If this was what she wanted, he’d make it happen. “Okay.”
She started stuffing the dress back into the bag. “Come on. Help me.”
They crammed it back into the bag and then ran to the elevators. The doors to a car opened and a group of men stared at them, then at the bag in Noah’s hand.
He lifted it a few inches in greeting. “We’re getting married.”
It must have been the shocked looks on their faces that made Libby giggle as she leaned against him, resting her head on his upper arm. The love and joy in her eyes sucked his breath away.
He couldn’t believe this was actually happening.
A parking attendant greeted them at the entrance of the hotel. “Where to?” Then he looked down at the clear trash bag and his eyebrows lifted in understanding. “Oh. Which chapel?”
“We don’t know, but we need a marriage license,” Noah said. “And we need to be married before midnight.”
“Okay. Here’s what you do,” the man said. “You get your license, then you go to Little Heaven. My aunt Angelica owns the place. I’ll tell her you’re coming so they’ll be ready for you. Sound good?”
Noah looked down at Libby for confirmation. Beaming up at him, she nodded.
He grinned. “Sounds perfect.”
The parking attendant nodded and led them to a cab and opened the back door. He leaned his head into the open front passenger window. “This young couple needs to get a marriage license. Take care of them for me, will you?”
“Sure thing, Ned.”
Noah helped Libby into the backseat and climbed in beside her.
“But stick around and wait for them. They’re on a tight deadline. They need to go to Little Heaven afterward. They have to make it before midnight, capiche?”
“Got it.”
The bag was still outside the car, but when Noah tried pulling it in, he couldn’t fit it through the door. He gave it a tug, then fell backward, his head on Libby’s lap. He looked up into her surprised eyes. “Your wedding dress is kind of a bitch.”
She burst out laughing.
“Here, let me take that,” Ned, the Caesar’s employee, said, unprying the bag from the door.
“We need that!” Libby shouted, shoving Noah off her lap.
He righted himself before he fell to the floorboards.
The man leaned over and grinned. “I’m only putting it onto the front seat, miss. My friend Paul here will make sure nothing happens to it, right, Paul?”
“You got it, miss.”
Ned shut both doors and banged on the roof.
The taxi driver pulled out of the circle drive and headed toward the strip. “Where are you kids from?”
“Seattle.”
“Kansas City,” Libby said, “but I’m moving . . . to Seattle.”
“Aww . . .” he chuckled. “A long-distance relationship. How long you two been together?”
“Five months,” she said. “But I was with another guy until last weekend.”
The driver shrugged. “Hey, this is Vegas. You wouldn’t be the first cheaters to get married.”
“Oh, no,” Libby protested. “I didn’t cheat. We were just friends.” She turned to Noah. “You wouldn’t cheat on me, would you?”
His eyebrows rose in shock. “Cheat on you? God, no, Lib. Never. I respect you too much to hurt you like that.”
“Are you going to ask me the same question?” she asked.
He slowly shook his head, a soft smile on his lips. “I already know the answer.”
“Hey, no worries,” the driver said. “No judgment from me. I’ve seen crazier things happen in this city.” He handed them a bottle of water and winked. “You kids look a little thirsty.”
Noah screwed off the cap and handed the bottle to Libby, watching her mouth as she drank down several gulps. He was still in shock that she’d kissed him. He’d kissed her and it was even better than he could have hoped. How much better would the rest be?
The ride to the courthouse was faster than Noah expected, but they’d finished the water as Paul pulled up to the curb. He glanced at his phone to check the time. 11:05 and he’d a missed text from Gram.
Oh, shit. He’d forgotten all about the dinner reservation.
He helped Libby out of the car and quickly called Gram.
“I’ll be waiting right here,” the cab driver said, starting to pull away.
“My dress!” Libby shouted.
Noah lowered the phone from his ear. “We’re not getting married here, Lib. Just picking up the license.”
“But what if he drives off with it?” Worry filled her eyes. “I can’t get married in black.”
He gave her a quick kiss. “He won’t. I haven’t paid him yet. Come on.”
He heard Gram’s muffled voice. “Noah! Did you butt dial me? If so, I hope that butt’s naked.”
Shit. He put the phone to his ear as he held the door to the office open for Libby. “Sorry, Gram. No, I didn’t butt dial you, and no, I am not naked.”
“That’s a pity,” she grumbled. “Still haven’t made progress with our girl?”
“Actually, we’re walking in to get a marriage license, then off to Little Heaven Wedding Chapel to get married.”
“You’re what?”
A woman at the counter pointed to her ear and shook her head at Noah. “Gram, I’ve gotta go. Thanks for all your help.” He hung up and stuffed the phone into his pocket, ignoring the new round of vibrating. He’d deal with Gram later.
There were two couples ahead of them. The first couple at the counter looked barely eighteen. The girl kept glancing around as if she was waiting for her parents to show up and ground her. Maybe she was.
He looked down at Libby, his chest burning with love. He couldn’t believe he’d proposed. He couldn’t believe she’d accepted. Could it really have been this easy all along?
No, neither one of them had been ready until now.
Next was a gay couple. They looked like total opposites. The man who did the talking was stylishly dressed and had a take-charge personality, while his soon-to-be-husband wore jeans and a soft sweater. But when they looked at each other, the love in their eyes was unmistakable.
Is that what people saw when they looked at Noah and Libby together? He glanced at the clock on the wall. 11:15. He tapped his foot impatiently. He had to make sure her dreams came true. Getting married before she turned thirty was important to her and he was determined to make that happen.
Finally it was their turn and Libby practically bounced to the counter.
“We’re here for a marriage license,” Libby said, the excitement in her voice unmistakable. “We’re getting married.” She looked up at Noah with wonderment on her face, like she couldn’t quite believe this was happening.
He knew exactly how she felt.
The clerk rolled her eyes. “Then you’re in luck. Marriage licenses are what I do here.”
They filled out the form, showed their IDs, Noah paid the fee, and then they were climbing into Paul’s cab. The clock on his dashboard read 11:22.
“We’re going to have to hurry.”
Paul looked over his shoulder, sporting a huge grin. “Don’t you worry. I never back down from a challenge. I’ll get you there with plenty of time to spare.”