“You like it?” Denham whispers into my ear.
“Oh my god, Denham, it’s gorgeous.”
“Wait until you see inside.” He smiles at me, his eyes sparkling with excitement.
We pull up to the front entrance and a butler automatically steps forward to open the door. We let Lottie and Spike exit first. How she manages to be so graceful getting out of a limo is beyond me. Denham then steps out and holds out his hand for me to take. I step out in wonder. The lights are off white with a hint of pink making the place feel enchanted, and I follow the others through the huge imposing wooden doors and into the grand hall. The ceiling is high. You would expect everything to echo, but it doesn’t. The air is filled with an excited energy coming from the people who have arrived already.
“Let’s get a drink,” Denham suggests.
He weaves us through the crowds, nodding his hellos and stopping occasionally to shake hands. A butler comes past with a tray of full champagne flutes and Denham whisks two off and hands me one.
“Well, hello there, handsome.” A female voice comes from behind Denham and my insides tense when I see perfectly manicured, red polished fingers slip around his waist.
Denham rolls his eyes but smirks before turning, kissing her on the cheek and pulling her in for a tight hug.
This is what I was worried about. I don’t know any of these people, except from Lottie and Spike and they abandoned me the minute we walked through the door.
“Ari,” Denham says, looking between me and the six foot beautiful woman that looks like an Amazonian goddess dressedin a Grecian white gown that makes her Latino skin seem even darker. “I want you to meet Corey, she’s—”
“Evening, King.” A familiar voice comes into our circle and then Beth appears. Only, I have to take a couple of glances at her. There is no hard business persona this evening. Her fiery hair isn’t scraped into a neat pony with not one hair out of place. It’s loose, hanging below her shoulders with soft waves that make her look just breathtaking. She has a stunning sharp black gown, which looks exquisite against her pale skin.
“Ari, darling. You look just…that dress! I knew it would look amazing,” Beth comments, then steps forward to kiss me on the cheek. She clasps my shoulder reassuringly when she sees that I’m a little overwhelmed by this whole thing so far.
“You knew? Of course you knew,” I mumble, how else could Denham get in touch with the designers at such short notice?
“Yes, darling. Of course I knew! And it’s even more beautiful on your model frame. Monday morning, we need to talk.”
“No shop talk tonight, babe,” Corey interjects, now slipping her free hand around Beth’s waist and pulling her tight.
“Have you been introduced, Arianna?” Beth asks.
“Uh, yes, kinda …”
“This is Corey, she’s my other half,” Beth announces proudly. “Corey, babe. This is Denham’s girl, Arianna.”
“Arianna! Oh my god, girl. Beth has talked about you nonstop. I was beginning to wonder if I had something to be worried about. Look at you all beautiful,” she gushes, dropping her arms from Beth and Denham either side of her to embrace me in a hug.
“Corey, babe. Shall we leave these guys to it?”
“Sure thing,” Corey replies. “I expect to see you dancing later, Arianna.” She winks and they walk off hand in hand.
“Well, I wasn’t expecting that!” I exclaim, shocked and a little blindsided.
“They’ve been together for nine years. One of Las Vegas’s strongest, long standing couples.”
“Wow.”
“Yeah. Corey is an absolute kook, but she’s great.”
“Guess I have a lot to find out, huh?”
“All good things, Stunner. All good things.”
“If you would all like to make you way through to the ballroom, dinner will be served.” A host announces in a booming voice. The sea of people starts to move, and we are swept along with it. As we move through the archway and into the ballroom, people start to filter off to each side and we are presented with the full view of the room from the top of a wide staircase.
It is an immense room. White billowy drapes hang from the ceiling in between ornate crystal chandeliers. Tables decorated with huge crisp white floral designs, and the sound of at least three hundred people talking below us rises to meet me in an excited hum.
Denham steps down the first step, holding my hand and leading the way, until we reach our table where Lottie and Spike are already seated. Each table seats eight. We are lucky enough to be seated with Spike and Lottie, and an older couple who introduce themselves as Mr. and Mrs. Steinham, they are also hotel owners along the strip. The other two seats are still empty when we start to eat and it’s not until halfway through the dinner that Tara comes running in, dragging a rather harassed looking date with her.
