What happened in Vegas: Didn't Stay In Vegas! (29 page)

“You are
charming.
”
I admitted. He grinned at my comment. We finished
our wine and then I handed him my two envelopes. He shook my hand
but I could tell he wanted to kiss me. His eyes locked onto mine
and then he quickly glanced down to my lips. His restraint was
admirable. I wouldn
’
t have pushed him
away!

~42~

The
next morning my cell vibrated against the hard kitchen counter
making a loud grumble noise. I checked my phone and found a text
from Aria:

Aria:
I
’
m going 2 C Nick, do U want 2 come? I thought it would
B fun 2 go shopping after.

Chanel: Would love 2.

Aria: 30/60/90?

Chanel: I need 30 to put a face on!

I changed from
casual clothes to a tighter fitting pair of jeans and a sweater
that accentuated my curves. I looked down quite proudly at myself,
I had quite the pair. They were so sensitive lately;
Bradley
’
s little pinches were taking their toll. I styled
my hair like I had just walked out of the salon and sprayed Coco
Mademoiselle on. I didn
’
t buy it for the name
as one might think; I bought it for the bottle. I always chose the
prettiest bottles when I chose my fragrances. Coco Noir looked too
much like cologne made for man so I went with the prettier of the
two.

I was out the
door and knocking on Aria
’
s right at the thirty
minute mark. I stood in her doorway watching her as she too was
dressed in jeans and a nice fitted top. She was hustling trying to
find her keys, grab her purse, and make sure she had everything she
needed.

I started
taking my keys out of my pocket when Aria said,
“
I'll drive,
I still haven
’
t got over the
novelty of the beamer yet. I
’
m going to give my
old car to Nick so we can save money for the
wedding.
”

Aria and I
never had a chance to discuss the wedding yet so I initiated the
discussion,
“
Did you guys set a
date?
”

Aria rolled her
eyes at me,
“
I always wanted to
get married at the Old Mill because that
’
s where mom and
dad got married, you know keep up family traditions. I called
yesterday and the earliest they have is January 2015, unless we
take a cancellation for two and a half months from
now.
”

“So what are
you going to do?
”

“I have until
noon today to decide so that
’
s what
I
’
m seeing Nick about.
”

She started
telling me how she pictured her wedding. I was half listening to
her and half picturing how I would act if I bumped into Bradley
today at the hospital. We arrived at the hospital in two shakes of
a dog
’
s tail. We went to my original stomping ground and
asked the nursing station where Nick was relocated. They told us he
was in room 264. I knew exactly where it was so I led Aria to
it.

When we got to
Nick
’
s room he wasn
’
t there. I peeked
back out down the hallway and he was ambulating slowly away from us
holding his blue gown closed with one hand to cover his bum and a
towel in the other. He was wearing his Jesus sandals, the ones I
told him never to wear because he had hairy feet which I thought
was too weird to not go covered.

I popped my
head back into his room and told Aria,
“
I see him,
he
’
s on his way to take a shower, do you want to go to
Tim
’
s to kill some time before he gets
out?
”

She was
straightening his bed acting as though she was nervous.
“
Sure,
”
she said finishing the bed and then
we started walking down the hallway the same way we had come. I was
consciously keep an eye out for Bradley. It would have been nice to
bump into him. I was hoping this unnecessary trip to
Tim
’
s would have been fruitful with a chance encounter. He
had no idea I was there so it would have been a
surprise.

We got to the
lineup and I felt a touch of disappointment that we
didn
’
t see him in the hallways. Aria nodded to the front of
the line and said quietly in my ear,
“
Which twin is that?
Whose the girl?
”
I hadn
’
t noticed and she had
recognized Bradley just from the back of his head. My heart
suddenly felt heavy when I saw Bradley standing with Maggie like it
was so normal, a common occurrence. I guess he would be spending
more time with her if I wasn
’
t working here, and
it already started.

The server
said
“
Can I help the next person in line?
”
Bradley
and Maggie started walking towards her, which meant they were
walking past us. There was nowhere to escape to when Bradley saw
me. I looked deliberately at Maggie before making eye contact with
him. It was my way of showing him that for me this
wasn
’
t okay.

Maggie was
oblivious to the entire interchange but Bradley
wasn
’
t and he stayed back maintaining eye contact with me.
The tension was palpable and people started to notice Bradley and
me staring at each other.

Aria looked
mildly confused with the entire interchange and when he was out of
hearing range she asked,
“
Was she his
ex?
”

I whispered
back,
“
The one and only.
”

“So why are
they not acting like it?
”

“I
couldn
’
t tell you,
”
I said quietly to
her.

Thank heavens a
different server called our turn. We ordered two
coffees
’
that were made very quickly and we walked past
them as they continued to wait for their food to be prepared.
Bradley looked as though he was going to grab my wrist, but I
wasn
’
t having it. I made sure the second his hand went
towards me I was well away from him. I could barely hold back the
tears long enough to walk past him.

When we got back to the ward, I tried to put
the prior incident out of my mind and focus on Nick and Aria. Nick
was back in his room towel drying his hair. He was wearing his blue
hospital gown with no hospital attachments such as intravenous,
heart monitors, or breathing devices. His hair had just been gelled
so that it was placed perfectly into his usual style.

I gave him a
hug and sat in the chair that was by his bed. Aria sat on the other
side of him after they got all kissy faced with each other. It was
gross and cute at the same time. I hated hearing slobbering kissing
sounds unless I was included. Finally they remembered I was in the
room with them so they stopped. Nick looked at me,
“
Did you give Chase notice?
”

I noticed the
nugget around his neck and thought how much I needed my rock right
now, but I didn
’
t want to distract
him too much because they had some serious planning to
discuss.
“
I gave him two letters; I broke the lease and
told him I would be practicing in Grimsby.
”

Nick
’
s eyebrows raised and
he started absently playing with his spiky hair,
“
How did he react?
”

“He was okay
with it. He tried talking me out of it but then he gave up. He said
there would always be a job for me. He told me I chose the wrong
brother, I should have chosen him.
”

He smiled at
me,
“
What I should really be asking is how did Throb take
it?
”

“I thought he
wasn
’
t taking it well but judging from this morning, maybe
I stand to be corrected. Apparently the feelings appear more one
sided.
”

Nick
’
s eyes turned
dark,
“
What did Throb do to fuck it up now? I told him
you
’
re in love with him by the way.
”

“Yes thanks for
that Dickwad. He didn
’
t do anything really.
Aria and I spotted him with Maggie at Tim
’
s.
”

Aria leaned
over towards Nick and gushed,
“
She
’
s really
pretty!

Her comment
really pissed me off; Nick paid little attention to it knowing how
I felt about Maggie,
“
Aria!
”

She looked at
me apologetically,
“
I
’
m
sorry.
”
She said turning back to Nick,
“
She really is though!
”

Nick
said,
“
Coco, you
’
re making too big a
deal of it. Throb was just getting food from Tim
’
s. Just
because he stands in line with her there, doesn
’
t mean
he
’
s banging her or going to remarry her, speaking of
which.
”
Nick turned to Aria,
“
Did you get a
date at The Old Mill?
”

“About
that,
”
She started digging in her purse for her phone.
“
They can
’
t book us until
January 2015 unless we take a cancellation ten weeks from today. We
have until noon today to decide.
”
Nick deliberated
quietly.

Nick glanced at
me,
“
What do you think Coco?
”

I put my hands
up like a gun was being pointed at me,
“
I wanted nothing
to do with this decision.
”
I thought all of his
actions since the accident were rash. If I said two years than that
probably would have upset Aria, and if I said two and a half months
then that would have pressured Nick.

Nick returned
his gaze to Aria,
“
I
don
’
t want to wait any longer than ten weeks,
let
’
s do it!
”
Aria squealed with delight and
clapped her hands together before she punched the Old
Mill
’
s phone number into her cell.

Aria was
talking animatedly on her phone near the window for better
reception. Nick studied my face and asked,
“
What
’
s
wrong?
”

I spoke really
quietly,
“
I just hate getting these mixed signals from
Bradley. He says he wants me, he even admitted trying to get me
pregnant and then I see him with Maggie again.
”

Nick
’
s jaw dropped,
“
Throb tried to get you pregnant? He admitted
it?
”

“Yes,
”
I shook my head and reiterated what
he said,
‘
Desperate times call for desperate
measures.
’

Nick pointed at
me and whispered,
“
You
’
re fucking pregnant!
I can tell!
”

I squinted my
eyes at him and crossed my arms over my abdomen. I whispered in a
seething voice,
“
Nick, you are
unfuckingbelievable! How can you tell? I
’
m not even late
Dickass, you
’
ve surpassed
Dickwad!
”

He nodded his
chin to his chest and mouthed,
“
Your tits look
bigger.
”
I started laughing!
Simple bastard!
I
took a couple deep breaths and then we heard the hang up noise
Aria
’
s phone makes when she hangs up and then she said
rather dramatically,
“
Done! In ten short
weeks I will be Mrs. Aria Ward! Oh.My.God! Chanel we have to start
getting ready! Nick, I
’
ll come and get you
when you
’
re discharged. Chanel lets go, so much to
do!
”