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Ty Garrison

It suited hirade He’d pulled her hair, torn up her homework, and told Mrs Burland that she’d stolen his It fueled her te about it "So there you have it," she said, coet to the auction, and have a good tiratefully stepped down off the stage, happy to be out of the spotlight

She walked quickly through the crowd, even happier to note that no one was paying her any attention now; they were all glued to the auctioneer

Except Lucille

Lucille, in a silver ball gown that looked like a disco ball, snapped a photo of Mallory with her phone and then winked

Mallory sighed and was bee-lining for her seat when she aylaid by herMallory had no idea where her supposed date had gone Apparently he’d vanished when she’d left the stage, which worked for her She did not want to subject hiun with her bracelet, and Mallory quickly grabbed an auction paddle from Ella’s table, unable to help herself No one else was bidding, so she told herself it was a sacrifice for the cause, and raised her paddle

"Mallory," her mother admonished "You can’t afford that bracelet"

This was true Annoying but true "I’et toout with a man whose name you didn’t even know?" She sounded scandalized "That’s as bad as finding a man on…" She lowered her voice to a horrified whisper, as if she was i for awith Ty"

Someone behind them won the bracelet, and the auctioneer went on to the next item

"Listen to me, honey," Ella said "Ty Garrison is not the kind of randchildren"

Well, herfor that, either" At least not right thisfor?"

Good question "I don’t know exactly" She looked around at the social croere all far uess I’m…bored"

Hera crack pipe

"And I’m restless too," Mallory said "And…sad, if you want to know the whole ugly truth" She hadn’t even realized that was true until it popped out of her mouth without permission, but she couldn’t take it back now

"Oh, honey" Ella squeezed her hand, her eyes suspiciously damp "Out of all you kids, you’ve always been ood one, and soet to check in and make sure you’re okay Especially after Karen--"

"I am okay" And if she wasn’t, well then she could handle it But da as expected, tired of feeling like she was

"Mallory," Ella said softly, concerned "You’ve also always been the smart one I depend on that fro stupid tonight that you’ll regret later, right?"

Well, that depended on her rets, she tried hard to live without the over Mallory’s shoulder and made a funny little noise in her throat Mallory froze, closing her eyes for a beat before turning to find--of course--Ty

Looking bigger than life, he stood there holding two glasses of wine He handed one over to her while she did her best to stay cool Downing half the glass went a long way toward assuring that Please let him not have heard any of that…

"Ty Garrison," Ella said as if testing out the nahter safe with you?"

"Mom," Mallory said quickly "Jesus"

"Don’t swear, honey" But Ella held up a hand in concession "And fine I’ll reword" She looked at Ty "Are you going to hurt hter?"

Ty looked at Mallory as he answered "She’s too smart to let that happen"

Okay, so he had heard every word Terrific God, she was so far out of her league she could no longer even see her league Herstupid And Mallory was pretty sure that the ansas a resounding yes

As if he could read her thoughts, Ty gave her a sardonic little half toast with his glass, then surprised her byaway

Which meant he was smart too "Well," Mallory said "This has been lots of fun"

"I’ to assuot my smarts from somewhere" Mallory leaned in and kissed Ella’s cheek, then went back to her own table where she’d left her purse That’s when she realized that her probleh the room was filled with the sounds of happy, well-fed people, they really were doing farat the Marina" package came up and no one lifted their paddle, Jane locked her unhappy gaze on Mallory’s

Mallory s inside Soht with desperation, trying to make it happen by sheer will

Finally, so in theticket one, an expensive night on the town in Seattle, which included a lian at another low, modest rate, and Mallory’s heart landed in her throat

They were going to have to do better than this Much better Again her gaze locked in on Jane, and her unease grew Soot hard, she kneas Ty "Go away," she said, not taking her gaze off the stage

Ty said nothing, and she glanced over just as he rose his paddle, bidding two hundred dollars higher than she could have even thought about offering

She stared at hi?"

He didn’t even look at her, just eyed the croith interest and a smile she hadn’t seen from him before It was a killer smile, she ad across the rooain and raised his paddle to up the bid

And then the oddest thing happened

More people joined in Unbelievably, the bidding for the "Night on the Town" continued for fiveshort of dazzling

Ty won

Apparently satisfied, he set down his paddle and leaned back, long legs stretched out in front of his Mallory should have been watching too, but couldn’t take her eyes off hiear with a new excite on all the ite to outdo each other, or in some cases, not so playfully It onderful But she couldn’t get her et it going "What are you going to do with that package you just won?"