All's Fair in Love and Las Vegas

Chapter Fifty-One

           A somber mood fell over the penthouse a couple days later, as Grayson and I woke up early, packed, and headed to the airport. I'd worried myself so intensely that I now had a stomach ache. Grayson, feeling bad for me, tucked me into my little plane seat with blankets and pillows before heading to the other side of the plane to work on his computer.

        "Sweetheart," he whispered, kissing my forehead. "We've landed."

        "Already?" I grumbled. It felt like I had hardly slept.

        "Sorry," he said sympathetically, taking my hand and pulling me to my feet. Sighing, I packed up my house of coziness and followed him down the steps, my blanket draped over my arm and my eyes half closed.

        Clay was the one to pick us up from the airport. And shockingly, with him was–

        "Kylie?" I asked, stunned.

        "BESTIE!" she screamed, tackling me. Grayson's security was less than pleased and moved to apprehend her (but who could blame them?), but I waved them off as I choked to death.

        "What are you doing here?" I wheezed out.

        She shot a flirty look at Clay. "Clay invited me up here for Thanksgiving."

        "Pretty selfish of me," he said bluntly. "It's the only way I can make it through a week with Laura."

        "So you guys are official?" Grayson asked skeptically. As if "Clay" and "official" didn't belong in the same language, much less the same sentence.

        "Shocked that I have a girlfriend?" his little brother teased. "I know I'm not as accomplished as you are, hitting the wife milestone, but still."

        "Shocked that you haven't scared her off," Grayson said, lugging both his suitcase and mine behind him. Normally I would've done it myself, except he gave me such a harsh glare that I decided to accept the help.

        "I was mildly concerned when he bought out the entire ice cream cart at the zoo," she confessed, linking her arm with mine as we walked. "But it was all in good fun and he shared it with the local community of small children. So it all worked out splendidly."

        "Plus she can't resist me kissing her," Clay smirked.

        "Shut up, ya hoser," Kylie said, blushing.

        "That's the other thing: she's taken to our insults. It's fascinating." I got the feeling Clay was called a hoser at least five times a day. I also got the feeling he didn't really mind.

        I let the two brothers walk ahead and I asked Kylie, "So you guys are actually together?"

        She sobered up a bit and nodded. "He told me how...unconventional being his girlfriend would be. And I figured if he at least had the decency to ask me, and to take a chance with someone so much older than him, the least I could do is give him a chance. And it's been amazing so far, Jackie, really. He's sweet, and thoughtful, and he loves doing just anything with me, like hanging out and watching a movie or going out to a fancy dinner."

        "I'm glad you're both happy then," I said, because they deserved so much happiness. Extra doses of happiness, in fact.

        "Oh, I am," she sighed dreamily. "Jackie, I never thought a man could make me so happy but Clay just does and he barely has to try."

        "I don't think Clay really tries when he does anything," I remarked.

        "Oh, he does. The other week he took me on a hot air balloon ride and we saw the stars and it was incredible," she said, clearly lost in Clayworld. Gosh, that place sounds like a nightmare. Apparently it's where Kylie thrives best though.