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  Chapter Three

  After picking up the kids, I went straight home and booked our flights and a three-bedroom suite at the Wynn...all on Mitchell's credit card. As I'd expected, my parents were only too eager to take the kids for several nights, and with everything settled, I hurriedly packed a bag.

  The following evening, Karly, Dione and I landed in Vegas and were soon in a cab on our way to the hotel. I had never done anything quite so impulsive in my life, and I was beginning to forget the nightmare I'd left behind.

  The suite was extravagant, with panoramic windows that offered views of the brightly lit strip. Each of the bedrooms contained a king-size bed, with plentiful plush pillows and cream colored bed linens.

  Karly and Dione were thrilled with the place, strolling through the rooms, they assessed the stock in the bar and the springiness of their respective beds.

  "Wow, this place is great," Karly breathed, walking to the large windows and sweeping her long red hair from her face. "Remind me to thank Mitch next time I see him," she chuckled.

  I smiled in response, but the mention of his name brought a wave of melancholy that I could well have lived without.

  "Come on," Dione excitedly uttered, as she practically bounced from her bedroom to the living area. "Let's get down to the casino and play a little."

  "Sounds good to me," Karly concurred quickly. "You up for it, Hollie?" she asked.

  "Sure, why not?" I shrugged, trying to keep a brightness in both my face and my voice. How successful I was, I'm unsure. The girls were so thrilled, I'm not sure their perceptive skills were up to much. Nevertheless, I had come to have a good time, and a good time was what I would have – even if I had to force myself to.

  The three of us quickly showered and dressed before heading down to the casino. Soon, we were sucked into the noise, the crowds, and the flashing lights of the slot machines. Dione suggested we go off and play some black jack, and I instantly offered to buy some chips with Mitch's card.

  After winning the first couple of hands, we figured we were on a roll and pushed more money onto the table. A few hands later, our luck had shifted, yet for some reason, win or lose, we were still having fun. The smile on my features was no longer forced and I even found myself laughing.

  "See," Dione said, grinning. "I told you this was a good idea."

  "Yeah," Karly agreed, draping one arm around my shoulders and the other around Dione's. "I'm glad we did this. We should do this sort of thing more often."

  Eventually, tiring of black jack, we headed to the roulette table, where we got talking to a married couple in their thirties. Rick and Lise were from California, and were, judging by the size of the bets they put down, very wealthy. They were also very friendly, and talked easily with us between spins.

  "You know," Rick grinned, "we're having a party later tonight up in our suite. You girls should come."

  "A party sounds like fun," Karly quickly replied.

  "Oh, yeah," Dione agreed, nodding as she nibbled on a small plate of corn chips she'd bought to stave off her hunger. In truth, we were all becoming ravenous, and were keen to leave the gambling tables in favor of a dining table.

  "Great," Lise nodded, looping an arm around her husband's waist and kissing his cheek. "It's pretty casual; wear whatever you want; bring whatever you want."

  "Yeah," Rick chipped in. "And if you want to invite any other friends, feel free. It'll all kick off in two hours or so," he added, checking his watch as he spoke. "So, any time after that, come on up to the Fairway Villa."

  "We'll do that," Dione assured him.

  With that, we left the roulette wheel and made for the restaurant. Over dinner, I quietly mused over the impending party and wondered whether I really wanted to go. Then, I suddenly tried to remember the last time I'd been to a party. It had been over a month before, and it had been one of Mitch's company events, which meant I stayed sober so he could socialize with his colleagues. Recalling the night, I wondered if I'd met her: Mitchell's 'other woman'. Chances were good he'd come across her at work. Had I talked to her that night, did she know who I was, and had she the gall to look me in the eyes?

  "Something wrong?" Karly asked, nudging me from my depressing moment.

  "No," I quickly uttered. "No, everything's fine. I'm just thinking. I'm not really in the mood for this party."

  "Are you kiddin' me?" Dione cried. "You are coming with us, and there'll be no arguing that point."

  "Maybe I'll just go back to the room," I offered quietly. "I'm feeling pretty tired."

  "No way," Karly said.

  "Absolutely not," Dione concurred. "I promised you a vacation to take your mind off things, and that's exactly what we're gonna have."

  "If you ask me, you need a few drinks in you," Karly pointed out matter-of-factly. "Everything looks better when you've got a drink or two inside you."

  I did try a couple more times to decline the invitation. However, my friends would not let it drop.

  "We're in Vegas!" Dione eventually sighed. "You've got let whatever happens in Vegas happen. Hell, we've got this far by flying by the seat of our pants, right?" she asked.

  Accepting that, I nodded.

  "And we've been having a good time, right?"

  Again, I nodded. Although, if I were truly honest, my 'good time' was being marred by the constant thought of Mitchell in the back of my mind – everything seemed to remind me of him. Even when I was doing something in revenge, like paying for the trip with his money, I couldn't entirely enjoy the moment, because there he was, never leaving me in peace.

  "Come to the party, Hollie," she added, pleading.

  Somewhere in the depths of my brain, I knew that drinking was probably not the best idea. However, it was the only thing I could think of that might just numb the pain. I needed to forget – perhaps some alcohol, some good music and a few dances would provide all that.

  "All right," I sighed, nodding. "Let's do it."