A Winter’s Wedding (Christmas Cove #3)

Chapter 4

Leo stood in front of the tall mirror hanging on the wall beside the hotel door and straightened his floral bow tie. His navy suit was crisp and clean with a pale blue button-down underneath. He thought he might be too hot but as it turned out, Las Vegas was freezing in February. Not only was the weather cold, but the lack of humidity in the air had his normally wavy blond hair looking more like a frizz ball on top of his head instead of the sexy tousled I-didn’t-try-too-hard style he normally sported. He took one more pass, using hair wax this time, and calmed the mess into submission.

Walking down the hallway to America’s room, Leo had a little pick-up in his step. Either from excitement or nerves, he wasn’t sure, but he knew he couldn’t wait to see his love. They had only been apart for a couple of days, but Leo missed her like he was missing a piece of himself. In all the times she had traveled for work since they were a couple, he had never surprised her on a work trip before. The idea wasn’t even his. Cam had suggested the romantic gesture since Valentine’s Day was coming up and America would be out of town on the day. The excuse sounded good enough to him, and he booked a flight.

At America’s door, the sticky-note he had placed there earlier had been removed, hopefully by her or the next few minutes might prove to be awkward. He knocked and rehearsed his words in his mind. Roses are red, violets are blue, you are everything to me, and I’m here for you.

Only, when the door cracked open and America’s long dark hair swung into the view between the door and the jamb, “Surprise!” is all that actually came out of his mouth. “Idiot,” he chastised himself under his breath as she unlatched the door chain.

“Leo? What are you doing here?” America jumped at him through the half-open door.

Leo wrapped his arms around her waist and held her warm body against his. He buried his face in her hair. She smelled like heaven, amber and spice. “I wanted to surprise you. I had a whole thing worked out what I would say.”

America planted her lips on his, cutting off his words and taking his breath away. Her lips tasted of mint and chocolate and felt delicious against his. Her silky dress clung to her body and Leo realized he needed to stop things now or they would never get to dinner. He unhooked her arms from around his neck and stood back, breathless. Her broad smile showed him how happy she was that he was there, and the sway of her hips told him he couldn’t wait to marry this woman.

“I see you got my note.” Leo took her hand above her head and twirled her around. Her red dress was perfect for what he had planned for the evening. “Gorgeous.”

“The note said to be ready for a night on the town, and now that I know it was you who put the note on my door, you’re up to something,” she said with a raised brow and walked back inside the room fully. “I just need to get my bag. Where are we going, anyway?”

“We have a reservation,” he checked his watch, “and we should hurry.” Leo took her by the hand and led her down the hallway.

America tugged for him to slow down a little. “I can’t walk this fast in these heels.” She stopped and kicked up one of her feet towards her bum and he saw why. The shoes looked like diamond covered torture devices with tiny traps holding her foot into the sole all attached to the skinniest looking high heel he had ever seen.

“Nice. Are they new?” he asked.

“I’m breaking in my wedding heels,” she winked, and he swallowed hard imagining what else she was planning on wearing next week.

It didn’t take long to walk across the property to the Eiffel Tower elevator where a ma?tre d’ stood waiting for them. Upon their arrival at the elevator doors, the man handed a single red rose to America. At the top of the elevator, a hostess handed another rose stem to America and pointed the way to the left. Leo took America’s arm in the crook of his own.

Following the directions, they walked towards the expansive glass windows and stepped down three steps where America received a pink rose from a gesturing server pointing them to the right. Turning as indicated, the spraying fountains of the Bellagio filled the skyline, and lush burgundy velvet booths hugged the candlelit tables intimately. A woman stood from her own seat at one of the tables and handed America yet another rose, followed by a man who did the same. By the time they arrived at their own table, America had amassed a bouquet of fourteen stems of various shades of red and pink.

America’s mouth was agape, and her eyes were wide and blinking.

“One for each month I’ve known you,” Leo said and kissed her nose.

A server pulled out a golden chair and Leo helped America around the square corner of the table. He sat across from her and felt her foot press against the inside of his ankle, something she did to ground herself. He smoothed the white clothed surface and watched her take in the moment.

America stared out at the view. “It’s beautiful up here. You can see the whole strip. And look,” she pointed with the enthusiasm of a little girl, “I didn’t realize the water sprayed up that high. It’s incredible. I bet the folks staying at that hotel don’t know that this is probably the better viewing spot.”

Leo fell in love with her every time she laughed, and this was no exception. If nothing else, the night was already worth the traveling and the cost. Though he was sure his credit card was near maxed from all the last-minute wedding expenses. At least The Foundry, the resort he and America had opened nine months ago, had its own line of accounting.

She turned back to him, after thoroughly taking in the water and lights show. “What should we order?” she said. “I’m starving.”

“I hope you don’t mind, but I pre-ordered. There were only three choices, seeing as it’s Valentine’s weekend.” The server appeared and poured two large wine glasses with about an inch of red wine. “Everything is taken care of. We can just enjoy the meal.”

“You’re amazing. I was missing you terribly today with all this wedding stuff. I thought I was the ideal person to cover this story, seeing as how our wedding is coming up. That’s the only reason I agreed to this assignment in the first place.” America sipped her wine. “I just didn’t think it would be so emotional seeing all the couples getting married tomorrow and trying on my dress this morning…”

“That’s right. How did the fitting go?” Leo asked.

“It was good. A little bit lonely though. There was a… mishap with some of the beading and I have to go back tomorrow to pick it up. Jenny texted me to see how things were going.” She paused. “Wait, did she know about this?”

Leo shrugged like he knew nothing about it, but the truth was clearly visible on his smirking face. “I would have checked in with you, but I was sort of in the air at the time.”

“Wait a—How did you? When did you plan all this?” America said with her half smile pulling up more on one side than the other.

The candlelight danced in her sable eyes, and he reached for her hand across the table. “I wanted you to have a special time, since last Valentine’s Day was a disaster.”

“It wasn’t that bad…”

“We were knee-deep in whatever had been rotting underneath the barn’s floorboards for a hundred years.” He laughed at the memory. “By the time we dug ourselves out, I don’t think either of us was in the mood for a romantic night out.”

“A hot shower was all I wanted after that!” America took a long breath. “You didn’t have to come here and surprise me, but I’m so glad you did. This is exactly what I needed.”

Leo had always wanted a love like his parents had. Even though they had passed away years ago, he could sense that they would be happy for him and America. So far, everything had come together with few problems. America had planned the perfect wedding day with the help of practically the whole town. She complained about nothing and always had a smile on her face, which is why the pinched brow she now sported concerned him.

“What is it? Too much?”

“No.” she shook her head. “I just don’t know what I did to deserve this. You.”

Leo chuckled. “I could list all the reasons. Or I could just say that I love you America Greene—almost Thorpe—and that should be enough.”

“I love you too,” America said and held up her flowers. “What should I do with these?”

As if on cue, a server appeared with a slender vase and placed it at the center of the table. The man, dressed in black pants, a white button down, and a red tie, took the stems and propped them up inside the smooth glass cylinder, which completely obscured their view of one another. Leo leaned towards the window on his left. “We could just look outside the whole time.”

“Fine with me. The view is pretty good,” she giggled but moved the vase to one side anyway. “Better?”

After dinner, they bundled up and walked the strip, taking in the street performers, and dodging the people on every corner, passing out what looked to be baseball cards, which instead of hunky athletes, featured beautiful women wearing next to nothing. In front of the fountains, a man played a violin better than any performer Leo had ever heard.

The sounds vibrated through the air like a dreamy lullaby, and there was only one thing to do. “May I have this dance?” he asked and spun America away from his body. When she nodded, he pulled her back in towards himself.

Colliding, she looked up at him. A contented smile softened the lower half of her face. “You may have this dance, and the next, and every dance for the rest of our lives, Leopold Thorpe.”