad bit eager, love."

Lauren nodded with chagrin, her hopes of being the winning bidder evaporating as she saw the bids climbing higher and higher. She hung her head, defeated.

"Well, I didn't mean give up altogether," Karina said urgently.

The bidding seemed to be leveling off at about $40,000 and would most likely end soon.

"Going once..." the auctioneer said.

Lauren intoned miserably, "I don't have that kind of money."

"Going twice..." the auctioneer continued, a note of finality in his voice.

Karina snatched Lauren's paddle away from her, shooting it into the air and shouting, "Fifty thousand dollars!"

A gasp arose in the ballroom, and Lauren saw Ben strain to see who made the outlandish bid. However, because of their late purchase of a table, they were nestled way in the back corner, in the shadows where they couldn't be clearly seen from the front of the room.

"Sold! To #174, the generous lady in the back of the room!" the auctioneer cried gleefully, banging his gavel.

Karina turned to Lauren, who was staring at her, openmouthed.

"Good thing I do have that kind of money," Karina said, handing her back the paddle. "Now you go collect your man."

"Why did you do that?" Lauren said, stunned.

Karina shrugged. "You know how you said Ben basically devoted his whole life to taking care of his mother and sister? Well, so do I. I have my grandmother, I have Ryan and Sue Ann, and I have you three. You're my sister, Laur. There's nothing I wouldn't do to see you happy."

Lauren teared up, but Karina admonished her, "Time for mushiness later. Don't mess up your makeup right before you go knock the socks off the most expensive man in San Francisco."

Lauren nodded, recognizing the wisdom in this statement, and gave all three girls a hug before rushing off to the backstage area where the bachelors and their dates were meeting up.

She took a deep breath. Here goes nothing.

Or everything .

--- ~ ---

Ben was exhausted and, frankly, in no mood for this awkward and forced 'date' he was about to go arrange. He didn't think he was in any shape to give someone even fifty dollars' worth of attention and fun, let alone fifty thousand worth. Damn. What had he gotten himself into?

He hadn't slept at all last night. He'd been able to do nothing but replay his catastrophic conversation with Lauren in his mind over and over again until the words tattooed themselves onto his brain.

"It was fun, but it was just a hook-up. "

God damn, he felt sick to his stomach.

He knew he didn't handle the situation well the night before. He just wasn't used to rejection, never learned to deal with it gracefully. Hell, if this is what it felt like, he hoped to never have to learn this lesson again.

Damn. Maybe he was in denial, but he knew that what was between him and Lauren was more than what she claimed. He knew it. And he planned on doing whatever it took to convince her of that fact. He hadn't gotten to where he was today by giving up after the first ‘no.' She was about to find out just exactly what a persuasive salesman he could be when he put his mind to it.

He just wanted to get this little meet and greet over with so that he could head back to Hope Falls and somehow, somehow, convince Lauren to give him a chance.

As he stepped into the green room, where the women were waiting to set up the time and date of the dinner they'd won, he didn't make eye contact with anyone. He just scanned the room for paddle #174.

He saw it and started walking towards it. He realized that it wasn't the fault of the poor woman who bid that he screwed up his love life so badly, and she didn't deserve his foul mood, so he put on one of his biggest smiles as he raised his head to greet her.

His heart stopped when he saw the beautiful green eyes of the woman he was in love with staring back at him.

She raised her paddle slightly and said, "Hi," in a small voice.

His mind was trying to catch up to what his eyes were telling him was true. That Lauren— his Lauren—was standing here in front of him.

"Hi," he replied, an automatic response. His wooden voice sounding like a stranger's to his ears.

Lauren looked like she was about to jump out of her skin, so he moved towards her to pull her into his arms.

She put her hand up and said, "Wait, Ben. I need to get out what I came to say."

Ben froze. He wanted to touch her, but he wanted to hear the next words that were going to fall from her perfect lips more.

She shuffled nervously from side to side before licking her lips, which made him want to pull her to him and kiss away any anxiety she might be feeling. She looked up and met his eyes, and he could tell that it was difficult for her to do this. Taking a deep breath, she began her speech.

"I wanted to tell you how sorry I am for the way I acted last night. This thing between us was just… I have some issues that… Well, it doesn't matter. I just needed you to know that you are not just a hook-up. You are so important to me. More important than pretty much anything, actually. And I…I…" She shook her head a little and tried again, her voice coming out in a whisper. "I love you…"

She took a deep breath and looked up at him with fresh resolve in her eyes. "I love you," she repeated, still softly, but with quiet conviction.

He smiled. "Sure about that?"

"I am sure, but it scares me."

This time, he did pull her into his arms. "You don't have to be scared. We're in this together. I love you, Lauren."

Lauren's voice trembled. "But what about the fact that you live in LA and I am in Hope Falls? What if the show doesn't get picked up? What if I can't get over my issues—"

Ben interrupted her. "Lauren, we could live in a world of what-ifs. Anyone could. So much in life is uncertain. I'd rather focus on what we are sure of. We know we love each other. The rest of it? We'll figure all that out, I am pretty resourceful when I am properly motivated," he said, waggling his eyebrows up and down, which had the desired result of making her laugh.

Oh, that laugh. It would be his undoing. He would do absolutely anything to hear it, and he couldn't see that changing anytime soon. And when he saw the beautiful smile that remained on her face even after her laughter subsided, his heart swelled with love.

He reassured her even further. "Seriously, baby. All of that is nothing more than geography. You are my heart, which means it doesn't matter where I "live"—wherever you are is home."

Lauren kissed him, and Ben felt like the luckiest man on earth.

He was seized with a desire to get down on one knee right there and ask her to marry him. He knew that she was it for him, that there would never be anyone else. He was, to fulfill his mom's prediction, racing her to the altar.

Still, he restrained himself. Since just admitting that she loved him made her look so nervous that she almost turned green, he figured that a spontaneous proposal immediately upon the heels of that declaration might be moving a bit too fast for her. He could give her time. He wasn't going anywhere.

Lauren smiled playfully. "Guess what?" she said. "I have a surprise as well."

"What?" He grinned back.

She removed something from her purse and held it out for him to examine.

"What is that?" he asked, puzzled.

"Oh, nothing much," she said in a faux-blasé tone. "Only the key to the penthouse suite, which is ours for the night if we want it."

"I don't know. Gotta think that one through..." he teased.

--- ~ ---

As he stood at the window of the penthouse behind Lauren, both of them wrapped in nothing but bedsheets, his arms around her as they took in the spectacular view of San Francisco at night and drank a toast to having found each other, Ben marveled at what a lucky man he was.

He didn't know what the future held for them. There would be twists and turns in their road together, even bumps. Not every night would be like this, full of penthouse suites and champagne toasts. But whatever life threw at them, they would face it. Together.

The End