The REASON Series - the Complete Collection (42 page)

The 5
th
Annual Hearts and Hands Charity Gala

Hearts and Hands is a charity specializing in helping battered women and their children.
 

Hearts and Hands is also the parent company for many women's shelters throughout Minnesota, including Hope House and Amber's Place right here in Minneapolis.

Tonight's event is sponsored by MSB Enterprises and MSBE International.

My eyes fill with tears. The overwhelming emotion I feel is beyond anything I've felt in a long time.
 

Mikah leans down. "Please, don't cry."

"Did you do this for me?" I say through the tears.
 

"I'd love to say that I did, but my company started this gala about five years ago. Hearts and Hands was the first - and remains the primary - charity that my company supports." He gets down on one knee so that he can look up into my eyes. "I brought you here tonight because I felt it was important for you to see that my caring for you extends beyond just helping you. I take pride in my company's sponsorship of not only this event, but at least two others throughout the year. However, tonight's event is the big one of the year and raises more than five million dollars for Hearts and Hands." He reaches up to wipe away a stray tear on my cheek and my heart flutters at his touch. "Every dollar raised tonight is matched by me." He takes a deep breath. "I also brought you here because I need someone to help me run and organize MSB's charity division. I'd like, in time, for that person to be you."

I'm speechless and, to say the least, freaked out by his proposal. "Mikah, I haven't a clue about any of this."

He smiles warmly. "I know. Which is why I made the offer for you to go back to school - to learn." It's all starting to make sense now. "Vivienne, you're a brilliant young woman and you deserve every opportunity I can give you. I'd love to see what you're truly capable of when you put your mind to something. I want to see your passion for something shine and carry you into doing something you will love. You don't have to answer tonight, but please tell me you'll think about it."
 

The idea of going back to school was so overwhelmingly exciting for me when he first mentioned it, and now that I see there is a real purpose behind it, the idea is even harder to resist. "I'll think about it," I say quietly.
 

"Good. Now, let's take a look."
 

He stands, takes my hand, and leads me over to the first table, where we look at each of the items being auctioned before moving on to the next table. It takes about ten minutes to make our way through the room. The stand-up display on the last table says
MSB
on it. I read it.
 

Portfolio review and adjustment provided by MSB on a portfolio size of up to $10 million.
 

Estimated value: $100,000.00

I look down at the bid sheet. Up until now, the bids have been very impressive, ranging anywhere from five thousand to sixty thousand, but this one surprises me most. The current bid stands at ninety-five thousand dollars. I gape at it.
 

"Holy cow."

"I told you," Mikah breathes, and I look at his beautiful bright blue eyes. Once again they've shifted colors, though the green lingers around the edges. He gestures around the room. "Did you see anything you like?"

I nod. A couple of tables back, there is a cool iPad and a laptop that looks similar to Mikah's, but both the iPad and computer have a special matching design on them done in the most beautiful deep purple with a rose in gold inlay. The center of the rose is created by a jewel - a diamond, I think. The tag said that they were specially designed and donated by some businesswoman out of Phoenix, and I wonder if she was the reason for Mikah's trip.

"Which one?" he asks.
 

"The iPad."
 

He smiles. "I thought you might like that one. Let's go take a look."

He turns us back in that direction just as an announcement comes from the other room. "Dinner is served, ladies and gentlemen. If you would please take your seats." Ironically enough, my stomach growls.
 

We approach the table and look at the bid sheet. It is up to thirty-five thousand dollars, and my eyes go wide as Mikah writes something on the sheet.
 

"What are you doing?" I squeak.

I see him shake with laughter at my tone. "What does it look like?"
 

He stands up, and I look down at the bid sheet.

THIRTY-FIVE

4. Vivienne Callahan $50,000.00

"Jesus, Mikah, I don't have that kind of money."

"Sure you do. You have a credit card, remember." He has a shit-eating grin on his face as he says this.
 

"No, Mikah, that is your credit card-"

"And you're free to purchase what you want with it. I told you that."

"But-"

"Don't argue, please. It's for a good cause, and there is a chance that you won't win," he says, but the confidence in his voice tells me that the bid he placed for me will win.
 

I know I'm going to lose this argument, but I have to at least try to help him see where I’m coming from. "Mikah, it's too much. I don't even know how to use it, or spend that kind of money on it. Surely there are cheaper alternatives."

"Of course there are, but I would rather see it go to a charity than to some business that will only use the money to further their profits. Besides, that is a one-of-a-kind design. Just like you."
 

He smiles warmly at me and my heart melts, at which point I lose any and all will to argue.
 

"Alright," I say, relenting even while secretly hoping I’ll lose the bid.

He smiles wider and brushes his hand through his hair. “Shall we eat?"
 

I nod, and off we go toward the throng of people finding their tables. Mikah leads us straight to ours. Sitting in front of the beautiful place settings - china plates, silverware and crystal goblets - are tent cards with our names on them:
Ms. Vivienne Callahan
and
Mr. Mikah Blake
.
 

He pulls my chair out for me and I take a seat.
 

"Thank you," I say as he helps me slide in.
 

Instead of taking his seat, he remains standing behind his chair. Slowly the other eight chairs at our table are claimed, though half of the remaining chairs are occupied by women while their men stand behind them or behind their own chairs. Finally Sydney arrives, but she doesn't sit down, and I notice with curiosity that no one is with her, though there seems to be an empty chair next to her.
 

Looking around the room, I notice it is the same at every table: The women are seated - talking with the other women at the tables and drinking champagne - while the men stand behind them. Beyond the tables is a wall of floor-to-ceiling windows hung with elegant white and red curtains that are tied back with gold ropes, allowing the Minneapolis skyline to complete the room. An amazing view.
 

I look back at the glasses in front of me; there are three. One has water in it, another other contains what looks like champagne, and the third remains empty. I've never had champagne before, but I'm not about to try it now.
 

I reach for my water glass and take a sip. As I'm returning the glass to its place on the table, Mikah leans down and whispers, "The other glass is cider." I look more closely, comparing mine to Mikah's. The color of the liquid in my glass is just a shade darker. I smile.

After just a couple more minutes, a very attractive older gentleman with speckles of gray in his otherwise black hair comes to the table and pulls out Sydney's chair. She takes her seat, and he heads to the podium on the stage just across the dance floor from our table. I notice now that we are in the very center of the room.
 

"Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to the Fifth Annual Hearts and Hands Gala. My name is Gary Harper, and I will be your emcee for this evening." He pauses to take a drink of water. "I'd like to start off this evening with a few announcements. The silent auction is over in the atrium, to my left. The bidding will remain open through dinner, and we will announce all of the winners during dessert. In the center of your tables you will all see an empty vase. Please feel free to place tips for your waiters and waitresses inside these. All of your servers tonight are here as volunteers and they are donating all of their tips to Hearts and Hands, so please, tip them well." He takes another sip of his water. "Now, without further ado, please, gentlemen, take your seats. Dinner is served."
 

And just like that, seeming to come out of the woodwork, are lines of servers, many of them carrying four plates at a time. They all head straight toward their designated tables. I am first to be served: grilled chicken breast, some vegetables and a spaghetti-style pasta salad. Chicken is far from my favorite, but I highly doubt peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are on the menu tonight.

Mikah's plate comes next, followed by the rest of the table’s. I'm surprised to see that everyone else at the table has a thick, round cut of beef with the same sides as mine. And then my heart warms as I realize that Mikah has made special arrangements just for me.
 

I lean in close to him. "Thank you," I breathe.
 

He leans toward me and places his hand on my lap. I take it, and he squeezes my fingers gently. "You're most welcome." He holds my hand long enough for me to begin to wonder how I'm going to eat one-handed, but then he squeezes again and lets go.

THIRTY-SIX

Gary comes down from the podium to join us, sitting next to Sydney and kissing her on the cheek. They make a beautiful couple. He smiles at me and begins to eat, just like the rest of us.
 

Mikah, Sydney and Gary make small conversation throughout the meal. I get about halfway through my chicken before my stomach starts to turn a little, so I stop eating the meat and focus instead on the vegetables and pasta salad. I eat everything else on my plate and put down my fork and knife.
 

"The chicken too much?" Mikah asks me quietly.
 

"It was really good, someone just has better ideas." I smile at his grin.
 

"I can ask for something else for you."

"No, I'm actually pretty full. But thank you."
 

"Okay. Are you feeling okay?" he asks.
 

"I'm good." I smile.
 

"Let me know if that changes, okay?" he says, his tone sincere.
 

"I will."

He goes back to finishing up his meal. I notice that tonight, like most nights, he cleans his plate.
 

I watch as people get up and begin milling about. Many walk toward the silent auction or over toward the bar at the back of the room. Some stand around talking to people at other tables. A couple of times people come and speak with Mikah or Sydney, or both. I don't pay much attention to most of their conversation, as it is business-related.
 

As more and more people finish eating, the dull murmur in the room increases to a roar. Gary takes this as his cue and excuses himself from the table, heading toward the stage. Rather than stand on it, he grabs the microphone and says, "Ladies and gentlemen, the silent auction will be closing in five minutes."

Panic sets in; I hope and pray that someone else has outbid me. I couldn’t even bring myself to look at the price tag of the purse I bought yesterday; how on earth am I going to manage paying fifty thousand dollars for something?
 

My stomach churns, more from nerves than anything, I hope, and I notice Mikah looking at me. "What?" I say quietly.
 

He grins. "Nothing. You're just so beautiful."
 

On cue I blush.
 

Then I move to stand up, and Mikah, along with all the remaining men at the table, do the same.
 

"Where are you going?" he asks, concerned.
 

"The ladies’ room."
 

I can see the silent “Oh” on his face. "Are you alright?" he whispers.

I smile. "Yes, I just need to use the restroom."
 

He offers me his hand. "I'll show you."
 

I know where they are - I saw them when we walked in - but it's not worth the argument. I take his hand and he leads me between the tables back toward the entrance.
 

For the first time all evening, I notice Red and Andrew standing near the door. I take strange comfort in knowing they're here, and I smile at them as we pass.
 

Mikah escorts me right up to the bathroom door, and I step inside. The bathroom is just as elegant as the rest of the ballroom, with gold accents everywhere.
 

A couple minutes later I emerge, having freshened up just a bit. Mikah immediately takes my hand again and we head back toward the ballroom. Gary is back onstage, organizing pieces of paper - no doubt the auction bids - and my stomach rolls again.
 

On our way back to our table, Mikah stops to make small talk with some of the guests. He introduces me to most of them, and I hope there won’t be a test; I can’t keep them all straight.
 

Then Gary takes up the microphone and asks everyone to return to their seats. Mikah and I head over that way to find that our desserts are already on the table. It's some tan-colored pudding; it almost looks like caramel or butterscotch. I'm suddenly eager to find out.
 

Again, Mikah is a gentleman, pulling my chair out for me and helping me scoot in. This time, though, he doesn't wait before he, too, takes his seat.
 

Just as he sits down there is a flurry of bubbles in my belly, in the same area as yesterday, and my hand flies to the spot.