by Debra Holt
“I so desire.” She answered without hesitation, flashing a satisfied smile to the tall man beside her. Take that, Mr. Sheriff. “I will also be paying for the room.” She placed her card on the counter. The clerk hesitated, looking at the man beside Mercy before he simply smiled, took the card, and efficiently performed the paperwork.
“The clock is ticking,” Josh spoke, showing no sign of what his thoughts might be on the latest turn of events. “I thought you were intent on stopping a wedding. At this rate, we’ll be in time to help celebrate their first anniversary.”
Chapter Eight
Mercy stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows in the living room of the plush main suite. Her eyes followed the spiral staircase that led to a bedroom loft, then drifted downward again, landing on the locked door to the second bedroom. Under other circumstances, she might have found all the flashiness amusing, but right now, she couldn’t manage a lighthearted feeling about much of anything. Most assuredly, she did not find any in the man seated across the room at the oval glass table. He had a list of hotels before him and a cell phone in his hand. A sigh escaped as she moved to join him.
“Why don’t you freshen up, and I’ll finish this list. If we don’t have any luck, we’ll hit the Strip and the chapels.”
Did he think she looked like she needed to freshen up?
Josh apparently caught her expression and correctly read her thoughts … again.
“Not that you aren’t lovely just the way you are, but I know I’m looking forward to a cool shower. We may have a long evening ahead of us, so best take advantage of the time now.”
Oh, he is one smooth character. In another life, he might have been a successful snake-oil salesman.
“In the interest of time, I’ll just freshen up and forego the shower until after we find them. Meet you downstairs in twenty minutes.” She didn’t wait to hear his reply or give him an opportunity to come up with something else to waste their time.
Josh’s gaze followed her until the door closed behind her. She could be one irritating, exasperating female. There was no time to waste; she was right about that one. He had a phone call to make to a preprogrammed number. He was finding maintaining the promise he had made to his stepfather that morning, to buy them as much time as possible before people tried to interfere, much more difficult than he’d imagined.
When Mercy stepped off the elevator exactly twenty minutes later, Josh was already waiting. They didn’t speak as they exited the hotel. The last rays of the day’s sun had dipped behind the ridge of mountains to the west. Already, the lights of the Strip glowed brighter as darkness approached.
Josh nodded to the valet who motioned for a car to move forward. He swept a glance over Mercy, whose attention stayed fixed on the surroundings of the large resort hotel. He slowly inventoried the refreshed woman standing before him. There had certainly been a transformation in those twenty minutes. She’d caught her glorious hair up at the top of her head and fastened it with two golden combs. Wisps escaped to curl against the soft skin of her neck.
A black top in some clingy material showed off her slender neck and fit her body quite nicely in all the best places. A gold metal belt accented a slender waist, and the tapered black slacks ended in a pair of gold sandals. The angel had transformed into a temptress. Either the warm desert air had started getting to him or she had sent his temperature upward by several degrees. The night ahead of them might be a long one, for more reasons than one. Mercy Smith was quite a woman, in every sense of the word. He took a deep breath.
“Did you hear what I just said?” She stared at him a bit oddly.
“I’m sorry, I was just going over our agenda in my mind. What did you say?”
Smooth, Wellman.
For the next few hours, he’d better keep his wits about him.
“I asked if you had any luck, speaking with the other hotels.”
“No. It’s on to the wedding chapels, I suppose.”
“Then let’s get to it.”
Mercy passed in front of him as he stood next to the door of the car the valet held open for them. His nostrils caught the faint whiff of something akin to a bouquet of spring flowers as he followed in her wake. The aroma served to remind him that the angel-turned-temptress could be hazardous to his health if he didn’t watch his steps carefully. He already walked a tightwire. He had given his word to his stepfather earlier that morning. Now, he was aiding Mercy in a search that he needed to stretch out as long as possible.
He felt torn; the subterfuge did not sit well with him. The sooner he could turn her over to the eloping couple, the better. He wanted nothing to stand between Mercy Smith and his desire to have her see him in a different light instead of regarding him as the enemy.
Mercy had been well aware of the interested glances coming their way as they crossed the lobby, also aware of the object of their interest. Josh Wellman was quite an imposing man. Good-looking, sexy, the air of confidence that came naturally … nothing artificial about him. He had changed into a crisp white shirt, dark slacks, a pair of black western boots, and the jacket he had shrugged into as they left the suite … the one that accentuated his broad shoulders and reminded her that his good looks threatened her peace of mind. For a second, a memory of how he’d looked the first time she’d set eyes on him popped into her mind. This man had almost lost his life not so long ago. Mercy was immensely grateful that had not happened. No matter what their differences, she felt so glad he’d survived.
Besides, little did those females ogling him know, he was already taken. Mercy found it interesting that there was still no sign of the fiancée and no mention of her.
“So the plan is to hit the chapels since neither your mother nor my stepfather are answering their cell phones. The first two chapels I called were reluctant to give out personal information like names over the phone. We’ll just have to check each one.”
Josh instructed the driver where they needed to go as Mercy stayed fascinated by all the lights.
“I’ve seen photos of this place and watched movies set here, but the Strip and all its lights … this is something! Not to mention the sheer number of people everywhere.”
How could she hope to find her mother in all these crowds? It would be an easy task if only the woman would answer her cell phone!
“The best way to do this would be to start our search at the chapel farthest from the hotel and work our way back. Agree?”
Mercy found no fault with that and nodded her head.
The first chapel surprised her, but not in a good way. She decided cheesy would be the best description for it. Red velvet walls, fake gold cherubs, urns filled with plastic flowers. It looked more like a bordello than a chapel. Even so, business there boomed, judging by the number of couples waiting for their reservations to be called. Mercy shook her head as they got back into the car and headed to the next address.
Another attempt at calling her mother’s cell proved useless. What in the world was she thinking? No sane person could be that anxious to marry.
Josh reached over and withdrew her cell phone from her hand, dropping it back into her lap. “You’ve left half a dozen messages already. She’ll respond when she’s ready.”
“I don’t see how you can remain so calm over this. We’re wasting too much time.”
“I don’t see that we’re wasting time. We have a plan, and we’re following it. Besides, I don’t consider it a total waste of time. We’re spending more time together and getting to know each other. That’s a plus, in my book.”
“Well, not in my book,” she snapped, but her harsh response softened her. Sighing, she said, “Look. I don’t want to be here at all, but here I am. The sooner I can find my mother and talk some sense into her, the sooner I can just get back to Texas.”
Josh stayed silent, a thoughtful look on his face.
The second and third chapels provided more of the same. The fourth looked more along the lines of a real chapel with stained glass in
the windows, soft organ music playing in the background, and real flowers on the altar. Mercy could see how some people might find this one to be halfway passable—until Elvis walked in, resplendent in a black velvet jumpsuit, cape, and gold lamé shirt opened to the waist.
Josh’s hand on her elbow shook her out of her stunned silence and drew her outside as he struggled to stifle his laughter.
“The look on your face was priceless,” he said, gaining some composure. “When Elvis walked down the aisle in that jumpsuit, I thought you were going to lose it.”
“I just don’t understand people. How could you stand at an altar, ready to make the most sacred of vows to someone, and look up to have a fake Elvis standing there in a pair of sunglasses and a jumpsuit open to his navel like that—” Mercy couldn’t finish. Her own laughter bubbled up, and before she knew it, she and Josh collapsed against each other in outright hilarity. She brushed tears from her eyes as she fought for control. At least the shared laughter had brought a sense of relief from the tense atmosphere of the last couple of hours.
“Another strike out,” Josh said at the next stop as he returned from speaking to the lady in charge of Cupid’s Bow and Arrow All Night Chapel. Mercy had waited next to their car, the cool desert breeze lifting her hair, blowing a few strands across her cheek. She raised a finger to draw them back in place.
“This is getting us nowhere,” she said, no hint of laughter anymore. Only quiet desperation. “Where are they? Why can’t we get either of them to answer their phones?”
“There are only a couple more chapels between us and the hotel. We can either check them out or take a break and get something to eat. What’s your pleasure?”
“I’m not stopping now. We might miss them if we haven’t already. I do want to walk for a while though. Both chapels are close by. I can see our hotel from here. Let’s go.”
“ You are one single-minded female.” Josh released the car and driver and then caught up with Mercy.
“Determined female is what I am,” she corrected, her eyes searching for their destination.
The next chapel was a small church, not as crass-looking as the other places they’d been. A very nice, normal-looking woman dressed in a two-piece suit, probably in her late forties, met them at the door. A much younger couple stood with her, but she left them to approach Mercy and Josh. Josh quickly explained their mission to her, asking if she had seen Jan and Larry.
“No, I’m afraid not. I would have remembered them. They sound like a lovely couple.” Her dark eyes smiled at them both. “We have only one more wedding scheduled this evening,” she replied, pointing to the young couple. “But we’ve been waiting for a while now.” She glanced at her slim wristwatch. “Evidently, their witnesses are a no-show. I’m the one performing the ceremony, so that leaves us a couple of people short. I have a private celebrity wedding scheduled after theirs, and the clock is ticking on getting this one accomplished.”
“Say,” the younger man spoke up at that point and moved to stand with them. “I don’t suppose you two could help us out? It won’t take long. We have a plane to catch, so we can’t wait much longer.”
The officiant looked at Josh, and he looked at Mercy. She’d been watching the bride-to-be while the conversation transpired around her. The girl looked to be on the verge of tears. Mercy’s heart ached for her.
“Sure, why not?” Mercy gave a slight shrug of her shoulders.
Josh gazed at her with raised eyebrows, and she returned the look. Didn’t she have the right to change her mind whenever she wanted? The pair followed the older woman toward the chapel doors while Josh and Mercy trailed them more slowly.
“So there’s a romantic bone in your body after all,” Josh whispered beside her.
“I believe in romance … when it’s in someone else’s family.” Mercy moved ahead of him with a grin.
“I’m so glad you agreed to help us out,” Jenny Thomas said after they’d made introductions. She and Mercy stood just out of sight at the end of the aisle, awaiting their cue. “Conner is so sweet. He bought the platinum package for us. I told him a justice of the peace would be just fine, but he said I deserved more than that.”
Mercy smiled at the dewy look in Jenny’s eyes as she tenderly spoke her fiancé’s name. “Where are you two from?”
“Arkansas. We met our freshman year in college. We both graduate next spring. Our parents wanted us to wait until we graduate and Conner gets a job with an engineering firm, but we want to be married now.”
“I see. So you eloped to Vegas. Won’t your family be disappointed they’re missing your wedding?”
Her eyes clouded a bit at the thought. “I suppose so, but this is our decision. We don’t want to wait until everything is perfect and easy. We want to be together and work to make our lives perfect, through the good and the not-so-good times. You know what I mean?”
Mercy did know. She had once known that feeling too—excitement and anticipation of the unknown future. She suddenly hoped with all her heart that the young couple would be successful. Perhaps there were still some remnants of romance left in her.
The wedding music began, and Mercy responded to their cue. Clasping the bouquet of pink roses in one hand, she made sure the other had a good grip on the gold wedding band Jenny had entrusted to her earlier. She gave a final smile to the young bride and stepped around the corner.
The red carpet beneath her feet matched the cushions on the wooden pews. The altar held a profusion of red and pink roses and white lilies beside two tall candleholders. Mercy had never been a bridesmaid— correction: maid of honor—so she hoped she wouldn’t commit some faux pas. She concentrated on her step-glide pattern down the aisle until midway when she looked up and caught the amused gleam in Josh’s eyes. He stood beside the groom and watched her approach with interest … and something else.
Whatever was in those blue depths made Mercy miss a beat, and her graceful glide hiccupped. She quickly recovered the last three steps and turned to take her place at the altar. For a brief second, she threw an irritated glance in Josh’s direction; then she turned her smile on the bride who followed her down the aisle.
Did they have any idea what they were doing? The question entered Mercy’s head as she listened to the vows they repeated to each other. They were young and in love, and the world stretched before them with all its possibilities and dreams. But they had no idea how quickly dreams could shatter—in less than a heartbeat. Then what would they do?
Jenny softly promised to love and cherish. Conner, in his tuxedo and too-tight bow tie, cleared his throat several times but managed to speak a solid “I do” when the time came. They exchanged rings, and the reverend made the final pronouncement. The groom gave a whoop and swept his new wife into his arms and kissed her as if there were no tomorrow.
For a couple of minutes, the rest of them disappeared, forgotten. Mercy had to smile at their enthusiasm. She looked up in time to catch Josh’s own smiling eyes. Their gazes held, and a current of electricity surged between them that she thought could have knocked the Vegas casinos off their power grids. Mercy could barely breathe, and she couldn’t have gripped the bouquet any tighter if she tried. She clung to the flowers as if to a lifeline—so much, that one of the stems poked through the netting, and a thorn stabbed into her palm. She gasped softly and broke the contact.
“It’s your turn.” The soft whisper broke through her thoughts, and Mercy stared at the woman standing at the altar.
Oh! The reverend motioned for her and Josh to follow the departing bride and groom back up the aisle. She sensed a movement at her side and found Josh’s arm extended toward her. Taking a deep breath, she placed her hand lightly through the crook of his arm. That connection didn’t help slow her heartbeat. Glad for the support as she walked beside him, she also felt compelled to put distance between them. Josh’s eyes were hooded the next time she found the courage to look at him.
The couple enjoyed a brief traditional champagne toa
st as part of the platinum package. Mercy took a sip of hers as she joined in their spirit, and she and Josh signed the register and took a photo with the couple. They were both recipients of grateful hugs from the bride and groom, and they tossed handfuls of birdseed as the laughing couple ran for their taxi to the airport. Then they stood and watched as the taillights of the cab turned the corner and disappeared.
“I like them. I hope they make it,” Josh said quietly as he stood beside her on the sidewalk, his hands stuffed into the pockets of his slacks, a thoughtful expression on his face.
“Mr. Romance has doubts?”
“I wouldn’t say doubts … but marriage is the great unknown. You take two people who meet and fall in love, get married, and then after the celebrating is over—life intrudes. You never know if the couple has what it takes to weather the storms ahead. Sure, everyone hopes for blue skies and smooth sailing all the time, but that’s not reality. Unfortunately, you just have to place a lot of faith in each other and in the man upstairs when those dark days come. And then hope you’ll be able to weather the storm and come out the other side okay with your marriage even stronger.”
She looked at him for several long moments. His words surprised her, providing a glimpse of another side to this man—one she hadn’t expected. “Right … have faith.”
“I can’t help but notice that you don’t seem to put much stock in faith.”
“I leave a person’s beliefs up to them. Some people find great comfort in believing in something greater than themselves. They put their faith in the belief of a greater being out there”— her eyes swept a glance up at the dark skies beyond the glare of the bright lights—“one who looks out for them and hears their prayers and will deliver them from all the evils of life. Well, to each his own.”
Mercy shrugged sadly and headed down the sidewalk. He could follow or not.
Chapter Nine
Josh caught up to walk beside Mercy. “I find it hard to believe that someone in your profession has such an attitude about faith and God. Surely you’ve seen your share of miracles—things that can’t be attributed to modern medicine or the intervention of mortal man?”