My mind wanders as I stand there, and as always it’s to her. Biff and Zach disappeared first thing the next morning on an impromptu trip to LA, so I haven’t even had a chance to convince Biff to tell me where I can find her. I’ve searched all social media sites now I know her full name, but she’s got them locked up tight with her security settings and, surprise, surprise, she’s not accepted my friend request.
I really thought she was playing with me that night. I expected to find her back on the dancefloor with everyone else when I re-joined them not long later, only she was nowhere to be found. Spike had no idea where she’d gone, not that he was paying much attention while he danced with Kas, and I daren’t ask Zach.
It turned out that she’d made an excuse about not feeling well and disappeared the second she returned from the bathroom. Biff could see I was concerned, but still, she refused to give up the information I needed.
Every minute since our interaction in that hallway, I’ve regretted allowing her to walk away. I thought it was just the beginning of an inevitable end to our night. Turns out it was the end.
After checking what the weather is like in Vegas right now, I pack a small carry-on with a few necessities, leave a note on the fridge for Spike, and head out to grab some food on the way to the airport.
Why he couldn’t have given me some damn warning fuck only knows.
It’s not until I’m standing at the security gate that I have time to really focus the email Zach forwarded with all my booking information on.
“Fucking hell,” I mutter when I see that he’s booked me first class, much to the annoyance of the family behind me. This trip might be last-minute, but at least he had the forethought to send me in style.
I get through security without much hassle and I’m soon heading through departures, following the signs for the first-class lounge. Like fuck am I buying myself a drink when I can get it for free.
I’ve never flown first class before. Hell, it’s been years since I’ve flown full stop. Zach’s always told me that he’d organise for me to head to one of the US studios for a bit, but it’s never happened. We’re always too busy, which leads me to wonder what the deal is right now. It’s not like we’re quiet in London and he needs my talented hands elsewhere; we’re pretty much booked solid. Or at least, we will be now we’re two artists down.
The large electric doors open as I walk up to them, revealing a very sharp woman sitting behind the desk. She looks like she’s got a stick shoved so far up her arse I’m surprised it’s not coming out of the top of her head. She takes one look at me with my creased t-shirt, inked arms and piercings and turns her nose up. Apparently, I don’t fit her ideal customer.
“Hi,” I say, plastering my fakest smile into place.
“Good afternoon, sir. Please could I see your boarding pass.”
“Certainly.” I hand it over, smug as fuck as she flicks her eyes over it.
“Well… okay then, sir. The lounge is just through there on the left. You’re welcome to any of the refreshments on offer. I hope you have a wonderful journey to…” She looks back down at my phone and rolls her eyes. “Las Vegas.”
“I can’t wait. I hear there are strippers and hookers everywhere,” I announce loudly, knowing that the doors have opened at least twice behind me in the time I’ve been standing here.
She blanches and quickly returns my phone before looking over my shoulder to her next victim. He’s probably some square in a suit, a type I’m sure she’s much more used to. Someone just like my brother, no doubt.
I take in the over-the-top arrangement of flowers on a side table as I make my way through the doors she pointed me through. It’s a bit like I’ve walked into Narnia. The loud noise and excitable screaming kids are long gone, and in their place is soft music, businessmen sitting at their laptops, comfortable-looking seating, and a vast array of food and drink. Walking over, I get myself a bottle of beer and grab a couple of cakes to pass the time.
Just about managing to juggle both along with my small pull-along case, I turn and look for a seat, but I don’t get very far because everything stops.
What the actual fuck?
I stand there, staring. I’m probably right in the way, but I’m too shocked to care about the square behind me.
I’m dreaming. I’ve fucking got to be.
I blink a few times, thinking that my vision is going to clear and the woman sitting before me staring down at her tablet isn’t anyone I recognise, let alone her.
Twelve days I’ve been desperate to find her without much luck, yet I walk into the first class lounge in Heathrow and there she fucking is.
My mouth opens as my heart starts to race. This is a coincidence, right? I think back to Zach’s vague message and ideas about being set up start firing off in my head.
She either gets bored of what she’s reading or she senses my stare, because after a few more seconds of me trying to figure out what the fuck is going on, she looks up and right at me.
She doesn’t register anything for a few seconds, but I see the moment reality hits her. Her eyes go wide, her lips part, and every muscle in her body tenses.
She drops her tablet to the table a little too harshly as she stands. “Carter, what the hell?”
“I was going to ask you the same thing, doll.”
“Why are you even here?” She glances around, probably noting, exactly like I did when I first entered, that I don’t really fit in.
“Why? Am I bringing the tone of the place down a notch?”
“What? No, that’s not what I—” She shakes her head, trying to gather her thoughts. “Why are you here?”
“I got a message asking me to be. You?”
Her eyes narrow at me before she mutters, “Same.”
I open my mouth to say something, but the reason why we’re both being summoned to Vegas suddenly hits me. “They’re fucking not, are they?”
“Trust me, I have no fucking clue what they’re playing at.”
“Is anyone else here?” I ask, thinking of the rest of her family who I’m sure would be desperate to be there if what I’m thinking is correct.
“Nope, just me. Biff said she needed me and emailed me these flight details. I was in the middle of work, for fuck’s sake. I love that they think I can drop everything and come running.”
“Well, you have.”
“Yeah, silly me. I’m questioning that even more now.”
“Ouch.”
She blows out a frustrated breath. “Go and find somewhere else to sit. I’ve got work to do.” After righting her jacket, she drops back down into her seat and puts her tablet back on her lap, making a show of staring down at it like she’s actually reading something on it.
Sadly for her, she’s not woken it back up, so all she’s staring at is her reflection in a black screen.
“You know how to use that thing, doll?”
“Fuck you. This is a fucking disaster.”
“Oh, I don’t know. I think it could be a lot of fun.”
When she looks back up at me, her teeth are bared in frustration. “How’s that exactly?”
“We’re heading to the City of Sin. What’s not fun about that?”