The One That Slipped Away

by LaShawn Vasser

  They went back to their table, and she sat down for a few minutes to rest, then leaned over and whispered into his ear. “I’m going to go to the ladies’ room.” Gently, she kissed him on the lips then wiped her lipstick off of his mouth.

  “Oh, Mia! Wait . . . I’ll go with you.” Jeanine stood up. “Come on, Amber. Come with us to the ladies’ room.”

  Mia couldn’t help but wonder if they had superhuman hearing since she’d whispered her words into Harrison’s ear. The absolute last thing Mia wanted was to be bothered with those two. Somehow, she managed to put a smile on her face.

  The three of them left the table and walked off to the powder room. When they entered, Amber and Jeanine went straight for the mirror to adjust their makeup.

  Mia’s bladder was going to burst. After she finished using the restroom, she joined them at the mirror. They chatted amongst themselves for the most part. The whispers and the laughter, as if they weren’t going to let her in on the secret joke, was irritating, but Mia refused to give it life. As a matter of fact, she was going to take the high road.

  She dried her hands on a towel. “You ladies look really nice tonight.”

  Jeanine responded. “Thank you. I saw the exact same dress you’re wearing and almost thought of getting it, but I’m just too thin for something like that. It looks much nicer on you. Someone a bit heavier.”

  Mia took her lipstick out of her compact. She ignored Jeanine’s insults to her and reapplied it. “That’s one of the things Harrison always said he loved. . . my curves.”

  It was Amber’s turn to take a dig. “I’m sure we can all agree on that.” She laughed that annoying cackle that Mia hated. “Liberty used to say the same thing.”

  How that was possible was a mystery to Mia. The girl was as skinny as a twig. They were just trying to get to her. She wouldn’t let them. Mia replaced the cap on her lipstick and dropped it back into her purse before turning to stare both women down. “Look, I get it. You don’t like me, and honestly, I’m not too fond of you either. I’m not sure if it’s because of your friendship with Liberty or because you don’t like the way I breathe. I don’t really care, but the bottom line is this, I love Harrison, he loves me, and I’m not going anywhere.”

  Amber crossed her arms across her nonexistent chest. “Are you sure about that? You do realize that you’re just a placeholder until Liberty comes back right? She realized she made a mistake and wants Ethan back.”

  Jeanine seemed to try to hide a coy little smile.

  Mia had had enough. She started to walk away. “You’ve said that before, and I know you wish that were true, but it’s wasted energy on both your parts.”

  Amber yelled at Mia’s retreating back. “Ethan has loved Liberty since they were twelve. He still loves her. If she hadn’t broken things off, they would be together now. I have a feeling it won’t be long before the truth is revealed.”

  Mia stopped. She was going to turn around to respond to their lies. Liberty slept with one of his friends that’s why they broke up, but then decided not to give them the satisfaction of knowing they’d pissed her off. Instead, she opened the door and walked out of the bathroom.

  *****

  An hour or so later, Harrison and his mother presented seven award recipients with the newly named Thomas Haughton Vanguard Award. It was changed in honor of his late father.

  Mia knew this night couldn’t have been easy for Harrison, but his smiles flowed freely, and so had his kisses. Despite his friends, Mia was having a good time.

  “Ethan?” A female voice asked.

  At the sound of the voice, his smile froze in place. He was facing Mia and slowly, turned in the woman’s direction. “Liberty?”

  Mia’s breath caught in her throat. Liberty? She was here? Harrison’s body was too big to see around. It was apparent, he was shocked, and so was Mia. They hadn’t seen each other since the funeral.

  Incredulously, Harrison asked Liberty what Mia was thinking. “What are you doing here?”

  “I just flew back into town last night. I talked with your mother, and she told me that your father’s annual fundraiser was tonight. I know how important it is to you and your family, so I came.”

  Awkwardly, Harrison just stood there.

  Mia’s heart was pounding, and she thought it could jump out of her chest. She had noticed that they seemed to share a special bond at the funeral.

  Liberty began speaking again. “Everyone was going to be here, so I figured, why not show up, surprise you . . . all, and support your dad. I made a big donation. He was such a great man.”

  “Thank you.” That seemed to be all he could muster.

  “Hopefully, I’ll get to spend more time with the foundation now that I’m moving back here permanently.”

  Mia didn’t know what she should do. She felt invisible. The evening had been almost perfect but this . . . this was turning into a nightmare. Did Liberty say she was moving back?

  Finally, after watching her boyfriend and his ex be so transfixed on each other they were not able to break eye contact, Mia stood. She cleared her throat to get Harrison’s attention. He blinked a couple of times before seemingly remembering Mia was even there. He picked up her hand. “Liberty, um . . . you remember my girlfriend, Mia, right?”

  “Yes. I think we saw each other but never officially met.”

  No. She wouldn’t slap him. Not only was the press present, but they had an entire audience watching. Never in a million years would Mia have expected this reaction from Harrison. She refused to give anyone the satisfaction of knowing how badly she was hurt. Instead, she pasted on a smile. “I feel as if I’ve known you forever, Liberty, but I have to say this is our first official meeting.”

  Liberty’s smile was just as fake as Mia’s. However, she never looked away from Harrison. “Likewise. I’ve heard a lot about you.”

  Nervously, Harrison looked from Liberty to Mia. The moment was awkward as hell.

  The words came out of Mia’s mouth before she could stop them. “Well, it looks like the old gang is here.” She turned and picked up her purse from off of the table. “It’s a bit late for me. I think I’m going to head home.”

  Mia didn’t wait to see what reaction Harrison or anyone else had. Justified or not, she was hurt and wanted to get the hell out of there. She left as fast as she could before she did or said something she wouldn’t regret. Without a backward glance, Mia walked away from all of them with as much dignity as she could.

  As she stood outside waiting for a cab, Harrison walked up behind her and gave the valet his ticket. “You didn’t have to leave like that.”

  Mia wrapped her arms around her body refusing to look at him. “I wasn’t going to stand there and witness your loving reunion.”

  “What? What are you talking about?”

  She flashed angry eyes at him. “How am I supposed to feel about you two making googly eyes at each other?”

  “You’re being ridiculous.”

  The valet driver pulled up to the curb with their car before her cab arrived. Harrison opened the passenger door for Mia. She stood there debating whether or not to get in. What was she supposed to do? On the verge of tears, Mia went ahead and got inside the car.

  It was going to be a long ride home.

  Chapter 21

  Harrison and Mia hadn’t said two words to each other since leaving the fundraiser. Each of them was lost in their own thoughts.

  The evening had been full of revelations, but the real surprise had been on them. It made the drive torture as Mia stared out of the window and Harrison looked straight ahead.

  The distance between them had been growing wider over the past year. This turn of events didn’t help. Mia had no idea what to do. Tonight had been a bright spot in a sea of darkness. The harder she tried, the further away Harrison seemed to get. Now, with Liberty back, she wasn’t going to pretend that she wasn’t insecure about it.

  Mia had no idea if things between her and Harrison were possible
to fix, or if Harrison even wanted to.

  The way Liberty was looking at him, it was pretty obvious what her intentions were. That had to be what Amber and Jeanine’s cryptic messages about the truth being revealed soon in the bathroom.

  They were never going to accept her into their circle, no matter how hard she tried to fit in—because Liberty Landon was the missing piece. And, after tonight, Mia didn’t want to have anything to do with any of them. How was that going to work?

  Liberty cheated on him with a friend! She screamed in her mind. How could he ever forgive her for that?

  Mia kept replaying Jeanine’s words over and over in her head that she had only been a placeholder for Liberty. Was it true? Or was it Mia’s insecurities that made it seem so. Whatever the case, Harrison’s reaction was like a punch in the gut and made her believe maybe there was more to her feelings than just her uncertainties. She couldn’t help but wonder if Harrison still had feelings for Liberty? Mia wasn’t so sure he didn’t based on his reaction. She was afraid to ask for fear of what his answer would be. Instead, Mia continued to stare out of the window as she fought hot tears from streaming down her face. By some miracle, she managed to keep them at bay.

  Mia had to be honest, she was starting to second guess everything. The day she arrived in Chicago, Mia had been so full of hope and promise, but it was short-lived. The closeness she once shared with him started to wane. It was as if real life began to intrude on their relationship.

  It wasn’t just Jeanine and Amber constantly dropping his ex’s name and making no secret that if it were left up to them, Liberty and Harrison would already be planning their wedding. Deep down, Mia knew that’s what his mother wanted too. But, did Harrison? Considering he still hadn’t officially proposed to her, it made Mia wonder.

  Anger could prevent a multitude of things, but once it subsided, had he been ready to forgive Liberty? Did old feelings start to resurface?

  The air had been sucked out her. Mia prayed hard, hoping to get home before her tears overwhelmed her.

  Chapter 22

  Harrison was dragging when he walked into the office the following Monday. To say he was exhausted was an understatement. He hadn’t gotten much rest over the weekend. He and Mia still weren’t speaking from the night of the benefit.

  Josiah stepped out of his office when he heard Harrison come in. “Ethan? You’ve got a minute?”

  “Sure.” Harrison walked into his office.

  Josiah said, “Close the door and have a seat.” He went around his desk and sat down in his chair. “You know you’re like a son to Daphne and me, right?”

  Harrison sat on the edge of his chair. “Yes. Of course.”

  “What’s going on with you and Mia? I saw what happened on Saturday.”

  Harrison ran his hand back and forth across his chin then expelled a breath. “Honestly? Everything between us lately seems to be so damn hard.”

  “Like what?”

  “When we were at school, we had this connection that was undeniable. Now, we can go days and not talk to each other. She and my mother are like oil and water. That’s a constant struggle. She hates all of my friends, and her insecurities about Liberty are hard to deal with. Honestly, I’m still dealing with the loss of my father, trying to help my mother deal with the loss of her husband, maintain a relationship with my friends, and learn this business. I have so much on my plate. I’m exhausted from it all and sometimes I need an escape.”

  “Is that why you’ve been keeping such late hours?”

  “Partly. It’s peaceful here and like I said, I have so much to learn.”

  Josiah leaned back in his chair. “Understandable. You’ve gone through a lot over the last couple of years, but son, you’ve got to be honest with yourself and her. I saw the way you and Liberty looked at each other. Do you still have feelings for her?”

  “Liberty is a confusing question. She was my first love and before that she was a good friend. Once the anger of her betrayal wore off, I realized she’s still a good friend. Her support after my father died . . .” Harrison’s voice grew thick. “I’ll always be grateful to her for that. I love her, but no. I’m not in love with her. How do I explain that to Mia?”

  Josiah laughed. “You don’t. Keep it simple. Tell her you’re not in love with Liberty and make it clear to Liberty as well. The harder question is . . . do you still love Mia?”

  Harrison looked down at his hands. “Yes, I love her. There’s no doubt about that. I just don’t know if it’s enough.”

  He raised an eyebrow. “Love is not always easy. It can be hard. But, if you love her like I think you do then fight for your relationship and never put anyone above the woman you love. This might be difficult for you to understand, but that includes your mother and friends. You’re young and it seems like finding love is easy. It’s not. So, if you’ve found it, hold on to it.”

  Harrison responded. “Yeah, you gave me a lot to think about.”

  “You know you’re not in this alone. You can come to me anytime, Ethan. I know you have broad shoulders, but you don’t have to carry the weight of everything all on your own.”

  Harrison stood. “Thank you. I didn’t even know I needed this.”

  *****

  Harrison sat at his desk with his sleeves rolled up. He was knee deep in paperwork trying to get his arms around all of it before Josiah and he met with this client in a couple of days. His office door was open. He yelled out to his assistant. “Alexandria, can you grab me the Lambert file?”

  A few moments later, she sauntered into the office with the manila folder. “I’ve got it right here.”

  He reached out for it. “Thank you.”

  “Do you need anything else before I leave?”

  “Damn. It’s five o’clock already?”

  “Yes, it is. You worked through lunch again. I hope you shove off pretty soon, so you can at least have a good dinner and get some rest.”

  “Unfortunately, I’ve got too much to read through before the meeting. No, I’m good. I don’t need anything else. I’ll see you in the morning.”

  “Okay, boss. I’ll see you in the morning.” Alexandria turned and walked out of his office.

  *****

  It was another night and Mia lay in bed unable to sleep waiting for Harrison. She glanced at the clock, and it was after nine. She’d called his phone a couple of times, but it had gone to voice mail.

  Mia didn’t know what to do to fix their relationship, or if it was even fixable. They’d been walking around the house like strangers.

  Did he want Liberty? Does he want me? Mia’s mind was all over the place, but mostly it went back to the very first time she’d ever told Harrison she’d loved him. That hadn’t changed.

  Her chest was tight. All she knew was that she wanted to make everything right. Someone had to make the first move. If he wouldn’t, she would. Mia had to try to make their relationship work. She made the decision. Tomorrow, she would begin to attempt to put the pieces of their relationship back together.

  *****

  Harrison’s neck and back were killing him from leaning over paperwork. He’d seen Mia’s calls come through on his cell phone but didn’t have the energy to deal with it.

  A light tap on his door caused his head to snap up.

  “Mr. Haughton?”

  He was surprised to see her. “Alexandria? What are you doing here this late?”

  “I was driving past the office on my way home from a friend’s house, and imagine my surprise when I saw your car still in the parking lot. You really are burning the midnight oil.”

  “Yeah. I just got a little bit more to go over, and I’ll probably leave for home.”

  “Did you eat dinner?”

  Harrison shook his head. “I guess I forgot to eat. I just didn’t have time.”

  Alexandria pulled a white bag from behind her back. “Figured. I stopped and picked you up a burger and fries.”

  Harrison got up from his chair. He laughed.
“You’re my very own angel. Thank you. Now that I smell those French fries and that burger, I’m starving.”

  She handed him the bag. “You’re my Angel. I kinda like the sound of that.”

  His hand briefly touched hers as he took the bag from her. When Harrison looked up, the professional demeanor that usually existed between them had disappeared. Alexandria’s eyes were saying that she was offering more than burgers and fries.

  She moved closer. Close enough that her lips were only inches away from his, the next thing Harrison knew Alexandria was kissing him and he didn’t stop it.

  They’d crossed a line he never thought he’d ever cross.

  Chapter 23

  It was late when Harrison came home and crawled into bed. Lately, Mia would be asleep by the time he would come home, and he was gone by the time she would wake up in the morning.

  This morning, Mia got up before him to make breakfast. She was standing in front of the stove, scrambling eggs in the skillet when he came into the kitchen.

  She heard him and turned around. “Hi.”

  Harrison couldn’t make eye contact. He looked everywhere but at her. “Hey.”

  Mia was nervous. She held the spatula in a death grip. “I was hoping maybe we could have breakfast before you left this morning. You’ve been so busy.”

  He went over to the coffee maker to pour some of it in his to-go cup. He mumbled, “I have a meeting this morning, so I can’t.”

  Mia was disappointed. She turned off the stove. “Oh.” She swallowed. “Harrison, I’m . . . I don’t know if I’m doing this right, but I know there’s a lot of stuff wrong in our relationship.” Mia stammered. “I-I want us to work, and I’m willing to do whatever it takes. Maybe you’d be willing to try counseling or something.”

  Harrison’s back was still to Mia. He closed his eyes not really knowing how to respond. When he turned around to see the strain on her face, he felt nothing but guilt. “Mia, I . . .” He paused. Then cleared his throat. “Can we talk about this later? I’ve really got to get going. Otherwise, I’m going to be late for my meeting.”