What Happens in Vegas: Chapter 1

I looked in the mirror and straightened my green sheath dress. It was classy but understated and perfect for the first day of my new life. My red hair was pulled back into a French twist and my lips colored with a hint of gloss. Professional. That was the look I was going for.

Moving to Las Vegas was a risk, but one I needed to take. Escaping from Waukegan had to happen. The only thing that made living there bearable was my job in Chicago where I worked as an event coordinator for a prestigious hotel. Despite its impressive status, I still never earned enough money to move to the city, and the almost hour drive was killing me. And my family… I loved them, I really did… but moving home after a failed marriage just about did me in.

I needed a complete makeover and what better place to reinvent yourself than Vegas. When the internal memo came about this position, I didn’t hesitate to apply. I quickly filled out the application, attached my résumé, and hit send before I could change my mind. The next day I had a video interview with Mr. Dorsey and the job was mine.

One of the best parts of moving to Vegas was the suite I’d be calling home for the next year in the very same hotel, Mystique, where I now worked. It was convenient and paid for.

I grabbed my knockoff Prada bag, made my way to the elevator, and pushed the button for the second floor where my new office was, putting aside any thoughts of my illicit affair from Friday. It was a one-time thing and I’d never see them again. Thank goodness! In the light of day my poor judgment glared like the neon lights of the Strip. It was stupid and reckless, yet I didn’t regret it as much as I thought I would. Never in my life had I experienced such pure bliss.

The doors opened to an elaborate lobby. My heels clicked loudly as I crossed the shiny tile floor to the reception desk.

“May I help you?”

“I’m Gianna Romano. I’m…” I started.

She stood and reached her hand out. “Of course. You’re our new event coordinator. I’m Teresa.”

I shook her hand. “Nice to meet you.” I took in the lavish lobby decorated in black and silver with a few pops of deep, bold color. “This place is spectacular.”

“It’s Mystique. Nothing but the best for our guests and employees.” She motioned to the room around us. “We’re very excited to have you join our team. Unfortunately, our last event coordinator left abruptly, and you couldn’t have arrived at a better time.” She reached behind the desk and pulled out a lanyard with a key card attached. “That will get you into the offices.” She pointed at the frosted glass doors behind her. “Let me call Penny to show you around. She’ll be your personal assistant.”

“Thank you, Teresa.” My own personal assistant? I was already falling in love with the job, and I hadn’t even started yet.

She made a quick call and then focused back on me. “If you need anything, don’t hesitate to ask. I’ve been here almost as long as Mr. Dorsey himself.” She gave me a motherly squeeze. “Welcome to Mystique.”

A petite brunette in a pink-checkered blouse with glasses perched on her head pushed open the frosted door and peeked out. “You must be Ms. Romano.”

I smiled at the formality. “I am, and it’s Gia. Ms. Romano sounds like my mother. You must be Penny.”

She did a quirky little curtsy. “At your service. I’m your very own Mary Poppins. Whatever you need done, I can make it happen.”

I giggled at her enthusiasm. “Let’s start with finding my office and a hot cup of coffee.” I turned and gave Teresa a little wave. “Thank you for making me feel welcome.”

She pointed at me. “Don’t forget… anything you need.”

I gave her a thumbs-up and followed Penny into the inner workings of Mystique. Several offices lined both sides of the long hallway. She talked a mile a minute explaining who was who and what was what, finally opening a door about halfway down. “This is your office,” Penny said, switching on the light.

It was tastefully decorated with the same black and silver as the front lobby, but empty except for the large wooden desk and a few chairs. The room wasn’t big, but it was mine. I ran my hand along the top of the desk, wandered toward the window, and opened the blinds. Hoping to get a glimpse of the Vegas Strip, I was disappointed. All I saw was a loading dock and half a dozen trucks lined up for deliveries.

Penny rushed forward and closed the blinds. “I know. The view sucks. How about I get you that coffee?”

I forced a smile. “That would be great.” I reached into my bag, pulled out my favorite pink mug, and handed it to her. “My way of helping the environment. Every little bit counts, right?”

“Right.” She held up the mug and read the inscription. A woman’s success isn’t measured by the size of her feet. “Oh, I like you already. I’ll be back in a jiffy and then I’ll get you up to speed. Cream or sugar?”

Penny’s words ran together in a long stream, and I wondered how many cups of coffee she had already drunk. My new assistant was a lot to take in, but I liked her immediately. “A little of both, please.”

She disappeared out the door and I slid into the chair behind the desk. The soft leather felt like satin beneath my bare legs. Only the best indeed. The office needed a personal touch, and I made a note to do a little online retail therapy tonight. With the money I was saving on an apartment, I could afford a splurge.

I removed the pink executive portfolio and pen set my parents bought me as a going-away gift from my bag and set them on the corner of the desk. With the push of a button, my computer turned on, requesting a password. My lips scrunched to the side. I typed Mystique and immediately got an “access denied” message. I leaned on the desk and tapped my fingers against my lips.

Penny rushed in with two cups of coffee and set mine on the desk. Then she dragged a chair around and plopped down next to me. After a long sip from her own cup, she said, “I set your password.”

My fingers perched on the keyboard. “And it is?”

“Sassy unicorn ninety-five. Capital S, capital U.”

I lifted an eyebrow. “For real?”

Penny visibly shrank back into her chair. “You can change it.”

“I like it.” I chuckled. “It’s got spunk.” I typed the ridiculous password, SassyUnicorn95, and my desktop came to life.

“I took the liberty of setting up your email and calendar, as well as organizing your files.” She reached for the keyboard. “May I?”

I turned it toward her. “Have at it.”

Penny’s fingers flew across the keys at an alarming pace, showing me where everything was and the organizational system she’d created for the events. It was overwhelming, but one thing was clear… having Penny on my team was going to be helpful. Everything was color coded and alphabetized.

“We have a floral convention this weekend.” She clicked into the file. “Everything is set. We just need to do follow-ups with the catering staff and presenters.”

After her overview of the event, Penny opened my calendar. “Shit!”

“What?”

“There’s a meeting in the conference room in fifteen minutes. It must have just been added. It wasn’t there this morning, I swear.”

I put my hand on her arm. “It’s fine. No worries.” I pulled the keyboard back in front of me. “I have one question for you, Penny. You seem really great at this. When this position opened, why didn’t you apply for it yourself?”

Her eyes went wide, and she huffed out a breath. “Honestly, Mr. Dorsey scares the living crap out of me. I’m content fading into the background.”

“Penny,” I scolded. “No woman should be made to feel like a wallflower. Don’t let any man intimidate you. You’re better than that.” He seemed perfectly pleasant during my interview. Fatherly even.

How bad could he be?