Plans

Three hours earlier…

Kate POV

Once Rhi closes the door, Jack smiles, "Come on, let's go down to the showroom and I'll let you in on the plan."

We follow Jack to the elevator and as we're descending, he starts talking. "Alex is going to be so surprised. She's all he's talked about ever since he saw her yesterday. I'll admit I'm a little concerned about it happening so suddenly but that's only because it's been a long time since he's been interested in anyone. The way he's acting leads me to believe he's falling in love but that can't be right, can it? I mean, does love at first sight really exist?"

I can hear the doubt in his voice and I certainly don't blame him for thinking that. Ana and I know the feeling because we were in the same position with Grey and Elliot. I'm not sure how to answer without giving away too much of the past.

Before I can answer, Ana speaks up. "Jack, believe me when I say this, Kate and I completely understand where you're coming from. We felt the same way, wondering if it really existed, until we experienced it ourselves. The men we're dating came out of nowhere and despite the rocky start for my journey I couldn't deny my feelings for him. I'm sure I can speak for Kate when I say this. Love happens when it wants to. There's no controlling or planning it, you just have to roll with it and take things as they come." She pauses, unsure what to say next, so I take over.

Piggybacking on her comment, I add, "Ana's right. We're still trying to figure out things for us but so far things are going great. Sure there are things that make the relationship difficult at times. For example, someone with a possessive nature can inadvertently start a crack in the foundation and cause a rift to begin." I look at Ana with a raised eyebrow and when she laughs I know she caught that.

She laughs, "That's no joke. Someone being possessive can destroy even the healthiest relationship. It creates the feeling of someone being captive with no freedom to be who they truly are." Lord knows Rhi has experienced that ten-fold.

Ana and I make eye contact and she asks, "What do you think about the whole situation? Do you think he's in love with Rhi or do you think it's just infatuation?"

Jack pauses, clearly thinking about the situation and how to answer. I can only imagine how he feels, being caught in the middle of this. Hell, Ana and I are caught in the middle of this too. We don't know his background but we know hers. We are privy to more information on Rhi than even her therapist. Who am I kidding, we know more than her own family does and they were there. I'm not about to reveal anything, no matter how much I like them. However, we need to know all we can about Alex. Sure, he seems like a good guy, and he seems to be really into Rhi but why do I get a feeling he's too good to be true? Maybe it's my protectiveness of Rhi and the fact that anyone who tries to come into her life needs to be vetted. Thank's a lot, Grey, for making us paranoid.

Jack sighs, "I'm not sure yet. The things he says makes me think he's really into her. He's talked about having a future with her and everything. I've known him for years and it's true, he's never acted like this toward any woman in years. Sure, he's friendly and hangs out with people after the show, but he's never gone this far, almost to the point of chasing someone." He pauses for a minute then continues, "I don't mean that in a creepy way, I'm just saying he's chasing after someone he's interested in having a future with. Shit, that sounds just as bad. Seriously, he really wants to get to know her. The only concern I have, and maybe it's just me, but it's only been two days. I can't help but think that's too soon to know if you're in love. I don't know, maybe it's just me." He chuckles.

Ana speaks up first, "Personally, I think we just to let Rhi and Alex do what they're going to do. I don't know about you guys, but I know there's a major physical attraction between the two of them. It's quite obvious. This might be the best way for them to determine if there's anything more there. I don't see this as a bad thing."

We're silent with our thoughts as the elevator comes to a stop and the doors open. I guess we just need to see how this plays out. Right now, we've just given Rhi her 'power' she's always talking about to make her own decisions. Or maybe we just threw her into the lion's den.

Ana and I follow Jack through the casino and he turns to us, "I think you're right. Let's let them make their own decisions. After all, it's their lives, not ours." Stopping between the showroom and the Lounge, he says, "You girls go wait for me at the entrance to the Lounge. I've got something I need to take care of first then I'll be right there."

Ana and I nod and watch as Jack disappears through the showroom entrance. We start walking toward the Lounge and find an empty bench right outside the entrance and sit, watching dozens of people walk past on their way to unknown destinations.

As we're waiting for Jack to arrive, Ana turns to me, "Do you think this is going to have a positive outcome for Rhi? We didn't make a poor decision planning this?" There's a hint of concern in her voice. "I mean, he seems to be good for her. Sure, there are hiccups that are bound to happen, but she seems to be OK being around him. So far."

I'm not sure exactly how to answer that because I'm not sure what the answer is. Part of me says we're doing the right thing, giving her a little nudge in the right direction to having a normal life. Theoretically. Another part of me is afraid the nudge we just gave her could cause more problems down the road. She's never done anything like this, a hook up, that I'm aware of anyway. I've heard that when she goes out she flirts but always goes home alone. My hope is that by us pushing a physical connection between her and Alex, she will get a boost back to the Rhi we knew before Jace.

Sighing I respond, "I guess we just wait and see what happens. There's nothing else we can do."

We're silent for a moment with our thoughts about the situation. Breaking the silence I say, "So. Rhi and Luke. Was that not awesome? I've never seen her be such a bad ass like that! Luke looked totally shocked when she punched him. I think she broke his nose. I wish I had that on video. I'd replay that over and over." Pausing, I growl out, "Serves the fucker right too. All of them had better steer clear of me when we get home. Especially Christian. He crossed the line. This is totally unacceptable. Just wait until we get home. He's in for the shock of his life."

Ana looks at me and I can only imagine what she's thinking. Christian has always pissed her off with the things he does and thinking he can get away with anything just because he has money. He's about to find out that money can't protect him from my or her wrath.

Turning her head to me, Ana speaks. "Who knows, maybe Rhi will take a swing at him and break his nose too. It would serve him right and I'll be right there cheering her on. Kate, I've never been so angry with him. Why can't he just stay out of things? I don't think he realizes just how detrimental his actions were. Why do Christian and Elliot have to be polar opposites?" She shakes her head and sighs.

There's a reason we never told anyone about Rhi. Well, other than Elliot. He's the only one who we trust with her. He just happened to show up one time when we were out with her a few months ago and they just clicked. They have a lot in common, most notably is their sense of humor. He totally understands her and when the two of them are together it's like they feed off each other. There's never a dull moment when they're around each other. I know it makes her feel better when he's around because he's the brother she never had. James was a piece of shit and they never had the relationship she wanted because of her mother.

Chuckling, Ana responds, "I hope he doesn't think I'm going to just roll over and let this go. If he even thinks this is OK I'll definitely tell Rhi to punch him, beautiful face or not, he's got it coming."

I snort, "Yeah right. You'd never do anything to hurt his pretty face. You love him too much to let that happen."

She rolls her eyes, "I may love him but I love Rhi more. His dick isn't worth Rhi getting hurt. You know what they say, a vibrator is a girls best friend."

We both break out into a fit of giggles attracting the attention of people passing by. Which leads to us laughing harder.

"What are you two laughing at?" Jack's voice breaks into our laughter.

Ana and I look at each other, "Should we tell him?" Ana asks. "I don't see why not. I mean, I'm pretty sure he knows Rhi and Alex are going to have sex. Let's just hope she doesn't need to get help from her little buddy." She winks and the look on Jack's face brings more laughter and snorts from us.

"Sorry Jack but it is what it is." I shrug.

He shakes his head and rolls his eyes, "Yeah, I just hope they stay away from my bed. That and clean up afterwards. I don't want to see any milky substances on any surfaces." He fakes a shiver while Ana and I scrunch up our noses.

"Eww! God I would hope they would clean up." We cringe a little and the three of us have another good laugh.

Catching our breath, Ana asks, "So, what's this plan you have Jack?"

"Come on, let's go inside and we can talk about it." He holds out his hands and helps us up and we follow him into the Lounge and go to their usual table.

As we're waiting for our drinks, Jack tells us about his conversation with Alex. When he gets to the part about his fears and his feelings about dancing with other women, I'm surprised, to be honest. I was sure he was a player.

Jack continues, "He seemed so sad today. He was really hoping he would get to see Rhi but with you guys being on vacation and him having to work he didn't think it was possible. He didn't want to disrupt your vacation just so he could see her. He's struggling a lot more than he lets on." He pauses, looking from Ana to me. "I'm hoping today helps the both of them, whether it just be a hook up or the development of something more. At least they'll know before anything else happens." He looks a little worried about what he just said.

"Don't worry, Jack. We totally understand what you're saying. We don't know if Rhi just wants a hook up or if she wants more. It's obvious you don't know what Alex is thinking. I guess there are hints from both of them but they're not easy to read. I guess they have a lot to talk about, after they get down and dirty." I laugh. Why sugarcoat what we know they're probably doing?

Ana laughs, "Kate, don't assume they're doing anything. For all we know, they're just sitting up there, in the dark, talking." She tries so hard to keep a straight face, knowing damn well what Rhi's been saying.

We break into laughter knowing exactly what's going on.

Jack laughs and shakes his head. "You're right. Alex has a huge physical attraction to Rhi that it's most likely going to happen, as long as Rhi is ok with it. He'd never force himself on anyone. We'll be able to tell when we see them."

At least the three of us are on the same page. Though it's a little concerning about the extent of Alex's feelings for Rhi. Not that Rhi is any better, she keeps giving us mixed signals. I just hope someone doesn't get hurt because of this. This may or may not be a good idea. I guess what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. We shall see…

Ana breaks into my thoughts, "It's true they don't know each other very well, at all if you think about it, but I'll support whatever she wants. There's been a lot that's happened today and there's not a whole lot of time to explain, but hopefully when they see each other it will erase the events." I look at her and shake my head slightly hoping she stops before she says too much, and to my relief she does.

Taking a drink I ask, "So, what's the surprise you're planning, Jack?" I want to get the show on the road and I'm curious to see what he's come up with.

Jack POV

I take a drink and then a deep breath as I'm setting the glass down on the table. "OK ladies, here's my plan. Do you remember when I told you I'd have something extra for Alex to do to give you guys time to get here?" We nod and he continues, "Well, he doesn't know it but he just set up his own surprise. As you know, he's usually the closing act and one person from the audience is always chosen for the final dance with him. This is where he was having issues. He says it would feel wrong dancing like he does with someone other than Rhi, because of his attraction and feelings. It took some time but I was finally able to convince him that it's just a dance and it's no big deal considering Rhi knows this is his job. He's still going to be the closing act, but there's a bit of a change." I pause, taking another drink. "Instead of him choosing some random person, we've decided to have the chairs secretly numbered. When the time is right, I'll select a number and whoever is sitting in the seat with that number will get to go on stage with him. We will have Rhi sitting in that chair and she will have no idea that's what's going to happen. The guys and I talked it over and agree this is the best way so it appears more random. What do you think?"

They look at each other and then back at me. Kate says excitedly, "Oh my God Jack! That's a great idea! That's a great plan! It's simple too, not much to change. And you have this already set up?"

I nod, "Yes. We finished up right before Rhi got here. It was perfect timing."

Ana thinks for a minute then says, "How are we supposed to get her into the showroom without him seeing her?"

I smile, "You won't. Just tell her you want to see the show again and we're going to go have drinks afterward so she thinks that's the surprise. Go back to your hotel and get dressed and bring something back for her to change into. We'll come out and get you at 6:30 again, just like last night. You girls will be seated as we're finishing setting up. We're not telling him anything so he'll be just as clueless as she will be. We will still go out for drinks and we'll just figure out the rest of the night as it goes. This should be really fun. Alex really needs this, and something tells me Rhi does too." I smile. This is going to be fun.

Ana looks at Kate, then at me and says "Jack, you have no idea how much she needs this. You are a lifesaver setting this whole thing up. Seriously. We appreciate you helping us do this for them."

Kate nods her head, "Yes, Jack, thank you, really. You have no idea how much this means to us."

Standing up, I smile and nod, "You're both welcome. I'm glad we could do this. Now, go get dressed and try to get here by 6 pm."

They both stand up too and give me a hug and I chuckle shaking my head. Women.

Kate laughs, "OK. We're going to head out and get ready. I'll text you when we're heading this way. Thanks again Jack! This is going to be awesome!"

Ana POV

We make it back to the hotel and are getting changed. We've decided to dress nice, but more casual. It's super warm out and we decided not to wear high heels. Especially if we decide to walk back to the hotel afterward again. We're not going through that again.

Kate is wearing a dress, it's white with pink pineapples on it. It has a V-neck with thin shoulder straps and is very flowy. She looks stunning in it. She's chosen white sandals with lace flowers on the top that wrap around to the heel and buckle on the side.

I'm wearing almost the complete opposite in color. A dark blue flowy sun dress with thin shoulder straps, big buttons down the front along with pockets. It's kind of a boho look and really comfortable. I'm wearing matching blue sandals that are just plain and simple.

We decided on a pair of high waisted black satin shorts with a powder white chiffon V-neck sleeveless blouse for Rhi. Her shoes are a black sandal that has three floral lace straps that wrap around and cross the top of her foot.

As we're getting dressed I say, "Can you believe it Kate? The planning and dedication Jack is showing to Alex and Rhi is so sweet. He must really care about Alex to do this to make him happy." I don't wait for her to answer but continue, "Though they definitely need to learn a lot about each other but I guess there's time. Who knows what will happen when we return to Seattle. Maybe they'll have a long-distance relationship for a while or maybe they'll see each other on weekends. I mean, Seattle isn't too far away. Only time will tell."

Kate looks at me, "Ana, you make it sound like they're already a couple. You don't know if it's anything more than a fling. Hell, I don't think even THEY know if it's just a fling." She laughs before continuing, "Though I do agree, it will definitely be interesting to see where it goes from here. I just worry what will happen when he finds out about her past. I mean you can tell he's concerned and wants to help with whatever it is, but you know as well as I do that it has to be Rhi that decides what and when she wants him to know. We just need to support her and whatever she decides to do."

I smile, thinking about what's happened between the two of them since they met.

"Ana, what's that goofy smile for?" Kate chuckles, smiling.

Continuing to smile, I look at her and say, "I'm sure whatever happens, Rhi will benefit from it either way. He's hot and he treats her right. He's patient and kind to her. Not to mention he's done some really romantic things too. I mean how about that dance at the fountain? How romantic was that? I loved it! And from what I've seen, he won't push her to do something she doesn't want or isn't ready to do. Let's give him a chance, Kate, like Rhi is."

Kate nods in agreement, "I agree with everything you just said. We need to support her and wherever her life goes from here. That's what we've done for all the time we've been friends. However, he'll regret it if he hurts her. That won't be tolerated."

I'm silent for a moment before I respond, changing the subject. We've beat this subject like a dead horse and we already know what will happen if she's hurt. By this time, we're dressed and in the bathroom doing our hair and makeup.

Looking at Kate in the mirror I give her a big smile, "I wonder if we'll run into Luke and the guys."

She smiles back and laughs, "If they know what's good for them they will avoid us like the plague. I hope she fucked him up. He's really starting to act like Jace, it's really creepy. What was insane was her snapping and punching him right in the face."

"I have to agree with that." I respond, grinning. "He deserved everything he got, and more. She can definitely defend herself when she needs to, and it was totally unexpected and totally worth it. Like watching a James Bond movie. Never underestimate those that are smaller than you."

Kate looks at me, a questioning look on her face, "I wonder if the tequila had anything to do with it? Her reaction I mean? I've heard stories where tequila can amplify a mood. We both know how she was this morning, maybe the tequila amplified the anger and frustration she was feeling. She seemed to be a little more aggressive than she normally would be."

I'm silent for a moment. "You know Kate, maybe she's just tired of being afraid of everything. Maybe she's stronger than we give her credit for. Maybe the tequila gave her the boost she needed to say, "Fuck you, I'm not taking any more shit from anyone? Or maybe she didn't need the boost at all and just had enough of his presence. I hope it's the latter, to be honest, because she's not weak or unable to handle herself. She just needed to find the strength within herself and the courage to take that first step. We've always known how strong she is, even in her weakest moments, we just didn't know how physically strong and skilled she is. Apparently, alcohol is a benefit for her. Within reason, of course." I chuckle, reliving the vision of her fist hitting Luke's face. That was awesome.

Kate laughs. "Those are some valid points. We're going to have to talk to her and see which it was. It was definitely an eye opening experience to see. You know, we've never been with her when she goes out. Maybe that's where she learned to fight? Can you imagine, little Rhi in a bar brawl?" We both start laughing at the image.

We finish getting ready, grab Rhi's makeup bag, hair stuff and put everything in an overnight bag, along with her clothes and shoes. Looking around to make sure we have everything we decide we're ready to head out. Looking at the clock, I see it's only 5:45 pm.

"Ok Kate, text Jack and let him know we're heading to get a taxi and will be there shortly."

Nodding, Kate picks up her phone and send Jack a quick message.

K: Hey Jack, we're heading to get a taxi. We have the clothes for Rhi, where do you want us to meet her so we can get her ready?

J: Rhi is in the showroom with us. Alex didn't want her outside by herself. Text when you get here, and I'll bring her out. You can use my room to get her ready. I'll give you the door key when you get here. See you soon!

Kate looks at me, "OK. Here's the plan. We will text Jack when we get there. Rhi is inside the showroom waiting for us. When we get there, Jack will give us his room key and we can get her ready there. We'll then come down and he'll let us in and get us seated, her in the pre-selected chair. This is going to be so exciting!"

Nodding, I pick up Rhi's bag and we head out the door. Walking past the guys' room we tense up a little but don't hear any sounds coming from behind the door. There's nothing we need to worry about, and Rhi's not here, so maybe they got wise and decided to leave us alone.

Once we're downstairs, we head over to the taxi stand and wait for taxi to pull up. We finally arrive at the Excalibur and Kate texts Jack letting him know we're here. Heading toward the showroom we see Jack outside with Rhi. Smiling, he winks at us and hands us his door key and says goodbye, acting like everything is normal.

Turning away, we head toward the elevators, not saying a word. I can feel the confusion radiating from Rhi and I'm waiting for her to say something.

"Wow guys, you look beautiful. What's going on?" Rhi asks, confusion marring her face.

As we're stepping onto the elevator, I look at Kate and grin. As the doors close I tell her what's happening. "We're going to watch the show again tonight and then we're going out with them afterwards like we did last night. Except this time we're going to get something to eat. If my memory serves me right, the only nutrients you've had today are two Bloody Mary's. Which, in my book, is definitely not anything substantial."

She smiles and the chance to see Alex again but her smile quickly fades to a frown. Worry is evident as she says, "Oh guys, I'm not dressed to go to the show or out to dinner!" She exclaims. "Unless it's to Mc Donalds and I doubt that's where anyone wants to go eat."

"Rhi, chill. There's no need to freak out. We've got everything covered. We brought you clothes and everything else you need. Why do you think Jack gave us his room card?" Kate says and laughs at her expression.

"Oh." She replies, before continuing excitedly. "Thank you. You guys think of everything. Does Alex know?"

"I don't know if he knows or not. I'm not sure if Jack told him. I think he wanted to keep it a surprise for him. And you." Kate says and winks at her.

The elevator stops and we exit, heading toward the room. Walking in, we head to the bathroom and start pulling things out of the bag.

"Ok let's get you dressed first. Ana, help her out. I'll get her hair and makeup stuff ready." Kate says, taking initiative to get the ball rolling. Typical. She loves playing with makeup.

"Ok Rhi, strip." I order, laughing.

Rhi rolls her eyes, "What are you guys going to do, treat me like I'm a life-size barbie?" She starts laughing hysterically knowing full well how Kate is.

I hear Kate shout from the bathroom, "Yes! You're our barbie for the time being. Now hurry up!" She's laughing but demanding. It's quite amusing.

The two of us start giggling and proceed to get her dressed. I help her change into her shorts and shirt and when she's getting ready to put her shoes on Kate hollers again from the bathroom, "Hurry up you guys! It's 6:15 and we need to be downstairs by 6:30. Rhi, get those shoes on faster! Andele!"

Rhi and I laugh when we hear Kate clapping her hands and Rhi rolls her eyes again. "Where's your whip Kate?" Rhi shouts back laughing.

Kate is laughing as we corral into the bathroom, "I forgot to pack it. I didn't think I'd need it for the trip." Rhi and I join her in laughter.

I'm brushing Rhi's hair while she's brushing her teeth. Kate is busy pulling out makeup, setting everything out on the counter. It's like a production line in a factory.

"Rhi, we weren't joking when we said you were going to be a life-size barbie!" Kate laughs.

Surprisingly, it doesn't take us long to do her makeup and after a few minutes we're done. "There! All finished! Rhi, you look amazing!" I exclaim.

We've decided to leave her hair down, put in a few spiral curls and fluff it up a bit. We kept her makeup a natural look. She has flawless skin so we decided to just use moisturizer. We added a little eyeliner and mascara to accent her beautiful green eyes.

Kate starts packing things up, putting them back into the overnight bag, and leaves the bathroom to go pack her clothes.

"How about a tinted lip gloss? Nothing too outrageous." I ask, handing her a light pink sparkly lip gloss and after applying it she tucks it into her pocket for touch ups.

Kate comes back into the bathroom. "Holy fuck Rhi! Your ass looks amazing in those shorts! And I love the shoes!" She shouts. "Are you ready to see your man?" She winks with a devilish grin.

Rhi nods and laughs. "I could seriously use a drink guys and maybe a shot or two to go along with it."

Kate laughs again, "OK guys, I've sent a text to Jack and told him we're on our way down. He'll be waiting for us.

Checking to make sure nothing was left behind, we head back down to the showroom. 6:30, right on the nose. Not too shabby.