Page 54 of What Happens In Vegas
Chapter 22
Fredi and Celia were running offense, clearing the way, as Ava struggled behind them with Bonni.
‘I don’t think I’ve ever seen her this way,’ Fredi said, keeping her arm in front of her to ward off people. ‘Thisis why men are not worth the trouble.’
‘I haven’t either. I hope she doesn’t get alcohol poisoning or anything.’ Celia looked back over her shoulder with concern. ‘How didshe get this bad?’
‘I have no idea. It has to be those banana banshee things she was drinking. I think they were super-strong.’
Bonni heard her friends talking, but it was like they were under water, and her eyes kept crossing. She blinked.
‘Ava.’ Bonni turned her head and loudly whispered into her ear.
‘Yes, Bonni.’
‘I want to see Quinn.’
‘I think you should just go to bed.’
‘No, I needto see him. Bad.’ Bonni had to make Avaunderstand that it was important for her see Quinn, they had a date, but she knew she needed help getting up to his room.
‘Don’t you think you’ve had too much to drink? Do you really want to see him in this condition?’
‘Yes. It’s our last night.’ Bonni nodded, and her head dropped on to Ava’s shoulder. ‘Please, help me get to his room.’
‘How about youguys go up? I’ll take her to Quinn and then bring her to the room if he doesn’t want to deal with her drunk ass,’ Ava said to Fredi and Celia.
‘Okay,’ Celia said. ‘But if she throws up in the hotel, I should get all the money in the Celia Pukes pool.’
The women separated and Ava got Bonni into the elevator, coaxing Quinn’s room number from her. Once the elevator started moving, Bonni asked Ava,‘You like Celine Dion, right?’
Ava brushed the hair out of Bonni’s face and tried to tidy her friend up a bit. ‘How does anyone not like Celine Dion?’
Bonni’s eyes widened. ‘I know, right? Oh my God, Ava, did you know she’s here in Vegas? We should totally go see her.’ Overcome with fangirl delight, Bonni was suddenly struck with the need to sing ‘My Heart Will Go On’.
Ava tried futilely toshush her for several floors, and then Bonni grabbed her arm and shook it. ‘Ava, Aves, Jack, he died! It was so sad! Rose is a selfish bitch. She should’ve let him climb on the door. If it were Quinn, I wouldtotallylet him share my door. I wouldn’t want him todie. Ava, Ava, I think I love him. Are we in a romcom? You would tell me if we were in a movie, right?’
‘Oh, Lord, Bonni, you’re a rightmess. I haven’t seen you this drunk since that Ponzi scheme guy committed suicide before you could get all the money back to his victims. Are yousureyou want to see Quinn?’
‘That guy, Ava, listen, this is really important,’ Bonni said.‘That guy was anasshole. Quinn is not an asshole, though. He’s amazing. Amazeballs. Balls of amazing. We have stuff in common and his dick, Ava,listen, hisdick—’
‘Thank God we’re alone in this elevator,’ Ava said.
Bonni wasn’t sure why her friend was looking quite so desperate, but she felt the need to continue sharing this very important information. Oh, Quinn. They were supposed to talk tonight. She was going to sit him down and have a very sensible conversation about expectations and feelings and commitments and boundaries, but her carefullyrehearsed words had dissolved upon application of alcoholic banana-slushy goodness. All she knew now was that she loved him. Near, far, wherever he was, her heart would go on. She should sing again.
Bonni picked up where she had left off as the elevator whooshed to a stop and the door opened. Ava put her hands on Bonni’s shoulders and guided her out. She tried once again to shush Bonni, but Bonniknew – she justknew– that love had touched them one time and that it would last for a lifetime.
Ava muttered, ‘The things I do for true love.’
As quickly as she could, Ava brought Bonni to Quinn’s door, but hesitated while Bonni continued to sing. ‘Bonni, it’s not too late to turn around. I can text him from your phone, explain what happened—’
‘No.’ Bonni pounded on the door with her fist.‘Open up, it’s the police. The looooove police.’ She giggled.
‘Bonni! Let’s really try to not wake up the entire hotel, okay?’
The door opened, and Quinn stood there. ‘What the hell – oh, holy shit, what do have we here?’
He was so pretty. Bonni was so lucky that she’d found such a pretty man. She stopped singing so she could stare at the very pretty man. He should be in a museum so that everyonecouldsee how pretty he was. No, that wouldn’t work, because then she’d have to share him, and she didn’t want to dothat.
