The five young women giggled as they took wine coolers from the flight attendant. They were seated across from each other in the back conference area of the Wheeler International jet. A young woman with beautiful dark brown hair complementing her dark complexion looked around the room again. "I just can’t believe this. My mother said going to college would introduce me to different worlds, but I never expected to be in a corporate jet. I’m galaxies away from my old neighborhood."

 

The other women all agreed and turned to thank Madeleine Wheeler, their hostess. "Oh, quit that. My father thought we needed to do Jessica’s bachelorette party in style. He thought you all were great when we hung around in college together. And Lisa," Honey turned to the speaker, "he thinks you have the makings of being his best hire in years. You’ll soon find corporate jets to be old hat!"

 

The group began reminiscing with stories from their old sorority days and expanded to other topics. As they progressed, their laughter became louder and louder. Finally, there was a knock on the cabin door. As a tall blond stood and answered it, the sandy-haired man on the other side grabbed her and kissed her soundly. He held his beer up and saluted Honey and the others. "Miss Honey, your dad is the greatest man in the world. Sending us all to Vegas for our bachelor parties! I am so glad I’m marrying your college roommate."

 

The blond slapped his chest. "Brad Lafford! Are you marrying me for me or the people I know?" Brad grabbed her and kissed her again.

 

"I’m marrying you for you. I’m just glad Honey’s so great." He looked at the women again. "And so are all of you. Now what was going on in here that caused you to disturb our pre-party out here?"

 

Lisa got up and squeezed past the affianced couple to enter the front cabin. She settled down in an open seat next to a handsome fullback of a man and grinned. "We were discussing our first boyfriends. That leaves almost all of you out of that discussion."

 

Her seatmate grinned. "Now, who was in that discussion? I thought we all met after we got out of college."

 

As the rest of the women joined the men, a brunette named Jen laughed. "Ahh, but the secret is out. One ‘first’ couple does exist on this plane…. and no, we all know it isn’t Brad and Jessica." The men started looking at each other inquiringly, all eyes turning to the dark-haired man sitting near the door. He gave a slow smile, tipped his beer bottle in salute, and nodded.

 

"Yes, my first girlfriend is on the plane." He turned his head slightly, leaning forward to spot her as she walked out of the back cabin. "And yes, she’s now my current one also." The lady in question moved to sit next to him. "But, we want to swear you all to secrecy. If anyone knew we were together again, it would end up in the gossip rags and just get totally out of hand. We are all Greek brothers and sisters here and know if you promise, you’ll honor that."

 

The linebacker, Roscoe, who actually played pro ball now, nodded but then chuckled at the couple of honor. "You mean the two of you roomed with people who had dated before, but didn’t date in college? Wow, talk about a coincidence!" The others looked at each other and smiled. The two being together was not as big a surprise to them as it should have been, but the couple in question didn’t realize that they looked at each other the same way the affianced couple did. Everyone agreed to keep the secret and began discussing their plans for hitting the famous Vegas Strip.

 

After setting down in the private corporate area at McCarran International Airport, the group found two limousines waiting for them. As their bags were brought out, Honey turned to the group and announced, "Okay. The guys will be staying at the Treasure Island and we girls are going to be at the Bellagio."

 

Brad looked at his fiancé with puppy dog eyes, but Jessica just pushed his face away and laughed. Honey shook her head with a smile. "I figure that during the next forty-eight hours, we’ll only be in those rooms for quick naps or clothes changes anyway, so, Brad, your hormones will just have to suffer for a while."

 

Honey glanced at her guy who tried unsuccessfully to look quite as sad as Brad. Roscoe noticed his look and slapped his back in sympathy. Jason and Nate, the remaining men, threw the bags into the limo's trunk and chuckled. Jason looked around and then motioned toward the limo’s driver standing next to the open door, "Well, are we going to stand around here all day or are we going to start the weekend bachelor party? In two weeks, we’re going to be standing in the cathedral so we have lots of time to recuperate! Let’s PARTY!"

 

He and Nate piled into the car as Roscoe and Brad found their respective women and gave them huge hugs and kisses before jumping into the limo also. Honey stepped to the dark-haired man and handed him a sheet of paper. "You shouldn’t have any problems with the rooms. Everything’s prepaid. Daddy wouldn’t let us cover any of it. I have my cell and I saw you have yours. Here’s a list of the places and times where I’m sure we’ll be so that we can ‘accidentally’ meet up with each other." She looked up at him, love shining in her eyes. "I really do want to run into you."

 

He took the list and, grabbing his wallet and sticking the list inside securely, hoarsely replied, "I want to run into you too. I find it harder and harder to stay away from you." With that, he gave her a fierce hug and, surprising her, released her and headed to the car without kissing her.

 

She stood and watched as they pulled away, Jessica finally coming up to stand beside her. "You know, they say what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas," Jessica whispered quietly in her ear.

 

Honey turned and looked at her, smiling conspiratorially. "And Daddy said that everything here was under yours and Lisa’s names. I’m now incognito! Let’s PARTY!" All the girls began hooting as they entered their limo. The guys went to Cheetah’s, deciding they had to hit one topless bar, if just to say they had. After a short one-hour stint there, they headed to a local Mexican restaurant, Ricardo’s, and grabbed a late lunch. From there they went to their hotel, checked in, and checked out their rooms.

 

"Wow," Nate exclaimed. "Those ‘pirates’ in the show out front sure have changed since I was last here. I’m sure my mom would have never let me see that show!"

 

Roscoe laughed. "I heard they had decided to be a bit less ‘family’ oriented. It looked good to me!" The guys had checked out the new show the hotel had on the strip. The women didn’t wear much and the water just helped out the vision. "So, what’s next on our list, oh mighty Best Man?"

 

The ‘tour guide’ aka Best Man put his feet up on the coffee table in front of him and stretched out. Their rooms were part of a suite with a large sitting room in the middle, opening to a view to the south of the famous Strip. "Well, I’m sorry, guys, but Celine doesn’t seem to be on our itinerary this weekend. We do have tickets tonight for Zumanity and after that a stop at the Palms dance club. That’s off the Strip and very trendy. We need to dress up for that one. We have about three hours before we need to be seated at Zumanity so relax, shower, or take a nap. The evening awaits!"

 

The other half of the wedding party was relaxing in their suite at the Bellagio. Everyone had their own room, but Honey and Jessica shared a small living room suite and the others had a large suite just down the hall from them. The desk clerk had informed them that their portion of the floor was separate from the rest and they had their own semi-private elevator. The key that opened their rooms allowed their elevator to stop on their floor.

 

"Honey, do you really have that much problem with the press?" Jen asked her. She and Lori were checking out the view from the windows, looking out at the mountains on the west side of town. Honey sighed.

 

"Well, a lot of attempts at least. As I’ve gotten older, the press seems to find me much more boring. BUT, if they catch me out on the town with the same guy twice, it can make my life a bit chaotic."

 

Lisa and Jess came in from the kitchenette bearing popcorn and sodas. As they all settled in and started munching, Lori restarted the conversation from the airplane. "Is that why you and the dashing ‘Best Man’ stopped dating? I’d like to think they’d have to pry me away from that hunk!" Lori winked at Honey as she settled back on the sofa sectional in the middle of the room. Honey gave a weak smile.

 

"I used to think that also but, well, life has a way of forcing you to make decisions. Neither of us was ready to start a life together, but we didn’t want to break up. Life and school combined to make things just too overloaded. I played the martyr and convinced him that I wanted to break up." As the girls protested vigorously, Honey held up a hand, tears glistening in her eyes. "I can’t say much more, but know now, I’ve got him and I won’t let him go for anyone."

 

With that and the knowledge that whatever happened seemed to be painful for their hostess, the girls planned their evening out to see Celine at Caesar’s along with some nightclubbing at the Palms’ dance club. Friday evening’s activities flowed smoothly. The ladies had enjoyed their night at Celine’s show and the guys liked the adult Zumanity. It was truly coincidence that ordained that both groups’ limos dropped them off at the same time at the Palms. The guys emitted wolf whistles and howls as they watched the women emerge from their white Escalade.

 

Brad swooped onto Jessica, "If I said you had a beautiful body, would you hold it against me?" He grabbed her into a full body meld, as she tried swatting his arm playfully.

 

"Oh, please, promise me, no karaoke. That was about the worst come on line I’d ever heard AND even your singing doesn’t improve it." Jessica laughed as they all grouped together.

 

Brad grinned, "Ahh, but you fell for it, hook, line, and sinker, the night we met."

 

Jessica lost herself in his eyes. "Yes, and I’ll never regret it."

 

Another couple stood nearby, watching the couple, feeling slightly envious. They turned to catch each other’s eyes, seeming to know what the other was thinking. With a quick kiss, the leader of the men’s party turned to all.  "Let’s head into the club and PARTY!"

 

With that, the two parties became one and moved through the casino to the dance club. Later that evening, the three established couples watched as the four individuals mixed and matched with others on the floor.

 

Roscoe and Lisa grinned at the two other couples. "Did you know we almost got married here?"

 

Honey and Jessica gasped. "No way!" Jessica exclaimed. "Your parents would have had a full fledged conniption fit. When was this?"

 

Honey and Jessica had been bridesmaids, as Lisa’s sister had been her maid of honor.

 

Roscoe grimaced. "My mother would have had me drawn and quartered. We went to a local chapel and even looked at the packages but realized that our lives would be forfeit. We had done so much planning and everyone was looking forward to it."

 

Lisa continued, "And I was the first of my cousins and sisters to get married. It was too much." But she added wistfully, "That chapel was so beautiful." Brad and Jessica smiled. "We were told, in no uncertain terms, that we would not be allowed home if we got married here. Jess even had to swear on a Bible that she would come home single."

 

The last couple looked sideways at each other. No one back home knew they were dating. They had managed to keep it a secret from all, no doubt due to the fact their families had so many other things on their plates that kept them from noticing. An idea started to form in each one’s head. They finally looked at each other and their smiles grew as they saw their thoughts duplicated. "Ah, Lisa," Honey asked. "Which chapel did you look at?"

 

Honey stepped out of the limo, waiting for her escort to join her. They thanked the limo driver for bringing them back early, then turned and headed up to the women’s suite. As they got into the elevator, the silence that had been theirs in the limo now continued on the upward trip. He took the magnetic key and swiped it at the door. Honey grabbed his hand and gently pulled him in. He looked down and pulled her to him. They stood in each other’s embrace for a long time, just reveling in being alone. "Honey, have a seat." He moved her to the sectional. "Let’s get the order right, at least." She smiled and shook her head.

 

"I don’t want to wait."

 

He put his forefinger to her lips. "Shhh. Let me do this." He bent down onto one knee.

 

Honey protested, "Wait. Let me get..."

 

He used his lips this time to quiet her. "Shhh. Trust me."

 

Honey stopped, holding tightly to the one hand he clasped to her hands. "Honey. I’ve loved you for what seems like forever. You gave me up once so I could follow my dream. We know our families are for this, but once we tell them, they’ll just drive us crazy with advice and good intentions. The press will make it a free-for-all and, well, your mother will want a production." Honey nodded, her eyes glistening. "All I really want is to be yours, forever and always." He reached into his pocket. "Will you be mine, forever and always?"

 

Honey’s eyes overflowed as he pulled a small box out. She noticed a single tear escape from his eye. She nodded, not trusting that any sound she made would wake her from this dream. He pulled a small perfect diamond ring from the box and gently placed it on her finger. With a kiss to her hand, he then gathered her into his arms. "Honey, let’s get married."

 

She sobbed as she answered, "Yes, Brian, yes!"