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“Sorry,” I mutter as I continue to wipe at my dress, but I’m just making it worse, turning my hands blue. I’m starting to look like a smurf. The cold syrupy drink socked into my dress and is running down my neck and chest. I look down at my heels and one of them has broken. Guess that’s what I get for throwing them against the door earlier. I lean down and take them off.
“That drink cost me twenty bucks.”
I point to my ruined dress and shoes. “My apologies, you just ruined my twenty-five hundred dollar dress. I’ll replace your drink and you can replace my dress.” The guy glances past me, backing up. I turn around to see Keaton fighting his way through the crowd towards me. I push the stupid jerk, shoving my shoes at him. “Get out of my way. These should cover the cost of your nasty drink.” It’s much easier to run without the heels, there’s a group of Asian tourists, half of them dressed up like Elvis, but even without my heels, I tower over them so I crouch down, walking with them and successfully losing henchman number two. I pass a souvenir shop and dart inside. I need a change of clothes. I walk through the store. The only thing they have in the way of pants are yoga capris that has Las Vegas in sparkly sequins across the butt. No—way. The less attention I draw to my ass, the better. I find a zip up gray sweatshirt that has large pink glitter letters that says: ‘Las Vegas’, a pair of pink flip-flops that say the same thing, and as I’m walking to the cashier then I find a black and pink ‘Hello Kitty’ hat with ‘Welcome to Las Vegas’ on it. It’s not great, in fact it’s downright awful. What am I doing? I feel like I’m on the run from the law, not trying to get away from Cole. How could he do that to me? Why couldn’t he just tell Olivia that we’re married? I thought he loved me. No, he does love me. I refuse to think anything else. But maybe love isn’t enough to save us.
I get up to the cashier and remember my money is in the hidden pocket. I get more than one stare as I fish it out.
The sales guy looks me over. “Have an accident,” he laughs.
“Nope, this was the look I was going for.”
He laughs again. But I’m in no mood to be laughed at, so I just stare at him like he’s the idiot. Really guy, yeah, I wanted my hands and the front of my dress stained blue. “Do you have a restroom?” I ask him when he’s done ringing up my purchases. He points to a door at the back of the store. I spy a couple of rubber bands on his cash register. “Can I have one of those?” He shrugs, handing me one. I guess that was a yes. In the bathroom, the best I can do is wash my neck, hands and legs. The drink is even in my hair. There are blue splatters and a couple of blue streaks in it. I pull my hair back and secure it with the rubber band, and then put my purchases on. I look ridiculous. The sweatshirt doesn’t cover all the stain, but it covers the worst of it. I look like a fat, cheesy tourist. Whatever, I don’t care if it helps me blend in. I just need some time to think, cool off, and clear my head. I wish I had my phone. I could call Laura.
I walk along Freemont Street for a while and I watch the light show. I pass the Golden Nugget hotel and decide to go inside. I wander around the casino and finally sit down at one of their twenty-five cent slot machines. My kind of bets, small. I count my change from the souvenir store. I have two ones and a fifty. I put the ones in, but they’re gone in ten minutes. I don’t have anything better to do, so I stick the fifty in. I prop my feet up on the machine and mindlessly play, pushing the button, not caring, or looking when the machine flashes, telling me I’ve won.
Why does Cole think I should go back to Crystal Falls? This week has been hectic, and I know I’ve caused some problems, but we worked through it. Didn’t we? Olivia’s words come back to haunt me. ‘you’re just a plaything to warm his bed.’ No. Cole and I are married. He loves me. He’s proved that over and over. So why does he want me to leave? The only thing that makes any sense is I’m too much of a burden, that all those things he loves me for are becoming a problem for him like they are for the rest of my family. Tears bead up in the corner of my eyes and I wipe them away before they can fall. I don’t believe that. But I don’t understand what’s going on with Cole, either.
“You look bored.”
“Huh?” I glance over to the end of the row and there’s Elvis sitting at a slot machine.
“I said you look bored.” This Elvis looks to be in his seventies. He’s wearing a royal blue jumpsuit with sequins all over it. He has on the big aviator glasses, but they’re not sunglasses, they appear to be his real eye seeing glasses. He’s got the black sideburns but no wig. His gray comb over strands are messy mop on top of his head.
“It itched.” I give him a confused look. “My wig.” He holds up the black Elvis hair. “It’s too hot out there and it was driving me crazy.”
“Oh, sure.” I turn back to my slot machine and hit the button.
“Are you going to answer my question?”
“Sorry, I’m not bored.” I try to smile again.
“Then unhappy.”
Please Mister, just leave me alone, the Elvis’ in this damn town are starting to become bad signs, not the good ones I’m used to. “I’m just passing the time.”
“You’re passing the time? Most people are in bed at two in the morning.”
“Is that what time it is?” He shows me his watch. Sure enough, it’s just past two.
I sit back, wondering how long I’ve been here. I glance at my machine, I’m up by four hundred dollars. I push the button for the max bet and hit spin. My machine makes this extra loud dinging noise. I hit the jackpot, winning fifteen hundred dollars.
“Nicely done.” Old Elvis says to me.
“Thanks.”
“You know if you are looking for another way to the pass the time, I have some ideas.” He wags his eyebrows at me. My mouth drops open. I was just propositioned for sex by Elvis. Things cannot possibly get any worse.
“Uh—married,” I say, flashing my rings at him. For how much longer, I do not know. I don’t even want to think about it. Time to get out of here. Instead of hitting the spin button, I cash out. I find a teller and he cashes in my ticket.
Now what? Time to face the music, I guess. I’m sure I can hail a cab at this hour; it is Las Vegas, after all. I’m not sure what’s going to happen, except I’m sure Cole’s angry—more than angry. The thought makes me cringe. I walk out of the Golden Nugget towards the nearest intersection. A large, bulky man wearing a black suit walks next to me. I take a side glance and quicken my pace. But he keeps up with me, reaching out yanking my arm, he stops me. “I’ve been looking for you.”
At first glance, I think he’s one of Luke’s security guys, but as I look him over, I know he’s not. He’s slimy, unkempt and sleazy looking.
“Oh yeah, what for?” I ask. Trying hard to keep the tremor out of my voice. I have no idea what this guy could want from me. This is what I get for walking around by myself on Freemont Street.
The greasy guy gives me a nasty smile that’s more of a snarl and starts dragging me behind him. We come to a cross section on the street. Where a pop up dance club has formed. A DJ with a spiky, green, and pink Mohawk is on a stage, spinning music, the streetlights have been turned off and lights pulse and flash with the beat of the music. I need to get away from this guy and get home, if the villa’s still my home. When we get close to the dancing, I wrench my arm out of his grip, whimpering to myself about how much that hurt. He gets a wild look as if he’s going to lunge for me. I back up towards the crowd of dancers, and he backs away from me. I delve into the sea of dancers, blending into the mass, bending and moving my body to the rhythm. For a moment, I let the music carry me away.
I feel a body behind me, then hands. “Cole.” I turn, but it’s not him, just some random guy who smiles and tries to pull me closer. I smile, shaking my finger. I back away from him, pushing my way out of the churning ocean of dancers. I’m finally at a cross street. Now I just need to find a cab. I try hailing a few, but they don’t stop. I walk up the street and see a few more at the light. I stop, waving my hand out. I’ve never hailed a cab before. I have no idea if I’m even doing it right.
