Page 35 of Extra Witchy

“Never mind that. You look fantastic. Let’s swing by and get the rings then have dinner?” she suggested, ordering a ride as they left the salon.

Leanne input the first stop as Trev said, “Sounds amazing. Do you have someplace in mind?”

“Not really. I’ve done a few girls’ trips to Vegas, but we usually eat whatever while we drink and gamble. Come to think of it, I don’t remember ever seeing a show while I was here.”

“We should check this out.” Trev flipped his phone to show her a listing forThe Rat Pack Is Back, a dinner show that offered a full-course Italian meal while performers paid tribute to Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis Jr.

On impulse, she opened the link on her own device and checked while waiting for their driver. “Looks like I can get tickets, if you’re serious. There are seats available.”

“Whoa, really? I would love that. It’s so Vegas, you know? I mean, it’s a little embarrassing to admit, but I’ve always been weirdly out of sync with modern music. My favorite song of all time is ‘Beyond the Sea’ by Bobby Darin.”

She tilted her head as a shiny red VW pulled up. “Hold that thought. I added a second destination,” Leanne said to the driver. “I’ll update the addresses in the app.”

The driver nodded. “No problem. Yep, got the change.”

“Excellent,” she said.

She slid across the back seat, busily booking tickets for the show. Her husband-to-be gazed at her with open admiration. She’d had people stare at her tits like that alot,but this might be the first time anyone had been so impressed by her competence.

She turned to Trev as he settled in beside her, still holding the bags. “Do you mind running in to get our rings?”

“Not at all.”

“To make the show after, we don’t have time to drop those off at the hotel, but we should be able to tuck them out of the way. I’m excited at how everything came together, like—”

“It was meant to be?” Trev suggested. “And…me too.”

Leanne couldn’t bring herself to agree, but she didn’t argue either. Sometimes everything aligned just right; that much was true. “Anyway, back to your favorite song. How did you even hear it in the first place?”

“Promise you won’t laugh?”

“Cross my heart,” Leanne said solemnly.

“Okay. I heard the Robbie Williams version on theFinding Nemosoundtrack first. It’s also inBioShock. I played that a lot, and then I kinda went down a rabbit hole listening to different covers. I even checked out the original French version. It’s a freakinggreatsong,” Trev added in a defensive tone, like she might mock him.

“That’s cute. You must’ve been…” Doing the math quickly in her head, Leanne said, “Around fourteen when you sawFinding Nemo?”

“That sounds about right. I liked cartoons even as a teenager. Hell, I might as well be honest. Istilllike them…loveClone Warsto this day. I’m all about Ahsoka.” He ducked his head, evidently afraid to make eye contact after this confession.

People probably told him to grow up all the time. Combined with his lack of a steady job, the interest in animation and video games likely earned him all kinds of censure, particularly from his parents. But Leanne couldn’t get on board with such criticism; people ought to live however the hell they wanted, chase happiness in their own style. Being an adult didn’t mean all the things you loved as a kid had to be chucked along the way.

“You and me both,” the driver mumbled.

“We should watch it together,” she suggested. “I’ve been known to star a war from time to time.”

Trev brightened, his pretty eyes sparkling with surprise and delight. “Oh my God, that would be awesome.”

When the car stopped at a traffic light, the driver fiddled with his phone, and suddenly, the car filled with mellow violin strings and a velvety-voiced woman singing “La Mer” in French. “Romantic, am I right? I’m totally getting five stars from this ride.”

Trev gave him a thumbs-up in the rearview mirror. “Definitely, dude.”

Soon, they arrived at the pawn shop and Trev retrieved their rings in record time, then they continued to the show venue. The driver dropped them off, and Leanne hurried ahead, showing confirmation emails and QR codes when necessary. Staff seated them straightaway, and Trev hid their bags under the table, to her amusement. Everything was a bit posher than she’d expected, though the dress wasn’t black tie.

As for the menu, she picked salad instead of soup, chicken marsala, and cannoli for dessert while Trev went for minestrone soup, eggplant lasagna, and gelato. Though they hadn’t planned this even slightly, she allowed satisfaction to wash over her. The arrangements really had been incredibly smooth, everything unfolding as if by some greater design.

“Thanks for suggesting this,” she said, as the server expertly opened the bottle of Chardonnay she’d ordered.

“I didn’t think you’d go for it. When I go out with the guys, I basically never suggest anything because…” He hesitated.

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