"Yeah, I can take the couch.It’s pretty late.I was eyeing it anyway."
She laughs, a high-pitched, squeaky kind of laugh.Definitely a nervous laugh."Don’t be ridiculous.You can sleep in the bed.My bed.The other is Ophelia’s bed, and she already slept in it."She pauses to hang up the dress she wore last night."I mean, it’s not like we haven’t shared a bed before."
There’s a knock on the door.Rachel rushes to answer it, but I’m close behind with the tip.
"You got us an entire bottle of champagne?"
I want to tell her that it’s not champagne, but I don’t want to correct her.I never want to do anything that makes her feel small.I’m familiar enough with that feeling.
"I thought we could celebrate crossing two things off your list."I pop open the bottle and pour the fizzing drink into the flutes provided.
"Three things.I’ve done three things on this trip."
I try to remember what’s on the list, other than flying and going to a casino.She said parasailing was on hold."Did you appear on stage in a sexy sequined costume and I missed it?"My mind is flashing back to her legs in those shoes.
She shakes her head.
"I’m guessing there wasn’t a moose on the loose in downtown Vegas."
Another shake of the head.
"Any emergency baby deliveries?"
She laughs."Um, no."
A pit forms in my gut.The prosecco tastes like sawdust.I swallow the whole glass in one gulp and immediately pour myself another, forcing myself to choke it down.There’s only one other thing on that list that she could have done out here.
The thought of some guy—other than me—putting his hands on her makes me want to punch someone.Go full-on Brandon Nix on them.
"Wanna see?"She’s scrolling on her phone.
No.Yes.No.
I need to see the guy she had a one-night stand with.I have to see who she chose.What’s her type?I can’t picture her with anyone that’s not me.I have no idea what to expect when she hands me her phone.
I definitely don’t expect to see a ClikClak from Ophelia’s account, with the two of them in protective eyewear, noise-canceling headphones, and holding rifles.
"Ophelia and I went to the gun range down the street.I did it!I fired a gun."
"You fired a gun?"Relief rushes through my entire body.Even the proof in front of my eyes is not enough to slow the racing beat of my heart.
"It’s one more thing off the list."
I’m finally able to meet her gaze again.Now it’s her turn to take a long drink."Congratulations," I manage, trying not to stare at her slender throat as she swallows.Knowing that she wasn’t with someone else should be calming me down, but it’s not.I’m still spiraling.
Quietly, she says, "So, you know that whole ‘what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas’ thing?Do you believe that’s true?"
Where is she going with this?If she’s going to confide in me, I need her to know she can trust me."With the right people, it is."I start to move toward her, to assure her, but she’s doing that pacing and fussing thing again."You can trust me," I say, my voice soft.
Rachel nods a few times, almost as if she’s trying to give herself a pep talk.
I move closer to her, taking both her hands in mine."Rach, you can trust me.Just tell me what it is."
She inhales a shaky breath before pulling her hands from mine."It’s about number nine."
Here it comes.I promised I would be someone she can trust.I’ll do that for her, no matter how much I’m going to hate hearing the words coming out of her mouth.I nod and hope my face looks open and inviting.Trustworthy.
Rachel turns toward the window, her arms tightly hugging her body.Every second that ticks by is agony."So, what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas."
