Chapter 18: Bachelors on Parade
They’d done themselves proud again this year. The place featured three big rooms with a courtyard, all of them equipped with large-screen monitors so that everyone could watch the action without crowding into the main auction room. That room was packed with rows of chairs, of course, facing a stage decorated with black and white satin and backed with a velvet curtain. The other areas provided more open space, with scattered seating and a few tables and chairs. I counted four bars, and I didn’t even stroll onto the courtyard.
I kept a discreet eye on the kid as we entered. His eyes were nearly the size of dinner plates as he took in the sparkling chandeliers, the elegant decorations, and the bare-chested waiters circulating through the crowd. It reminded me
