‘Good luck,’ I say, feeling a tiny bit sorry for him.
‘Luke,’ says Matteo, approaching the group. ‘I’ve arranged for the concierge to have all of your belongings packed and waiting in the car for you. It’ll take ten minutes. Just wait at reception with this.’
Matteo hands him a receipt. Luke tries to shake his hand, but Matteo isn’t interested.
‘I’m sorry for all of the upset,’ Luke says to him. ‘I truly am.’
We watch him scurry to the check-out desk, waving his piece of paper. He can’t wait to get away.
‘That was nice,’ I say to Matteo.
‘Don’t speak to him!’ bellows Tash. ‘You need to make him suffer before you forgive him.’
Matteo’s lips form a tight line. He seems at the end of his tether. Poor man.
Thankfully, Sister Kevin pulls Tash away. ‘Catch you later, man.’ The two men exchange raised brows.
Liberty, Big Sue and Big Mand follow them over to the lifts.
‘And that’s our cue to leave too,’ says Ged. ‘Coming, Connie?’
I blink a few times because my eyes are glassy. Is this goodbye?
Matteo holds my gaze. ‘Can we at least talk before I go?’
‘I think you’ve said enough,’ says Liam, coming over to put his arm around my shoulders. ‘How dare you hurt our best friend? Our best woman. Our beautiful lost soul. How dare you crush her like this?’
That’s a bit much, but Liam is very dramatic under stress.
‘It’s fine,’ I say to him. ‘It’s fine. We need to sort things out. I’ll see you guys later. I’ll come up to the pool. I need to sort out the logistics for the birthday gig tomorrow. It’s somewhere up on that floor.’
Hearing me sound normal and back to my efficient self helps me convince them that I’ll be okay, when inside I have melted into a pool of mush. My pulse is racing, and not in a good way. I’m hot, sticky and desperate to get this conversation with Matteo over with. He has chosen work over me. It should be relatively short.
We make our way to the lifts along with crowds of new tourists with their suitcases and pull-along bags. A heaviness settles over us, laced with disappointment. This magical minibreak has taken a very wrong turn, and I have no idea how to fix it. I stand in a numb trance staring forward until we reach our floor. There’s only Matteo and me getting out. We walk the corridors in silence, navigating each bend as though we know them well, until we reach our room. Matteo whips out his key and holds open the door for me.
‘Wait,’ he says, reaching out his hand to gently thumb away a tear from my cheek. My eyes have pooled with tears. Matteo can barely hold my gaze. I know this is tearing him up too.
‘I’m fine. I’m fine.’ I sniff, stopping in the doorway to face him. ‘I think I’ll go to the doctor’s when I get back. There’s something very overactive about my tear ducts.’
Matteo half smiles. He reaches up to smooth away strands of stray wig hair. ‘I wish things could’ve been different.’
‘Me too.’
We go inside and stand at the picture window. Floor-to-ceiling glass affords a stunning view over Las Vegas. The twinkling lights, the water fountains, the taxis and limos gridlocked on the Strip. The towering hotels, windows glistening in the bright sunshine. Everything about this place screams ‘have a fabulous and unforgettable time’.
‘I understand,’ I tell him. ‘I completely understand why you have to go. And why’ – I drop my gaze to the floor – ‘and why we have to annul this marriage.’ I swallow a lump in my throat and will away the rest of the tears threatening to fall. I’m a grown-ass woman. I can deal with this head-on. ‘We can’t possibly stay married. That would be insane. I’ll get on to it as soon as I’ve finalised the birthday bash for Eddie at Talent Star.’
‘Wait. You’re doing something for Eddie?’
‘Yes,’ I say. ‘You’ve heard of him?’
‘Who hasn’t heard of him?’ Matteo drums his fingers against his thigh while he stares back out of the window. ‘That’s a huge deal. Well done. He only books the best.’
My heart lifts at his words.
‘Connie. About the wedding,’ Matteo says, stepping closer. ‘I meant what I said.’
I close my eyes and send a silent prayer out into the universe.
