Chapter 4
Nate
The plan was simple. I went over it several times with my doofus of a brother. We would spend a day with Hayleigh by the pool, and around three, I would ask her if she wanted to go out to see the strip, catch a show, or maybe have dinner with me.
Then Archie steamrolls over the whole thing as he sits next to Hayleigh, talking about their smutty book and for the first time, I’m slightly jealous of my brother.
He nudges her. “What are you doing later?”
She looks to me, then shrugs. “Probably grab some room service and read a book in bed.”
He throws an exaggerated wink my way. “We’re going out on the strip; you should come with us.”
I try my best to be polite, but I can’t help but speak through clenched teeth. “Archie, don’t you have that thing you need to do?”
His look is clueless as he shakes his head. “No. I don’t think so?”
“Oh, I think you do.” I am going to kill him.
He purses his lips and squints. “Uhm…nope. Nothing comes to mind.”
Fine. Be that way, you little shit.
I smile. “Huh, my mistake.”
Hayleigh looks between both of us, confusion swirling in her eyes. “You two are weird.” She gets up and sits by the pool, dangling her legs in, and I whirl on Archie.
As soon as she’s out of earshot, I lean over and flick his ear. “What the fuck was that?”
“Ouch! What do you mean?”
“What do you mean?” I mimic, yes, I’m well aware it’s immature, but so is his face.
He sighs. The look he gives me is pitying. “I’m sorry about messing up your plans tonight, but I honestly think it would be a mistake to take her out on a date.”
I bristle ever so slightly, and I can’t help it, but I need to know. “Arch, do you fancy her?”
He looks at me like I have three heads. “Absolutely not. I mean, she’s pretty, but…” He shrugs his shoulders. “We’re friends, that’s all, and I worry…about you. I don’t want you getting hurt in all of this because she’s already hurting. I’m only trying to help.”
I nod. “I know, and I do appreciate you looking out for me, Arch, but I’m a grown man, and it’s my choice whether or not I think this is a mistake, and for the record, I don’t think anything about that woman is a mistake.”
He holds his hands up in surrender. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”
I nod. “That’s okay. So, just so we’re clear. Tonight, you won’t be coming with us.”
He smirks. “Oh hell no, I’m still coming, I already have my dancing shoes picked out.”
He dives into the pool, and although part of me appreciates him looking out for me, the other part of me is formulating a plan in my mind because I need a way to get Hayleigh alone.
Then it hits me when I see a spare pair of beach shorts draped over one of the sun loungers. It was a prank I planned on doing towards the end of the trip, but needs must. I need a way to get Archie back to our room.
Hayleigh saunters over, looking like a goddess with her brunette hair piled on top of her head and dark shades covering her eyes.
Today, she wears a hot pink bikini with a sheer white lace cover dress type thing over the top.
She dips into her bag and pulls out a bottle of water, and like some creep, I sit there and watch her take a drink.
As she puts the lid back on the bottle, her eyes narrow. “What are you gawping at?”
I shake my head. “Nothing.”
Then she takes out a chocolate bar, and if this were a cartoon, you can bet a giant light bulb just went off over my head.
Hayleigh takes a bite, then rolls her eyes before folding over the wrapper and chucking it to me. “You’re like a begging dog, Nate.”
Time to play dirty. Sorry Arch.
It’s boiling outside, and in no time, the chocolate is melting. I smear some on his towel and fold it over slightly. “Arch! Come here a sec.”
He hops out of the pool and walks over to where I am, and right before he sits down, I move the towel slightly. “What’s up?”
I look him dead in the eye. “How far would you have gotten if I hadn’t shouted at you?”
“You’re a dick.” He stands back up and walks off towards the pool.
“Arch, wait! You’ve got a brown stain on your shorts.” He looks behind him and makes a garbled sound. “I’ve got some spare shorts in the room, they’re under the towels on the chair.” Now I can sit back and wait.
I can’t help the giggle that is building when he walks back outside with the bright yellow shorts on.
He makes a beeline for me, rubbing his hands together.
“Thanks for the shorts, Nate. They’re pretty comfortable.
You coming to the pool?” He waggles his brows, and I shake my head.
He dives in, and I kind of almost feel bad.
Almost.
I wave Hayleigh over to where I’m sitting and gather up Archie’s towel and things before putting them in her hands. “Take these and hide them over there behind the palm tree.”
She immediately drops them and turns to the pool, but Archie isn’t looking, then she rounds on me. “Oh no. Nate Peterson, I am not getting involved in a prank war between you two idiots. Do your own dirty work.” She stands there all high and mighty with her hands on her hips.
I narrow my eyes. “I happen to know you’re partial to a prank or two, so don’t give me that Judgy McJudgerson look.
” I try another angle. “Can you honestly say that you’re looking forward to a night of constant talking from Archie, or do you want to sneak out of here and visit the strip, maybe get a bite to eat and relax? ”
She looks back at Archie swimming in the pool, then back at me, biting back a smile, and rolls her eyes. “Fine. Tell me the plan.”
“Okay.” I look at the pool, and any minute now we have to run. “We have about thirty seconds, if that, go then meet me over there by the door.” She hurries off and half hides his things behind the palm tree.
She meets me at the door, a giddy look in her eyes. “Now what?”
“Watch.” I spin her around to look at the pool.
Archie stops swimming and instead treads water so he can stand.
He looks wildly around the pool, but no one has noticed yet.
Then he catches my eye, and he shakes his head and mouths. “Get over here now.”
I hold my hand to my ear. “Sorry, Arch, didn’t quite catch that?” I snigger at his face getting redder by the minute.
“Nate! My stuff isn’t where it should be. In fact, my stuff is floating freely.” He raises his brows as if to hammer home the point he’s making.
Hayleigh whacks a hand against my chest. “Tell me you didn’t, Nate.”
I mask my face into total innocence. “I have no idea what you mean. I in no way bought Archie some disappearing shorts that break apart in water.”
Hayleigh tries and fails to hold in her laughter.
Then I hear it.
A woman’s shriek.
“Oh my god! Put it away, pervert!”
I look at Archie as he desperately tries to swim away, one-handed, as he shouts. “Nate! Help me! My junk is out, I repeat – my junk is out!”
I grab Hayleigh’s hand. “Last chance?”
She bursts out laughing, the first real, free laugh I’ve heard in a long time, and we run.
**********
“Nate, we have to go back and get changed.” Hayleigh slows us down, and we come to a stop. We’re still holding hands, but it’s short-lived as she snatches her hand back, her cheeks tinging pink.
I paste on a smile, holding my arms wide. “This is Vegas, literally no one cares if we’re half-dressed!”
She does not look amused as she folds her arms. I can’t help but zero in on what’s underneath that long dress type thingy she has on over her bikini. “Hey! Eyes up here.” She gestures to her face and rolls her eyes at me. “I am not walking around Vegas like this.”
“If we go back, then we have to face Archie’s wrath.”
She tries to hide the smile that’s fighting to get through.
“Archie’s a puppy dog, but fine.” She looks around, and her eyes light up as she sees a store.
Grabbing my hand, she drags me along. “We’ll both get something from here because there is no way I’m looking at your bare chest for the rest of the day. ”
“Oh yeah, because we wouldn’t want that, Miss oh-but-I-wasn’t-looking-at-you.” She gives me the evil eye and walks into the store.
I look around, eyes widening. “Absolutely not, you’re right. Let’s go back and get changed.” I shake my head and try to pull her along.
She digs her feet in, and for someone so tiny, she’s actually quite strong. “Oh no, Nate Peterson. You wanted to go out, so now we’re out, and you’re going to get a shirt and maybe a nice hat…” She trails off, picking things up, and I follow her blindly.
After fifteen minutes of shopping, I’m now sporting a lovely ‘I heart Vegas’ pink t-shirt with a matching hat and sunglasses, and my poor bank balance is paying the price, but the look on Hayleigh’s face when I walk out of there is priceless.
She doubles over laughing. “Oh-my-Nate!” She wheezes, sounding like a broken tea kettle.
“Laugh it up, Shortcake. I notice you got yourself a matching hoodie and shorts.”
She straightens up, wiping under her eyes. “Yep! You paid, it was very nice of you. Now, where are you taking me?”
I link my arm through hers as we walk. “I was thinking we could go for food, your choice, and then the world's our oyster. Unless there is something specific you want to do?”
She leaves her arm linked with mine, a win for me, and she nods. “Food sounds amazing. Can we get burgers?”
**********
After walking for what felt like close to an hour, we find a nice-looking burger bar that isn’t too crowded and looks relaxed enough that a couple of tourists wearing ‘I heart Vegas’ clothes won't be looked at too much. I open the door and let Hayleigh walk through, putting my hand on the small of Hayleigh’s back and ushering her gently forward to where we wait to be seated.
Our server greets us with a smile and takes us to our seats, where I grab a menu and hand one to Hayleigh. This is the first time the silence is deafening, so much so that I look up from my menu, and she’s watching me, her brow creases. “What are we doing here, Nate?”
Now it’s my turn to feel confused. “Uh, I thought we were getting burgers?”
She tuts, rolling her eyes. “Well, thank you for clearing that up, Captain Obvious.” She reaches over and hits the side of my arm. “What I meant was, what are we doing?” She gestures back and forth between us.
I put my menu down and look her square in the eyes.
“I’m not going to pretend that I don’t like you or find you insanely hot, because I do, or that I wouldn’t love to take things further with you and see where this could go, because I do.
I also know, Hayleigh, that you aren’t ready for any of those things, so, right now?
We’re getting burgers, and then we’re going to have a drink somewhere, and if you feel like opening up to me and talking, then great, if you don’t, then great.
” I pick the menu back up. “Is that okay?”
I look back up in time to see her smile and nod. “That’s okay.”