Change My Mind

by Ali Parker

  Their relationship was sure to cost me my relationship with one or both of them. I didn’t want to lose either of them, which meant I needed to keep this thing from happening. I didn’t care if it was hypocritical. As trite as it sounded, my relationship with Harper was different. We were in love, whether she was ready to admit it or not. Harper and I had history. It wasn’t a passing fancy.

  It was real, and we were going to be the couple that made it.

  Chapter 48

  Harper

  I took one last look in the mirror before adding a touch of light pink lipstick to my lips. I felt like a new woman. I accepted that I was crazy about Chase, and instead of trying to deny it, I was going to explore the idea of really enjoying it. I was going to live in the moment and see where it led. Tonight was very much like a first date.

  I put on a beige bandage dress that hugged my body. I did my hair and makeup and got ready for our date with the expectation of this being the first of many. On a last-minute whim, I stopped at the door and took off my panties. I didn’t want the panty lines anyway.

  I felt daring and free and couldn’t wait to see him. I was looking forward to spending the night with him. I left a note for Parker, letting her know I wouldn’t be back for the night and she had the suite all to herself to do whatever—or whomever—she chose.

  Before closing the door behind me, I made sure my room key was in my little purse. I barely made it three steps down the hall before my phone rang. I glanced at the screen and thought about ignoring the call. It was the reporter, Angela Refe. I didn’t want her to keep calling and spoiling my evening with Chase.

  “Hello?” I answered, trying to sound rushed. I wanted her to know I wasn’t interested in talking or giving her any more sound bites for her article.

  “Hi, Harper, this is Angela,” she said.

  “Hi, Angela, what can I do for you?”

  “I wanted to take a minute and thank you for your time. You and Chase.”

  “Of course,” I said, starting to walk toward the elevator again.

  “The unique angle was a hit with my editor. We can’t wait to see what kind of publicity it stirs up. We know it’s going to be a very popular article on our site.”

  I had no idea what she was talking about but played it off. “That’s good. Great. I look forward to reading it.”

  “I already sent you a preview. I promised Chase I would.”

  “Perfect, I’ll check it out.”

  “This is going to be great for you guys and the resort. The story is sure to pique the interest of people. Even people around the office are already in love with the idea.”

  I was really lost. “Great. Thanks again.”

  I wasn’t interested in saying much more. I already felt like I’d said too much. Reporters were a dangerous breed. Anything you said or did could be twisted or misconstrued. I didn’t think I said anything juicy during our interview but now I was curious. I still had some time before I was supposed to meet Chase. I turned around and went back to my room. I wanted to know what this unique article was all about.

  I went into my room, turned on my laptop, and pulled up my email. I would read it and save Chase the hassle. I knew he wasn’t thrilled about doing the interview at all. It would give us something to talk about over dinner. I could only imagine what the woman wrote. I knew she had a thing for Chase. I was imagining she painted him as a calendar hunk running around the resort in his underwear and pleasing the ladies.

  I was smiling when I clicked on the attachment in her email. The file opened, and I started to read. Three sentences in, I felt like I was going to throw up. “No, no, no,” I whispered.

  My world was collapsing in front of my very eyes. My stomach churned as I read about my love story. There was just one problem. It wasn’t my story at all.

  I felt exposed. Angela painted a pretty picture of my story with Chase. It wasn’t hard to see where the story was coming from. It was Chase. He was revealing details that only he could know.

  I scrolled down the page and saw the pictures that were going to be included with the article to help paint the picture. One of the pictures was from our high school years. That absolutely came from Chase, maybe Cori. There was a picture I had not seen before. It was the two of us at the Winter Wonderland party. We were locked in an embrace, staring into each other’s eyes. We were on the dance floor, but someone got very creative with the Photoshop, and it looked like we were outside, alone, and locked in a loving embrace.

  There would never be any denying the story with the damning pictures. My heart sank as I read through the article a second time. The first time, it had been a bit of a blur. It was overwhelming. I couldn’t explain the hurt I felt. It was different than the hurt I felt when he walked away from me. I felt betrayed. Very publicly betrayed.

  “Harper has always been the one for me,” I read the quote attributed to Chase aloud. “We parted ways, but she was always the one I knew I wanted to be with. Fate brought us back together. We’ve rekindled our love for one another and we are planning our future together. I feel very lucky to have her in my life. I couldn’t imagine my life without her.”

  He was laying it on pretty thick. It was over a week since Angela interviewed us. A week ago, we were just starting the no-strings things. I never told him I loved him and he sure as hell never said it to me. It was just sex. Reading the article, it sounded like we were headed down the aisle next week. It was misleading and a load of shit.

  Was tonight part of his fake relationship? Would a reporter happen to get a picture of us sharing an intimate dinner? I couldn’t help but feel used. He played me, and I was so fucking stupid I fell for it. My eyes slid over to the teddy bear he won for me a few hours ago. It was sitting on my bed, resting between the pillows.

  It was all bullshit. I would not be surprised to learn there were photographers at the event who were told to get pictures of us together to keep the story alive. I saw the photographers and knew they were there, but it was supposed to be publicity for the hotel and Chase’s brand. I did not want to be a part of the story. My life wasn’t a story to be consumed by others. It was my private life and he was turning it into a sideshow.

  I closed the laptop, unable to look at the words another second. I wasn’t even angry. Well, I was, but it was more of a devastation I felt. This afternoon, I was certain I was in love with him. I believed he was the man he portrayed himself to be. Looking back, I could see I was a means to an end. He needed an angle—or as Angela called it, a unique angle—to sell his resort.

  It was an old trick. It was something celebrities did all the time. People loved fairytales. Chase cooked up a plan to use me as a way to write his own fairytale that would appeal to the masses. He put on this big show pretending to be this kind, caring gentleman. He was a user. I was used. What was his long-term plan, I wondered?

  Was he planning to dump me as soon as my contract was up and he got the boost in publicity he needed? Was that why he was introducing me to the other business owners? He was trying to assuage his guilt by getting me set up with a job when he kicked me to the curb.

  “You conniving prick!”

  I couldn’t stand to be in the hotel another second. I didn’t want to see him. I didn’t want to be anywhere near the place when that article hit the publications.

  Chase was one of the most eligible bachelors and I was certain it would be picked up by the gossip columns as well. The wheels of the publicity machine would keep on spinning until I was chewed up and spit out.

  I grabbed my suitcase and threw it on the bed. I was going to break my employment contract. Chase could have the salary back. I didn’t want it. I wanted nothing from him. Ever. I was done with him. I would not be used.

  I started tossing my stuff into my suitcase. It was becoming a bit of a habit for me. This time, I was leaving though. There was nothing he could say to stop me. There was nothing to keep me there.

  I did a quick search for vacation rentals. I didn’t dare r
ent a hotel room. He would find me. I didn’t want to be found. I wasn’t sure when the story was being published but I planned on going to ground for a while until it all blew over. I was not going to give interviews or support the bullshit narrative he put out there.

  In between tossing clothes into my suitcase, I did my search for somewhere to stay. By pure chance, there was a small cabin that was available. That was a Christmas miracle in itself. It was two days before Christmas in one of the most popular holiday destinations in the country. I quickly whipped out my credit card, paid for the cabin, and finished my packing.

  “Hey, whoa,” Parker said, coming into my room and stopping when she saw the suitcase. “What are you doing?”

  “I’m leaving for real this time and I am not coming back.”

  “What?”

  “It’s a long story. I have to get out of here.” I grabbed my phone and took a picture of the cabin reservation and sent it to her phone. “That’s where I will be in case of an emergency. I’ll come back another time to get anything I forgot. No, on second thought, I don’t care. I don’t want it.”

  “Harper, what is going on? You’re dressed to the nines and acting like you are fleeing for your life.”

  “Do not tell Chase where I am. I’m serious. Don’t tell him shit.”

  She slowly nodded. “Should I come with you?”

  “No. Stay. Work out your contract. This is a good job for you. Keep it.”

  “I don’t want to be here if you’re not.”

  “I’m not going to stay here but you should.” I zipped up my suitcase and pulled on my coat. It looked a little ridiculous with my heels and dress, but I didn’t care. I didn’t want to waste time changing my outfit. I looked her directly in the eye. “Promise me you won’t tell him?”

  She nodded before throwing herself at me and hugging me tightly. “I promise. I don’t know what he did, but I’m on your side. He’s a jerk.”

  I smiled and stepped away. “Thanks. I mean it. This isn’t a cat-and-mouse game. I do not want him to find me. I’m not going back to my apartment in Boulder just yet either. My phone will be off. Shoot me an email if there is anything pressing.”

  “You’re scaring me.”

  “Don’t be scared. It’s fine. I just need to get out of here.”

  A tear slid down her cheek. “Merry Christmas,” she said with a small laugh.

  “Merry Christmas to you.”

  “Please call me if you need anything. I’ll do whatever you want. Anything.”

  “Thanks,” I said, fighting back my own tears. “I need to go. I have a cab waiting.”

  She walked me to the door and gave me another hug. I walked to the stairs, bouncing my suitcase behind me. I wasn’t going to risk running into him. I couldn’t see him. My heart couldn’t handle it and my temper would not tolerate it.

  Chapter 49

  Chase

  I checked the time again. I expected her to be a few minutes late, but it was over an hour. I called her phone several times and even texted her. She didn’t answer. I was sure she got waylaid in the lobby by one of the Santas or someone else on the staff that had questions. Maybe someone was interviewing her about the fair.

  I suspected it was happening to her because it happened to me. When I walked into the dining room, there were plenty of people who wanted to stop and talk to me about what our next event would be. I was happy to know we had started something that I could build on over the next several months and years. I wanted our brand to be associated with good community outreach and a positive place to work. I planned on discussing that with Harper tonight. I was going to ask her to stay on with me as my marketing manager.

  I sipped the wine that was poured for me when I first sat down. I checked the time and realized something wasn’t right. She would have sent me a quick text even if someone caught her in the lobby. I walked into the kitchen and asked the chef to keep our dinner warm. He wasn’t pleased. When I left the kitchen, he was on a rampage about the disrespect of food.

  I walked to the lounge first to see if maybe she stopped to get a drink and ran into someone like Oliver. I didn’t see her but went to talk to the bartender. “Has Harper been in here tonight?” I asked.

  He shook his head. “I haven’t seen her.”

  “Thanks.”

  I walked to the lobby and scanned the area. There were quite a few people enjoying the complimentary cocktails in front of the fireplace. I walked around, stopping different staff to ask if they’d seen her. No one had. I went to reception to find out if there were any Santa complaints that she may have needed to deal with. Again, nothing.

  I was growing worried. I called her again before deciding to go to her suite. I knocked on the door, but no one answered. I could easily call housekeeping and be let in, but I wouldn’t violate her privacy. I went into my own room, not sure what I was expecting to find. My last thought was maybe she emailed me. I didn’t know why she would go that route, but it couldn’t hurt to check.

  I sat down on the couch in my suite, and from my phone, I opened my email. I scanned through my inbox before my eyes saw the one from Angela Refe with “article proof” in the subject line. I opened the email and immediately saw it was copied to Harper as well.

  I read the article. It was a great article if not a little fluffy for my tastes. Unfortunately, the article wasn’t supposed to come out for another week. “Shit,” I groaned, realizing what happened.

  Harper read the article before I got a chance to make my grand gesture. I didn’t get to explain how romantic it was. I knew Harper and knew she would look at the article as a manipulation. It wasn’t. I needed to find her. I had to explain.

  I rushed out of my room and pounded on her door. “Harper! Are you in there? Please, let me talk to you!”

  I waited for several minutes. When she didn’t answer, I moved down the hall and knocked on Cori’s door. She opened it, looking exhausted and guilty. I would deal with her guilt later. For now, I needed to find Harper. “Where is she?”

  “Where is who?”

  “Harper!”

  She shook her head. “I don’t know. I haven’t seen her since this afternoon.”

  “Cori, don’t lie to me.”

  “Chase, what did you do now?”

  “Nothing. Where is she?”

  “I don’t know but I’m guessing you did something.”

  I walked away, going in search of Parker. Parker would know where she was. I made it to the lobby and looked around for Parker. I found her in the dining room, eating dinner alone. She looked upset.

  I stood next to her table. “Where is she?”

  “Where is who?” she snapped.

  “Where is Harper?”

  “I don’t know.”

  I stared at her. The way she was looking at me told me she did know something. “Parker, please. Where did she go?”

  She pushed food around on her plate. “I don’t know. I only know she’s gone because of something you did.” She wouldn’t look at me.

  “Please don’t lie to me. I need to talk to her.”

  Her head snapped up. “I just told you I don’t know where she is.”

  She got up, tossing her napkin on her plate and walked out. I wasn’t all that surprised she was pissed at me. She and Harper were close. Parker was loyal to her and was taking her side. I didn’t really blame her. Knowing I wasn’t going to get anywhere with her but also suspecting she did know where Harper was, I decided to go low. It was underhanded and totally disrespectful, but I was a desperate man.

  I went to the small office Jake used. I knew he would be there. He was always there in the evening when things were quiet and he could work.

  “I thought you were having dinner with Harper,” he said when I walked through the door.

  “I need you to do something,” I said.

  “Right now?”

  “Yes.”

  “What?”

  I sat down. “I need you to ask Parker where Harper is.
I know she knows.”

  He studied my face for several seconds. “You’re serious?”

  “Very.”

  “Don’t you think it would save time if you just called Harper?”

  “I have. She left and won’t answer my calls.”

  He groaned, leaning back in his chair and covering his face with his hands. “Chase, I don’t want to get involved in whatever you two have going on.”

  “I’m not asking you to get involved. I’m asking you to help me find her.”

  “Did you ask Parker?”

  “I did. She won’t tell me.”

  “Fuck. Seriously? You want me to ask her for you? Isn’t that a little underhanded?”

  “It is, and I’m sorry, but this is important. I have to talk to her.”

  “You are my boss, and normally, I do anything you ask me to do, but this is crossing a line. This is dragging me and a woman I care about into a mess I don’t want any part of. This is only going to muddy the waters. We’ve all done very well pretending none of us is sleeping with the other. We kept it professional. I would like to keep it that way.”

  I took a deep breath, trying to calm the fear racing through my veins. Fear of losing Harper for good was making me desperate. “Jake, with all due respect, I don’t give a shit. We can keep it professional after you find out where she is.”

  His brows shot up. “You’re acting crazy.”

  “I’m feeling a little crazy at the moment.”

  “What did you do?”

  “That isn’t important. Please, find out. Anything. I’m going to my room to start calling the local hotels. She can’t have gotten far.”

  “Do you realize how desperate you sound?”

  “I am desperate, Jake.”

  He sighed. “Fine. I’ll try to talk to her, but I can’t come right out and ask. She’ll know I’m asking for you, and as much as I want to help you out, I don’t want to fuck this up with Parker. I like her.”