Chapter 5: Different Kind of Perfect

The view out the window from the bed was spectacular. Even though she had a remote to close the blinds, Cadence lay in bed for a while just watching the twinkling lights of Sin City, Aaron’s arm protectively around her. It was so late now, it was almost early, and she could feel her eyelids growing heavy. Thoughts of the upcoming wedding were keeping her awake, though, and she wished she could shut them off and get some rest, but there was still so much to do.

“You might sleep better with the shades drawn,” he whispered behind her.

“You’re right. I just... it’s so beautiful out there. Can you imagine having this view at home?”

“My view at home is always beautiful.” Cadence rolled over to look at him, not sure what he meant. With that crooked grin she loved so much, he added, “ I get to look at you.”

She scoffed. “Oh, stop or you’ll keep me up even longer.”

Aaron chuckled and kissed her softly on the lips, being sweet and not trying to instigate another round since he could plainly see how tired she was. He settled back down next to her, reached across for the remote, and closed the shades before she could protest. “Are you thinking about the wedding?”

“Always,” she replied with a sigh. The list of items to complete seemed to be growing longer, not shorter, as the day approached.

“It doesn’t have to be so complicated,” Aaron reminded her--not for the first time. “Just... delegate what you have left to do, and stop worrying about it.”

“That’s easy for you to say,” she muttered, even though she couldn’t imagine him ever doing that with anything important to him. Not that the wedding wasn’t important, but he’d made it clear months ago that he didn’t care where they got married, what kind of flowers, anything, so long as they were together forever. So she’d planned most everything herself, only consulting with him because she wanted to share, and while he’d given his opinion, she knew he truly couldn’t care less about the million details that were keeping her up.

“It is easy for me to say,” he admitted. “It would be easy for you to say, too, if you’d just do it.”

“I want it to be... perfect, though.”

“Nothing’s perfect—except for you.”

She rolled her eyes and ran her hand down his chest, careful not to get anything started again. She really did need to get some sleep or else she’d be spending her last full day in Vegas too tired to do anything. “I wish my mom had an IAC so I could remind her that she said she’d find those light blue crystals I wanted, the ones I saw at that craft store last month and decided I didn’t want.”

“But now you do want them?”

“Well, they match better than the other ones we picked out.”

“So text her.”

“I can’t. She’ll hear it and check her phone, and I don’t want to wake her up.”

“So make a note to yourself to text her in the morning.” His arm was still around her, but she could tell he was considering getting up in order to escape this conversation. She didn’t want him to leave her, though.

“I did.”

“Good. Then, don’t worry about it.”

“That’s easy for you to say.”

“I think we are talking in circles.” He smiled and kissed the tip of her nose. “Cadence, it’ll all be there for you to worry about in a few hours when you get up.”

He had a point. “I wish I could just turn my brain off.”

“Tell me about it.”

She pursed her lips then but didn’t comment on the fact that he could turn the voices in his head off if he wanted to. Granted, he’d probably still have dozens of rogue thoughts, like she did, but most of what was stirring in his brain originated elsewhere. “I’ll try not to think about it anymore tonight. I do need to get some sleep.”

Aaron leaned up so that he was on one elbow, his face hovering over hers. “You know, Cadence, if you’re that worried about the wedding, we are in Vegas.”

She cocked her head to the side and gazed up with him. “What do you mean?”

“I mean... I know you’ll still want to have your grand affair, but... would it take some of the pressure off of you if we were already married?”

Cadence stared at him for a long moment, her mouth slightly ajar. “What? Do you mean... get married while we are here?”

Aaron shrugged like it wasn’t a big deal. “Why not? That’s the most important part of all of this, right? We could get married tomorrow, and then, the planning for the other ceremony might not seem all that important to you. It’s just a thought. If you don’t want to....”

“No, it’s not that,” Cadence started as he settled back beside her. “It’s not that I don’t want to. It’s just—if my mom found out, she’d kill me.”

“How would she find out?”

“Well, Elliott’s not exactly good at keeping his mouth shut about most things,” she reminded him, although he had somehow managed to not tell his kid or Cass about his relationship—or whatever it was—with Aurora until just a few weeks ago. And that hadn’t gone over that well, so maybe he’d learned his lesson.

“Who says Elliott has to know?” Aaron asked as he began to run his fingertips up and down the flesh of her bare arm. “We don’t have to tell anyone.”

Cadence tried to concentrate on his words and not the sensation of electric pulses reverberating through her skin. “Don’t we have to have witnesses or something?”

“Nope. All we need is a marriage license. The chapels take care of everything else.”

That thought ruminated for a moment. It seemed so much easier than everything else she was trying to accomplish, and if none of their friends even knew, what were the chances her mother would find out? “Where do you get a license?”

“At the courthouse. The website says it takes about fifteen minutes.”

Even in the dark, with her excellent vision, she could see him clearly. “You checked the website?” Aaron shrugged but didn’t say more. “What do you need to get a license?”

“Just a picture ID that says you’re over eighteen.”

“You’re definitely over eighteen.”

He poked her in the ribs, making her laugh. “My driver’s license does not give my true age.”

“You think?” Hers didn’t either, though. It said she was older. She wouldn’t even be twenty-one until the end of September.

“Hey, it’s just a thought. I know you’ll still have the big wedding ceremony to plan, and we’ll have to fool everyone into thinking we aren’t married and all of that, but I’m ready to marry you, Cadence. That’s all I’ve ever wanted.”

His fingertips on her arm were causing all kinds of thoughts in her mind, but the realization of what he’d just said made her eyes misty. Cadence scooted even closer to him, nestling her head against his chest. “I’ll think about it, okay?”

Aaron kissed her softly on the top of her head. “Okay. But for now, get some sleep.”

Her eyelids seemed to weigh a hundred pounds. “’Kay,” she said, feeling sleep overtake her. Thoughts of everything she had to do were replaced with how lucky she was to have found such an amazing man who loved her more than anything. Not many people could say that, and even less could be certain that they’d get to spend hundreds of years together. As she drifted off, Cadence’s gratitude that she’d get to spend an eternity in this man’s arms brought a smile to her lips and pleasant dreams to her mind. Not even Holland could interfere with that.