Concealed by Victoria Michaels

know whose pie they were bidding on.”
    “Yes, that’s true. See, I didn’t lie. The guys have no idea whose pie they’re bidding on!” Melissa put Faith down and ushered her toward the applesauce tent. With a squeal, Faith ran from one display to the next, slurping applesauce off spoons as fast as she could.
    Sydney cornered her friend next to a bucket of apples. “Start talking.”
    “Fine.” With an exasperated sigh, Melissa waved her hand through the air. “I might have left out the part where you go on a date with the guy who buys the pie.”
    “Tell me you’re kidding.” Sydney didn’t go on dates. She kept to herself and took care of Faith. The thought of going on a date with a complete stranger was unnerving.
    “I’m serious, but it’s all in good fun. It’s not like you have to sleep with the guy or anything. For all you know, the winner might be married.”
    “Wade’s in there!”
    “Duh,” Melissa said with a roll of her eyes. “I’m gonna kill you.”
    With a wink, Melissa laughed. “Nah, I have a feeling you’ll be thanking me by the end of the night. Don’t think I missed the big goofy grin on your face when he walked you to the dance this afternoon.”
    Sydney tuned out Melissa’s teasing as her mind raced a mile a minute. She was about to be auctioned off like a head of cattle to a room full of men. A room that Wade was in. Would he bid on her? Would he know her pie? What if he won? Without realizing it, she had made the blackberry pie he ordered every day at the diner. If there was one pie he might recognize by taste, that was it. Her stomach somersaulted, but she wasn’t about to let Melissa know she was excited about the prospect. She’d never hear the end of it.
    “Faith, don’t put the spoon back in the jar if you licked it!” Sydney gave her daughter a stern look. The guilty smirk on Faith’s face was almost enough to make her smile—almost. Instead, she glared at Melissa. “Thanking you? What the hell does that mean?”
    “It means I’m betting that Wade can identify his favorite pie from all the others in the room. He eats it four times a week at the diner for goodness sake. I’m betting he wins your pie!” When Sydney didn’t mirror her excitement, she shook her head.
    “There are over twenty pies in there, Mel.”
    “Trust me. He’ll bid on your pie. He’ll outbid everyone in town for it.”
    “Did you tell him which one was mine?”
    Melissa laughed. “How could I? I didn’t even know your number until I walked into the hall.” For the first time Melissa looked nervous. “Are you mad at me?”
    “Yes.”
    “Do you forgive me? And feel no pressure to rush the forgiveness, but I will remind you I’m leaving in a few days.”
    “If Wade doesn’t pick my pie…”
    “I’ll kill him myself.” Melissa placed her hand solemnly over her heart with a grin.
    A million thoughts raced through Sydney’s head. Strangling Melissa was at the forefront, second only to dying of embarrassment when no one bid on her pie, or Wade walking out with the likes of slutty Pamela Wilson on his arm after winning her pie, or Sydney having to go out on a date with Walter Frist, the man seven months shy of his ninetieth birthday. He probably liked pie.
    As a distraction, they busied themselves sampling apples until a shrill squeak of the loudspeaker grabbed everyone’s attention. “Good evening! It’s time for the Fall Festival Pick a Pie Auction. Will all the ladies who entered please return to the assembly hall for the matchmaking!”
    “Come on, Faith. We gotta go get your momma a date!” Melissa yelled, turning every head in the apple tent. Sydney covered her face, not sure how she’d survive the night.
    With an excited squeal, Faith licked her fingers clean and clapped her still sticky hands together. “What’s a date, Mel? Why does Mommy need one, and can I have one too?”
    “A date is when Mommy gets all dressed up and a handsome man comes over to the house