The Highest Bidder Read online

  “Me?” Alexa sat up straight. “What can I do?”

  “We’ve spent a considerable amount of money on advertising and it hasn’t paid off. We need a celebrity face to help us showcase our hospital and the services we offer.”

  Julia Grant, the female board member jumped in. “Prior to joining the board at Mercy, I worked in public relations and marketing for twenty years. I’ve seen celebrity endorsements jumpstart an organization’s image. We’re looking to do the same thing here. As you know, the Board has a vested interest in the financial performance of Mercy. So, we authorized the hospital to make a small donation to a celebrity auction.” She smiled at Viola. “It would have been smaller but Dr. Turner got carried away.”

  Viola defended herself. “Hey, the competition in that room was fierce. I had to do whatever it took to secure him.”

  “Him?” Alexa asked.

  “Our celebrity,” Julia explained. “In exchange for our donation, one woman will receive a date with NFL quarterback Tristan Rexford, of the California Predators.”

  Alexa didn’t follow sports, but she could only imagine what a pain in the ass this Tristan Rexford would be. He was probably some dumb jock with an ego the size of China. “Who’s the lucky girl?” she smirked.

  “You are,” Julia answered.

  “What?” Alexa almost choked.

  “Tristan is the hottest commodity around,” Julia informed her. “He has all the appropriate Hollywood connections. We want you to be seen on a date with him. We’ll leak it to the press. We have a contact that can make sure we get huge publicity. Hang out with him and tell him about our programs here. Explain what we do, how we do it, and what it takes to keep this hospital operating. An endorsement by the NFL could means millions in revenue for Mercy. If you can get him to agree to do a commercial or even sponsor a benefit for us, others will jump on the bandwagon and we’ll have achieved our goal.”

  Alexa was confused. This was totally outside of her job description, not to mention her social comfort zone. “Why me?” she asked. “We have a fully staffed marketing department that gets paid to do this sort of thing.”

  Peterson spoke up. “You have in-depth knowledge of every one of our programs. No one in Marketing has your passion and commitment. You’re the best person to promote our hospital, and we trust you to represent us.”

  She shook her head. “I don’t have the background or the training for doing this type of public relations work.”

  He dismissed her concerns with a wave of his hand. “That’s irrelevant.”

  “But you need someone experienced in this area,” she persisted.

  “Your gender is your experience. You’re a woman. He’s a man. You both go on a date together,” he instructed. “I don’t understand why you’re hesitating.”

  “It’s not that simple, Ben.”

  “No, it’s not as complicated as you’re making it, Alexa.” His grey eyes bored into her, reminding her of cold steel. “Have you ever heard of sacrificing the needs of one for the needs of many?” he asked. “This hospital is in trouble. We may have to start cutting jobs if we keep losing money. Obviously, those who’ve shown their loyalty will stay.”

  Was he threatening her?

  “What makes you think he’ll listen to what I have to say?” she asked.

  He stared at her as if she were insane. “Alexa, don’t be naïve. The man is a notorious ladies’ man. With a face like yours, he’ll be putty in your hands. Besides, I’m sure you have other talents that could sway him.”

  She gave him a foul glare. “Yeah, that’s exactly why I got a medical degree – to prostitute myself to the NFL.”

  Peterson was unfazed. “If that’s what it takes.”

  Alexa sprang up, ready to do battle. “What the hell– ”

  “All right, everyone calm down!” Viola interceded. She was now standing up, legs apart, her tiny fists on her hips, daring anyone to oppose her. She gave Peterson a warning glance. “Ben, you are way out of line. I’m still the Chief of Medicine here, and I’ll decide if and when it will be necessary to streamline our staff.”

  Ben backed down, but he still had that irritating cock-sure grin on his face.

  Julia eased the tension. “We need your help with this, Dr. Kennedy. If we could have come up with a better plan, we would have done so. Please, just think about it.”

  Alexa sat down again, letting the effect of Julia’s words sink in. This was some serious shit. The Board would have never come to her with this type of proposition unless the hospital was in dire straits. And it was up to her to come to the rescue.

  She let out a long breath. She was too busy to deal with this crap. Besides, the last date she’d had – over two years ago – had turned out to be disastrous. The man had been a thug masquerading as a lawyer. And to make matters worse, halfway through dinner, his baby mama and her two kids showed up! That’s what she got for letting herself be set up on a blind date. Never again.

  After the four visitors left, Viola went back into friend mode. “Alexa you always look like you’ve just stepped off the cover of a magazine. Your eyes are sparkling, your skin is glowing, and your hair is shining like you just brushed it one hundred times.”

  Alexa pursed her lips. “Skip the bullshit, Viola.”

  Viola sat next to her on the sofa. “You have every reason to be upset with me.”

  “Couldn’t you have given me some advance notice about what was going on?”

  “Yes,” Viola admitted. “I could have.”

  Alexa stared at her as if she’d grown horns. “So why didn’t you?”

  “Because I knew how you’d react. You would have fought me tooth and nail on it. The Board is adamant about doing this, and frankly, I agree with their position. We have to do something drastic to get some money flowing into this hospital. We’ve just spent fifteen thousand dollars of our advertising budget on Tristan Rexford, and now we need results.”

  “Okay, fine. But why can’t we pick one of the nurses? I’m simply too– ”

  “Busy?” Viola finished her sentence. “You’ve been so busy working yourself to death, you’ve neglected what’s truly important.” She stood up and walked to her desk. “You’re a mess inside, Alexa. You have no life, no relationships, and no fun!”

  “And playing baby-sitter to some pampered athlete is the solution?”

  “Tristan Rexford does not need a baby-sitter. Hell, one night with him and you might be the one needing a caretaker.”

  “I wouldn’t count on it,” Alexa said dryly.

  Viola threw her hands up. “You’re making too much out of this. It’s just a date, girl. You don’t have to screw him.” She cut Alexa a sly glance. “Although you’d be one of the few women who didn’t want to.”

  Alexa looked away, forcing herself to focus on anything other than the stark reality of her situation. This was an indication of just how pitiful her love life really was. There was no doubt that her thirty-something body was sex-starved. But it wasn’t her fault. Between her demanding schedule at Mercy and the low volume of acceptable men, her options were sorely limited. She’d been set up on too many blind dates to count, and none of them had worked out. The fact that Tristan Rexford was an athlete only made things worse. She didn’t have the strength to put herself through that trauma again. “I just can’t do it,” she insisted. “It brings back too many painful memories.”

  Viola gave her a look of confusion. “What memories?”

  She pushed on before she lost her nerve. “Viola, I never told you this, but when I was in high school, I had a huge crush on a guy named Marcus Goodlow. I’ll never forget that name as long as I live. He played on the Senior Varsity football team. He was rich, smart, and good-looking. He was the most popular kid in school, and when he asked me to the prom, I felt like the luckiest freshman in the world.

  “Two days before the prom, he drove me home from school in his father’s pick-up truck. He pulled off the road and asked me to have sex with him, rig
ht there in the back of the truck. He told me I was his chosen one, and I felt honored. I wanted my first time to be special, and I thought I was special to Marcus. So I did it. Then, the day of the prom came.” She paused, trying to suppress the tide of old emotions that were beginning to resurface. “I waited at home for hours but he never showed. I found out the next day that he’d taken someone else. When I confronted him about it, he said he never liked me. He just wanted to get in my pants. I was the laughing stock of the school.”

  Viola returned to the sofa and sat down. “Men can be idiots sometimes. Lord knows I’ve dealt with my fair share. There is no age limit on stupidity, unfortunately.”

  “I was devastated, Viola. I couldn’t eat. I couldn’t sleep. I couldn’t study. Finally, my parents had to pull me out of school, and I spent my last year being home schooled. Six months later, my parents had the accident. It took a long time for me to recover from all of that.” She clasped her hands in her lap. “Don’t get me wrong. I’m not dwelling on what happened with Marcus. I realize that was high school and I’m an adult now. But I refuse to date any athletes.”

  “I’m sorry you had to go through that,” Viola said. “But don’t make everyone else suffer because of what happened with him. Not all athletes are alike. Tristan is not Marcus.”

  Alexa shook her head. “I’m sorry, Viola. I just can’t do it. I’m not prepared to deal with this. Besides, you don’t need me. You can handle it.” She gave her what she hoped was an encouraging smile. “You’re great in crisis mode.”

  Viola let out a long breath. “Okay. Fine. It’s just a shame that none of the other administrators have the knowledge that you have about the burn unit. If we don’t get funding for that, who knows what might happen to our patients? We can’t possibly hope to compete with these rising costs. And we dare not cut corners and give substandard treatment.”

  Alexa remained silent. She knew Viola was working her like a crossword puzzle, moving forward, back, down and across until she got some clues that would help her solve her dilemma. She watched Viola wring her hands as if in deep thought. “Imagine all the patients that we’ll have to turn away,” Viola murmured. “There are so many people that need our help. And you alone have the power to save them.” She gave Alexa a sympathetic pat on the hand. “I understand. Sometimes, it’s easier to think of yourself than others. But as long as you’re happy, that’s all that matters.”

  “All right!” Alexa fumed. “I’ll do it. But I want you to know that this is emotional blackmail.” She stood and glared down at Viola. “Tell that cretin I’ll go on the date with him.”

  “Tell him yourself,” Viola answered. “He’s waiting at the front desk.”

  Chapter Two

  Tristan Rexford lounged comfortably in a chair on the lobby of the tenth floor. He absently flipped through a magazine, but he barely noticed the images on the pages in front of him. His mind was preoccupied. He couldn’t stop thinking about that woman in the elevator. She was definitely a stunner. She had everything he liked in a woman. Big, pretty brown eyes. Long, flowing hair. Skin smooth as milk chocolate. Perfect, round backside. And yes, he had seen it, despite the fact that she’d practically sprinted from the elevator. He was diggin’ her, and he knew she was diggin’ him. But before he could make his move, she took off. After he met with Viola, he was definitely going to find Dr. Kennedy.

  He’d never stepped to a doctor before. All the women he’d been involved with had been Hollywood starlets and shapely groupies – a fact that only served to add fuel to his playboy image. He couldn’t lie. He was attracted to glamorous looks and feminine charms. What healthy male wouldn’t be? But lately, beauty and fame just weren’t enough for him. He was looking for more, but he wasn’t sure what it was or where to find it. All he knew was that after dating most of these women for a few months, his relationships seem to take the fast train to Nowhere.

  His superstar status in the NFL provided him access to some of the most beautiful and desirable females on the planet. They all wanted to be that special someone. But he quickly learned that they didn’t want Tristan Rexford the man. They wanted T-Rex, the larger-than-life celebrity, whose image had been plastered on everything from magazine covers and t-shirts to action figures and plastic lunch boxes. The experience had left a sour taste in his mouth, and he’d sworn off serious relationships. Now, he kept his emotions to himself. It was safer that way.

  On the advice of his agent, he found himself in Dallas, participating in a celebrity auction for charity. Maybe a change in his surroundings was just what he needed. A day or two in Texas would give him a break from all the craziness going on back in Cali.

  “Mr. Rexford,” the soft voice of the receptionist interrupted his thoughts. “You can go in now. Dr. Turner is expecting you.”

  Tristan stood and buttoned his suit coat. “Thank you.”

  “And sir,” the receptionist purred, “If you need anything, don’t hesitate to ask.” She slipped him her business card and gave him a flirtatious wink.

  He couldn’t help but notice how she proudly showed off her well-endowed bosom. Her creamy cleavage left nothing to the imagination. He guessed it was true what they said: Everything was bigger in Texas.

  When he walked into Viola Turner's office, she greeted him warmly. She was dressed in a dark business suit and high heels. “Hello Tristan,” she said, shaking his hand. “It’s good to see you again.”

  “Thank you,” he replied. “Are you ready?”

  Viola smiled apologetically. “As I said yesterday, I won’t be the one going on the date with you. My presence is required elsewhere. I’ll be sending Dr. Alexa Kennedy in my place.”

  The moment the words left Viola’s mouth, Tristan felt his heart rate jump. So, he was going to meet the elusive Dr. Kennedy sooner than he’d expected. Be cool. Be cool.

  Viola moved aside and Tristan saw a familiar figure sitting on the sofa across the room. He watched as her honey colored eyes casually scanned the length of his tall body from head to toenail. She didn’t bother to stand. He approached her and flashed his killer smile. “Hello, Dr. Kennedy,” he said, extending his hand to shake hers.

  She left him hanging. “So you’re Tristan Rexford?” she asked.

  “The one and only,” he replied.

  She stared at him for a few seconds, pinning him with a direct look. Seconds ticked by like molasses until she finally spoke. “Forgive me for staring,” she said. “I was trying to place your face. You remind me of someone else. A doctor I met recently, perhaps. But no, that couldn’t be you. You’ve probably never even set foot near a medical school.”

  Ouch! Her tone was scathing, and he knew she was upset with him for not admitting the truth earlier in the elevator. Apparently, Alexa Kennedy was a woman used to getting what she wanted, and what she wanted was honesty. The same thing all women wanted.

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you,” he said.

  “I wish I could say the same.”

  “Aw, c’mon.” She was clearly upset with him. He broke eye contact with her briefly to look at her shapely, elegantly crossed legs. Her hands were placed on top of each other in her lap. She was poised and professional. There was no sign of the friendly woman he’d met in the elevator.

  “Do you always go around pretending to be someone you’re not?” she asked.

  He took offense at her accusation. “I never claimed to be anyone other than myself.”

  “You said you were a doctor.”

  “No, I asked how you knew I wasn’t a doctor.”

  She stood and crossed her arms defiantly. “You led me to believe you were on staff.”

  She was tall, but he still towered over her. “You led yourself to believe that.”

  “And you sure didn’t bother trying to correct me!”

  He was surprised by her animosity. Who would have thought those perfectly glossed lips were capable of uttering such combative words? He usually had the opposite effect on women. He felt bad for lying to he
r in the elevator, but he hadn’t done it to purposefully hurt her. He was only trying to charm her. And now she was seeing red. Well, he’d be damned if he’d let some female go off on him for a stupid reason like that. “What is your problem?” he demanded.

  “My problem is you,” she retorted. “When I meet someone, I expect them to be truthful about themselves.”

  “Woman, you expect a whole lot from someone you’ve never met before.”

  She gave him a look of disbelief. “You know, you’re just like every other conceited jock. You think you can go around deceiving people and your good looks will make up for it.”

  He argued back. “And you’re just like every other domineering female. You demand so much from a man that he’s bound to fail before he can even open his mouth.”

  “You couldn’t handle a woman like me!” she accused.

  “Wanna bet?” he shot back.

  Viola stepped forward. “What the hell is going on here?” She put her fists on her hips. “Did I miss something? Do you two know each other?” She stared at both of them, her questioning gaze demanding answers.

  The air was crackling with energy. Tristan felt his adrenaline climbing, like he was preparing for game night. Alexa Kennedy had his blood pumping fast. His penetrating stare locked with hers as they silently challenged each other.

  “Let’s not forget why we’re here,” Viola reminded both of them.

  Tristan tore his gaze away from Alexa. “I apologize for getting…sidetracked,” he said to Viola. “I’ll be waiting right outside.”

  He gave Alexa one last parting glance. Her wide eyes flashed angrily at him. Her mouth was set in a grim line. The full, pretty lips he’d seen earlier were nowhere to be found. He walked out and closed the door soundly behind him, stopping just short of slamming it. He didn’t have to take crap from anybody, including Miss Fine Alexa Kennedy. Why was she making such a big deal out of nothing? He’d never dealt with a woman like her before. She needed somebody to warm her up and melt away all that frost!