Reaching thereception area, Emma stood to the side to avoid getting in the wayof everyone who seemed to know where they were going, and took amoment to get her bearings.
Near thecheck-in desk was a small but fancy sandwich board with a signannouncing that the pool area would be closed for five hours onWednesday morning. No details were given other than a smallapology.
Remembering herreason for coming to Vegas in the first place, Emma straightenedher back. She would do this. She would somehow get access to thepool area on Wednesday, find Michelle and reconnect with herlong-lost sister. A flutter filled her stomach and she took a deepbreath.
She’d missedher sister so much over the years. She couldn’t wait to spend sometime catching up.
A group ofguests had stopped in the foyer and were staring at the ceiling.Emma followed their gaze. The most elaborate artwork she’d everseen adorned the ceiling. Huge glass blown flowers in every colourof the rainbow glistened under bright lights. How had she missedthat on her way in? Possibly because she’d been hungover withjetlag and just intent on getting to her room in order tosleep.
Emma pulled outher phone and snapped a picture. Amber was the artist and she’dabsolutely love that.
Opposite thecheck-in counter, the casino area flashed with neon lights andelectronic music. An area crowded with happy patrons and loudvoices caught Emma’s attention. A bar! Her lips were dry; her mouthparched. Sitting alone in a bar was something she’d never donebefore but she’d come on this trip for new experiences.
It was time tostart having them.
She made herway through the crowds of people occupying the tables at the barand slid into a tight space at the counter.
“What’ll youhave?” The bartender’s drawl distracted her for a moment as sheglanced around.
Hmm, what tohave? “House white, please.” The words were automatic and Emmawished she could claw them back as the bartender turned to pour herglass. She was in Las Vegas, city of sin. No one ordered the housewhite.
The bar tenderplaced Emma’s glass of wine in front of her and named the price.Tipping was customary but she didn’t really know how to do it.She’d seen guests slip a tip across to the concierge by way of ahandshake but didn’t think that would really work here. Sucking ina breath, she leaned forward. “Um, this is your tip, thankyou.”
The bar tendergrinned as he took the money. ‘Thanks, hon.”
Emma sat backand exhaled. Well. A clumsy attempt, but it was done. She’d getbetter at it.
CHAPTERFOUR
Lachlan dropped a tipon the crowded bar and picked up his glass of whiskey. He wasn’t adrinker by normal standards—especially as a single father—but afterthe afternoon he’d just had, no one could begrudge him a sip of thesmooth, amber fluid.
A thief.She’d thought he was robbing her.
Insane.
What if thosepictures the guests had taken went viral? What if his parents sawit? Granted, they weren’t terribly tech-savvy but all it would takewas for someone he knew to see it, and it would spread likewild-fire through his family. Lachlan was solid, at least, that’swhat his friends called him. Reliable. Someone to depend on. And heprided himself on his reputation as being that man.
“Dad!” Sarah’svoice cut through the din and, automatically, his head turned.
Hisnineteen-year-old daughter, his pride and joy, slipped through thecrowd and into his arms. He’d never got used to seeing anotherhuman being who had so many of his traits. Sometimes he foundhimself watching his daughter with sheer amazement. She had thesame colour hair, the same almond shaped eyes. Even her olive skintone matched his. Daphne’s genes—like Daphne herself—were mostlyabsent.
Pride filledLachlan’s chest as he wrapped his free arm around her and kissedher temple. “Hi, sweetheart.”
Sarah’s darkhair was pulled into an elegant up-do and the red sequined dressshe wore sparkled and shimmered under the lights. Across oneslender shoulder a silver sash proclaimed, ‘I’m thebride!’.
They’d madeit.
Lachlan hadn’tplanned on becoming a father at eighteen. But he was a Spencer andSpencers took responsibility for their actions. He’d thrown awayhis chance to go to university and follow his dream of being anarchitect. Instead, he married Daphne, rolled up his sleeves andtook a job, sometimes two or three, to provide for his newfamily.
It wasn’t allbad.
There were somany things for which he was grateful. Seeing Sarah come into theworld had both completed him and terrified him. He was still ateenager, what did he know about raising a daughter? When Daphneleft them two years later, Lachlan was heartbroken but determinedto give Sarah the best possible life he could. They’d shared somany firsts. Sarah’s first smile. Her first day of school. Thencame her first loose tooth and visit from the Tooth Fairy. Thefirst time she rode her bike without help as he ran alongside readyto catch her if she fell. Her first day of high school.
With shockingclarity, he remembered the day she’d come home from school intears.
Lachlan hadjust finished vacuuming when Sarah burst through the door, tearsstreaking down her face.
“Honey? What’swrong?” Panic surged through Lachlan’s veins at the sight of hisdaughter in distress. “Are you hurt?”
Sarah shook herhead but wrapped her arms around him and squeezed tight, buryingher face against his waist. Her body quivered as she tried to holdback her sobs.
“It’s okay,honey. Everything’s going to be alright.” But was it? How could itbe when she was so upset and he had no clue what had happened?
He rubbed herback in long, gentle strokes until the quivering eased.
Sarah sucked ina heaving breath.
“Can you talkabout it?”
“Miranda s-saidI can’t s-sit with them anymore.” Sarah squeezed tighter.
Relief wasinstant, followed by a tidal surge of anger directed at Sarah’sfriend. He’d met Miranda. She’d even been over a couple of times,and each time she’d struck Lachlan as being petty andself-absorbed. Pretty, yes, but she was a stuck-up, entitled littlebrat whose parents bought her everything her heart desired to makeup for their busy lifestyle and not spending time with their onlychild.
Lachlan hadtried to keep an open mind. If Sarah thought she was worth spendingtime with, Lachlan tried not to judge. But he’d been wary. Andrightly so, by the state Sarah was in now.
Finally, Sarahpulled back
