Waking Up In Vegas

Chapter 9

Elena's P.O.V.

It's already the late afternoon when I walk into the bar, plopping my shopping bags down onto the ground and grabbing a seat next to a tall, blond guy. He's handsome really, a contractor from what I can tell, with the paint on his clothes and the roughness of his hands. I can tell from the corner of my eye that he's been checking me out since I walked into the bar and grill on the busy Vegas strip.

The bartender walks over to me with a friendly smile and just when I'm about to open my mouth to tell him I want a gin and tonic. The blond guy leans over and smiles, placing his hand on the edge of the counter as he speaks. "Gin and Tonic for the pretty brunette. She looks like she could use a drink." He tells him with a wink and a smirk on his face.

We both watch as the bartender nods, walking away as he smiles at me with a grin. "Sorry to interrupt but you look like you could use something slightly strong. Hard day?" He asks with a smile as I laugh, pushing my hair behind my ears as I sigh.

"You have no idea." I tell him, laughing and sitting down fully in my seat.

"I'm Jake by the way. I'm here for a job estimate in the rich part of town. I'm a contractor and remodeler. If you haven't noticed." He explains, running his hands through his blond hair as I smile at him and nod.

"Ha, explains the paint." I comment, glancing down at his ripped up jeans that have small smudges of paint on them, his big biceps that are nearly bulging out of his thin black t-shirt as he leans towards me, then leans back again.

"So, what's a girl like you doing in a bar like this in the middle of the day?" He asks me, watching as I turn slightly towards him, my knees inward and my eyes narrowed when I reply. "I screwed up and now I'm here trying to forget what I've done. Also, waiting around before I leave back home for LA." I tell him, watching as he throws his head back with a laugh.

I watch as the waiter brings over our drinks and a small basket of peanuts as I smile at him, replying with a quick thank you as I hear Jake speak.

"You're from California? Ha, you've got to be shitting me! I live there too. In the heart of LA! My dad and I own a remodeling business." He says, picking up his drink and lifting it up in the air to almost give me a "cheers" as he takes a sip.

"Yeah, I'm a journalist there. I've only lived there for a few years...mostly because of the job." I explain, following his actions as I too take a sip and then place my drink down. It's nice going out and meeting other people who are normal, not like the snobby rich crowd that I've been around these last few days, it's refreshing.

XXXX

It's been at least two hours since I've sat down and had my first drink for the day with Jake. I'm on my third and starting to feel the buzz of it kick in when he looks up at me and smiles.

"I know this place is kind of shitty. But, do you want to dance with me on your last night in Vegas?" Jake asks, getting up from his chair as he grins and I stumble to my feet as I reply with a quick and giddy "Sure."

He smiles, grabbing my hand firmly into his as we sway slowly to the music, his hands on the middle of my back and I've got my hands firmly placed around his neck as he smirks.

"So, can I know your name?" He asks with a laugh as I feel my cheeks blush a bit. I was so wrapped up into my own crap and the thought of Stefan's little agreement that I had totally forgotten my manners.

I clear my throat and smile up at him. His blue eyes shine with playfulness as I give him a nervous laugh and reply "My name's Elena."

XXXX

Stefan's P.O.V.

I feel like I've been searching in every damn shop, every restaurant and every street corner for her. With no luck and the fact that she has my credit card, I'm feeling discouraged and all of its pissing me off when I take my cell phone from my pocket and dial the number that she had given me.

When I had asked Elena to be a part of this deal. I never imagined for my 'fiancé' to go out and make a fool of herself in front of God knows who and the worst part is that if she's out day drinking, I'm pretty sure that she's already spilled about our little secret!

I've nearly given up hope when I feel my cell phone ring again and I pick it up, Elena's name flashing across the screen. I hold my breath and grit my teeth before I answer it with a cheerful and upbeat tone, trying to hide the fact that I'm pissed off as all hell about her just getting up and leaving after she had slapped in the face.

"Hey! Stefannnn!" Elena says, her speech slurred as she giggles and I can hear music in the background...she's drunk and in some sort of club, go figure. She's probably also empted out half of my bank account with her little shopping spree.

"Where are you?" I ask her, my voice calm and collected as she laughs again and I hear her let out a loud sigh.

"I'm at the this knock off place that's trying to look like the Noir bar! I think it's called Janice's Bar and Grill..I don't know." She replies, confusion in her tone as she lets out a nervous laugh.

"I'll be right there. Don't go anywhere..Please." I ask in a nearly pleading tone as she replies with a quick okay and then she laughs again and says "Great! You can meet my new friend, Jake! He's from Cali too!". I hear what I think is his voice as she hangs up and I make my way towards the bar.

XXXX

The bar is filled with the smell of abundant amounts of flowing liquor and as I look around, my stomach churns. I feel sick and nauseous all at the same time as I see a mixture of the young and old, some of them drinking. Others dancing slowly on the small dance floor.

She's hard to miss, her arms are on his shoulders and she's laughing at something that he's just said. I take a deep breath as I walk over to them, straightening myself out as I put a non jealous smile on my face and interrupt their slow dancing.

"Can I cut in?" I ask, watching as Elena grins at me and then the tall blond guy steps back and nods. "Yeah, sure."

We both watch as he goes back to sit down and just when I'm about to say something, Elena speaks first.

"I'm sooo glad you're here!" She slurs as I try and keep a straight face.

"Elena, in less than 24 hours you and I are boarding a flight to go to your place in LA and pick up your stuff. I have a house there and you'll be moving in with me...remember?" I say as she sways us back and forth and laughs.

"Oh, Yeah! How could I forget...I'm like engaged to you! Shit! Where do you not have a house?" Elena asks me with a sudden straight face as I gently take her by the wrist and walk over to where the guy that she was dancing with earlier is now sitting.

"Hey..Stefan! Meet Jake! I gave him my number, just in case if I get sick of you!" She comments, bending down to pick her things as I give Jake a quick smile and he nods, holding up her card in his hands as he watches us leave.

We're half way outside the bar and nearly half way back to the hotel when Elena slings her arm over my shoulder and smiles widely. "You were right! This is going to be a lot of fun! Moving in together is going to be a blast!" She tells me, leaning into my face as she leaves a quick kiss on my cheek and I nod at her, exhaling deeply as we walk back to the hotel room. Silently trying to figure out my own way of payback for what she's just done and wondering why it was that he never noticed that huge engagement ring on her hand.