Chapter Three

Viva Las Vegas

Josh arrived in Las Vegas sometime around 5 or 6. He'd lost track of time and the clock in Drake's car didn't work, it was his excuse to be late all the time. Las Vegas looked like it did in all those commercals, he wondered if what happened there really stayed there, well it would if Drake was going to really hook him up with a girl.

"Drake we're here." Josh said softly incase his brother didn't want to be bothered.

"Yeah, I know. Man this place is awsome. Wonder if I can get a gig."

"I don't think you'll have a problem. If worse comes to worse just play outside the Venician or something." Josh laughed.

"I wonder where the next crappy hotel we'll find is." Drake sighed as the paced Cesars Palace and all the other fancy hotels that charged way too much for a room.

"It'd be off of the strip, unless you want to use the money I made when I sold the tanning bed." Josh suggested.

"How much did you make off that anyway?" Drake asked, doubting a bed with a broken heating element could sell for how much it took to rent out a room.

"Oh a few thousand. The Venician charges about 1,000 a night for a double room. We are only staying here one night?" Josh said as he held the money in front of Drake.

"Uh yeah we are. Josh I never knew you were so devious." Drake laughed as he pocketed the money, hey maybe they'd get a deal if Drake hit on the concierge long enough.

Josh pulled into the Venician, a valet parker took the car away, disgusted when the mess that Drake had compiled over the years spilled out. The boys walked into the Italian inspired hotel with gold leaf on the vaulted ceiling. Expensive crystal chandellers hugh from the ceiling and plus red carpeting was underneath their feet.

"Holy snot this place is decked." Drake gasped as he looked around.

"You can say that again." Josh stated.

They walked up to the counter, Drake making sure he got the prettiest, youngest looking concierge. She was a young blonde about twenty something. Drake knew she'd give in, all he had to do was play the right cards.

"Hey Ava," He said reading her name tag and giving her his I'm-so-hott-you-know-you-want-me face.

"Is there anything I can do for you?" She asked sweetly, hiding the fact that she was bored out of her mind. Boy's as good looking as this one don't come around often.

"Well, my brother and I need a room pretty bad but see we only have five hundred dollars. I know your rooms are a little more but I was wondering if I could take you out once your shift is over, you'd let that go." Drake explained slowly. He could tell by the way she bit her lip and ran her hand through her hair that she was giving in.

"I'm really not supposed to do that." She stated softly.

"Not even for a traveling musician like me?" That bit always worked.

"Well maybe I could, if you promise you'll play me a song."

"Well Ava, I'm pretty sure I can sing you a song as long as I can have that room." Drake winked at her, his wink was the last hook. He had her in his grasp, she was falling for the cute, innocent looking musician. He was truly born under a lucky star.

"Your room number is 213, here's your key. Hope you enjoy your stay at the Venician." She smiled.

"You can meet me at room 213 after your shift is done."

Drake walked away from the desk with the biggest smile on his face.

"Did it bro, got us a room for five hundred." Drake said as he threw Josh the key card.

"You're going to sleep with her aren't you?" Josh stated.

"You bet. Ava's going to have the night of a lifetime." Drake laughed as the entered the elevator.

"You sicken me."

"So what, I got us a room in the Venician didn't I? What's a little harmless sex with a random girl I'll never see again. Just think of it this way, we got the hotel deal of a lifetime and she gets the best sex story of a lifetime. It's a win win situation Josh."

They got off the elevator and entered the room. The plush duvet and bed sheets looked as if they'd actually been washed. The room was clean and there were two beds this time. After last night Drake had no desire to sleep with Josh again. He took up the whole bed, kicked Drake numerous times, snored like a hobo with a sinus infection, and worst of all stole all the covers.

"Looks like we get our own beds tonight." Drake stated as he sad down on the bed and started playing his guitar. He had to make that song up for Ava, and quick he had no idea when her shift was over.

"So where are you taking Ava?" Josh asked curious, he knew Drake had no idea what Vegas was like.

"Maybe the little white chaple." Drake joked. "Josh just kidding. Dude, I am in no way ready to get married." Drake added when he saw the look on Josh's face.

"You worry me."

"I know. It's my job to worry you."

Drake got up and changed his clothes. Being in a car that lacked AC in the hot Nevada dessert for most of the afternoon, didn't not make him smell all that pleasant. He reapplied deoderant and put on one of his favorite black shirt with pink and purple skulls on it. He combed his hair brushed his teeth and pulled on his O2 track jacket. When did he ever not look good?

"Josh why do you keep watching me?" Drake wondered as he noticed Josh was staring at him for the 20th time that night.

"You never seem to make me lose interest in you Drake Parker. You who uses girls to get what you want in life, you who ride by the seat of your pants, or better yet the look of your face. Drake Parker you do not have a concious." Josh stated from the chair he was sitting in.

"Well considering I don't know what one is, I'll assume you're right. Oh that must be Ava." Drake said as he bolted to the door. "How do I look?" He checked with Josh one more time. He always needed a second opinion.

"Like always." Josh muttered.

"Good." He said as he opened the door. "Why you look stunning. How are you this fine evening?" Drake complemented as he took Ava's arm in his.

She was wearing tight jeans with a dark maroon polo shirt. She had a pair of jade chandellier earings on and strappy sandals. She was pretty with her curly blonde hair. She was every girl that Drake had ever dated.

"So where are we going?" He asked her as the walked towards the elevator.

"I don't know. You ever been to vegas before?" She asked as his hand found it's way into hers.

"No, I'm traveling through on my way to New York." He half lied. Her hand was soft and warm, it was looking out to be a pretty good night.

Josh sat on the edge of his bed watching Oprah. Who was he kidding thinking Drake was actually going to help him. Who was he kidding when he thought that he and Drake would finally finish the bond they'd been starting, who was he kidding when he had the insane idea that maybe this trip would make Drake grow up, would make him realize what he'd been doing all these years. He knew it wouldn't happen, it couldn't possibly happen a tiger doesn't just change its stripes and being a womanizing, self centered, macho, jerk were Drake's stripes. It'd take a lot more than a confession from a brother to change him.

Josh sighed as he turned off the tv and crawled into bed. His parents could have easily bought him a plane ticket and sent his stuff to Harvard, they could have easily driven him, he could have taken the bus, but no Josh had to ask Drake if he wanted to drive cross country with him on a trip that could have changed their lives, it could have changed his life, it might change his life, if only he'd let it.

Josh turned off the light and fell into a light sleep waiting for Drake to come back.

A/N: Thank you so much for your reviews! I really like this story too and I'm wicked excited to actually write it...kind of like I was when I wrote Give and Take. Sorry for those of you that liked Broken Innocence, but I have no idea where that story is going, I'm thinking I might make it a prequel to this...and for those of you who might be wondering about What Tommorrow Held...well I'll work on that soonish. Vaca is comming up!

Mo