Abe’s grin was smug. “We have good friends.”
“What did you get them to do?” Sarah pushed at his arm when he just chuckled. “It must be one heck of a photo opportunity if they drew away the entire crowd.”
“Oh, it is.” Abe smirked. “You can read all about it in the tabloids tomorrow.”
Amused by his smugness, Sarah decided she could wait and settled in for the ride after they dropped off Flossie. Of course, she had to keep making him stop so she could visit the restroom, and they’d only been gone maybe two hours when he pulled into what appeared to be a little family-style hotel.
“Here?” Wildly curious, she took it in. The hotel was pretty and old-fashioned with its wooden frame and climbing roses, and even as they stopped, a well-dressed couple stepped out as if to welcome them.
Opening her door, Abe got her safely on the ground. He grabbed their bags with the help of the male half of the couple she’d seen—who turned out to be the owners—while the woman walked with Sarah. “We’ve put you in a downstairs room,” the other woman said with a smile. “I know when I was pregnant, climbing stairs got old fast.”
“Tell me about it.” Sarah patted her abdomen to reassure the peanut of her love; difficulty with stairs or not, Sarah adored her and Abe’s baby.
“Here we are.” Opening the door to what proved to be a lovely suite decorated in rich blue and white with creamy yellow accents provided by roses placed in a glass bowl, the other woman walked in. “We prepared a little tray of snacks.” She gestured to where that tray sat on a coffee table with curved wooden legs. “Just light things—crackers and fruit and chocolate. Our kitchen is full-service twenty-four hours, so just pick up the phone when you’re ready for dinner.”
The other woman opened the folding doors at the back of the living area. “This leads into our private garden. Many of our guests enjoy sitting here for breakfast or after dinner.”
Sarah could see why—the bougainvillea was colorful even in the soft lighting created by the old-fashioned lamps, and she could see palms as well as a thick carpet of velvety green grass. “It’s beautiful.”
A deep smile from her blond host, the woman’s glossy bob shining in the light. “Anything you need, anything at all, let us know.”
The hotelier couple departed soon afterward, leaving Abe and Sarah alone in the living area. She explored, with Abe following lazily. The bedroom was spacious, the four-poster bed huge and covered with an ivory-colored spread. There was also a window seat tucked below a curved window, books on honey-colored shelves. In the bathroom, she found lovely little toiletries.
“This is wonderful, Abe,” she said, trying not to be disappointed that he didn’t appear to be setting things up for a proposal.
Take charge of your own happiness.
Nodding inwardly at the piercing thought, she decided she’d ask him as soon as they returned home. She’d get candles, roses, make it romantic, surprise him. “How did you find this place?” she asked, smiling at the thought of proposing to her rock star.
“I know people.” He held out a hand. “Come on, let’s sit in the garden for a bit before we eat. We have places to go tomorrow.”
She frowned, her proposal-planning derailed midthought. “We’re not staying here?”
“Nope.”
He refused to tell her anything else no matter how creative she got with her persuasive tactics. And Sarah could get plenty creative with a naked Abe Bellamy.
CHAPTER 38
THE TWO OF THEM HAD A LONG, lazy breakfast the next morning after long, lazy showers. It was eleven by the time they set out. Sarah was in a comfortable dress suitable for travel that Abe had packed, but she definitely didn’t have to worry about it being a hard journey. Abe stopped all the time. Sometimes so they could admire a view, other times so she could use a restroom, still other times so they could exchange kisses.
It didn’t take her long to realize they were heading for Vegas. “We going gambling?”
“I thought you’d enjoy a shopping trip. You can buy lots of purses—the SUV has plenty of room.”
Sarah began to laugh. “You’re taking me on a prebirth purse-shopping extravaganza?” God, but she adored this man.
“Babymoon, right? That’s a thing.”
“Yes, but I never expected you to know that.” She was tickled he’d thought of it. “Let’s do this.”
Thanks to their meandering path and constant stops, they didn’t arrive in Vegas until around five that afternoon. Not tired in the least thanks to all the breaks she’d had to stretch her legs and to just relax, Sarah looked around curiously as they checked into a newly built hotel that screamed luxury.