Cheaters (completed)

Chapter One

Chapter One
A year later...
"Have a safe flight, Willow. I love you."
"I love you too and don't do anything I wouldn't do while I'm away," I say to Justin as I'm about to board my plane out of state.
"I would never."
For the next few days, I'm going to Las Vegas for work. There is a seminar and plenty of workshops. Las Vegas will be fun; I know that without a doubt but leaving Justin alone, not so much. We are set to marry next month after over six years of being together. I'm excited but also freaking the hell out. Last year, when I was away for one of those week-long work things, my best friend, Chanel, caught Justin having dinner with a pretty blonde bombshell. I confronted him, he said she was one of his employees and that it was a business matter but it left me with doubts and unanswered questions. Since then, it has never left my mind but I still had a wedding to plan.
The closer I get to the date, the more I'm starting to get cold feet. I love him but trusting him is a different story. Am I willing to live with the constant doubt in my mind?
I grab my luggage, pull the handle and let it roll behind me as I get on the plane for my flight.
New York to Las Vegas gives me enough time to nap, right?
Sitting in my designated seat looking out the window, I wonder why I gave him the benefit of the doubt. What if he is still seeing her? I had to stop thinking that way. We are getting married after all. I sigh before pulling my phone out of my purse and composing a text.
I'm about to take off and I'm thinking about the girl you were having dinner with last year. Don't break my heart.
Willow, I thought we were through with this.
Justin tried hard to make me forget about her but a woman never forgets these types of things. Never.
It was dinner and nothing more, for work. She already had someone in her life. Maybe I shouldn't have mentioned that to him now but I'm nervous about flying alone and it has been on my mind since I woke up.
I can't wait to arrive at the destination and we haven't even left the tarmac yet. It's going to be a long flight and day.
***
The hotel is filled with people attending the seminar. If only I knew someone, it would be a lot more fun. It's a matter of time though. In the past, I've always made new friends on the first day.
As grandiose as the hotel is, my guess is that my room will reflect that, right? Since it's too early to check in to my room, I decided to get a little something to drink. I'm thirsty for a little glass of alcohol. Now sitting in the lobby bar, I'm sipping my first cocktail of the trip. I know there will be plenty more. It's Las Vegas, come on! It's afternoon so I'm all good. In general, these seminars are based on this - workshops all day and party all night. Last year, we were in Seattle. I had a blast there too. Well, for the most part.
"I'll have what she's having." A man stands next to my bar stool. Of all available seats around me, he has to pick that one.
"I hope you don't mind sweet because that one has a lot of it." I say before I take another sip.
"If I didn't like sweet, I wouldn't be standing here." His eyes meet mine but I can't hold it together. What kind of line is this? Starting to laugh, I feel sorry for him.
"That was so cheesy." I can't stop laughing.
"So I'm trying to be nice and you're laughing at me." He pretends to be hurt. "I'm Travis, by the way." We shake hands.
"I'm Willow."
"I like that." He says.
"My name?"
He nodded. "Are you here for the sales and marketing seminar?"
"I am. Vegas should be interesting."
He laughs. "If you mean the partying scene, then yes it'll be fun."
"I mean all of it. Some of the workshops have me intrigued."
The barman gets him his cocktail. Travis takes a sip. "Wow, this is sweet. It tastes like candy."
He had a point. It tastes like cotton candy. "Sweet but good."
"Yes, but I'll not get drunk on that." Travis takes another sip. "What are you up to, tonight?"
"Not much, I'll go for a walk outside. Las Vegas is something else."
He rolls his eyes at me. "I have something else we could do." At that moment, I see him looking at the ring on my finger. Disappointment appears written all over his face. "Are you by yourself?"
"Are you asking to know if my fiancé is around or not?"
Shaking his head, he sits on the bar stool next to me. "Am I? Yeah, maybe so."
"He isn't around. He's home. Our wedding is next month."
He nods. "Next month. Are you having cold feet yet?"
Irritated by Travis's comment, I drink the remaining of my cotton candy cocktail and plan my escape. "That's none of your business." I point out. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have somewhere else I need to go."
Am I having cold feet? Who does he think he is? I grab my phone and dial Justin's phone number.
"Willie, what was that about earlier?"
Oh crap, I had forgotten all about that message. "You know me when I get nervous. My mind started to overthink and last year came back to haunt me."
"Nothing happened, okay? It was a business dinner for our work development team."
"I know but it stays on my mind, you know? When I'm home, you never have business dinners and as soon as I'm away, you take a modelesque woman to dinner in my favorite restaurant. That was a low blow coming from you."
"Willow, please." He lets a long desperate sigh go. "I love you, I don't love Lexi."
Oh, Lexi is it? "It's okay. Why should I be worried about a girl like Lexi?" I think out loud. "Never mind, Justin, I'll call you later."
I hang up feeling like crying and going back home. Rushing to the customer service desk, I'll ask again if my room is ready.
"I'm sorry, I know I asked less than an hour ago but I would like to know if I can check into my room."
She took my printed reservation confirmation and typed in the confirmation number.
"I'm sorry, the room isn't ready yet."
"Can't you find us another room? My wife here isn't feeling well." Travis comes to my rescue. Did he hear my conversation with Justin? His arm curved against my waist, holding me close to his side.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Ray, I'll see if I can do something."
Mr. Ray, she knows his name. He must be a returning customer or something.
"Are you okay?" He asks me so low, I'm the only one who can hear.
"I don't know. I'm afraid it wasn't a good idea to come here." I bit on my lips trying to decide on what to do next.
"Hmm, I found a room. Fourteenth floor, room 1405." She hands me the key card with an apologetic smile.
"Thank you." Travis takes the key card, along with my luggage and goes directly to the elevator.
"What are you doing?" I asked running after him.
"I'm taking you to your room."
"You said I was your wife, I hope we aren't staying in the same room." That would be a terrible move. "I'm engaged."
"I'm divorced, so what? You wanted a room, now you have one."
In the elevator, he remains quiet, full of himself while I want to cry more now than before. My vision gets blurry while I take deep breaths. People come in and out before we reach the fourteenth floor.
"After you." With his arms, Travis motions me to go ahead.
Room 1405, I remind myself. There aren't many rooms on that floor, I realize but I find mine at the end of the hallway.
"I'm room 1406 if you need anything."
"Thank you." A quick nod in my direction before he enters his room.
I unlock the door with the key card and open it right away.
"Willow, are you getting married to someone who you can't trust? Adding a ring to your finger or a joint bank account won't change anything."
Too stunned by his lack of privacy, I frown at him and push my luggage into the room. "Goodbye Travis."
"Willow, please." I close my door before he tries explaining himself any further.
As I walk inside the hotel room, the lights turn on and I'm surprised this isn't the regular size room I was supposed to have. It is way bigger. Probably bigger than my apartment in New York. It has a small table, a couch with a large television. The bedroom is apart from the rest with an en suite bathroom. How is it possible that I have that much room to myself? "Travis."
Jesus Christ.
I leave my luggage by the bed and splash cold water on my face in the bathroom. Today has already become too much for my head to keep it together.
To top it all, I know Travis is right. A ring, a joint bank account or a house under both of our names won't change anything. If he has cheated before, Justin won't change after we tie the knot.
"Damn it." In a rush, I dried my face with the white towel on the marble counter and run out of the room to 1406. "Travis!" I knock and call his name. "Travis!" I knock harder.
"Hold on!" I hear from the other side of the door.
"Are you like that with all the woman you meet in a bar or what? First, you get the same drink as me. Second, you show up at the customer service and they do as you say no question asked. This isn't the room I booked, it's a lot bigger and at last, you can't say what you said to me. You don't know me or what I've been through."
He sighs unbuttoning his shirt. "It's true, I don't know you but if you have good reasons to think he is seeing another woman, why would you marry him? That's what I would call a red flag." Travis takes off his shirt and looks at me all serious and business-like. "Are you done now?"
"I'm so done with this place. There's no way I'm staying here."
"Good luck finding a room, it's Vegas, baby."
"I hate you," I muttered as I go back to my door. It took him very little time to get me so irritated; I feel like going back to the bar and drink my sorrows away.
"Why? Because I speak the truth?"
"No, Travis." I turn away and go back to face him. "I hate you because after all, I was hoping to have a good time but you ruined it for me. You ruined it all. Justin said he didn't cheat. Why would he stay with me for six years and ask me to marry him if I'm not enough?"
Shaking his head at me, he throws his shirt over the table behind him. "Come in, we're not alone on the floor and I bet you don't want everyone to know you are engaged to an asshole."
"What makes you think you can talk to me like that?"
"Are you coming in or out?"
Facing him, I get more frustrated by the second but I don't want this conversation to end now. Being stubborn can be a fault of mine sometimes. "What is it that you have against me? Am I your target or something?"
Travis stretches his arm toward me and pulls me inside his room.
"What makes you think you can talk to me like that?"
"Are you coming in or out?"
"Why did you take your shirt off? Didn't your mother teach you some manners?"
Unaffected by me, he gets a bottle of water out of the small refrigerator and drains half of it.
"Are you done now?" He asks.
"What?" Dumbfounded, I ask.
"Look, Willow, I heard the conversation you had with your guy and I think it's pretty sad if you're going to marry a man who's banging another woman right now. You are beautiful and smart, I bet you could find an honest man out there."
"Like you, I bet."
Travis smiles and crosses his arms over his chest. "I respect women."
"Then why are you divorced?"
The pretty smile on his face falls down. "She cheated."
Oh. So it's starting to make sense in my head now. "You decided to make it your job to make me realize..."
"Yes. If you want to be divorced within two years, that's your choice." His tone of voice is arrogant and grating on my already frayed nerves.
"I don't. I believe in true love." I spat. "You may not agree with what you know of me now but I do."
He leans his head on the side. "True love, huh?"
"Yeah, I'm not the type of woman who marries to divorce later. I want it to last." Travis frowns in a subtle way making me believe he has something to say. "What? Did I say something you don't agree with?"
"No, you didn't. It's the opposite. I think it's refreshing to see someone looking for long-term rather than a free meal."
His eyes lock on mine but I don't let it last more than seconds.
"I'll let you go. You were going to change or shower and I interrupted you."
This is the perfect timing to go. We cleared the air, somewhat. With him shirtless right before my eyes, it makes me uncomfortable more than anything.
"Willow, don't go." Travis tries to hold me back. "I was going to change." The tip of our fingers touch, his hand grabs mine. "Wait a minute."
"Travis, I'll see you later." My hand falls free as I turn the handle of the door. Against my better judgment, I peek at him over my shoulder as the door closed. His fit arms crossed over his chest and a crooked smile cute enough to make my heart beat rise.
Damn it, Willow.
I may have my doubts but I'm still engaged to get married in less than 30 days. What this man thinks of me or the way he looks at me shouldn't make me react the way I have since he came to my side for a drink. Without a single doubt, I have to get my head together.
Inside my room, alone and anxious, I sit on the couch and try to banish all thoughts of Travis.
Justin... I love him with all my heart. He's the first man I've ever loved but I can't stop thinking about what he might have done with that Lexi. How can I trust him when he might have cheated on me? Even if he said he hasn't done anything wrong, part of me doesn't believe him. As Travis said, nothing is going to change when we're married. Justin will keep doing whatever he is doing now.
Tears are rolling down my cheeks. Vegas was supposed to be a great opportunity to let loose but here I am crying all alone in a hotel suite. Thinking a shower might do me some good, I jump in.
It does feel good when the warm water hits my skin for the first time. I stay under the water until my fingers prune. The free bottles of shower gel and shampoo smell amazing. Better than my expensive shampoo.
"I'm going to have a good time," I say to myself. "Vegas is the most extravagant city and I'll make the best of my stay here."
Self-motivation at its best. I couldn't let my demons haunt me. I had no control over Justin's actions, only mine.  Tonight, despite my anxiety over marrying the wrong man, I plan on having one hell of a good time. Alone, yes, I can do things by myself. Living in New York had taught me that years ago when I moved there.
Leaving the shower behind, I twist my long hair in a towel and wrap my body in another one.
I dig in my luggage to find my outfit. My favorite skirt and matching tank top are what I'll be wearing tonight. Cute and sexy but not trashy. There is nothing wrong with showing a little bit of skin. Plus, I wear that outfit to work so it's not a big deal.
Straightening my natural wavy brown hair, I wonder why I like my hair so long. It takes forever to dry and that doesn't include the brushing.
A natural look on my lips, adding a shimmering gloss and few layers of mascara. Done! That simple.
I grab my purse on the way and put on my ballerina flats.
First stop, food! I am starving. After that, I plan on walking on the strip to the Bellagio. I've heard so much about their fountain. After that, I have no idea. There is an employee get together but I'm not sure I will attend. Being by myself is how I like it for tonight.
Stepping out of my hotel room, I try to be quiet in hopes Travis won't hear my door open or close. This is so immature, it takes all my willpower not to giggle. It feels like I'm climbing out of my window in the middle of the night.
I push on the elevator button and I hear noises coming from Travis' door. Crap!
I take a quick look and it's him.
"Come on," I mutter at the elevator pushing on the button again and again.
I hear the satisfying "ding" and I jump inside as soon as the doors are opened.
"Willow, Wait."
The doors have already begun to close when I see a blur in the small opening of the doors. "Willow, Wait."
Too late. I managed to run away this time. Surrounded by people, I'm a little embarrassed by my unsubtle escape. But then I think... who cares?