Las Vegas Honeymoon (11 page)

“No, go ahead.” At least one of them would be out of her hair.

Dan went on. “Pete had some facts, but none of them straight, so I’m going to tell you what he messed up. You can listen or not.”

He paused as though waiting for an answer. Mary turned in her seat, angling away from him. She heard his deep breath and the tiredness in his voice. With a stab of pain she remembered he hadn’t gotten any more sleep than she in the past days and nights, and the reason why.

“I was in simultaneous relationships for our high school prom. When mom asked wouldn’t it be nice if you had someone to take you to the dance, I jumped at the chance, mainly because I knew it would keep me out of trouble with the other two. But that doesn’t mean it was a pity date, or that I didn’t like you. I did. Did you
feel
like I thought you were a pity date?”

Truthfully, no. She’d felt special. But she wouldn’t tell him that.

“You were smart and fun and pretty, Mary, even back then. I knew it, but you didn’t. Not yet. If I’d had any sense, I would have latched onto you and never let you go, but I was young and stupid. And the baby of the family. Clay was considerably older than me, and dad always spent more time with him. I guess I felt pretty useless and went out of my way to prove it.”

She’d done some pretty stupid things herself when she was younger. Remembering last night, she amended that to “even now.”

Dan continued, “Anyway, fast forward. I’ve settled into the business and I’m good at what I do. I’ve hardly been with a woman for the last few years. The so-called good times I shared with Pete are long over. I think he made the call last night because he’s jealous of what he saw in you and me, and he’s still inviting showgirls to his room.”

“He has no reason to be jealous of you and me since there is no you and me.” Mary spoke for the first time and her participation seemed to give Dan the encouragement he needed. He leaned forward, arms on his knees and swiveled toward her.

“Well now, there I think you’re wrong. I didn’t come here looking for love, Mary, but I found it. And I wasn’t interested in a wife and family until we met up again. Suddenly, I’m thinking of things like my own honeymoon and a house and little ones making racket all around the place. And the woman I see there beside me is you.” He lowered his voice and leaned even closer when she turned to face him, tears in her eyes. “Honey, last night after we made love, I thought of you pregnant with my baby and I swear to God, I wanted to cry with relief that we’d found each other.”

“What about that woman and the gifts you bought her?”

“That was bullshit, Mary. Do you really think I’m the kind of man who gives a woman something and takes payment in trade? If you do, then we have a lot more talking to do.” He studied her eyes. “But I hope you know what kind of guy I am, and I hope you can see how much I love you and need you.”

Before she could answer, Ralph came loping back. “Did you two see that woman that just went by?”

“We weren’t paying attention to anyone around us.”

“Well, I don’t know how you could miss her, she was
fat
.” He sat and slid down in the seat.

Mary stared at Dan. She did know the kind of man he was. She’d known instinctively from the time she was fifteen. He wasn’t perfect, but he was as close as a man could come. She loved him.

“Ralph, beauty is on the inside. If you can’t see it, you’re not the man Dan is.” Dan’s sudden smile put the sun to shame.

“Thank God,” he whispered, leaning in for a kiss.

“Wait a minute,” Ralph all but shouted, “that’s the woman I’m going to marry.”

“I don’t think so,” Dan said. “She’s the woman
I’m
going to marry.”

“Yes,” Mary said. She cupped Dan’s cheek and grinned. Then she dug through her purse and came up with two crisp, hundred-dollar bills. She faced Ralph. “Here’s some of our honeymoon money. I didn’t check out of the resort this morning. Why don’t you stay for the rest of the week? That will give me time to get my things moved out of your apartment and we can make a fresh start when you come home. Just not with each other.”

Ralph hesitated for about twenty seconds. “I wish you both the best. I guess.” He stared at Mary. “I really do love you, you know.”

She felt sad that he had no idea what love was. “I know you do, in your own way. But that’s not good enough for me.”

He looked hurt, and then a little relieved. “Well, if that’s the way it is.” And he was gone.

“Who knows? Maybe he’ll get as lucky as we did,” Mary said.

Dan shook his head. “No way he’ll get as lucky as me.”

“I love you.”

“I love you, too. By the way, our mothers have already talked. Mom says if we wait until violets are available they’ll make nice centerpieces, whatever the hell that means. Personally, I don’t want to wait any longer than necessary.”

“Violets are okay, although I’d like some big, old birds of paradise.”

“Whatever you want, honey, as long as you want me.”

“Forever. Where shall we honeymoon?”

Dan looked around and broke into a grin. “What do you say about—”

“Las Vegas!” they said together.

LAS VEGAS
HONEYMOON

THE END

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