Chapter 24 Sydney - Vegas, Baby
Chapter 24
Sydney - Vegas, Baby
E veryone should go to Las Vegas at least once in their lifetime. It’s the only place like it on the planet. Movies and photos didn’t compare to seeing it live, in its full neon glory. Yes, there were plenty of tourist traps, but it was much more than that. Aside from gambling or getting married, there were lots of free things to see and do, as I discovered in my online search.
I had been having good luck finding cheap, last-minute rates on hotels during our road trip. I scored a room with two queen beds and a view of the strip at the Flamingo for fifty-seven dollars a night. This room didn’t compare to the fancy suite we had in L.A., but I didn’t care. I didn’t plan on being in my room unless my eyes were closed. New York is known as “the city that never sleeps,” but I believe they gave out that title too early. Las Vegas should demand a recount.
The sun sank low on the horizon as we cruised down The Strip. Austin drove, and I pointed to the famous Las Vegas sign. “I want a picture of that.”
“I want to get to the hotel, Sydney. Can we do this later?”
“When I ask you again on the way out of town, you’ll be grumpy again. Your choice. ”
He pulled into the parking lot across the street, and we hustled across the footbridge to stand in line. We waited about twenty minutes while we watched other groups of friends and families pose and goof around. I asked the couple behind us if they would take our picture. I could have done the awkward selfie, but I wanted a better angle. They agreed, and Austin and I stood in front of the sign, about a foot apart.
The woman holding my cell phone directed us. “Get closer together. Act like you like each other, geez.”
We shuffled closer together until our arms were touching.
“Put your arms around each other.” Austin put his arm around my shoulders. This was getting awkward.
She snapped a few photos and then asked, “How about a kiss?”
Austin jumped in and saved us. “We’re brother and sister, but thanks.” Her mouth hung open, unsure of what to say next. He grabbed my phone out of her hand and steered me back to the car.
I burst out laughing the moment we closed the doors. “Oh, my gawd! Did you see her face? That was priceless!” I held my stomach as I gasped for air.
“There are no words.” Austin shook his head and tried not to join me. “Can we go to the hotel now before someone marries us in the street?”
I nodded because I hadn’t regained the ability to speak. I wiped the tears from my eyes and tried to compose myself.
Once we got checked in and dumped our bags in our room, we had one thing on our minds: food. We ended up at a buffet at the MGM Grand. There were so many food selections, it should be a crime. Austin tucked away one plate of ribs after another. I’d never seen him eat that much in one sitting.
“Do you want to catch the drag show at Se?or Frog’s tomorrow? The concierge recommended it. We won’t have to wake up early, which is a plus.”
He talked around a mouthful of ribs. “Sure. What else do you have planned?”
“Every casino has at least one free attraction to draw you in and get you to spend money there. We could see the mermaids at the Silverton Aquarium, and the Bellagio fountains after dark. We could try out unusual flavors of Coke at their store for free, and there’s this giant Lucky Cat at one hotel that gives out fortunes and prizes, too. Walking up and down The Strip will entertain all by itself.”
“At the risk of being a typical horny guy, I wouldn’t mind seeing the hot mermaids in seashell bikini tops. The rest sounds good to me, too. All I care about is getting to eat at Gordon Ramsey’s restaurant. That will make me a happy cowboy.” He made short work of his plate, pushed it to the side, and got up to hit the buffet again. He returned with two more plates loaded with ribs.
“How many more ribs do you need?” I wondered.
He answered me with barbeque sauce staining the corners of his mouth. “Oh sweetie, I could eat at least two or three more. I will come and find you when I’m finished.”
“Ok. I’m going to go into the casino. Maybe play nickel slots.” I slung my purse strap across my chest and stood up. “I’m not pushing you if you need a wheelbarrow.”
“Noted. Now leave me alone with my lover here.” He picked up another rib and took a giant bite.
The casino buzzed with chaotic activity. I found the blackjack pits and sat down at a table with three other players. The dealer translated my fifty dollars into five chips. I put one in front of me. Let the games begin .
My two rules for blackjack are: (1) stand on 17 or higher, and (2) double down on 10 or 11. By the time Austin found me, I had five hundred dollars. My endorphins kicked in, and my excitement grew with each win. I didn’t want to blow it, so I bet fifty dollars at a time.
“You’re on a roll!” Austin shouted into my ear. “Keep going!”
I worked my way to a thousand dollars, then walked away from the table.
“I can’t believe you! Why did you walk away on a winning streak?” It baffled Austin.
“I started out with five ten-dollar chips.” I held out my hands, brimming with chips. “I think I made out pretty good. ”
I dumped my chips onto the counter and slid them to the cashier. “I’ll take hundreds if you’ve got ‘em, please.” She counted out ten bills and slid them to me. “Thanks.” I tucked them into my bra.
Austin laughed as he watched me. “That’s the safest place for that, I take it.”
“I don’t have to worry about anyone getting handsy with me.” I searched around the massive room full of people and neon lights. “Do you remember where the entrance is? I feel like I’m going in circles.”
Austin scanned the casino. “My guess is to head for the slot machines. I think they have them close to the doors to entice people to play.”
I nodded. “That makes sense. Are you ready to go back to our hotel? It’s been a long day.”
“I’m ready for relaxation at this point. Lead the way.” He swept out his right arm in an invitation.
Back at our hotel room, I kicked off my sandals and flopped onto the bed closer to the window.
Austin stood in the bathroom door. “Do you need to use the facilities?”
I observed the view from our window. “No. Take a bubble bath,” I joked.
He coughed. “That’s not what I had in mind.” He backed in and closed the door.
I lay there, watching all the neon whirl around The Strip. Our view from the fifteenth floor was a kaleidoscope of neon, flashing in a dizzy dance. I took my blackjack winnings and put it in the drawer of my nightstand. That would be my plane ticket fund to visit Abby in New York. If I looked for deals on the right apps, I could squeeze two tickets out of it. I dug my phone out of my pocket and texted her.
Vegas is cray-cray. I love it! Going to a drag show brunch tomorrow. Will send pics!
I crawled under the covers and closed my eyes. My thoughts bounced around, remembering our road trip adventures and imagining what life in L.A. would be like. When I woke up in the morning, it took me a moment to remember where we were. I sat up abruptly. I hoped we hadn’t missed brunch. Austin’s bed lay empty. Where did he go? I picked up my phone and found my answer in a text.
Went to find decent coffee. Be back .
I rolled out of bed and headed to the bathroom. After a hot shower, I felt ready to tackle the day. I emerged to find Austin sitting in a chair by the window. There were two paper cups of coffee sitting on the table next to him.
“I brought you coffee. I made the barista put a gallon of creamer in it for you,” he teased.
“Ha. Ha. Hilarious. But thank you.” I still had a towel twisted into a turban on my head to help dry my unruly curls. “What time is it?”
He touched his phone, lighting up the display. “Five minutes to ten. We should get moving. Brunch is at eleven, right?”
“Yes. Give me fifteen minutes and I’ll be ready.”
He stood up. “How about I meet you in the lobby?”
I unwrapped my turban and shook out my hair. “Suit yourself. Leave the coffee and no one gets hurt.”
Brunch tasted delicious and the drag queens entertained fabulously. Their makeup was a zillion times better than anything I could draw on my face. We spent the rest of the day wandering around The Strip, taking in all the sights, smells, and sounds. Our taste buds got a special treat at Gordon Ramsey’s restaurant. We didn’t see him, but Austin bought a t-shirt with one of his famous catch phrases on it to take home.
After dinner, we headed for Pbr Rock Bar I wasn’t his girlfriend. But I would never have done this to him.
I found my fruity drink and sat down on the patio to drink it. All the lights and neon obscured the stars. The din of traffic and pulses of music filled my ears, and I longed for the sounds of nature that I knew.
I finished my drink and headed back upstairs to face him. Confrontation made me queasy. I didn’t like arguments and had difficulty remembering the specifics after the fact. We still had another day of driving ahead of us. Tension like this all day on the road was not my idea of a good time. I knocked on the door and waited for him to answer it.
He wore his shorts and had added a t-shirt. I brushed past him into our room. I sat down at the small table by the window. He sat down across from me but didn’t meet my eyes. The silence unnerved me.
“Sydney, I’m sorry about what happened here tonight. In hindsight, I should have gone back to her room instead of bringing her here. I can’t apologize enough. It won’t happen again.” He folded his hands in his lap.
His words sounded sincere, and it softened my anger and embarrassment. “I accept your apology. I’d rather not see that again. No offense, but I think I burned my retinas on that one.” I joked to ease the tension. It did—a little.
“I knew my sexy body would be too much for you to handle.”
“Let’s blame it on the alcohol and move on.”
After checking out of The Flamingo, we hit up one more buffet. Austin wanted to eat his weight in bacon. On our way out of town, we passed the Las Vegas sign and burst into laughter at our memory.
Journal Entry
There’s a reason they say, What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas . Of course, that means different things to different people. I, for one, do not want to rehash Austin’s little sexcapade. As drunk as I was, I still knew that his inconsiderate behavior was unacceptable. It makes me wonder what it will be like living with him, and if that will end up being a colossal mistake. For both of our sakes, I hope he can keep his libido in check. One visual like that is one too many.
Overall, I think our road trip was fun for both of us. I know I shocked Austin with my skinny dipping at the swimming hole. It gave me a chuckle to see him squirm with his sexuality. He typically comes off as self-assured, but I could tell this rattled him. I will admit it was a bit uncharacteristic of me, but I’m going to blame it on the summer heat and riding in a car without air conditioning for hundreds of miles.
We signed our lease and move into the townhouse tomorrow. Brooke assured me that it’s a decent neighborhood, which is a relief. We’ll be living on mattresses and a couple of lawn chairs until I can thrift furniture for us. We’re in for an adventure. I’m nervous and excited at the same time.
Venus called us both today and gave us the best news—Bryce loves our song and picked it up to add to the movie soundtrack! This gives us credibility for meeting our new coworkers on Monday. And another paycheck. I’ll take it!