Page 144 of Vegas Duology

ChapterFour

~Lexi~

Vegas.

Vegas.

Of all the places for him to book a surprise trip, he had to pick Vegas.I mean, I understood.Sort of.Okay, not really at all.I hated Vegas.Well, hate was a strong word.I didn’t feel as strongly about Sin City as I used to, but old feelings died hard.And sure, Leo and I reconnected in Las Vegas, but we’d also been torn apart there so many years ago.There were a lot of memories in that city.Not all of them good.

But most of them,the little voice in the back of my head told me for the dozenth time.I’d long since given up on sleep.There was no way it was going to happen anyway, not with so many feelings floating around my head.Not the least of which was that I was supposed to try to eliminate stress.Not increase it.But Dr.Colbert had said a vacation would be a good thing.I don’t think she meant a stressful vacation, but still, it was a vacation and according to Leo, I didn’t have to worry about a thing except packing some clothes, which I’d managed to do in a few hours.

But now, while the house was quiet, the men in my life no doubt dreaming of warmer temperatures and jumping into a pool, all I could feel was a numbness that was occasionally permeated by a blast of panic.There was something about Vegas that I couldn’t shake.

I pulled the sweater around my body and opened the door that led to the porch.The blast of autumn air hit me and knocked me back a step.Winter really was coming.It was too cold to be outside, but it didn’t matter.I welcomed the cold air that numbed my toes and froze my nose.I needed something to knock me out of the mood I was in.

I felt guilty that I hadn’t told Leo about the baby.We told each other everything, and the secret weighed on me, but I had to stick to my original plan.I wouldn’t say anything until after the ultrasound confirmed everything was okay.And that would be after the trip.

The trip.

Yes, I’d let him have the trip that he was obviously so excited about before I told him anything.The opportunity for it to end the way all the others had was just too high.I’d wait.

Until after the trip.

The trip.I tried not to audibly sigh.I needed to control my feelings.

“It’ll be a good thing.”I spoke to the moon and watched my breath come out in puffs as I spoke.I said it again.And then again.

By the third time I vocalized the words, I almost believed them.I shook my head and wrapped my arms tighter around myself.It really would be a good thing.Ben was so excited when Leo told him about going to Vegas and how we’d show him where we’d met and the hotel he used to work at.

I was pretty sure he was more excited about the heat and swimming in a pool as well as just generally seeing the spectacle that was Las Vegas.It wasn’t hard to win Ben over to the idea of a vacation.

“And it shouldn’t be hard for you either, Lexi.”

I’d definitely sunk to a new level of crazy if I was talking to myself, but I didn’t care.It was helping.I was right.It shouldn’t be hard to win me over to the idea of a trip.Besides, it wasn’t really Las Vegas we were going to, but Lake Las Vegas, which I’d never heard of but Leo told me was about thirty minutes off the Strip.He had a buddy who was running a hotel there and had gotten us a good deal.I knew there was more to the story, and my Spidey senses were on alert at the mention of Keith and a hotel he’d just started running, but it was one of the many things I needed to put out of my head.Especially if I was going to enjoy this trip.

And I would.

I owed it to my family and to myself.Besides, if a vacation was good for the baby, that’s what I’d do.And maybe by the time we got back and were all rested and rejuvenated, everything would be back to normal: Leo would be content, Ben’s friend issues at school would have benefited from a little distance, and the baby would be okay.Maybe, just maybe, a trip to Las Vegas was exactly what my family needed.

At least, that’s what I was going to keep telling myself.

~Leo~

It had been five years since I’d been in the McCarran Airport, but aside from the different signs advertising whatever hot new show was playing on the Strip, it was exactly the same.The slot machines chimed and rang, as passengers got an early start on their visit to Sin City, or in some cases, a last-ditch effort to win back everything they’d lost.I loved it.I’d always loved it.I glanced over at Lexi and Ben walking next to me through the concourse and wasn’t surprised to see the tight line of Lexi’s lips.She’d never really understood Vegas and the gambling.The excess.

I remembered that first night we spent together.The night that changed everything and how I opened her eyes to everything Vegas could be.That had been different.We’d been different.I slipped my hand into hers and squeezed, tugging her a little closer to my side.This trip would be different, too.For me, Vegas was about the two of us and how we’d come together.Twice.We’d do it again, too.Only this time we’d comebacktogether.

“This place is so cool.”Ben’s eyes danced all over the airport, taking in the flashing lights, slots, and hordes of people.

I laughed and put my hand on his shoulder as we stood in front of the baggage claim.“If you think this is cool, wait until you see the Strip.You’ll be—”

“I didn’t think we were going to the Strip.”

Dammit.I forgot I’d promised that.I gave her a smile and kissed her cheek.“Of course.”

Knowing her hesitancy about bringing Ben to Vegas in the first place, I’d promised her we’d keep him away from the debauchery that had a tendency to overwhelm the city.For Lexi, that included the Strip; for me, I was pretty sure we could find some kid-appropriate activities that Ben would like.

I lifted her hand to my mouth and dropped a kiss in her palm before I curled her fingers over it.“It’s going to be great, Lex.I promise.”