Page 112 of Bid For Me
“What are you talking about?” I blink at her, still holding the phone like it might explode.
“That was Seb, right?” She’s already dragging me toward my bedroom, her energy like a whirlwind. “Of course, it was Seb. He’s coming here, isn’t he? We don’t have time to waste!”
“Candy, I don’t need?—”
“Wrong,” she cuts me off, spinning to point a finger at me. “You do. You need to look like the stunning queen you are because this is your moment. Thank god your hair isn’t wet. That would’ve been a disaster.”
“Candy!” I protest, but she’s already rummaging through my closet like a woman possessed.
“Shush,” she says, tossing clothes over her shoulder with reckless abandon. “We’re going for ‘casual but devastatingly irresistible’. Something that says ‘I didn’t try at all’ while making him want to drop to his knees and not come up for air for several hours.”
I groan. “You’re ridiculous.”
“And you’re welcome,” she retorts, yanking out a soft cream cashmere sweater and a pair of perfectly fitted yoga pants. “Hold on.”
Next thing I know, the skimpiest lace bralette and matching thong is smacking me in the face as she fires the pale blue set at me, with the precision of a skilled sniper. “Put these on. Now.”
I grab the clothes, knowing it’s easier to just go along with her at this point. By the time I’ve changed and stepped back into the room, Candy’s set up a makeshift beauty station on my dresser.
“Sit,” she commands, pointing to the chair.
“I don’t need?—”
“Elle, trust me. Just trust me,” she says, her voice softer but no less insistent.
I sit, and she gets to work, quickly taming my hair into soft waves and adding just enough makeup to highlight my features,without making me feel overdone. Her hands move like magic, efficient and focused, and for a moment, I let myself relax.
“You’re nervous,” she says after a beat, her voice gentler now.
I meet her eyes in the mirror. “Of course, I am. This is…a lot.”
Candy smiles, brushing a bit of colour onto my cheeks. “You’ve got this. He loves you, Elle. And you love him too, even if you’re too scared to say it out loud. God, but please fucking try. Give him a chance. Give yourself a chance. I really think you could be happy with him. Especially now, with Alexander out of the picture.”
I swallow hard, the words catching in my throat.
She steps back, examining her work with a critical eye, before nodding in satisfaction. “Perfect. Now, go knock him dead.”
I stand, smoothing my sweater, my heart pounding. “What if?—”
“No what-ifs,” Candy interrupts, shooing me toward the door. “You’ve got this. And if he messes it up, I’ll kill him myself.”
I laugh despite myself, the tension in my chest easing just a fraction. “Thanks, Candy.”
“Always,” she says, grinning. “Now, I have to go. But I expect you to tell me everything after!”
I nod, watching her grab her coat and bag before heading out the door. As soon as it clicks shut, the apartment suddenly feels too quiet, too still. I sink onto the edge of my bed, running my hands over the soft fabric of my sweater, as if grounding myself.
Sebastian Sterling-Knight. The man who’s turned my life upside down and inside out, is about to walk back into it – again. My chest tightens at the thought, a mix of hope and dread warring inside me.
I take a deep breath, trying to settle my nerves. It doesn’t matter what Candy said; this isn’t just about love or grandgestures. It’s about trust, about whether we can move past everything that’s happened and find solid ground again.
My phone buzzes on the nightstand, but I ignore it. No more distractions. This is it. I have to face him.
Just as I steel myself to stand, muffled voices filter up through the thin walls of my apartment. My brows furrow as I focus on the sound.
“Listen up, pretty boy,” Candy’s voice echoes up the stairwell, sharp and unyielding.
“Candy—” Seb’s deep tone responds, but she cuts him off.