Page 128 of Harrison's Wedding

Brendan spends the rest of the hour talking me through strategies to cope during the meeting. We talk about grounding and breathing techniques, and he confirms my appointment for Saturday, where we plan to debrief on today’s meeting. I thank him profusely before I leave his office.

I don’t know how I would’ve possibly been able to prepare for today’s meeting if I hadn’t started seeing Brendan. Probably with a full bottle of Glenfiddich, I suppose. I shudder at the thought. The desire to get drunk and forget everything is still there, but I’ve been learning better ways to cope than that in my sessions with him.

By the time I’ve gone back to the apartment to get Hayden and we’ve arrived at Cooper’s office, I’m seriously reconsidering doing this without alcohol. There is a massive crowd of paparazzi out the front of the building. I don’t know how they found out that we were having a meeting here today, but I feel sick at the thought of walking through them.

This is made a thousand times worse when we get out of the car and begin the walk toward the building at the same time as Maddy appears. I catch her eye and my heart plummets to my feet.

The old shame and guilt hits me as forcefully as ever, especially when the first reporter calls out, “Are you two in a relationship now, then? Areyoumarrying Harrison in May, Madeline?”

She’s only a few feet away from us and she begins to walk toward the building. The paparazzi are closing in on her and my guilt at bringing this life on her overwhelms me. I rush toward her and grab her arm, pulling her back toward Hayden and me as our bodyguards rush forward to push the paparazzi back and clear a path to the door for us.

“So protective of your girlfriend, Harrison,” someone calls out and I snatch my hand away from her arm as though I’ve been burned.

“Does this mean you don’t care if Heather marries Sebastian, then, Harrison?”

“Madeline, are you sleeping with both HarrisonandHayden?” another person yells.

I feel terrible for Maddy as Jesse holds the door open for us to enter the building. As soon as the door is closed behind us, there’s a sense of relief and peace that comes over me now that we’re safe.

“Thanks for that, Harrison,” Maddy mumbles.

“Not a problem. I could see they were going to crowd you…I’m sorry.” I’m apologizing for more than the crowd outside, and I think Maddy knows it.

She just gives me a small nod and looks away from me and down the hall. I can smell her scent, and it brings with it memories of that night. I can’t help but notice that Maddy isn’t pregnant, and I assume they gave her a morning-after pill at the hospital.

The sudden, intrusive thought that I might have gotten her pregnant makes me feel sicker than ever. I force myself to focus on the feeling of the ring hanging on the pendant around my neck, and the air entering and exiting my lungs, as I push away the nausea.

Hayden speaks to Cooper’s receptionist and we hover awkwardly while we wait for her to come back to take us to the meeting room. Our bodyguards stop at the entrance and we continue into the room. I make my way around the table to sit facing the door so I’ll be able to see when Heather arrives.

“Hi, Helen,” I say, giving her a tight smile as I sit down in the seat to her left.

“Hello, Harrison, Hayden.” She nods at us as Hayden takes the seat on the other side of me.

“Hey, Helen,” Hayden returns her greeting.

“Is that the police chief?” I ask Helen, indicating to a man in a police uniform at the front of the room who’s speaking to a man in a suit.

“Yes, Aaron Hamilton,” she confirms.

I take him in with his short haircut, well-decorated uniform, and bulky build. He has an air of authority about him, and I wonder what information he has to tell us. I can feel my heart beginning to speed up at the thought of finding out who did this to us. My stomach is filled with butterflies, and I’m not sure if I’m really prepared for this meeting.

I focus my attention on my breathing, but hear Hayden ask, “Who’s he talking to?”

“Larry. He’s our lawyer,” Helen responds.

I count my breaths while I wait for the meeting to begin, and after another couple of minutes, Samuel and Adam arrive from the direction of the rest of Cooper’s office. They sit down next to Maddy, who’s one seat over from Hayden, and exchange an uncomfortable greeting with everyone.

It’s another few minutes before Stephanie comes rushing into the room. “Cooper, the others have arrived. You should probably come see them.”

Immediately, a rush of concern for Heather’s wellbeing hits me. If anything has happened to her, I’ll never forgive myself.

He raises his eyebrows, but heads out of the door as he asks her, “What’s happened?”

Their voices become unintelligible as they walk away, and I look at Hayden.

“What the hell do you think happened?” he asks me.

“Not a clue.” I shake my head. “I hope Heather’s all right.”

---