I nod, determination setting in. “You’re right. This is our weekend, and we’re going to rock it.”
We head out of the room and into the elevator. The doors open, and we step out onto the casino floor. The noise is deafening, and the flashing lights are dizzying. People of all shapes and sizes swarm around us, laughter and excitement filling the air. It’s overwhelming, and I clutch Minny’s hand for support.
She glances at me and squeezes my hand. “Ready to take on Vegas?”
I take a deep breath and nod. “Let’s do this.”
“Come on, let’s try our luck!” she says, grinning widely.
I follow her to a roulette table, watching her place sone bets. I take a deep breath and place one of my own. The ball spins around the wheel, and my heart races as it slows, coming to a stop on my number.
I’ve won.
Minny and I scream in excitement, hugging each other tightly. And that’s how our night starts, with laughter, cheering, and the promise of even more fun to come. But as the night goes on, I feel a nagging sense of guilt creeping up on me. Terrance would never approve of any of this. Not the dress. Not my enjoyment.
“Stop thinking about him, Charlie.”
“How did you know?”
“You get this look on your face.”
“I can’t help it.”
“Yes, you can,” she reassures me. “He’s not your problem anymore. You have every opportunity at your fingertips now.Take them. Have fun, for goodness’ sake, and forget about his abusive ass.”
I nod, taking a deep breath and trying to push the guilt aside. Minny is right. I’m in Vegas, the city of sin. It’s time to let loose and forget about everything else. We dance, drink, and flirt with a few cute guys. It’s the most fun I’ve had in years.
“Let’s go dancing. One of the servers told me about a club here. Sounds swanky. You in?”
I hesitate for a moment, but the thrill of the unknown overpowers my fear, “Let’s do it.”
Minny takes me by the hand, leading me toward the casino’s exit. We walk and walk. The heels she gave me dig into the soles of my feet.
There’s a line a mile long when we make it to the club. She takes one look at it and drags me down the VIP line.
“Name?” the bouncer with a clipboard in his hands at the front of the line asks.
“I’m going to be straight with you, handsome. Our names aren’t on that list, but my girl here just got out of a bitch of a relationship and is in dire need of some fun.” She leans in closer, “Abusive asshole.”
The bouncer looks us up and down, nods, and swings open the door. We step into a large room filled with flashing lights and thumping music. People are dancing and drinking, and I feel like we’ve stepped into another world entirely.
“Come on,” Minny says, grabbing my hand and tugging me toward the bar. “Let’s get a drink.”
We order something fruity and overly alcoholic. I take a sip and feel the buzz kick in almost immediately. The bass of the music pulses through the floor, too loud to think, the lights flickering across the crowd. Minny pulls me onto the dance floor, and we lose ourselves in it—laughing, swaying, letting go. With every shimmy and shake, the tension in my body melts away.
“Another round!” she shouts over the music, dragging me back to the bar.
“I think I need water,” I say, a little dizzy now. Drinking’s never really been my thing. A glass of wine here and there, sure, but two cocktails in, and the room’s already tilting more than I’d like.
The bar is packed, but she expertly weaves us through the crowd. Somehow, we land two stools squeezed in beside a group of men deep in conversation. Their attention shifts the moment we slide into place.
“Hey, ladies,” a deep voice says next to me. I turn and meet the piercing blue eyes of a tall, dark-haired man.
Minny doesn’t miss a beat. “Hey there, handsome.”
“You look like you know how to have a good time,” he says, flashing a grin.
Minny leans in with a playful smirk. “We do.”
