Vegas Knot (✔️) | Love Travels #1

Eleven

We spend the greater part of the next hour sitting in the far corner of the air conditioned shop discussing things that absolutely will not help us pretend to be married. He tells me about his favourite colours and languages, and I tell him my favourite random and useless facts.

When my phone alarm goes off at four that afternoon, it startles both of us out of our conversation and back to reality. As I'm fumbling through my bag, looking for the offending noise and trying to ignore the looks I'm receiving from the other patrons, he cleans up our table and quickly disposes of our garbage.

"So, I have to go," I say when I manage to turn off the alarm. "I promised the girls I'd get ready with them before we go wine tasting or food tasting or honestly I forget what we're tasting. I'm just along for the ride."

"Is this more bachelorette party stuff?" he asks, eyes intent on my face despite the lady making strange noises near the door.

"Kinda." I'm still trying to find my sunglasses when I remember what I'm doing here in this small ice cream shop in the first place. "But I could maybe text the girls and see if you could tag along. Or maybe tomorrow? I'm not sure if they want bachelorette stuff or if they're more dying to meet you."

One look at my phone notifications tells me they're going to say yes if I ask them. So why don't I want to?

"I don't want to interrupt girls' time. I'm free this evening and tomorrow, though. I'm scheduled to check out of the hotel in the morning which is..."

"I can get you a room at our hotel," I offer, looking up at him before sliding my sunglasses over my eyes. "I'm sure I can make that happen."

"You don't have to. I can reserve my own room, I'm sure."

"Part of the deal, remember? I'll put you up and feed you and all that. You'll stay married to me. We had this conversation like two hours ago?"

"Right. And you'll come back home with me for a week so I can treat you like the amazing woman you are before you go off on your own."

"Exactly. That." Why can't I think of anything to say? Might as well run before the heat of embarrassment finds me again. "Well, I really do have to go, so I'll text you with times and places if the girls say yes?"

"Yes, go. I got this. I'll see you tonight. Or tomorrow."

"See you tonight," I say, chime of the door bell ringing as I step out of the shop and head back to my hotel.

* * *

I don't know what I was expecting to find when I got to the hotel. But this isn't it.

My friends are pacing my small hotel room waving their hands around like they're doing a 90s dance move.

"We don't even know him, Bianca!"

"He took the ring back?"

"I can't believe you went--"

"Hold on!" I cannot sit here and listen to this. "What happened to all of you wanting me to go get this guy and have a proper magical wedding or whatever?"

"Well, that was before you actually did it," Carla reasoned.

"And we never actually thought you'd have the guts," Lorena adds.

"And now that you met him and are planning an actual date with him, we need to strategize."

"We don't need to strategize. It's just two friends getting coffee to discuss wedding week expectations."

"Just this week?"

"Well, and next week. Then we'll get a divorce and BAM It's like it never happened. "