Page 5 of A Winter's Wedding

“Can I just say something?” Brittney-Lynn said, and America nodded for her to continue. She looked at Darren. “Thank you for asking me out on the date and taking me to The Shed.” She turned her attention back to America. “It’s my favorite restaurant.” With the clarifying over with, she turned back to Darren, “Thank you for getting up on that stage and taking the mic away from Max Foly who was in the middle of his set and fuming at you, and telling the entire crowd that you loved me and wanted to marry me.” She wiped away a tear and kissed Darren on the tip of his nose. “I thought you were crazy, but now I know it was easier for you to show me how you really felt than keep it bottled up for one more day. I can’t wait to start our lives together tomorrow.”

“I love you so much,” Darren said and took her cheeks between his hands to kiss her.

America tensed at seeing such a public display. Though she and Leo were known for spontaneous displays of affection too, she was not usually in the position to witness others. She cleared her throat, and the couple broke their bond. America switched the recorder off so that they could see.

“We’re off the record now. Can I ask you both something? I’m about to get married next week and I feel like all we’ve done is make decisions that will make all of our friends and family happy, though there hasn’t been bickering like you said. How did you do it?” America sat back in her chair.

Darren shrugged in the same way Leo does when he has something to say but won’t.

“We just kept talking about what we wanted. We ignored the opinions best we could and kept our eye on the ball. It was hard, but we told everyone about our plans to come to Vegas and just asked that they show us as much love and respect as we have always shown to them.”

“And never underestimate the power of a southern girl with the tact of a mixed martial arts fighter and the voice of an angel,” Darren laughed. “Congratulations are in order for you, too.”

“I appreciate that. I’m rooting for you two.” America thanked them for their time and showed them out.

What a powerful statement from the young couple. America could stand to learn a thing or two from Brittney-Lynn. She wished that she had the same level of clarity when it came to what she wanted. Ever since she and Leo had picked their date, she had done everything she could to make the wedding perfect for everyone. She did not want to let down the very people who had given her so much love and encouragement over the past year. But she knew she had compromised on many things.

December was her dream time of year to get married, but everyone in town had an opinion. Too close to Christmas, people were traveling, holiday festivals and busy social calendars. No one does anything in January but hibernate and recover from the holidays. Valentine’s Day would have been perfect, but Leo said there was too much pressure on that day, so they had picked the following Saturday instead.

America paced the ballroom floor, following the grid lines created within the intricate woven design, and supposed the compromising had begun early in the process. She would have married him sooner, if not for renovating a house, helping Leo start and open a resort on the old lake, traveling every few weeks for work, and helping her mom with creating the boutique shop of her dreams. Her year had been packed with new adventures, and planning the wedding on top of everything else seemed like the only way to get to the good part; marrying Leopold Thorpe.

The next couple walked into the ballroom hand in hand and made straight for her. She flipped her notebook to a fresh page and prepared for another interview. There were three planned in total. Afterwards, America would be free to walk the city and take in the sights.For research purposes, she told herself.

Chapter4

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 maître 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.

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