Falling For You (Honey Leaf Lodge #1)

Chapter Twenty-Six

Violet

“I’m so hot,” I moaned to Liam.

He chuckled. “Yes, you are. But no one will know that under this costume.”

“Har-dee-har-har.” I rolled my eyes, but he saw nothing but furry brown eyebrows. “It’s like thirty degrees outside tonight. I don’t understand how I’m sweating. We’re in a barn, for crying out loud.”

“Seriously? You’re in a hundred pounds of fur.” He glanced around. “Not to mention, the barn is heated.”

I stood backstage, shifting nervously from foot to foot in my llama costume. The itchy underside of the faux fur fabric clung to my skin with every movement.

The small dressing area buzzed with excitement, but I was not excited.

In fact, I was ready to fall back into the trough of water again and not get back out.

Singles all over chatted animatedly as they made last-minute adjustments to their ornate and sexy costumes. Every few seconds, a ripple of laughter would escape from someone, and I was pretty sure it was over my costume selection.

Or I was just paranoid.

That was what happened when you dressed as a member of the Camelidae family.

Millie’s cheerful, booming voice floated through the velvet curtains as she announced each contestant by a pseudonym and description to the audience.

From where I stood, I could see glimpses of the contestants as they strode onto the stage—each looking glamorous, sexy, and completely poised.

The auction theme was “Masquerade and Mystery,” and everyone else embraced the idea with stunning outfits. Of course, I somehow missed the theme until it was too late. So, slinky black dresses, jewel-encrusted masks, tuxedos, and flirty French maid costumes fluttered on stage with anonymous people underneath.

And then there was me, standing in my ridiculous llama suit, complete with fuzzy ears and a tail that swished when I moved.

Go, Violet.

I glanced at myself in the mirror one last time and cringed at the sight.

What had I been thinking?

Why hadn’t I gone for something at least semi-attractive or even remotely elegant?

Whyin the world had I decided to come to this charity date auction—designed to raise money for Thanksgiving meals—dressed as a giant, awkward llama?

It had seemed funny at the time.

A quirky icebreaker.

After all, this event was supposed to be fun. Wasn’t the whole point to get people laughing to encourage higher bids?

But now, standing backstage and seeing the sheer contrast between myself and the other contestants, I realized that no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t be normal.

I wasn’t normal.

The other women looked like they’d stepped out of a magazine shoot—effortlessly gorgeous, with sleek costumes and perfect hair.

They wore vixen-inspired outfits, ballgowns with masks, or flirty maid costumes that had the crowd hollering with approval as they walked on stage.

I could hear the thunderous applause and bids that followed.

They were all poised to raise high bids for charity. I could hear the dollar amounts zipping up.

And me? I looked like I belonged in a petting zoo.

Our petting zoo.

A knot of dread tightened in my stomach, and I briefly considered backing out, sneaking out the back door before Millie could call my name.

No one would miss me, right? Who wanted to bid on a woman dressed as a llama?

But the thought of disappointing Millie kept me rooted to the spot.

She practically strong-armed me into signing up for this auction, which would raise money for Thanksgiving meals for families in need.

And, well, I couldn’t say no to Millie, not after everything she did for us and the town.

“Up next, we have a very special contestant!” Millie’s voice echoed through the speakers, pulling me out of my self-pitying thoughts. “She’s quirky. She’s fun. And she’s about to bring a lot of laughter to this event. Let’s give it up for the llama!”

My heart plummeted to my toes as I realized it was my turn.

The crowd roared in anticipation, but I couldn’t tell if it was genuine excitement or the kind of laughter you get when you know something ridiculous is about to happen.

I even heard Liam’s whistle zip through the air, and I scowled.

Taking a deep breath, I adjusted the llama headpiece on my head and pushed through the curtain.

The moment I stepped on the stage, the room erupted into laughter, cheers, and amused whispers.

I shuffled across the stage, and the microphones picked up the swishing of my llama tail.

Could this get any worse?

The lights blinded my tiny cut-out eyes, and I couldn’t see much of the crowd.

It was probably a blessing in disguise.

But I could feel their eyes on me. Every inch of my body screamed with embarrassment.

There was no turning back now.

Millie stood at the side of the stage with a microphone and beamed. I think she thought I was the most dazzling one up here, which only made me love her more. “Now, folks, I know you’ve seen some stunning costumes tonight, but I don’t think they can top this! Who doesn’t love a llama, right?”

The crowd chuckled, so I forced myself to play along. I twirled around, letting my llama ears flop comically and my tail swish seductively.

Seductive? A llama?

I was delusional.

Millie read from a notecard in her hand. “Let’s learn a little more about her! She’s Buttercup Lake’s very own food blogger extraordinaire. She helps run the family lodge and recently ran a big, bad corporation right out of Buttercup Lake. But I mean, look at her. Who wouldn’t be scared of a llama like that? She’s got sparkle and sass, but most of all, she’s full of heart.”

The crowd clapped, and I could feel the blush creeping up my cheeks. I had prepared a list of “fun facts” about myself for Millie to read aloud, and now I regretted every single word.

“Not only is she an amazing chef, but she’s got a wicked sense of humor—clearly, as you can see by her costume choice tonight! She believes laughter is the best medicine, so if you need a good time, she’ll keep you entertained for hours.”

No. No. Not a good time.

“Not like that,” I hollered through the mouth hole.

Millie laughed. “Oh, right.”

More laughter from the crowd.

I couldn’t tell if they were laughing with me or at me. But at this point, I didn’t care. I just wanted this to be over.

Millie wasn’t finished. “She also enjoys long hikes, is an avid reader of mystery novels, and…” She paused dramatically, grinning at the crowd. “She can’t resist a good llama joke! That’s right, folks, this one here knows how to keep things quirky and fun.”

I wanted to melt into the floor.

The whole thing felt like one giant joke at my expense, and I could feel the heat of humiliation rising in my cheeks.

Tonight was for a good cause. The money raised tonight would go toward providing Thanksgiving meals for families in need, and that was all that mattered.

That was all that mattered.

That was all that mattered.

I tried to recite my little mantra with closed eyes and deep breaths.

“So, who’s ready to bid on this lovely llama? Don’t be shy, gentlemen! She’s one-of-a-kind!”

I cringed internally as the bidding began. The crowd murmured, and a few hesitant voices threw out some low bids. $10, then $20.

Liam pitched in $30, and I wanted to hug him.

My face burned as I listened to the numbers slowly climb, and I was so grateful for this costume. Compared to the earlier contestants, whose bids had skyrocketed into the hundreds within seconds, mine felt like a slow crawl through the mud.

Millie tried to keep the energy up, encouraging more bids.

But the embarrassment sank in deeper and deeper. I wanted to curl up in a ball and disappear. Why had I thought this was a good idea? Why hadn’t I chosen anything other than a llama costume? Every other contestant looked like they belonged at a glamorous masquerade ball, and here I was, the joke of the night.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the bidding stalled at a grand total of $75.

Seventy-five dollars. For a date with a woman dressed like a farm animal.

Just when I thought the night couldn’t get any more humiliating, a voice from the back of the room boomed over the crowd’s murmurs.

“I’ll bid a hundred thousand.”

Ah, great. A prankster.

The room turned deathly silent. Heads turned, and I felt a wave of disbelief wash over me.

I strained to see who had made such an outrageous bid.

The crowd parted, and there he was—Owen.

Standing at the back of the room, looking calm, confident, and entirely out of place in his sleek suit. His voice had cut through the noise like a knife, and now every pair of eyes was on him.

My heart stopped.

A hundred thousand dollars.

For me?

That could feed families for decades around here.

The crowd gasped collectively before whispers rippled through the room like wildfire. People stared at him and then turned to stare at me.

Millie, bless her, regained her composure faster than anyone else. She let out a shocked laugh, her eyes wide as she looked between us.

“Well, folks, I think we’ve just had our highest bid of the night!” she exclaimed, her voice full of astonishment.

My mind raced as I stood frozen, trying to process what was happening.

Owen had bid on me. He had offered such an outrageous amount that it had left the entire room speechless. And now, everyone was watching, waiting to see what I would do.

I swallowed hard, forcing myself to move, to speak, to do something.

But what was I supposed to do? Thank him? Run off the stage in embarrassment? I couldn’t even think straight.

Owen’s eyes locked onto mine, and something in his gazeterrified and thrilled me. He was making a statementthat wasn’t just about the money. He was saying something without words—something I wasn’t sure I was ready to hear.

Millie turned to me, her microphone still in hand, her eyes full of playful curiosity. “Well, Violet, what do you say? It seems like you’ve got yourself quite the bidder.”

The crowd chuckled, but the kind of nervous laughter that came from witnessing something completely unexpected.

All eyes were on me.

I blinked, trying to find my voice. “I, uh…” I stammered.

He took a step forward.

My face burned under the bright lights. “I don’t really know what to say.”

Owen took another step forward as his gaze never wavered. “Then just say yes.”

His words sent a shiver down my spine. It wasn’t just a bid. It wasn’t just a donation for charity. This was about more than that, and we both knew it.

I hesitated for a moment, my heart racing as I stood there in my ridiculous llama costume, feeling completely out of place in this strange, surreal moment.

And then, with the entire room watching, I nodded.

“Yes,” I whispered, though I knew only Owen could hear it.

He smiled at me from across the room.

The crowd erupted into applause, cheers, and laughter, and Millie beamed as she declared Owen the highest bidder of the night.

“That is a lot of turkeys, sir.” Millie chuckled. “Mr. Owen Benson.”