I picked the town because it was one of a handful of memories I can recall of my birth parents. They’d brought me here as a child. I remember laughing and having fun with them. We’d come for a long weekend, I believe. I was so young at the time that the memory is hazy, but when I got out of my line of work, knowing if I didn’t I’d end up dead sooner rather than later, this town had popped into my mind.

I’m not sure what Crane is up to, but I’m sure in time I’ll figure it out. I haven’t done too much poking around about him. The last thing I want to do is to alert him to me, but I suppose he and I will likely come face to face tonight at some point. He’s here for the very same reason I am: to get our girls, Liza and Eve. My Eve and Liza thought it would be cute to have a bachelorette auction at the annual holiday party to raise money for a charity. An idea that had been Eve’s.

I grit my teeth thinking back to the town hall meeting when she’d shouted the idea across the room. I might not attend the town hall meetings usually, but you bet your ass I see them all. I don’t miss an opportunity to see Eve.

It would be over everyone else’s dead body before I let another man win her for a date.

I don’t think Eve has any idea what she’s gotten herself into, but she’ll be finding out soon enough.

This year I’ll be treating myself to something special. Eve.

2

Eve

What the hell have I gotten myself into? I tried to pull a fast one on my best friend and ended up getting myself roped into this. The auction sounded like a wonderful idea when I shouted it across the town hall meeting. The second I’d seen the way Crane had been staring at my best friend Liza and the way she was blushing up a storm over it, I knew there was a spark there. I thought I’d have to nudge my friend along, but I was wrong. The two of them are already a thing.

Now I’m stuck being up for auction. I mean, don’t get me wrong, so is she, but she has Crane, who will bid on her and win. No way he’s letting someone else get a chance with Liza even if it’s only for a few hours of a date. Who am I going to get stuck with? Next time, I’ll learn to keep my mouth shut. I don’t even have someone in this town that I’m kind of interested in.

Lie.

Okay, maybe there is someone but he doesn’t count. He doesn’t know I’m alive and can barely be considered a resident of Snow Hills. Marco Marone. The man is every girl's wet dream come to life. Including that wicked scar that cuts through his eyebrow, which only makes him more mysterious and sexy.