Page 147 of Vegas Duology

Leo laughed.“No, buddy, this lake doesn’t freeze.”

The look on Ben’s face was priceless.Of course he was old enough to know in theory that there were lakes in the world that didn’t freeze.He just hadn’t seen any.

“It doesn’t freeze?Like, ever?”

“Like ever.It gets a bit cooler in the winter.So you might not want to swim in January or February.But you—”

“I could if I wanted to?”Ben’s eyes were wide.Growing up at the lake, especially in the last few years, had turned my boy into a water baby.If it involved water, Ben couldn’t get enough of it.

“Yes you could,” Leo said with another laugh.

“Except, of course, it’s November now,” I added quickly.Something in Leo’s eyes made me nervous.“And we won’t be here in January.”

He looked away quickly.But not before I saw a flash of something else in his eyes.Want?Desire to be back in the desert?I couldn’t know.And it wasn’t something I wanted to explore.Not right then.Besides, there was no time.

The car slowed and turned down a long drive.We all stopped talking and stared out the windows as the car made its way toward what could have been a very posh resort hotel.Whoever had built it had an eye for the posh life.Marble columns flanked the main doors, which looked to be a solid wall of glass, surrounded by oversize fountains and pools that were currently and strangely, empty.I could see how the grounds could be magnificent if they were cared for.As they were, the grass was brown, the flower gardens full of mostly weeds and dirt.Something wasn’t right.

I looked to Leo, confused.He’d said his buddy had given them a good deal on the resort, but this place looked absolutely abandoned.There were only a few cars in the parking lot and no staff in sight.

“What is this—”

“Look.There’s Keith.”Leo diverted my attention.The car pulled up in front of the main doors and a man who looked vaguely familiar opened the door.

“Welcome to Oasis!”

Ben turned to look at us.I shrugged, and Leo gestured to the door so he scrambled quickly outside.Leo followed and held his hand back for me.The second I stepped out into the sunshine and saw the look on Leo’s face as he scanned the desolate hotel, a small smile playing at his lips, a twinkle of excitement in his eyes, I knew.It was the same look he had on his face when he’d told me he bought the Lake Lillian Inn.

I still didn’t know exactly what was going on.But one thing I knew for sure: our little family vacation had just gotten a lot more interesting.

~Leo~

I needed to take a minute just to look around and take it all in.Keith was right.The place was a perfect opportunity.And I could see that after only five minutes through the door.Without hearing any of the specifics, I knew this empty shell of a hotel could be fantastic.No, itwouldbe fantastic.

“This place is so cool!”Ben ran past me for the second time as he explored the lobby, a cavernous room lined with polished marble floors, a vaulted ceiling, and what must have been the shell for a fountain in the middle of the space.

“It is pretty cool.”

“You should see the outside,” Keith told him.“My girlfriend’s kids, Evan and Ruby, are out there.I think they’re about your age.Go say hi.”

Ben turned and gave Lexi a look.

She only shrugged and waved.“Go.But be careful.”

“He’ll be fine.There’s not much trouble he can get into out here,” Keith said.“And really, you guys need to see the outside.That’s where the magic really is.Come on.”

I knew there would be a thousand questions running through Lexi’s head by now and the fact that she hadn’t voiced any of them yet both gave me hope and made me nervous as hell.It wasn’t my intention to deceive her.But I needed to get down here and see the opportunity for myself.More than that, I needed her to see it, too.

She started to follow Keith out the huge glass doors that led out to what I could already see were amazing grounds, but I grabbed her hand and pulled her back.Over Lexi’s shoulder, I could see Keith look back in question.But he was no fool.It only took him a second to see we needed a moment.He nodded and smiled and took off down the path.We’d find him in a minute.

I spun Lexi into me and held her in a tight hug until I could feel her body loosen against me.After a moment, she asked the question I knew was on her mind.

“This place.This is why we’re really here?”

“No.”I didn’t want to lose the feel of her against my body, but I needed to look into her eyes and make damn sure she understood what I was about to say.“It was a reason to come,” I explained slowly.“But it absolutely wasnotwhy I wanted to get away with you and Ben.We needed this.”I ran my hand over her head and brushed a stray strand of hair from her cheek.“Lexi...”

She took my hand in hers and held it to her lips.“I know, Leo.It’s okay.”

“It is?”I asked the question, but I knew the answer.