Page 68 of Vegas Duology

ChapterSeventeen

Leo

I didn't havea chance to think about Lexi all day.Thank God it had been such a crazy day.I was so busy trying to sort out the conference room mix-up between the life insurance group and the Pleasure Party ladies, I hadn't had time to think.Upgrading the life insurance stiffs had been much easier than trying to relocate the Party ladies and all of theirtools.

I don't know how the overbooking happened, but I might be inclined to fire the person responsible if I ever found out.Or give them a raise.After all, the mess had allowed me a few hours of chaos that kept my mind off Lexi.But the crisis was over now and all I could think of was that it was a damn good thing I hadn't taken on that wedding.Small as it might be, I didn't have time.

It wasn't until I sat down at my desk at seven that my mind had a chance to fill with images of her.

Lexi Titan.Here.In my hotel.

A sharp knock on the door announced Roberta's arrival.She strode into the room and dropped a file in front of me."Here's all the information for the Lennox/Stewart wedding tomorrow.You got off easy."

"What do you mean?"I slid the file over."Josh was supposed to be taking care of this."

"He had some sort of emergency with a group in town for a bachelor party.I told him I'd take care of the details, but he promised he'd be there to take care of the event tomorrow.So here it is."

I raised an eyebrow."A bachelor emergency?"

"I don't make this stuff up, Leo.I'm far too busy.I got the license too.It's on top there," Roberta said."So, unless you need me for anything else, I'm off."

"Thanks, Roberta.I'd be totally lost without you."

"Remember that at bonus time," she said with a wink and was gone.

I rubbed my head.What a mess.I would need to phone up to HR first thing on Monday and start the recruiting process.We couldn't keep piecing together weddings.Thank God this was a small one.

I opened the file.I could use another distraction.Anything to keep my mind off the past and the fact that she was walking around my hotel.

Lexi Titan.

There she was—well, her name anyway—staring up at me from the marriage certificate.She was the witness?I scanned the document.Nicole Lennox.

Of course—Nicole, the birthday girl.I scanned a bit further.Andrew Titan.The other witness.Lexi's husband.

Shit.

I closed the file.

"I can't deal with this."My voice filled the small office."I need to..."I rubbed the ring on my finger."I need to eat."

The casino floor was vibrating with life.Even with the recession, people were still flocking to Vegas, an escape from their reality.But how did you escape when your reality was Vegas?

"Hi, Cindy," I said to the hostess who manned the door at our in-hotel steakhouse.

"Leo," she purred."Hungry?"

I ignored her implied question and said, "Famished.And looking for a steak."

Her pretty smile transformed into a pout.I was used to it.I made a point not to date anyone at work, and since I spent most of my time in the hotel, my options were dramatically limited.Which was probably why I had only dated a handful of times since the divorce.

"Go on up to the bar, Leo."She waved me away, having lost interest."Sarah will get you some dinner."

"Thanks.Have a great night."

The restaurant was packed and it was only seconds before Cindy got back to orchestrating the dining room.I wove through the tables and made my way to the bar, where I told the bartender to tell Sarah, the head chef, that Leo was looking for the special.

While I waited for my dinner, I turned to survey the packed restaurant.There were tables of couples enjoying an intimate dinner.Others held groups of women, or businessmen.My eyes scanned the tourists and business people, some of whom I'd met earlier in the day.A group of Pleasure Party ladies were laughing and enjoying themselves in the corner.