Caffeine, chaos… and calm

This morning started with brunch, a Red Bull in one hand and a Nutrl in the other, because balance is everything. Vegas doesn’t sleep… and apparently neither do I. The Strip was already buzzing before 10 a.m., and not just from tourists. I saw a man fully passed out on a bench holding a frozen margarita with two straws, like he was expecting company but gave up. A guy in a Spider Man costume was doing backflips near a fountain with the commitment of a man who has absolutely nothing to lose, and there was a busker absolutely butchering a Justin Bieber song to a crowd that was far too generous with applause.

And as I sat there double fisting caffeine and chaos, people-watching the wonderful weirdness of Vegas… I realized something.

I wasn’t anxious. I wasn’t checking my phone every five seconds. I wasn’t worried about someone being mad or demanding to know where I was or what I was doing.

And that felt… strange.

Strange in a way that made me pause. Because I’m so used to having to explain. To soften. To manage someone else’s feelings while I’m just trying to exist.

But not right now.

Right now, I have someone who understands. Someone who trusts me enough to let me live my life without making it about him. I don’t have to send a play by play or drop pins or overexplain why I chose to stay out a little later.

Last night, I told Michael I’d call him at, but I forgot to factor in the two hour difference. I was sitting inside Ole Red, halfway into a whiskey and sprite, and completely wrapped up in a live band and the rare feeling of just being present. I didn’t pull out my phone. I didn’t record anything. For once, I let myself be there.

When I finally made it back to my room and saw his messages, my stomach dropped. I expected irritation. A sarcastic “glad you remembered me.” A guilt trip. Anything.

But no. His texts weren’t angry. They weren’t even slightly annoyed.

They were kind.

They said, “I’m glad you didn’t call because that must mean you’re having fun, and you deserve that. Just let me know you made it back to your room safely, and we’ll talk in the morning. Have all the fun, beautiful. You deserve it.”

And then… like he hadn’t already melted my heart enough… he sent a Venmo for $100 with a note that said, “Put it on 24 black for me.”

No expectations. No strings. Just a playful little gesture to be part of the night I was living. Like, “Go enjoy this. I’m cheering you on from here.”

This morning, I called him. Still half asleep, mascara smudged, voice raspy from laughing too hard and singing too loud the night before. I expected at least a little teasing, maybe a playful jab about standing him up.

But instead, he answered with a soft, “Good morning, beautiful. You have fun last night?”

No hint of annoyance. No passive-aggressive comments. Just genuine warmth… like he was truly happy I had a good night, even if he wasn’t part of it.

I rambled through the whole story… how I didn’t factor in the time change, how the band was actually really good, how I made friends with the couple next to me and sang way too loudly to Shania Twain. And he just listened.

He laughed in all the right places, asked the sweetest little follow up questions, and told me how much he loved hearing me light up.

“I’m glad you didn’t call,” he said again, in that calm, steady voice that’s starting to feel like a safe place. “That means you were living. You were happy. That’s what I want for you.”

And the thing is, he meant it. There was no ego in his voice. No guilt-trip. Just steady reassurance… the kind that quietly says I see you. I care. I trust you.

Michael doesn’t just say the right things… he feels like the right thing. He’s the kind of man who offers safety without smothering, support without strings, love (or at least something like it for now) without ego.

It’s not loud. It’s not flashy. It’s just good… and real… and so incredibly rare.

Also… I still owe him a spin at the roulette table. And if 24 black hits? Great. If not? I already know what he’ll say… “That’s okay, beautiful. You having fun is the only win I need.”

And honestly… that right there? Jackpot.