Change My Mind

by Ali Parker

  “What’s wrong?” she asked.

  I shrugged. “Nothing.”

  We both knew I was lying, and she was about to call me out on it. “You liar!” she said and reached out and slapped my shoulder.

  “What?”

  “I talked to Parker. I know what went down with you and Harper. First, shame on you. Second, shame on you again!”

  I held up my hands. “I’m not sure what is first and second, but I swear I didn’t do anything in either instance. I’ve already gotten in trouble for pushing Jake for information. I eavesdropped on his conversation the second time. He doesn’t even know I know.”

  “Everyone knows you know,” she said dryly. “You’re not that sneaky.”

  “I don’t want to be sneaky. I want Harper.”

  “You seem to keep screwing that up. What’s the deal with Tawny?”

  I groaned. “Nothing. I didn’t know she was going to do that. I thought she was flirtatious before, but I had no idea she was that set on getting me into her bed.”

  She scrunched up her nose. “Gross. I didn’t need that information.”

  “Isn’t that why you are here?”

  “No. Yes. But I’m glad to know you didn’t take Tawny up on her offer. Did you put her in her place?”

  “Somewhat. I didn’t want to burn the bridge too badly. I made it clear I had no intention of climbing into bed with her.”

  “Good.”

  “Am I off the hook now?”

  “Yes. Why are you sitting here sulking? I mean I’m glad to see you aren’t in your room sulking, but you’re sulking in general.”

  “I’m just trying to work some stuff out.”

  “Your feelings for Harper?”

  “Yes.”

  “You love her.”

  “I do.”

  “Then what’s the problem? Why don’t you just tell her that?”

  “Because every time I try, something gets in the way. I just wish things could be like they were.”

  “Like they were when?”

  “Back when we were in high school. It was so easy then. We had this close bond that felt unbreakable. I used to think nothing would ever get in the way of our happiness. I would give anything to go back.”

  She slowly shook her head. “You’re not supposed to go backward in life. You’re supposed to move forward. You’re supposed to grow and evolve and become a better person. Going back solves nothing.”

  “But back then, we were so good together. Now, it feels like there is one hurdle after the other put in our way. I can’t seem to get it right with her. I miss the intimacy we used to have. I missed that feeling of being so close to her I could predict her every move. We used to be so solid. Back then, I was convinced we could handle anything that came our way. Everything felt so right.”

  “You guys were really good together,” she said with a smile. “But I don’t think you can go back. You were younger then. Your lives were different. You can’t go back to the way things were. They will never be the same.”

  “I swear, if I could go back to that night and do it all over again, I would. Actually, the night was awesome. It was the following morning that sucked. That’s where I went wrong. I went so wrong. Every single day for the last ten years, I’ve been thinking about that morning and what I could have said and done differently.”

  “I think a little healthy regret is a good thing. It shows you care. It shows you know where you went wrong. Too bad we didn’t all have time machines.”

  “No kidding. I swear it would be different.”

  “You know, the only reason you want to go back to that night is because in the ten years since that fateful moment in time, you’ve grown. You’ve become wiser. That gives you the confidence you could make the right decision.”

  “I do have the wisdom and I know what I should have done. I want a do-over.”

  She smiled, her eyes filled with laughter. “I promise, if I had a magic wand, I would absolutely grant your wish.”

  “You know, I don’t need a time machine or a magic wand,” I said, leaning forward.

  A million ideas were popping into my head. I needed to grab hold of one and hold on. I closed my eyes and let my imagination run wild. I was smiling when I opened my eyes again.

  “You have that look in your eye,” she said.

  “What look?”

  “The same look the day you convinced me to jump off the house because I might be able to fly,” she replied.

  I laughed, remembering the day very well. “I promise this idea doesn’t involve you doing anything dangerous.”

  “I’m still afraid.”

  “I want to recreate that night.”

  “What night?”

  “Prom.”

  She raised an eyebrow. “You want to go to prom? Aren’t you a little old for that?”

  I shook my head. “No. I want to recreate that night and do everything right. I want a redo. I want the chance to say the right things.”

  “You’re crazy! You can’t throw a prom.”

  “Sure, I can. Instead of a New Year’s Eve party, I’m going to throw a prom.”

  She groaned, rolling her eyes. “Ha. Ha. I knew you weren’t serious.”

  “I am serious.”

  “Chase, New Year’s is in two days. You can’t possibly pull together a prom.”

  “I can. This is one of those times when it is really good to be me and have my wealth. Money talks. I can get just about anything.”

  “Spoiled.”

  “Determined.”

  “You’ve lost your mind.”

  “No, this is it. This is the grand gesture I was looking for.”

  “Chase, I don’t want to see you get your heart broken,” she said.

  “Why would I get my heart broken?”

  “Because this prom idea is sweet, but I don’t see this being the thing that fixes all your past problems. Your problems are here, in the now. Shouldn’t you focus on that instead of worrying about something that you can’t change from ten years ago?”

  “I am focusing on the problems we have. Those problems all stem from that big mistake ten years ago. This is my chance to make it all right.”

  She blew out a breath. “How do you plan on getting her here?”

  “I’ll get her here,” I said with a smile.

  She tapped her fingers on the table. “Fine.”

  “Fine, what?”

  “Fine, I’ll help you.”

  “You’ll help me?”

  “Chase, you’re rich and all powerful but you are not that powerful. You can’t do this all by yourself. You are going to need help. I’m yours. The shop is closed, and I have nothing to do.”

  “You’ll help me?”

  “I’m the only other person here that was there that night. I remember it all. I remember the decorations and the music. I can help.”

  “I would love your help.”

  “What do you want me to do?”

  I blew out a breath. “Find a DJ that knows the music of the time. Hire a caterer. Get the bartenders to sign up for extra work.”

  “Oh, this is a prom with alcohol?” she teased.

  “Like the first wasn’t,” I shot back.

  She burst into laughter. “Shh, that’s our secret.”

  “Yes, I want alcohol. The good stuff. I want mixed drinks.”

  “You’re very demanding.”

  “You offered to help.”

  “I’ll talk to Parker and Jake. With Parker’s art skills, she’ll be able to recreate that night. Jake will do that other stuff you mentioned.”

  “I’ll get with Jake,” I told her. “I have a long list of stuff I need to get done. I’ve got to go.”

  “Chase, it’s after seven. I think everyone is done for the night.”

  “I’m not. I’m just getting started. Thanks for the idea.”

  I hopped out of the seat and was off. I raced toward my office, ready to get started on everything. I knew a party-supply store t
hat had the exact decorations I wanted. I was going to order the whole damn supply and have them overnighted. This was one of the times I was very happy to have my money. If I could use it to make her happy, it was worth it.

  I sat down at my desk and typed in the website. After making a ridiculously large order, I moved on to email my event team staff. They were going to shit their pants when they saw my request. I emailed the head of the team and let her know I would provide a healthy bonus if things went well.

  With the ball rolling, I turned my attention to Harper. How was I going to get her to come to my party? I wasn’t sure how I was going to go about doing that. It needed to be something genuine and big and something that was sure to work. For this, I was afraid I was going to have to get some backup. I hated to do it, but I might have to recruit Cori and Parker to help convince her without giving away the surprise.

  I felt better than I had in a long time. I turned off the computer and headed back to my suite. Now that I had a goal, a purpose, I was more at ease than I’d been in days. I walked into my suite and flopped down on the couch. I was already imagining the moment I got to see her. I imagined how happy she would be. How impressed she would be. That would pave the way for me to fix what I broke so long ago. I would get the chance to tell her how much I loved her.

  It had to work. Something told me it was the last chance I had with her. If I couldn’t make it right this time, she would be lost to me for good.

  Chapter 69

  Harper

  I sipped my coffee, scanning through a job board before clicking off and pulling up another one. I wasn’t sure what I thought was going to change. I kept opening and closing the same sites over and over, waiting for something exciting to pop up.

  I clicked on the mouse and read through the description of the job. Not for me. I clicked off it and scrolled down the jobs page. There was absolutely nothing that interested me. The few jobs that were advertised paid nothing or were just not what I was looking for. Then again, I wasn’t sure what I was looking for. Something good. Something fun. Something that let me exercise my creative muscles.

  I wanted the same freedom I had at Chase’s hotel. That was a one-time deal. No boss was really like that. They tended to have their old, dated ideas and didn’t really understand what I did. They seemed to think they knew best even though they hired me to be the marketing manager. I expanded my search to all of Colorado and even neighboring states.

  I would be fine for a few weeks, but I needed a job. I didn’t want to risk not taking a job just because it wasn’t the perfect job. I could be picky for a few more days, but if nothing jumped off the screen, I was definitely going to lower my standards.

  I closed the laptop, frustrated and defeated. I told myself not to panic. Once the holidays were behind us, things would start to pick up. People didn’t want to hire right now. In my line of work, the end of the year was the springboard for the spring campaigns. Businesses would be looking forward to spring and summer marketing plans. That was where I came in. That was when I would get my chance. I just needed to bide my time.

  There was a knock at my door, surprising me. I didn’t order anything and was not expecting any company. I walked to the door and peeked out the peephole. It was a courier. I opened the door, prepared to tell him he had the wrong apartment.

  “Miss Lincoln?” the young man asked.

  “Yes,” I said, surprised he actually knew my name.

  He held out a large, beautifully wrapped box. “This is for you.”

  “Me?”

  “Sign here please.”

  I used my finger to sign his little machine. He pushed the box into my hands. “Thanks.”

  “Have a Happy New Year,” he said and walked away.

  I purposely hadn’t left my apartment today because I didn’t want to hear that exact platitude. My idea of a New Year’s celebration was me, my bottle of wine, and a Mad Men binge. I didn’t want to sound like a loser. I stood in the open doorway, holding the box with the giant red bow. I didn’t know what to do with it.

  Feeling like an idiot, I carried the box to my kitchen table and put it down. I stared at it for several seconds. Maybe it was from my parents. I reached for the envelope on top of the box. It was an invitation. Generally, invitations didn’t come with presents. Usually, it was the other way around.

  “A New Year’s party?” I murmured, reading the invitation done in black calligraphy against a shimmering silver cardstock.

  I scanned the invitation and discovered the party was being held at Chase’s resort. I knew for a fact there was nothing scheduled for tonight. This had to be a very last-minute party.

  Why would they invite me? I flipped the invitation over, looking for more information. There was nothing. I reread the invitation and wondered if it was a joke. Tonight was New Year’s. Was my invitation lost in the mail? Who invited someone to a party hours before it was supposed to happen? That was rude and not very thoughtful.

  That was when I remembered the box. I opened it to find a small box with a black velvet ribbon wrapped around it. I opened it first and saw a plastic box with a corsage inside. I burst into laughter. I was certain someone mixed up the addresses. Did anyone use corsages anymore? I looked at the corsage again. It was very pretty. Pretty white baby roses with baby’s breath. It was beautiful and reminded me of the one Chase got me for prom.

  I put the delicate flowers down and removed the lid from the second box within the larger box. I gasped when I saw the silver satin inside the flat, rectangular box. I ran the tips of my fingers over the smooth fabric. It was so soft.

  I pulled it from the box and held it up. Again, very reminiscent of the formal dress I wore to prom. It was a different fabric and a slightly different style, but it still had the same overall shape. It was fitted with a slight flare at the bottom. The spaghetti straps were more mature than the full cap sleeves on my prom dress. It was the grown-up version of my prom dress.

  I was so confused. It was unlikely anyone knew what my dress looked like back then. This seemed like a very Oliver Rook move. The silver was probably because it was New Year’s. Gold and silver were very common colors for a New Year’s party. Oliver probably had a personal shopper pick something out. The guy was relentless. I could not possibly endure another evening with him. He could send me a hundred dresses and I wouldn’t accept his invitation.

  I gently laid the dress back in the box and picked up the invitation again. The party was supposed to start at nine. That wasn’t exactly proper notice. I thought about it for about three seconds. I wasn’t going. The last place I wanted to be was within a mile of Chase. That was not conducive to me cutting Chase out of my life. The distance was necessary. I couldn’t see him or risk running into him. No Chase.

  I would send Oliver a note politely declining and thanking him for the offer, but I couldn’t go. I wasn’t in the mood to party. I wanted to keep moping. I liked moping, which was probably unhealthy, but I felt like I deserved a little pity party of one.

  I carried the box into my bedroom and tried to forget about it. I went back into the kitchen and opened the fridge, pulling out some cheese and crackers for a snack. I was immediately taken back to that night in his room when I had been starving.

  I groaned. “Now, I can’t even eat cheese and crackers.”

  He ruined me forever. There were so many little reminders of him and our time together. I munched on the cheese and thought about the party tonight. I couldn’t remember the last time I had been invited to a party. I hosted a few but I never really was invited. It was then I realized how boring my life really was. If I wanted to find happiness, I was going to need to find a man. I wasn’t going to meet a man hanging out in my apartment all day. But did I really want a man? I didn’t think I wanted the hassle.

  Truthfully, it was because I wasn’t certain I could find a man that would come close to measuring up to Chase. I knew there would never be another man like him. I needed to put him out of my mind. He was not f
or me.

  Before I knew it, I found myself back in my bedroom, staring at the invitation. I was intrigued. It was mysterious and exciting. I wanted to go. Not because I wanted to see Chase but because I just wanted to have fun. And the dress was gorgeous. It had been a long, hard few months. It would be nice to kick up my heels and let my hair down.

  Staring at the dress wasn’t doing me any good. I decided to call the one safe person that would answer all my questions and give me the real story about the party.

  “Hello,” Cori answered.

  “Hi,” I said.

  “Hey, you. Where are you?”

  “I’m at home.”

  “In Boulder?”

  “Yes.”

  “Oh wow,” she said.

  “I got an invitation to a party at the resort tonight,” I started. “Are you still there?”

  “I am. Are you on your way?”

  “No.”

  “Harper, the party starts in a few hours. You have to come.”

  “What party is this? There was nothing on the books when I left.”

  “It was a last-minute thing.”

  “Do you know anything about this party?” I questioned.

  “I do, and you should come. You have to come.”

  “I don’t think I can.” I hesitated.

  “Why not? Are you telling me you have other plans?”

  “No, I don’t but things are kind of weird between me and Chase right now. I don’t think it’s a good idea for us to be in the same city, let alone the same party. I’m assuming he’s going.”

  “Yes, he will be there.”

  “I definitely can’t go.”

  “It’s going to be fun,” she insisted.

  I cringed, my eyes going to the dress. “Who sent me the invitation and dress?”

  I heard her laugh. “I have no idea.”

  “Liar.”

  “I know you and Chase have some stuff to work out. I get it. You guys have history together, and there is nothing that is going to make that go away, but I think you owe it to yourself to work through this with him. Please?”

  “I just don’t think this is the right time. Things are still kind of raw.”