"No. I’m not. What are the odds, right? Shit."
"Geez, man. That's either really bad luck or really good luck. I don't know. Shit's pretty complicated right now. You still interested?"
I sighed. "Interested? Doesn't matter anyway. She's engaged."
Dylan paused. "Well, engaged ain't married."
"Huh. I'm taking her to dinner tonight. Just to catch up."
"That sounds interested, Carson. Be careful."
"I will. I will. Thanks, Dylan."
"All right. I'll see you in the morning."
"Okay, I'll be in early. I'm meeting the dignitaries from Saudi Arabia." It was part of my job as head of security to secure high-priced items that Trilogy guests brought with them.
"Oh, right, okay, I'll see you then."
We hung up and I looked at the clock. It was ten to seven. I grabbed my jacket and my keys and headed for the door.
CHAPTER 24
Grace
I was just finishing blow—drying my hair when my cell rang. It was Abby.
"You're going to die when I tell you who I'm going to dinner with, Abby," I whispered into the phone.
"Are you answering your phone from an underground bunker?"
"What? No."
"Then why are you whispering like that?"
I whispered into the phone again, "I don't know. Maybe a hear-no-evil thing?"
"Oh God. The last time you sounded like this, you were spending a weekend in Vegas with a porn star."
I laughed nervously. "Well, funny you should mention that actually."
I heard a shriek come from the other end of the line and held the phone away from my ear, grimacing.
"Jesus, Abby," I said, raising my voice to regular volume. "Are you trying to bust my ear drum?"
"Tell me you are not going to spend the weekend with another porn star, Grace."
I laughed. It felt good. I needed the relaxation a little laughter brought. I had taken a long, hot bath when I got home, but I was still strung up as tight as a bow over the thought of going to dinner with Carson. Not to mention the fact that I still hadn't told Alex about my evening plans. He was still with some clients and I'd only heard from him via text.
"Yeah, no." I cleared my throat. "I am, however, going to dinner with the porn star." I was whispering again.
"Say what?" Abby practically yelled.
"Abby, stop it, you're going to scare the baby." Abby was eight months pregnant.
She laughed. "The baby's fine. It's you I'm worried about. What is UP?"
I sighed. "I went along for an interview with a detective today for a case I'm working on and walked into Carson Stinger's office. No joke. I thought I was gonna faint, Abby."
"Carson Stinger's office?" she asked, sounding completely confused. "What office? Where?"
"He's head security at a new hotel on the strip. Apparently he went into the military after we parted ways and he's been overseas most of this time. I don't even know all the details. He asked me to dinner to 'catch up' and I said yes."
Abby was quiet for several seconds. "He joined the military… Wow. That is a story I have to hear. You better call me the minute you get back. What does Alex think about your dinner plans?" she asked warily.
I paused. "I haven't actually told him yet. But you know Alex, he's easygoing. I think he'll be fine with it."
She huffed out a breath. "That's what I'm worried about."
"What does that mean exactly?" I asked, frowning as I put Abby on speaker and took my robe off so that I could pull on my underwear and bra.
There was another short silence before Abby spoke, "I just… remember how that guy hit on you when we were out at Thanksgiving?" Abby and Brian had come to Vegas a couple weeks before to spend Thanksgiving with me and Alex because I was wrapping up a big case and hadn't been able to get home to see my dad and sisters. We had gone out for Thanksgiving dinner, deciding to make a big night out of it and when I had left the table to use the restroom, a guy stopped me and made a pretty big show of hitting on me.
"Yeah? And?" I asked.
"Alex didn't even bat an easygoing eyelash. He really couldn't have cared less."
"That's not true! He just trusts me."
Abby huffed out a breath. "I can't hold it in any longer, Grace." And I swore I heard Brian's voice in the background saying her name quietly in a warning manner. "Shhh!" I heard her say back.
"Abby, what can't you hold in any longer?"
"He's boring!"
I sucked in a breath. "No he's not! He's… he's kind and sweet and… "
"Safe?" she asked.
"Yes! Safe. So what? What's wrong with that? He loves me. He's good to me."
Abby sighed into the phone. "Honey, I can see that he is. It's just, you two act like brother and sister. It's almost creepy."
I laughed. I couldn't help it. "We're creepy? That's just… mean!"
"I don't mean that you're creepy, what I mean is… how's the sex?"
"Abby, stop. I'm not talking about this anymore. Alex loves me. I'm marrying him. That's it."
"Listen, Grace. Please don't be mad at me. I just couldn't not say anything to you. And since we're talking about Vegas five years ago, I've gotta say it–after you came home, I saw you change in so many good ways. It was like, you blossomed after that. In all areas, except one. Where men were and are concerned, it's like you went backwards. What's up with that? What's up with the whole 'safe' fiancé? What's going on there? Is that what you were really waiting all that time for? Safe? I love you. I'm only saying this because I love you. I don't want you to end up regretting marrying him."
I sighed. "Abby. I know you're looking out for me. But when it comes to Alex, I know what's good for me, okay? I really do. I won't regret marrying him. I won't. Thank you for sharing your concerns. Now, speaking of bad decisions, I gotta go get ready for dinner."
"Okay," she said, sounding uncertain. "Just one more thing and I won't bring it up again–you keep saying that he loves you. You don't have to answer me now, but do you love him? That's it. I've said my piece. Don't be mad at me, okay?"
I sighed. "I'm not mad. I love you. I'll call you tomorrow, okay?"
"You better. I love you too."
"I will. Bye, Abs."