A Winter’s Wedding (Christmas Cove #3)

Chapter 1

There were plenty of times when Leo could have surprised his fiancée with a grand romantic gesture, though he questioned whether showing up in Las Vegas while she was on a writing assignment was the best time to do it. Trusting his friend’s suggestion, Leo hopped on a flight and prayed for the best. Even though the wedding was a week away, he probably should have known better than to add anything stressful to America’s already full planner, but with what he had arranged, she would have no choice but to forgive his impulsive expression of love—or so he hoped.

He raised an arm to the amber sky in the south, Leo hailed a ride-share outside the airport’s sliding doors and readjusted his wireless earbud. “I’m just glad I made it here in one piece. The turbulence was bad coming down into the valley. Remind me to never get on a plane again.”

“You’re flying to Italy next week,” Cam said in his ear.

A disgruntled sigh vibrated in Leo’s throat. “That’s next week’s problem. Does she suspect anything?” Leo said and ducked inside the car that had pulled up to the curb.

“She’s been texting with Jenny all morning. She’s at the dress shop,” Cam said. “Take a deep breath, bro. Everything is set. The hotel, dinner, everything.”

Cam, Leo’s best friend since moving to the Cove years ago, and the only other person his own age at the time, was one of those guys that just knew how to get things done. He was always calm, and he was always ready to have a good time. Ever since Cam had become a father a year ago, he had been living vicariously through the other young couples in town. In this instance, he had thought up and planned the whole Valentine’s surprise in Vegas. “Thanks, man.”

“Where to?” the driver asked.

“The city of love,” Leo sighed.

The driver cleared his throat as though he was annoyed at the vague answer.

“Paris. Take me to the Paris Hotel, please.”

“You’ve got it bad. I don’t know what she sees in you,” Cam laughed, “but you’re lucky to have her.”

Leo was acutely aware of just how lucky he was to have found America, and how blessed he was by her determination and hopeful spirit. “I don’t know why I’m so nervous about this.”

“Because you’ve never done anything like this before?”

“I appreciate you talking me down. I’m planning on surprising her right after her interviews for the magazine.”

“Whatever you do, have a good time.”

“Will do, boss.”

The line went dead just as the car turned north up the storied Las Vegas Strip and joined the steady flow of light traffic. Las Vegas Boulevard was practically empty during the midday hours except for the section of road that butted up against the iconic ‘Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas’ sign. He’d seen the location countless times featured in movies and television shows, but the attraction looked considerably larger in person than he thought it would.

Up ahead, the striking silhouette of the pyramid at the Luxor Casino peeked out from behind the golden towers of the Mandalay Bay resort. Stopping at the intersection with the New York New York hotel on the left and the emerald facade of the MGM hotel to his right, he shook his head that he was actually there.

“How long you in town for?” the driver asked in an attempt to break the silence that filled the vehicle.

“Only a night. I’m surprising my fiancée for Valentine’s Day.”

“Are you in town for the Guinness record try?”

“Sort of, actually. But we’re not getting married here. She’s a writer for a magazine and is covering the event. We’re getting married back home next week.”

America was working on the human-interest portion of the city that sees more weddings each year than any other city in the world, and tomorrow, there was a plan to break the world record for the most marriages in one place at one time. America almost didn’t take the assignment since it was so close to her own wedding day, and there were so many last-minute details to take care of, but Leo knew there was no person better at Jet Trek Magazine to take on the story than his beautiful bride-to-be. So, when her wedding dress designer agreed to send the gown to Las Vegas for the final fitting, saving her an extra trip back to the store in New York, taking the assignment was that much more appealing.

Things just work out for the best sometimes, which is why Leo had decided to jump on a plane and head westward as well. In a year that had thrown more challenges at him than he could count, he had learned that the hard things can become easy, and the easy things can become beautiful. Leo also knew Murphy’s laws well enough to know how to count his blessings whenever he first noticed them.

The traffic light turned green, and Leo spotted the fountains of Bellagio spraying high into the sky. A breeze scattered the water droplets and looked like misty snowflakes floating back to the ground. The steel struts of the Eiffel Tower came into view across from the fountains. Its light-gray structure shined in the noontime light, with thousands of glass bulbs capturing the sunrays.

Placing a hand over his thumping heart, Leo felt a smile pull at his cheeks at the rising anticipation. The car slowed and turned right past a brightly painted blue and gold hot air balloon. The driveway circled a replica of the Arc de Triomphe, which so happened to be being used as a billboard for some comedy act that he’d never heard of before. A sleek black limousine came alongside Leo to his right and parked under a green glass overhang, while his car pulled into a fully exposed and less important drop-off area.

“Here we are,” the driver said. “That’ll be twenty dollars and seventy-seven cents.”

Leo opened his black leather wallet and thumbed through the edges of the bills tucked neatly inside. He handed a twenty and a five up to the cabby’s waiting grip. “Keep the change.”

“Have a nice stay, mister.”

Leo stepped from the car, with only his small overnight bag over his shoulder. “Highway robbery,” he said and patted the roof of the small sedan, indicating he could go. From where he stood, the top half or so of the replica Eiffel Tower peeked above the surrounding rooflines, designed to mimic a Parisian street, and gleamed in the daylight. The creation was magnificently imposing, and he wondered just how big the real one in France was compared to this one. Far over my head , he thought. “Just like me being here.”