like he could see right through me. I could see there was a sadness there, but also a quiet confidence.
“That must have been hard for you growing up,” I sympathised and decided to lighten the subject. “You obviously love the hotel business, Ben?”
“I do, Jessica. Let me take you for a walk, I want to show you something.”
Most people didn’t call me Jessica, but I liked the way Ben said my name. He looked like he was in his late twenties, he was obviously well educated, and he had a warmth about him that made me feel comfortable. Ben took me to the top floor of the hotel and we walked around to what looked like an old fire escape that opened to the rooftop.
“Welcome to Vegas,” Ben smiled. The view was spectacular. We stayed for a while and admired the city lights.
Ben was a gentleman and asked if I wanted him to escort me to my friends. The girls had said that they would be in the Player’s Lounge after dinner. As we walked back to the lift, we shared a slight moment when our eyes connected. I did like him, actually more than I thought I would.
We walked over to the gaming table where the girls looked like they were on a winning streak.
“Yes! Blackjack!” Megan was very happy with herself. “I’ve just won a thousand dollars.”
“Congratulations, Megan, if you’ll excuse me ladies. Jessica, thank you for a lovely evening, can I call you tomorrow?” Ben asked me.
“Of course, sure,” I answered, and Ben left. I told the girls about my dinner date and they were excited for me and insisted I date Ben again.
“Cocktails are on me, girls,” Megan said as she jumped up eagerly and headed towards the bar.
The next day, we spent the morning at the hotel spa indulging in massages and facial treatments, followed by a buffet lunch. I spent most of the afternoon alone, relaxing by the pool and reading my book until sunset.
Ben had left a note for me requesting another dinner the following evening. I was surprised I didn’t miss or think of Joe. Ben was very different, I guess that was part of the reason why I liked him. I also liked the fact that he was older. I wondered why he was single, though, as it was obvious he could have any woman he wanted.
Lilly had spoken to my mother. She had taken Grace to the zoo for the day. Grace had been sleeping well and my mother assured Lilly that she had nothing to worry about and to enjoy the rest of the holiday. My mother couldn’t wait to be a grandmother, and Grace was almost like a grandchild for her. She wanted me to have a large family so she could spoil her grandkids. My parents had tried to have more children after me and my mother had fallen pregnant but lost the baby. After that, they tried for a few more years until they decided it wasn’t meant to be.
We had dinner and cocktails in the garden that evening, it was Mexican night. Tanya and Megan stayed up late chatting with a few guys they had met at the bar, and Lilly and I went back to our room to chill and watch a movie.
“Jess, I think Michael is going to ask me to marry him.”
I could tell this had been on Lilly’s mind for a while. “How do you feel about this?” I asked.
“I don’t know, Jess. I love Michael, he loves Grace, he wants us to have kids and he’s a good man, but spending your whole life with just one person, Jess, well, that’s huge, right?”
“You’ve got a lot to think about, Lilly. Michael’s good for you, he loves you, but you’re right, it’s a huge commitment. I would struggle with that too,” I replied honestly.
“I have dreams, Jess, I want to fulfil my art career. Michael will be a doctor soon. He’s predictable and I’m not, I like unpredictable.” Lilly sighed as she struggled to decide what to do.
“That’s exactly why predictable is good for you, Lilly. Now you choose the movie, I’m ordering in ice cream.”
The following evening, Ben had arranged a car for six pm, so I was to meet him in the downstairs foyer. I wore a simple, classic, navy blue dress with my hair loosely tied back, pearls I’d received from my parents for my eighteenth birthday, and a cream scarf.
“You look beautiful, Jessica. I’m taking you to a show before dinner, I hope that’s okay?”
It was about a twenty-minute drive to the theatre. The show was a dance musical production based on the lives of African village people. The costumes and set design were creatively colourful, it was certainly a feast for the eyes. At intermission, we were served Champagne and appetisers. Ben greeted a few people he knew and introduced me to a couple he often socialised with. I worried if Ben ever wondered how old I was. He hadn’t asked yet, but if he did I would need to lie to him.
Over dinner, we talked about our childhood. Ben was a good listener and very impressed I was studying business and finance. I told Ben about Joe and he mentioned he recently broke up with a woman but didn’t go into any detail, only that it had been complicated.
“I will be in DC for New Year’s, Jessica, I would love to see you again,” he said to me.
“That would be nice,” I replied.
By the time we got back to the hotel, it was after midnight. I nearly fell asleep on the drive back, so we said goodnight and I went straight to my room to bed.
We spent our last day in Vegas by the pool. After an hour of silence, Lilly slammed her book down and turned to me.
“I love being a mum, but I’m not sure I want more children. Do you think I should tell Michael?” Lilly asked.
“Perhaps you should, I think he deserves to know, especially if you decide you want to marry him. What do you think he will say?” I asked.
“I don’t know, I can’t see him being okay with it. I’ve had time to think while we’ve been away, maybe I will talk to him when we get back,” she replied. Poor Lilly’s mind was ticking overtime.
“Well, if it makes you feel any better, you’ll always have me,” I reassured her.
“And I am so bloody glad I do,” she said before she looked around for a waiter. “Well, I think it’s just about cocktail time.”
CHAPTER 4
It was Grace’s first Christmas. We spent the day at home opening presents and Grace was crawling around under the Christmas tree playing with her countless toys. Mum had outdone herself once again with her usual traditional lunch we always looked forward to. There was so much food left over and in the afternoon, my mum had invited over a few of the ladies that she had interviewed for her book. The women were very grateful to my mother. I think some of them had lost their families and it seemed that they had been through some pretty tough times. Mum was secretive about her book, I guess she wasn’t going to reveal too much until the book was released.
Lilly and Grace spent the evening at Michael’s aunt’s house. Lilly had spoken to Michael and told him that she wasn’t sure if she wanted more children. Michael took the news well, but he believed that in a few years she would most likely change her mind.
I invited Megan and Tanya over, we exchanged gifts and sat talking for hours, watched half of a movie, and then they ended up sleeping over. It was a relaxed Christmas and I was looking forward to seeing Ben when he arrived in town the following week.
Ben and I planned to go out to dinner for New Year’s Eve, and then head into town to watch the fireworks and make an appearance at his friend’s party. We had spoken a few times since our trip and I missed him. He mentioned that when I finished my degree, I could easily find work if I wanted to at his uncle’s hotel, managing the accounts. Vegas was only a short flight away and it would be good experience for me, at least for a few years.
I picked Ben up from the airport on New Year’s Eve. He had booked to stay at the Westin Hotel in the city. We decided to drop off his bags and go for a walk around the Whitehouse in the afternoon.
My