His Until Midnight

She set an empty garbage can with a squirt of soap and about an inch of water beside his bed.

“Use this, if you need to.” She indicated the garbage can. “I’m going to get you some ginger ale and some Gatorade. But if you get worse, I’m taking you to the doctor. Mom and Dad wouldn’t be too happy with me if I let their baby boy die of food poisoning while they were away on vacation.”

“Well, I am Mom’s favorite, so...” He offered a weak smile as he invoked the argument they often teased each other about. “And don’t worry about the auction, I’ll be fine. I’m a warrior, sis. Nothing is going to come between me and—” Suddenly he bolted out of bed, ran to the bathroom and slammed the door behind him.

Tessa shook her head. “You’re staying right here in bed today and tomorrow, ‘warrior.’ I’ll get Roy and the guys to take care of the projects that were on your list today. And I’ll find a replacement for you in the auction. Alexis will understand.”

Tripp mumbled his thanks through the bathroom door, and she set off to take care of everything she had promised him.

Tessa had been nursing her brother back to health and handling her duties at the ranch, as well as some of his. And she’d been trying all day to get in touch with Ryan.

Despite his reluctance to get involved in the auction, he was the most logical choice as Tripp’s replacement. She was sure she could convince him it was a worthy cause. Maybe stroke his ego and tell him there would be a feeding frenzy for a hot stud like him.

A statement she planned to make in jest, but that she feared also had a bit of truth to it. Tessa gritted her teeth imagining Lana, and a whole host of other women in town who often flirted with Ryan, bidding on him like he was a prize steer.

Maybe getting Ryan to step in as Tripp’s replacement in the auction wasn’t such a good idea after all. She paced the floor, scrolling through a list of names of other possible options in her head.

Most of the eligible men that came to mind were already participating, or they’d already turned Alexis and Rachel down, from what Tessa had heard.

She stopped abruptly mid-stride, an idea brewing in her head that made her both excited and feel like she was going to toss her lunch at the same time.

“Do something that scares you every single day.” She repeated the words under her breath that she’d recently posted on the wall of her office. It was a quote from Eleanor Roosevelt. Advice she’d promised herself that she would take to heart from here on out.

Tessa glanced at herself in the mirror. Her thick hair was divided into two plaits, and a Stetson was pushed down on her head, her eyes barely visible. She was the textbook definition of Plain Jane. Not because she wasn’t attractive, but because she put zero effort into looking like a desirable woman rather than one of the ranch hands.

She sighed, her fingers trembling slightly. There was a good chance that Alexis and Rachel would veto her idea for Tripp’s replacement. But at least she would ask.

Tessa pulled her cell phone out of her back pocket and scrolled through her contacts for Alexis Slade’s number. Her palms were damp as she initiated the call. Pressing the phone to her ear, she counted the rings, a small part of her hoping that Alexis didn’t answer. That would give her time to rethink her rash decision. Maybe save herself some embarrassment when Alexis rejected the idea.

“Hey, Tess. How are you?” Alexis’s warm, cheerful voice rang through the line.

“I’m good. Tripp? Not so much. I think he has food poisoning.” The words stumbled out of her mouth.

“Oh my God! That’s terrible. Poor Tripp. Is he going to be okay?”

“I’m keeping an eye on him, but I’m sure he’ll be fine in a few days. I just don’t think he’s going to recover in time to do the bachelor auction.”

“We’ll miss having him in the lineup, but of course we understand. His health is the most important thing.” The concern was evident in Alexis’s voice. “Tell him that we hope he’s feeling better soon. And if the auction goes well, maybe we’ll do this again next year. I’ll save a spot in the lineup for him then.”

“Do you have anyone in mind for a replacement?” Tessa paced the floor.

“Not really. We’ve pretty much tapped out our list of possibilities. Unless you can get Ryan to change his mind?” She sounded hopeful.

“I considered that, and I’ve been trying to reach him all day. But just now, I came up with another idea.” She paused, hoping that Alexis would stop her. Tell her that they didn’t need anyone else. When the woman didn’t respond, she continued. “I was thinking that I might replace my brother in the lineup.” She rushed the words out before she could chicken out. “I know that this is a bachelor auction, not a bachelorette—”

“Yes!” Alexis squealed, as if it were the best idea she’d heard all day. “OMG, I think that’s an absolutely fabulous idea. We’ll provide something for the fellas, too. Oh, Tessa, this is brilliant. I love it.”

“Are you sure? I mean, I like the idea of doing something completely unexpected, but maybe we should see what Rachel thinks.” Her heart hammered in her chest.

She’d done something bold, something different, by offering to take Tripp’s place. But now, the thought of actually walking that stage and praying to God that someone...anyone...would bid on her was giving her heart palpitations.

“That’s a good idea, but I know she’s going to agree with me. Hold on.”

“Oh, you’re calling her now?” Tessa said to the empty room as she paced the floor.

Rachel Kincaid was a marketing genius and an old college friend of Alexis’s. She’d come to Royal as a young widow and the mother to an adorable little girl named Ellie. And she’d fallen in love with one of the most eligible bachelors in all of Texas, oil tycoon Matt Galloway.

“Okay, Rachel’s on the line,” Alexis announced a moment later. “And I brought her up to speed.”

“You weren’t kidding about doing something unexpected.” There was a hint of awe in Rachel’s voice. “Good for you, Tess.”

“Thanks, Rachel.” She swallowed hard. “But do you think it’s a good idea? I mean, the programs have already been printed, and no one knows that there’s going to be a bachelorette in the auction. What if no one bids on me? I don’t want to cause any embarrassment to the club or create negative publicity for the event.”

“Honey, the bachelors who aren’t in the auction are going to go crazy when they discover there’s a beautiful lady to bid on,” Rachel said confidently.

“We’ll put the word out that there’s going to be a big surprise, just for the fellas. I can email everyone on our mailing list. It will only take me a few minutes to put the email together and send it out,” Alexis said.

“Y’all are sure we can pull this off?” Tess asked one last time. “I swear I won’t be offended if you think we can’t. I rather you tell me now than to let me get up there and make a fool of myself.”

“It’s going to be awesome,” Alexis reassured her. “But I’m sensing hesitation. Are you second-guessing your decision? Because you shouldn’t. It’s a good one.”

Tessa grabbed a spoon and the pint of her favorite Neapolitan ice cream hidden in the back of the freezer. She sat at the kitchen island and sighed, rubbing her palm on her jeans again. She shook her head, casting another glance in the mirror. “It’s just that... I’m not the glamorous type, that’s for sure.”

“You’re gorgeous, girl. And if you’re concerned...hey, why don’t we give you a whole beauty makeover for the event?” Rachel said excitedly. “It’ll be fun and it gives me another excuse to buy makeup.”

“That’s a fantastic idea, Rachel!” Alexis chimed in. “Not that you need it,” she added. “But maybe it’ll make you feel more comfortable.”

“Okay, yeah. That sounds great. I’d like that.” Tessa nodded, feeling slightly better. “I was gonna take tomorrow off anyway. Give myself plenty of time to get ready. But I’m sure you both have a million things to do. I don’t want to distract you from preparing for the auction, just to babysit me.”

“Alexis is the queen of organization. She’s got everything under control. Plus, we have a terrific crew of volunteers,” Rachel piped in. “They won’t miss us for a few hours. I promise, everything will be fine.”

“Have you considered what date you’re offering?”

“Date?” Tessa hadn’t thought that far in advance. “I’m not sure. I guess...let me think about that. I’ll have an answer for you by tomorrow. Is that all right?”

“That’s fine. Just let me know first thing in the morning,” Alexis said.

“I’ll make a few appointments for the makeover and I’ll text you both all the details.” Rachel’s voice brimmed with excitement.

“Then I guess that’s everything,” Tessa said, more to herself than her friends. “I’ll see you both tomorrow.”

She hung up the phone, took a deep breath, and shoveled a spoonful of Neapolitan ice cream into her mouth.

There was no turning back now.

Three

Ryan patted the warm neck of his horse, Phantom, and dismounted, handing the majestic animal off to Ned, one of his ranch hands. He gave the horse’s haunches one final pat as the older man led him away to a stall.

Ryan wiped his sweaty forehead with the back of his hand. He was tired, dirty and in desperate need of a shower.

He’d been out on the ranch and the surrounding area since the crack of dawn, looking for several steer that had made their great escape through a break in the fence. While his men repaired the fence, he and another hand tracked down the cattle and drove them back to the ranch.

He’d been in such a hurry to get after the cattle, he’d left his phone at home. Hopefully, his parents hadn’t called, worried that he wasn’t answering because he’d burned down the whole damn place.

He grumbled to himself, “You nearly burn the barn down as a kid, and they never let you forget it.”

Then again, his parents and Tess and Tripp’s seemed to be enjoying themselves on their cruise. Their calls had become far less frequent.

Who knows? Maybe both couples would decide it was finally time to retire, give up ranch life, and pass the torch to the next generation. Something he, Tessa and Tripp had been advocating for the past few years. They were ready to take on the responsibility.

When he’d been engaged to Sabrina, his parents had planned to retire to their beach house in Galveston and leave management of the ranch to him. Despite the fact that they hadn’t much liked his intended. Not because Sabrina was a bad person. But he and Sabrina were like fire and ice. The moments that were good could be really good. But the moments that weren’t had resulted in tense arguments and angry sex.

His mother, in particular, hadn’t been convinced Sabrina was the girl for him. She’d been right.

A few months before their wedding, Sabrina had called it off. She just couldn’t see herself as a ranch wife. Nor was she willing to sacrifice her well-earned figure to start “popping out babies” to carry on the Bateman name.

He appreciated that she’d had the decency to tell him to his face, well in advance, rather than abandoning him at the altar as Shelby Arthur had done when she’d decided she couldn’t marry Jared Goodman.

At least she’d spared him that humiliation.

Besides, there was a part of him that realized the truth of what she’d said. Maybe some part of him had always understood that he’d asked her to marry him because it felt like the right thing to do.

He’d been with Sabrina longer than he’d stayed in any relationship. For over a year. So when she’d hinted that she didn’t want to waste her time in a relationship that wasn’t going anywhere, he’d popped the question.

Neither he nor Sabrina were the type who bought into the fairy tale of romance. They understood that relationships were an exchange. A series of transactions, sustained over time. Which was why he believed they were a good fit. But they’d both ignored an essential point. They were just too different.

He loved everything about ranch life, and Sabrina was a city girl, through and through.

The truth was that he’d been relieved when Sabrina had canceled the wedding. As if he could breathe, nice, deep, easy breaths, for the first time in months. Still, his parents called off their plans to retire.

Maybe this trip would convince them that he and the Bateman Ranch would be just fine without them.

Ryan stretched and groaned. His muscles, taut from riding in the saddle a good portion of the day, protested as he made his way across the yard toward the house.

Helene Dennis, their longtime house manager, threw open the door and greeted him. “There you are. You look an unholy mess. Take off those boots and don’t get my kitchen floor all dirty. I just mopped.”

Sometimes he wondered if Helene worked for him or if he worked for her. Still, he loved the older woman. She was family.

“All right, all right.” He toed off his boots and kicked them in the corner, patting his arms and legs to dislodge any dust from his clothing before entering the house. “Just don’t shoot.”

Helene playfully punched his arm. “Were you able to round up all of the animals that got loose?”

“Every one of them.” Yawning, he kneaded a stubborn kink in his back. “Fence is fixed, too.”

“Good. Dinner will be ready in about a half an hour. Go ahead and hop in the shower. Oh, and call Tess when you get the chance.”

“Why?” His chest tightened. “Everything okay over at the Noble Spur?”

“Don’t worry.” She gave him a knowing smile that made his cheeks fill with heat. “She’s fine, but her brother is ill. Tess is pretty sure it’s food poisoning. She’s been trying to reach you all day.”

“I was in such a hurry to get out of here this morning, I forgot my phone.”

“I know.” She chuckled softly “I found it in the covers when I made your bed this morning. It’s on your nightstand.”

Managing a tired smile for the woman he loved almost as much as his own mother, he leaned in and kissed her cheek. “Thanks, Helene. I’ll be down for dinner as soon as I can.”

Ryan dried his hair from the shower and wrapped the towel around his waist. The hot water had felt good sluicing over his tired, aching muscles. So he’d taken a longer shower than he’d intended. And though he was hungry, he was tempted to collapse into bed and forgo dinner.

Sighing wearily, he sat on the bed and picked up his phone to call Tess.

She answered in a couple of rings. “Hey, Rye. How’d it go? Were you able to find all the steer you lost?”

Helene had evidently told her where he was and why he hadn’t been answering his cell phone.

“Yes, we got them all back and the fence is fixed.” He groaned as he reached out to pick up his watch and put it back on. “How’s Tripp? Helene said he got food poisoning.”

“Wow, you sound like you’ve been ridden hard and put away wet.” She laughed. “And yes, my brother’s penchant for late night snacks from suspect eateries finally caught up with him. He looks and feels like hell, but otherwise he’s recovering.”

“Will he be okay for the auction tomorrow?”

“No.” She said the word a little too quickly, then paused a little too long. “He thinks he’ll be fine to go through with it, but I’m chalking that up to illness-induced delusion.”

“Did you tell Alexis she’s a man down?”

“I did.” There was another unusual pause. Like there was something she wanted to say but was hesitant.

Ryan thought for a moment as he rummaged through his drawers for something to put on.

“Ahh...” He dragged his fingers through his damp hair. “Of course. She wants to know if I’ll take Tripp’s place.”

Tessa didn’t respond right away. “Actually, that’s why I was trying so hard to reach you. I thought I might be able to convince you to take Tripp’s place...since it’s for such a good cause. But when I couldn’t reach you, I came up with another option.”

“Which is?” It was like pulling teeth to get Tess to just spit it out. He couldn’t imagine why that would be...unless he wasn’t going to like what she had to say. Uneasiness tightened his gut. “So this other option...are you going to tell me, or should I come over and you can act it out in charades?”

“Smart-ass.” She huffed. “No charades necessary. I’m the other option. I decided to take Tripp’s place in the auction.”

“You do know that it’s women who will be bidding in this auction, right?” Ryan switched to speakerphone, tossed his phone on the bed, then stepped into his briefs. “Anything you need to tell me, Tess?”

“I’m going to give you a pass because I know you’re tired,” she groused. “And we’ve already considered that. If you check your in-box, you’ll see that Alexis sent out an email informing all attendees and everyone else on the mailing list that there is going to be a surprise at the end of the auction, just for the gents.”

“Oh.”

It was the only thing that Ryan could think to say as the realization struck him in the gut like a bull running at full speed. A few days ago, he’d been discomfited by the idea of his friend bidding on one man. Now, there would be who knows how many guys angling for a night with her.

“You sure about this?” He stepped into a pair of well-worn jeans and zipped and buttoned them. “This just doesn’t seem much like you.”

“That’s exactly why I’m doing it.” Her voice was shaky. “It’ll be good for me to venture outside of my comfort zone.”

He donned a long-sleeved T-shirt, neither of them speaking for a moment.

Ryan rubbed his chin and sank on to his mattress. He slipped on a pair of socks. “Look, I know I said I didn’t want to do it, but with Tripp being sick and all, how about I make an exception?”

“You think this is a really bad idea, don’t you?” She choked out the words, her feelings obviously hurt.

“No, that’s not what I’m saying at all.” The last thing he wanted to do was upset his best friend. He ran a hand through his hair. “I’m just saying that it’s really last minute. And because of that, it might take people by surprise, that’s all.”

“I thought of that, too. Alexis and Rachel are positive they can drum up enough interest. But I thought that...just to be safe...it’d be good to have an ace up my sleeve.”

“What kind of an ace?”

“I’m going to give you the money to bid on me, in case no one else does. I know it’ll still look pretty pathetic if my best friend is the only person who bids on me, but that’s a hell of a lot better than hearing crickets when they call my name.”

“You want me to bid on you?” He repeated the words. Not that he hadn’t heard or understood her the first time. He was just processing the idea. Him bidding on his best friend. The two of them going out on a date...

“Yes, but it’ll be my money. And there’s no need for us to actually go on the date. I mean, we can just hang out like usual or something, but it doesn’t have to be a big deal.”

“Sure, I’ll do it. But you don’t need to put up the money. I’m happy to make the donation myself.”

His leg bounced. Despite what his friend believed, Ryan doubted that he’d be the only man there willing to bid on Tessa Noble during her bachelorette auction.

“Thanks, Ryan. I appreciate this.” She sounded relieved. “And remember, you’ll only need to bid on me if no one else does. If nothing else, your bid might prompt someone else to get into the spirit.”

“Got it,” he said gruffly. “You can count on me.”

“I know. Thanks again, Rye.” He could hear the smile in her sweet voice.

“Hey, since Tripp won’t be able to make it...why don’t we ride in together?”

“Actually, I’m going straight to the auction from...somewhere else. But I’ll catch a ride with a friend, so we can ride home together. How’s that?”

“Sounds good.” He couldn’t help the twinge of disappointment he felt at only getting to ride home with her. “I guess I’ll see you there.”

“I’ll be the one with the price tag on her head.” Tessa forced a laugh. “Get some rest, Rye. And take some pain meds. Otherwise, your arm’ll be too sore to lift the auction paddle.”

Her soft laughter was the last thing he heard before the line went dead. Before he could say good-night.

Ryan released a long sigh and slid his feet into his slippers. He didn’t like the idea of Tess putting herself on the auction block for every letch in town to leer at. But she was a grown woman who was capable of making her own decisions.

Regardless of how much he disagreed with them.

Besides, he wasn’t quite sure what it was that made him feel more uneasy. Tess being bid on by other men, or the idea that he might be the man who won her at the end of the night.

Four

Tessa had never been plucked, primped and prodded this much in her entire life.

She’d been waxed in places she didn’t even want to think about and had some kind of wrap that promised to tighten her curves. And the thick head of curls she adored had been straightened and hung in tousled waves around her shoulders. Now Milan Valez, a professional makeup artist, was applying her makeup.

“I thought we were going with a natural look,” Tess objected when the woman opened yet another product and started to apply what had to be a third or fourth layer of goop to her face.

“This is the natural look.” The woman rolled her eyes. “If I had a dime for every client who doesn’t realize that what they’re calling the natural look is actually a full face.” The woman sighed, but her expression softened as she directed Tess to turn her head. “You’re a beautiful woman with gorgeous skin. If you’re not a makeup wearer, I know it feels like a lot. But I’m just using a few tricks to enhance your natural beauty. We’ll make those beautiful eyes pop, bring a little drama to these pouty lips, and highlight your incredible cheekbones. I promise you won’t look too heavily made up. Just trust me.”

Tessa released a quiet sigh and nodded. “I trust you.”

“Good. Now just sit back and relax. Your friends should be here shortly. They’re going to be very pleased, and I think you will, too.” The woman smiled. “Now look up.”

Tessa complied as Milan applied liner beneath her eyes. “You sure I can’t have a little peek?”

“Your friends made me promise. No peeking. And you agreed.” She lifted Tess’s chin. “Don’t worry, honey, you won’t have to wait much longer.”

“Tessa? Oh my God, you look...incredible.” Rachel entered the salon a few minutes later and clapped a hand over her mouth. “I can hardly believe it’s you.”

Alexis nearly slammed into the back of Rachel, who’d made an abrupt stop. She started to complain, but when she saw Tessa, her mouth gaped open, too.

“Tess, you look...stunning. Not that you aren’t always beautiful, but...wow. Just wow.”

“You two are making me seriously self-conscious right now.” Tessa kept her focus on Milan.

“Don’t be,” the woman said emphatically. “Remember what we talked about. I’ve only enhanced what was already there.”

Tessa inhaled deeply and nodded. She ignored the butterflies in her stomach in response to the broad grins and looks of amazement on Alexis’s and Rachel’s faces.

“There, all done.” Milan sat back proudly and grinned. “Honey, you look absolutely beautiful. Ready to see for yourself?”

“Please.” Even as Tessa said it, her hands were trembling, and a knot tightened in her stomach. How could something as simple as looking in the mirror be so fraught with anxiety? It only proved she wasn’t cut out for this whole glamour-girl thing.

Milan slowly turned the chair around and Alexis and Rachel came over to stand closer, both of them bouncing excitedly.

Tessa closed her eyes, took a deep breath and then opened them.

“Oh my God.” She leaned closer to the mirror. “I can hardly believe that’s me.” She sifted her fingers through the dark, silky waves with toffee-colored highlights. “I mean, it looks like me, just...more glamourous.”

“I know, isn’t it incredible? You’re going to be the star of the evening. We need to keep you hidden until you walk across the stage. Really take everyone by surprise.” Rachel grinned in the mirror from behind her.