Just Pretending: Chapter 12

When I entered the house Harleigh was already waiting for me. She perched on a loveseat in the first parlor, a suitcase by her feet, reading a book.

“Where are the rest of your things?” I asked when I didn’t see more than one bag. “Upstairs? I’ll send the driver.”

“No, Devin, this is it.” She nodded to the single case.

She had packed herself and carried the case downstairs. I ran my hand over my jaw. I couldn’t remember a time when anyone in this house had done that.

“Did you pack everything you need?” I asked.

“I think so. You said we would only be gone for two nights, and that my dress would be waiting there. This is all I need.” She reached down for her bag.

“Allow me.” It was the least I could do. She shouldn’t have to carry her bag, not with me standing there like some fool impressed with her self-reliance.

“Is this okay?” She asked, plucking at her shirt.

It was a pink color, the same color as her lips. I wasn’t aware if I had seen it before. Then again, I couldn’t remember ever being so distracted by her mouth before. The color looked good on her. Really good. The rest of her outfit, black loose pants, and a long black sweater were the same that she always wore.

“It’s a nice color on you.” I managed without sounding like an idiot schoolboy. What was my problem? We were flying to Vegas to get married, for the fulfillment of the will’s criteria. She shouldn’t be rattling me quite as much as she was.

She followed me through the airport. She seemed confused when we didn’t stop at the counters for check-in and went straight to the Sky Lounge.

“You act like you’ve never flown before,” I teased.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve flown on a commercial flight. I thought we had to do the whole check-in and waiting thing at the gate.”

“Not when you have perks.” I laughed.

“Perks?” she asked.

“Airlines give you little bonuses when you fly on them a lot or fly first class. It’s a bit different than flying on a private jet.”

“I never flew with perks, I guess.”

“Private jets are the ultimate perk,” I replied.

“I’m beginning to think my actual life experiences and what you think they were are completely different.” There was a challenge in her eyes.

We were directed to board our flight, so I didn’t have a chance to get more information from her just then. I wanted to know what she thought she had experienced growing up rich. I grew up the son of the cook for a rich man, while she had been his only daughter.

Once in our seats, she turned to me, her eyes wide with wonder.

“You look like you’ve never flown first class.” I shook my head.

“I haven’t. These seats are so comfortable compared to the coach.”

“When have you ever flown a coach?”

The sense of awe left her expression. “All those years going to and from boarding school.”

“Your father…” I shook my head. There was no accounting for what the old man had done.

“Daddy had nothing to do with that. Those arrangements had all been made by my assorted stepmothers, Elaine and Roni in particular.”

“Vacations?” I asked.

“When was the last time you can remember my father taking a vacation? The last time he took me anywhere we were in a private jet. You were there, remember? You even brought Lauren. I thought you were going to marry her.”

“Was that when Elaine made us all go to New York to see Wicked?” That had been a long time ago. It seemed like a lifetime. Harleigh had barely been a teenager. The old man had still been fond of Elaine, and did things to make her happy, like pretend we were a family and go to the theater.

“Lauren had also thought I was going to marry her. She even told me how and when I should propose.”

Harleigh giggled with laughter. “I can’t imagine you took those instructions very well. You hate it when I tell you what to do.”

I leaned close so I could whisper in her ear. “I hate it when anyone tells me what to do.”

“So, you’re loving this whole get married thing about as much as I think you are,” she smirked.

“You have no idea,” I muttered. “What about with your mother? She traveled quite a bit doing her appearances and shows.”

Harleigh shrugged. “It kind of kills the mystique of glamour when dragging a little kid around. And Mom was all about the glamour. I was mostly left with assorted nannies.”

“Assorted?”

“Well, many and sordid. At least there were people around making sure I was fed, and had clothes. Daddy had me shuffled off to a boarding school as soon as I was old enough.”

She sighed and leaned her head on her headrest. I hadn’t expected her to have endured so much neglect. I had only ever felt wanted and included. After my father died, my mother took me everywhere, kept me by her side. I don’t know who was more reluctant, me or her, when it came to the old man wanting to mentor me.

I was so wrapped up in my selfish wants at the time, I never paid any attention to how Harleigh was being treated. Then again, I was away at college, or out on my own by the time she had moved back into the house.

“Oh, everything looks like a playset,” Harleigh exclaimed as she looked out the window during our approach and landing.

The Vegas strip was visible from the airport, and from above the extravagant buildings including a castle and a pyramid, it did look more like a children’s toy, than the main attraction of Sin City.

“Where are we staying?” she asked.

“It’s a surprise,” I said with a smirk.

Our car took us the long way up the strip at Harleigh’s request so she could see all the buildings. Each one was more impressive than the one before. When we got out of the car at the Bellagio, Harleigh’s sense of wonderment at our surroundings was almost embarrassing.

“You are acting like you’ve never seen bright lights before. You’re like a little kid in a candy shop.”

“Shut up, Devin. This place is beautiful, and I’m going to appreciate it. And maybe I haven’t seen anything quite so grand before.”

She stopped walking and looked up. “When else have you ever walked underneath a ceiling like this one?”

I followed her gaze up to the riot of color created by hundreds of large glass flowers. She was right, it wasn’t every day I walked under a Chihuly exhibit. I dropped my gaze back to her. She still smiled up at the flowers. Was this what life was like for her outside of the old man’s house? Everything was beautiful and amazing the way she looked at it.

I slipped my arm around her waist and kissed her temple. “We’ll come back and admire this some more later. There is a lot to see and do in this town.”

I wasn’t sure if that kiss was for show or impulsive. In a matter of hours, she would be my wife. Only then did I think I would be able to relax.

Once in our suite, her amazement continued. A large picture window looked out over the pond and the strip.

“We’ll be able to see the fountain show from up here!”

Our bellhop opened the doors to the bedroom and pointed out the room had an oversized soaking tub.

“Thank you, just leave the bags here,” I slipped him a tip, and went to stand next to Harleigh.

“You like it?”

If she were a puppy her tail would have been wagging. As it was, she vibrated with excitement.

“We have a few hours before we’re scheduled for the ceremony.”

She stopped shaking, and her breathing changed. I had ruined her moment by bringing up the wedding.

“Why don’t you take a relaxing bubble bath beforehand. I will arrange for dinner, and then we can get ready. I need to follow up with the concierge service regarding our clothes for this evening.”

A sharp knock sounded on the door.

“Yes?” I asked when I opened it.

“Mr. Hopper? I have a delivery for you.”

The young man was carrying two garment bags.

“Is that my dress?” Harleigh asked.

“I believe so,” I said, stepping out of the way so he could bring our clothes in.

He hung the garment bags on a hook near the room’s closet. Another tip and we were alone again. I stared at her, and she at me. I couldn’t read her expression, but she looked lost. This was all happening so fast.

“Go take a bath, I’ll be back.”

If we were in love I would have swept her into my arms and confessed that I thought being forced to marry her was the best idea. But this wasn’t love. The old man gave me no choice. It wasn’t what either of us wanted. She deserved a real wedding to someone who loved her.

I went straight to the concierge stand. “I have more money than time. How can we make my wedding tonight as memorable as possible for my wife?”

Satisfied with the arrangements, I strolled through the hotel, wasting time. Ignoring my thoughts, because they all went back to remembering Harleigh on my lap, in my arms, her mouth on mine. I was getting married tonight, but there wasn’t going to be a honeymoon.

When I returned to the room, Harleigh was still in the tub. I could hear her humming. She sounded happy. I called room service and arranged to have dinner with champagne sent up. To settle my nerves I poured myself a drink from the minibar and sat staring out the window. All my attention was focused on listening to Harleigh humming and moving about in her room. The bourbon wasn’t enough to burn what we were about to do from my thoughts, or numb my body’s reaction to thinking about her nude with only a wall between us.

When the food arrived I tapped on her bedroom door. “Harleigh, dinner has arrived.”

“I’m not dressed.”

I was well aware of the fact that she had only recently gotten out of the tub. “Toss on the clothes you had on earlier.”

“Oh, should I change?” She opened the door and stepped out. She was wrapped in a thick white towel.

My eyes dropped and I took in her exposed cleavage and admired the exposed skin of her legs. She wasn’t wearing anything under that robe, and we were feet away from two large beds. I swallowed down my sudden lust.

“You look fine,” I forced myself to say.