“Be safe,” he said as he gave me a concerned look.

“I will.” I placed my hand on his shoulder as I walked past him.

****

The three of us boarded the plane and took our seats. Lana, G’s friend from the firm, was super sweet and funny. She was thirty years old and newly divorced, so this weekend getaway was to celebrate and, according to her, what better way to celebrate a divorce than Vegas! I really didn’t want to go because of the memories Vegas held for me. G told me to forget about them, drink, and have a good time. I wasn’t so sure. As G and I were talking, Lana looked over at me and showed me a picture on her iPad.

“Gabby, don’t you know Simon Young?” She handed me her iPad, and there was a picture of him from last night with a beautiful brunette hanging on his arm. It was taken at an event for breast cancer awareness. She wore a beautiful long, pink shimmery gown and he was in a black tuxedo with a light pink bowtie. I swallowed hard as I answered her.

“Yeah, he’s a friend,” I spoke as I handed her the iPad.

G placed her hand on my arm. “Are you okay?” she asked in a whisper.

“Of course I’m okay. Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Well, you know,” she pouted.

“We’re friends, G, and nothing else. You know that. I would be stupid as fuck to think that he wasn’t seeing other women.”

“You saw him yesterday. He didn’t mention he was going out?”

“Why would he? He doesn’t owe me any explanation as to where he goes. Just like I don’t owe him any.”

“Alright. Remember, we’re going to Vegas, baby. Hot guys, plenty of booze, and for you, cards.” She winked.

I gave her a small smile as I looked out the window of the plane. I brought my knees up to my chest and thought about Simon. Seeing him with that woman stirred up a jealousy that I shouldn’t have had. The plane landed and, once again, I was in Vegas. A place that I didn’t even like, but kept being brought back to by different people.

“What hotel are we staying at?” I asked Lana.

“I booked us a room at the Hard Rock.”

When the cab dropped us off at the curb, I looked down the strip at Simon’s hotel. The very one where we first made love to each other. As G and I stayed back while Lana went up to the desk, we wondered why it was taking her so long to check in.

“What’s taking so long?” G asked her.

“These fucking idiots double booked our room and they don’t have another room available. So they’re calling around to see what they can find us at a different hotel.”