Page 6 of A Winter's Wedding

A server pulled out a golden chair and Leo helped America around the square corner of the table. He sat across from her and felt her foot press against the inside of his ankle, something she did to ground herself. He smoothed the white clothed surface and watched her take in the moment.

America stared out at the view. “It’s beautiful up here. You can see the whole strip. And look,” she pointed with the enthusiasm of a little girl, “I didn’t realize the water sprayed up that high. It’s incredible. I bet the folks staying at that hotel don’t know that this is probably the better viewing spot.”

Leo fell in love with her every time she laughed, and this was no exception. If nothing else, the night was already worth the traveling and the cost. Though he was sure his credit card was near maxed from all the last-minute wedding expenses. At least The Foundry, the resort he and America had opened nine months ago, had its own line of accounting.

She turned back to him, after thoroughly taking in the water and lights show. “What should we order?” she said. “I’m starving.”

“I hope you don’t mind, but I pre-ordered. There were only three choices, seeing as it’s Valentine’s weekend.” The server appeared and poured two large wine glasses with about an inch of red wine. “Everything is taken care of. We can just enjoy the meal.”

“You’re amazing. I was missing you terribly today with all this wedding stuff. I thought I was the ideal person to cover this story, seeing as how our wedding is coming up. That’s the only reason I agreed to this assignment in the first place.” America sipped her wine. “I just didn’t think it would be so emotional seeing all the couples getting married tomorrow and trying on my dress this morning…”

“That’s right. How did the fitting go?” Leo asked.

“It was good. A little bit lonely though. There was a… mishap with some of the beading and I have to go back tomorrow to pick it up. Jenny texted me to see how things were going.” She paused. “Wait, did she know about this?”

Leo shrugged like he knew nothing about it, but the truth was clearly visible on his smirking face. “I would have checked in with you, but I was sort of in the air at the time.”

“Wait a—How did you? When did you plan all this?” America said with her half smile pulling up more on one side than the other.

The candlelight danced in her sable eyes, and he reached for her hand across the table. “I wanted you to have a special time, since last Valentine’s Day was a disaster.”

“It wasn’t that bad…”

“We were knee-deep in whatever had been rotting underneath the barn’s floorboards for a hundred years.” He laughed at the memory. “By the time we dug ourselves out, I don’t think either of us was in the mood for a romantic night out.”

“A hot shower was all I wanted after that!” America took a long breath. “You didn’t have to come here and surprise me, but I’m so glad you did. This is exactly what I needed.”

Leo had always wanted a love like his parents had. Even though they had passed away years ago, he could sense that they would be happy for him and America. So far, everything had come together with few problems. America had planned the perfect wedding day with the help of practically the whole town. She complained about nothing and always had a smile on her face, which is why the pinched brow she now sported concerned him.

“What is it? Too much?”

“No.” she shook her head. “I just don’t know what I did to deserve this. You.”

Leo chuckled. “I could list all the reasons. Or I could just say that I love you America Greene—almost Thorpe—and that should be enough.”

“I love you too,” America said and held up her flowers. “What should I do with these?”

As if on cue, a server appeared with a slender vase and placed it at the center of the table. The man, dressed in black pants, a white button down, and a red tie, took the stems and propped them up inside the smooth glass cylinder, which completely obscured their view of one another. Leo leaned towards the window on his left. “We could just look outside the whole time.”

“Fine with me. The view is pretty good,” she giggled but moved the vase to one side anyway. “Better?”

After dinner, they bundled up and walked the strip, taking in the street performers, and dodging the people on every corner, passing out what looked to be baseball cards, which instead of hunky athletes, featured beautiful women wearing next to nothing. In front of the fountains, a man played a violin better than any performer Leo had ever heard.

The sounds vibrated through the air like a dreamy lullaby, and there was only one thing to do. “May I have this dance?” he asked and spun America away from his body. When she nodded, he pulled her back in towards himself.

Colliding, she looked up at him. A contented smile softened the lower half of her face. “You may have this dance, and the next, and every dance for the rest of our lives, Leopold Thorpe.”

Chapter5

The next morning, as America waited in the lobby for Leo to arrive, she couldn’t help but play the events of last night through her mind. Her heart flittered just thinking about the most magical date she had ever been on. She weighed the date against the next best moment of her life when Leo proposed at midnight on Christmas Eve while the snow fell around them. That night, too, had been a surprise, but never in a million years did she think Leo would sweep her off her feet so unexpectedly in Las Vegas.

Dinner at the Eiffel Tower restaurant had been delicious, and she could still recall the taste of that nutty mountain cheese, Comté, and the fresh baked bread that had practically melted in her mouth. After dinner, they had danced in the shadow of the fountain light show at the Bellagio hotel to the most beautiful violin music. Later, they had shared a scoop of pistachio gelato beneath the glow of the Las Vegas Sphere which had quite literally been displaying the night sky like a reverse planetarium. When they kissed while riding to the top of the largest ferris wheel she’d ever been on, she had totally forgotten about how cold she was.

The thrill of last night still warmed her through and through. But now, as she checked her watch and wondered where the heck Leo was and why he was late, irritation built in her stomach. She tapped her pointy toe on the tile floor of the lobby and watched the couples who were there for the big ceremony begin to congregate.

“Sorry, I’m late,” Leo said as he startled her from behind, with his hands clasping her shoulders.

America turned and kissed him quickly on his lips. “It’s fine. I’m just a little nervous.”

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