Be the reason someone smiles today

“If you’re sure? I definitely don’t want to keep you away from rest. I know how important it is,” Bridget promised. “But a drink sounds nice! What are we feeling? Something fruity, or something strong?” With a grin she led them in the direction of the bar area. “So how’s work and all going?”

“I don’t know”, he smiled. It was hot and sunny so he was just going to follow that vibe. Mike sat down and leaned on his elbows. There was a lot of different choices on the menu, mostly cocktails he’d never had before. “I feel like having a tequila sunrise, what about you? Work’s going great by the way. I just recruited a new salsa instructor. She’s fantastic! You should stop by some time”.

“That’s a relief. Man, it must be nice to get to go all over the world and see everything. Was that your first trip to Beijing, or had you been before? Well now you know I have to ask– what was your favorite part about it all?”

Sky had mostly been joking about a trip to France, even if she would love to go someday. She still grinned though as Mike humored her, happy just at the idea of it. “Don’t tempt me! Maybe someday I’ll make it there. But I am all for trying out Kelsey’s newest confections. Sounds like she’s got some cool Halloween treats in store right now.”

“It was my third trip there”, he started. You’d think he’d pick the competition... but no. “Street food. No hesitation”, he added with a laugh “they have the best seafood and especially the best grilled octopus  I’ve ever eaten”.

“Sounds like she does”, he smiled. Fond memories resurfaced at the mention of her name. There was a reason he kept going back for more and it wasn’t just because of her baking skills. “I told her I was gonna stop by and try them”.

I think that would suffice as one! Maybe it should be a marathon– that way there’s a few options. I’ll definitely submit that as one! That makes both of us, Mike! I much prefer being able to sleep too. And not being super paranoid that something is after me!

I hate to admit it but I did feel a bit paranoid after watching the movie. It sort of reminded me of a Disney channel movie I saw when I was a kid. It was about an imaginary friend who became the boogeyman when the kid stopped believing in them.

Glad for the chance to catch up with Mike, it had been a while since they’d gotten the chance and now that he was back in town again Justin was glad for the opportunity. And for the proximity to his best friend. “Well I’m never going to say no to that, and now I get to give you a proper welcome back, man. So what have you been up to since you’ve been back? And this is a more permanent stay, right?”

“Nothing much actually”. Of course, the first thing he did was to call Kelsey. It was strange for him to keep this under wraps because although they both agreed to keep it casual this time around, they had history. “I went to the studio to see how it’s going but I’m leaving again in a couple weeks. What about you? How have you been?”

Sky definitely envied that Mike got to travel so often; it was something she didn’t have as much experience doing as she would like. “Dude, that’s still a bummer. I’m sorry they lost your stuff. At least you got it back though– and everything was there, right? Like, nothing was missing?” Sky’s smile softened as she nodded. “I’m sure they were, but I bet you were too. You’ll get ‘em next time. I hope you got to enjoy the trip at least a little though?”

Hazel eyes lit up at the sound of France. “You get to go to France next? You lucky dog! Well, if you ever need a platonic partner to go try desserts with, I offer my services.” 

“I did and thank God, nothing was missing. But I did enjoy the trip. I spent most of my time training but managed to make some time to go out and see what’s out there. I mean it would be a shame to be in Beijing and be locked up in a studio 24/7″.

 “I do. I think it’s one of my favorite places to go and you’re welcome to tag along so we can eat all the desserts our hearts desire”. Her suggestion got a chuckle out of him because who didn’t like sharing their love of food? Anyone who knew Mike well enough knew he was a foodie and that food was definitely one of the ways to his heart. “We can even start here” he added with a smile “Kelsey’s pastries are to die for”.

“Me too! I’ll keep it in mind for next time. With my fair skin, I’m sure it will happen again.” With a smile, Bridget took it, dabbing a couple more sensitive patches. “Don’t worry, I will. I have lots of aloe and lotion at home. And that’s true! I can’t remember the last time I did that,” Bridget chuckled warmly. “And thanks, Mike. I promise I will. Just don’t let me ruin all your party fun, okay?”

“You’re not ruining anything!”, he assured her. He was okay sticking around a little longer just to catch up. He should have expected it anyway. With so many guests around the house, he was sure to bump into familiar faces on his way out. “You wanna go get a drink and catch up?”

Was it good? Like, is it super scary, or? I feel lame, but I don’t know a thing about it. So basically you’re in the same boat as I am then! Hmm, I’m not sure. Probably not, although I actually liked some of those!

I mean... it’s about people being pursued by a shadowy creature they can only see in the dark and said creature can cause a power outage. It’s super creepy. Sounds like it! I’m not a horror movie fan because I like being able to sleep at night haha.

@vegaslights-starters

Hi all! So, we’re having a scary movie night in the community hall at the hotel, and I honestly cannot decide which one to show! Opinions, please?? There’s just too many for me to narrow down. What are some of your faves?

Lights Out. And yes I’m suggesting that because it’s pretty much the only horror movie I’ve watched. The Final Destination series doesn’t really count, right?

Great! I’m sure the bakery would love to hear your input, Mike, since that’s where the new treats will be at.

Good because I love treats. Which ones are you favorite to make?

One thing that was nice about Sky’s job was that she didn’t have to interact with patrons often. That wasn’t to say she didn’t witness a lot of their business on the cameras though. It had always been nice having Mike around the hotel, but she was glad he’d managed to hang on to his dreams and open The Playground. It was quite an accomplishment.

“I mean, the only juice I’ve got is who is hooking up with who in the casino. Mostly tourists that don’t realize there’s cameras just about everywhere.” She cringed. “Hey, now. Your life is riveting. I mean, you’re an entrepreneur. That takes dedication.” Quirking an eyebrow at his reveal that a trip to China hadn’t gone too well, Sky’s face became a little more serious. “Damn, really? Why not? I mean– what happened?”

"I guess” he shrugged. After all, he traveled a lot for work both in the U.S. and abroad. It did take dedication not only to make sure the studio was running smoothly but to practice day after day. “It’s nothing too bad. The airline had lost one of my bags, the one with some important stuff inside and it took them several days to return it. It was really stressful so I didn’t really enjoy my stay and couldn’t really focus on practice either. I’m not saying I didn’t win the competition because of that though, the other guys were pretty good”.

He shrugged again as if to say that things like that could happen to anyone. He was just happy to be back in Las Vegas and that all this was behind him now. “Now I’m just looking forward to my next trip. I love going to France. Their desserts are fabulous”.

“For everything except this,” she chuckled, following his gaze to her bag. “Don’t worry, I’m sure I have you covered.” Bridget’s eyes squeezed shut at the feel of the towel on her skin, but after the shock it soothed the burn tremendously. “Much better,” she answered, smiling softly. “Thank you, Mike. I get that for sure. I shouldn’t stay out too late either. But I promise to return your hat asap. I can even wash it for you first.”

“I’m glad it works”, he smiled. He’d never tried it before but was glad to know it actually worked. Mike handed the towel over to her and proceeded to look for the cap into his bagpack. “With that sunburn, it’s a good idea to go home early to take care of it. The bright side is that you’ll be able to brag about your weekend? I’m kidding but don’t worry about the hat, you’ll return it when you can”.

Letting out a loud laugh, Justin nodded his head in agreement with Mike’s quick assessment. “Honestly I’m surprised nobody’s called them in other years. At this point they’re probably just used to the noise and excitement.” These parties weren’t new, but they somehow always managed to be surprising. “Felipe sure knows how to throw a rager.” While hadn’t sat back down yet, Mike did ask him what he was drinking and Justin wasn’t about to turn down the offer. “Just a beer here, I’m good with any kind. But really?  How come you’ve been looking for me?”

Mike held up his index and middle fingers to signal that he wanted two beers then sat back down. He wasn’t going to stick around for too long unless a certain brunette decided to show up but Mike wasn’t going to miss an opportunity to hang out with with Justin.  “No reason. I ran into Sky, Bridget, Felipe and a few other people I had not seen in a long time. It was fun but my bed is calling my name. I was about to head home but I wanted to have a beer with my best friend first”.

“Sweet! Thank you, Mike.” Sky laid her beach towel across the length of the lounge chair, hoping the soft material would keep the plastic beneath from burning her skin. It was a hot day, considering it was already October. One wouldn’t know it was even fall yet unless they looked at a calendar. It had been a while since she’d had the chance to just relax and chat up her friends, so Sky was glad to see Mike hanging around. They were due for a catch up.

“I’m good, thank you,” she answered warmly as she laid back against her chair, in similar form as Mike. Except that she kept her arms down at her sides, hoping to get a little extra color to them. Not that it was ever a problem for her. “Honestly just been working a lot. The hotel’s been busy with the end of summer here. I wish I had more exciting news to tell.” Pulling her sunglasses down to meet his eyes, she followed up with a grin. “How about you? Anything juicy to spill?”

Mike felt a smile pull at the corners of his lips again Skylar spoke. Did he have anything juicy to spill? Maybe...was he going to? That was the question. He turned his head to look at her. They had very different jobs but he still sympathized. He’d worked at the hotel several years ago as a valet parking attendant and remembered how busy it could be, especially during summer.

“The riveting life of Mike Chang...”, he joked “I don’t know what you mean by juicy but I’m doing good! Came back from China two days ago and it didn’t go as well as I wanted”.

“I know. I thought I came prepared– I mean, I usually do. But I guess that’s what happens when you’re in a hurry after work to join the party.” Bridget supposed she could leave the party if she really needed to; or at least step out to go to the store. She was having fun though and wasn’t exactly eager to leave yet. Curious about Mike’s solution, an eyebrow rose when he ordered a water. Watching along though, Bridget soon caught on. It certainly wouldn’t hurt. “Ah! You’re a genius! Thank you, Mike. Not at all. Are you sure about the cap? I hate to take it if you need it or anything.” 

“You are prepared though”, he smiled, referring to her bag. “I only have a towel and my clothes”. The fact he might need sunscreen didn’t even cross his mind. Anyway, he carefully dabbed at her cheeks with the towel and hoped the cool liquid would help soothe the discomfort. “How does that feel? And don’t worry about the hat, I’m not planning to stick around for long. I need to catch up on sleep”.