After checking in and dumping their bags, Raina had changed from her strappy high-heeled sandals into the pair of rainbow-colored flip-flops she’d purchased just for the weekend. Now they were standing on the sidewalk in front of the hotel, searching for the nearest wedding chapel.
Raina shrugged. “Let’s just pick whichever is closest.”
“Chapel O’ Love it is.” Nick grabbed her hand and they made their way down the Strip. Raina was surprised at how busy it was. It was a Thursday afternoon and the Strip was packed already.
“Wow. This is so great. Ooh, look, a mime!” Raina stopped to watch a man dressed in all black with the traditional face paint of a mime as he went through the standard repertoire.
“Not that I don’t appreciate the talent it takes to do this, but his routine is pretty weak,” Nick whispered. “I’m pretty sure Jackson did the exact same thing in summer camp when he was eight.”
“Sshhh, be quiet. I want to see the rest.” Raina swatted Nick on the arm and turned back to the performance. She watched for a few more minutes until she became suddenly aware that some of the things he was acting out were a little… suggestive. Just when he was starting to mimic stroking himself, Nick took her arm and pulled her away.
“Damn pervert,” Nick grumbled.
Raina giggled. “Don’t be such a prude. He probably heard your comment that his performance was boring and was trying to liven things up a bit.”
They walked farther down the Strip, passing the famous Bellagio hotel. “Ooh, Nick I want to watch the water show later. Can we come back?”
“Of course. That’ll be part of our honeymoon.”
Raina instantly sobered. How could she have forgotten so quickly why they were here? She was about to sign her freedom away and she was planning her sightseeing like she was on vacation.
“Hey, I didn’t say that to make you sad. It’s all going to work out, you’ll see.” Nick pulled her closer.
“Hey, pretty mama. Here you go.” A man passing by pressed a small square of paper in her hand.
“What’s this?” She held it up to read what it said.
“Oh, you might not want to read that.” Nick took the paper from her hand but not before she saw the half-naked girl on it.
“I’m not an idiot, Nick. I know there are hooker services in Vegas. I watch TV. Hell, I probably know some of them. I heard a few of the girls I used to model with ended up as escorts. I’m hardly going to swoon because I see a dirty flyer.”
“Well, good, because I’m sure that’s not the worst thing you’ll see before we get back to our hotel.” He consulted his phone and then stopped. “Here we are. This is the closest wedding chapel.”
He held open the door for her and she walked into the cool interior of the shop. It was incredibly quiet compared to the bustle and chaos of the Strip. Too quiet, actually. Was it even open? She was just about to hit the silver bell on the counter when a man stumbled through the dangling beads separating the entryway from the rest of the building.
“Well, hellooooo. Welcome to Chapel O’ Love. That’s O as in ‘One Night,’ by the way. That was a great song. Great song.” The man who spoke was dressed as Elvis in a sequined white jumpsuit, except his pompadour was dyed electric blue.
Nick shot Raina an amused grin. “Or O as in Of could work, too.”
The blue-haired Elvis stopped and scratched his head, knocking his wig slightly askew. “That is a very fine point, young man.”
Raina watched as he became absorbed in one of the long blue strands of his wig, seeming to forget they were even there.
“Is he drunk?”
Nick heaved a sigh. “I hope so. Because I would hate to think he was acting like this sober.”
Elvis staggered behind the counter in the reception area and flipped open the large book on the counter.
“Names,” he barked.
“Nicholas Alexander and Raina Winters,” Nick replied.
Elvis leaned on the counter and whispered conspiratorially, “Come on, boyo, you can give your real names. Because between you and me, there is no way you could pull a babe like Raina Winters.”
Raina giggled and even when Nick turned around and glared at her, she couldn’t stop. “I’m sorry.”
Elvis finally noticed her behind Nick and leered. “Hey, now. That’s no Raina Winters, but she’s a close second.” He looked back at Nick. “How’d you pull that one off?”