All's Fair in Love and Las Vegas

Chapter Sixty-One

        It worked. It really worked.

        The next week was absolutely crazy. Thankfully, Laura did not pull any insane stunts. She was too busy planning her enormous holiday party. Grayson and I were given matching outfits, him with a silk green tie and me in a short silk green dress. I also had shimmering gold heels, something that drew much more attention than I would've liked but was stuck with. I was also instructed to wear my wedding ring, a thin diamond necklace, and diamond earrings.

        It was a little too much sparkle.

        "Gosh, Grayson, I feel like a walking billboard for rich snooty people who don't care about humanity," I groaned, staring at my reflection in the mirror.

        He laughed. "Trust me, you're the least rich, snooty person who's here tonight."

        "You're saying I'm broke," I said, grinning.

        "I'm saying you've got a big heart," he corrected.

        I snorted. "So a big, broke heart."

        "Sorry, Jackie," he laughed, knowing I was teasing.

        He came up behind me and hugged me around the waist, his chin resting on my shoulder. "You look really beautiful tonight, Jacks."

        I smiled. "Thanks, you look very handsome."

        "Come on, we both know you're stealing the show tonight," he said.

        I rolled my eyes. "Grayson, there are girls who are pretty much princesses here. I'm not stealing the show of anything."

        "I don't know, you're prettier than all of them." The way he says that shouldn't turn my heart to mush, but it did. This whole week, I'd done a good job of keeping away from him. Sure, we still shared a bed and fell asleep holding each other, but other than that, it had been pretty easy to avoid flirting with all the party preparations in full swing.

        Still over my shoulder, he sighed, closing his eyes. "I am so ready for tonight."

        "You are?" I couldn't help blurting out. We'd been dreading this party for almost a month, and he was excited?

        "Oh, yeah," he said. "I am so ready to change into pajamas, eat an American snack, and pass out."

        "We have American snacks?" I asked eagerly.

        "Yes, I thought we needed to celebrate making it this far, so I ordered some," Grayson said, pecking my cheek before letting go of me. "Isn't it thrilling?"

        "Very much so. Are we ready to breeze through this party to earn snacks?" I asked, grabbing my green clutch.

        "I'm ready, darling." He extended his arm to me and off we went down the staircase.

        I could hear the people talking well before we even reached the corridor outside the ballroom. My stomach churned; it sounded like hundreds. So many people, all of them so intimidating. 

        Right before we went in, Grayson leaned down and whispered something, so close that his lips brushed my ear.

        "I've got you, Jacks."

        That made it all bearable.

        I exhaled slowly and walked in with him, painting on my lovely smile. Except it almost immediately was clenched, permanently painted on in an attempt to hide my horror.