Chapter 6

The first thing Rachel noticed when she appeared on stage was the blinding lights. They spotlighted the stage in such a manner that she couldn't make out anyone in the crowd beyond a couple tables lining the makeshift runway.

She pasted a smile on her face and did a short walk down the runway. She paused at the end, darting her eyes around the crowd. She was able to make out faces but didn't recognize anyone; even the familiar faces of her parents and Grandfather.

The announcer read her bio, but she didn't listen to it, tuning out the voice. She made a slow turn and walked back up the runway. She faced the crowd again and stood the smile still on her face. The auctioneer started the bid and she fought to grimace as the amount climbed steadily to start off.

‘Well, I'm gonna bring some money in,' she thought a little happy that people were bidding on her and she wouldn't be the talk of the town by getting no bids.

She tried to picture who was bidding on her. If it was a young, single man coerced into attending tonight's festivities by his family or if it was an older man who saw this as a chance to snag a trophy wife. That caused her heart to stumble. The thought of being bought by a man who didn't know the meaning of ‘hands off' and having to ward off advances throughout the night, turned her stomach.

If that was gonna be the case, she'd make sure Melissa was in town the night of the ‘date'. If it started going downhill, she wouldn't hesitate to text her friend and create an emergency. Melissa could always show up in the middle of their date, claiming to be her lover.

That caused Rachel to choke back a laugh, but her smile grew as she pictured sitting at the candlelight dinner in an uptown establishment and Melissa tearing in, yelling all sorts of things at her; that there was no way her lover was going back to men. She imagined the scene it would create, the whispers it would start, but she didn't care even though it would get back to her Grandfather before they were out of the restaurant.

As she stood there with the fake smile on her face her thoughts drifted back to the conversation she just had with her mother. It had been unexpected. Completely unexpected with her mother telling her to tell JC how she felt. Growing up in her family, she had figured her mother had expectations of who her only child would marry. And she was sure a singer in a band was not very high on that list - if it even made it at all.

CEO's, men with political aspirations, men the right last name, the right connections. Ones with a suffix after their names. Perfectly groomed and manicured. She doubted her parents pictured someone like JC. A man who sang and performed on stage for a living; who traveled coast to coast playing in front of sell out crowds that was filled with girls half his age. Who lived on a tour bus with four other men more than he lived in his house in Florida.

He wasn't a Junior or even a ‘Third'; didn't even know who his father was and didn't care. He could hold his own during an interview, but he was shy. He sometimes got lost in his music and forgot about simple things like eating to get a song or melody out of his head. And if that wasn't enough, there was his wild hair, not at clean cut as it used to be. It was wild, curly, and usually in disarray as if he just rolled out of bed and let it alone. It was long, brushing against the collar of his shirts, curling over his ears.

Her mother's words rang in her head and she wondered what she was scared of; why wouldn't she tell him. She had seen something in him that made her lose her heart. And that should have clued her in that she could trust him with her words. She carried around her feelings inside for close to two years and all along it might have been different. She could have taken a risk and put her heart out there. From what she believed the man she thought JC was, he wouldn't have cut her down and danced on her heart. She didn't believe he had it in him to do that to anyone.

‘Could it have been different?' She wondered. Could he have accepted her heart, kept it safe and loved her in return, entrusted his heart to her? Instead of distance between them, would they have grown closer?

She sighed blowing out a breath; the smile on her face faltering for a moment. And she promised herself the next time she saw him, she would let him know how she felt. If it so happened he didn't feel the same way, well she would smile through the heartbreak and move on.

The rising voice of the auctioneer broke into her daydream and Rachel brought her attention back to the present. The auctioneer accepted bids in quick succession, pointing in two locations one right after the other, back and forth.

There were two people bidding on her. It was the only solution Rachel could come to as the bid continued to rise, the auctioneer still acknowledging bids from the same two locations. She tried to follow his movements, but the lights blinded her. She couldn't see anything. She had no idea who was bidding on her.

As the bid climbed, she grew nervous. She never expected to garner much in that aspect. She thought she'd get a couple thousand, no more than five. The bid exceeded that now and she hoped that whoever was bidding didn't have ulterior motives. That the more money he bid the higher his expectations of her went.

Rachel listened as the bid went higher and higher. The two men were not willing to let the other win. Apprehension grew. She wanted to take the microphone from the auctioneer and stop this madness. She did not warrant that much money. She was definitely not worth that much.

The auctioneer made a comment during his bidding that caused small laughter to break out. She kept the smile on her face and hoped it was passable.

The banging of the gavel caused her to jump and the auctioneer's voice boomed, "SOLD!" Applause broke out amongst the guests and the butterflies stirred, flip flopping in her stomach. She felt nauseous.

"You must be quite the catch," the auctioneer told her.

"I don't know about that," Rachel spoke past her constricted throat. "I have a feeling they'll be severely disappointed."

"I don't think so," the auctioneer gave her small smile. "He wasn't walking away without you."

Rachel wasn't sure how she felt about that statement. Someone was very adamant about winning her. So much so that he wasn't giving up and was willing to spend a lot of money to make sure he did win her.

"Let's get the young man up here," the auctioneer called. He had a feeling this went deeper than an auction especially since the man was not dressed for the occasion. "Ladies and Gentlemen, your winner."

Rachel held her breath as she waited for the winning bidder to walk up on stage. ‘School your features. Don't look disappointed. Be happy. Keep smiling.' She coached herself. She didn't need a photographer catching her face the moment the bidder came into view and be caught with a less than desirable look on her face.

The breath caught in throat, her heart stumbled and no matter how much coaching she put herself through, there was no way she was able to stop her jaw from dropping in shock and her eyes widening when he came into view.

JC.

Her eyes were glued to his as he walked toward her dressed in a pair of dark wash jeans, a light grey button up shirt left un-tucked and a black jacket. She gave him a questioning look unable to fathom how he was here in front of her at this very moment and not at the studios on Larry King Live.

‘Smile, Moron!' She yelled at herself. She quickly picked her jaw off the floor and smiled at him, watching as JC's smile grew as he came to a stop in front of her.

"I think I'm a bit underdressed," he gave a small laugh as he looked at her. She looked even more beautiful in person than the picture. It hadn't done her justice and he told her so, watching her blush.

"I don't think so," Rachel reached out and fingered the opening of his jacket. She still was shocked that JC was actually here, standing in front of her. It was totally unexpected. She wanted to pinch herself to make sure she hadn't fallen into a daydream.

"I was worried I wouldn't make it in time. That you'd already been taken." JC placed his hand over top hers, holding it to his chest.

Rachel shook her head. She turned her hand against his allowing their fingers to entwine. She let their hands drop between them, still clasped and she took a step forward; her eyes never leaving his.

‘Don't you think you should let him know?'

Her mother's words drifted through her head. It crossed her mind briefly that he was there to rescue her but she thought she could see something in his eyes when he looked at her. His shyness rang through and she smiled softly. It was time to put her heart out there. Her mother was right. She trusted him enough to give him her heart in the first place. It was time to let him know he had it.

Her eyes never left his. Her fingers squeezed his. "By you; for a long time now." She saw understanding reign in his eyes.

JC grinned, his eyes shining. He dropped her hand and cradled her face. "It's been you for a long time for me too," he said softly and he ducked his head, brushing his lips gently across hers.

Rachel's heart soared as she gripped his wrists with her hands leaning into his kiss. He teased her lips again, enticing a murmur of protest from her. She felt him smile against her lips before captured them more fully. They moved closer together and she wrapped her arms around his neck, her fingers curling into his hair.

Applause broke out causing JC and Rachel to break the kiss, remembering where they were. She buried her head into his neck - her makeup be damned - and breathed in his sweet cologne. It engulfed her, wrapping her up. Her arms still encircled his neck, holding him against her as his fell to wrap around her waist, holding her just as tightly as she was him.

"We should get off the stage. I think we've created enough of a spectacle," JC murmured against her head. "You'll be the talk of brunch tomorrow."

Rachel giggled lifting her head to meet his smiling gaze. "They'll be more in a tizzy over the fact that you showed up in jeans more so than the fact that we kissed."

JC grinned. He took her hand and led her down the stairs at the side of the stage and into the crowd. Eyes were locked onto them. He tightened his hold on her and ignored the looks. He was almost to the exit when he felt Rachel falter beside him and slow her walk. He looked at her questioningly but she wasn't looking at him. He followed her gaze and braced himself when he saw an older man making his way in their direction.

"Grandfather," Rachel stated when he drew near.

"Young lady, just what was that?" Her Grandfather's words were clipped.

"I believe I was just auctioned off like you wanted me to be," Rachel smiled sweetly at him.

"I knew you'd find someway to undermine this."

"I can honestly tell you Grandfather, that I did no such thing. Not that I didn't try to think of something. But I had nothing to do with this," Rachel smiled up at JC. "He did this all on his own."

Her Grandfather's eyes snapped from his granddaughter to the man standing beside her. "What do you have to say for yourself and the... the spectacle you made up there?"

JC glanced down at Rachel, the elation still evident on her face. He gave her a wink and squeezed her hand. "That I love her."

If possible the grin on Rachel's face grew bigger. She felt tears prick her eyes and she tried desperately to blink them away. "If you'll excuse us, Grandfather," she kissed his cheek quickly, "We have a bus to catch." She pulled JC toward the exit of the hotel leaving her Grandfather sputtering.

They sat next to one another in the backseat of a taxi on their way to meet up with the guys and Melissa at the studios. His arm was wrapped around her, curling her into his side. His fingers lightly caressed her shoulder while his other hand held hers in his lap. Their heads leaned against each other. The cab was silent, each content to allow the ride to pass quietly.

Rachel lifted her head and looked up at him. He drew his gaze from their joined hands on his lap to meet hers. She leaned up, kissing him softly before settling her head on his shoulder.

"By the way, I love you too."