What He's Been Missing Read Online Free Page A

so amazing, that you want to fly with her forever. That you want to ask her to fly with you forever.”
    â€œDamn, Rach! Can you ask Scarlet to marry me?”
    â€œOh loverboy!” One of the girls from inside of the party who I thought was Scarlet’s roommate poked her head outside of the dining room. “I just got word that Scarlet’s on her way upstairs. It’s show time!”
    A collection of cheers jabbed into my gut as the girl came out and pulled Ian and me into the party.
    â€œLet’s go,” she insisted.
    A massive crystal chandelier perched atop the circular mahogany dining table set glints of brilliant light over the heads of the sixteen smiling, overdressed people scattered around the room. I was able to count so quickly because everyone was coupled up. All of Scarlet’s friends were in that particular mid-twentyish age range where their perky breasts and ability to stay up all night helped them snag a mid-thirtyish age range brother who was so amazed he could still get a girl so young he immediately gave her the title “girlfriend” and took her everywhere he went, like a new puppy or fast car. Unfortunately, in two years they’d all find out that these men had no intention of marrying them. And end up at age thirty jaded and alone. I was speaking from experience.
    â€œYou didn’t tell me there’d only be couples here,” I whispered to Ian, but really I should’ve expected this. There was something about people in their mid-twenties and late thirties and not wanting to go anywhere alone.
    â€œShe’s getting off the elevator!” someone shouted and everyone started to duck down and hide beneath and behind things.
    Ian grabbed my hand and pulled me beneath the table. For a second, I looked into his eyes. In the shaded darkness he looked like a little boy playing hide-and-seek. Suddenly I remembered every small, magical moment I’d ever had with this man. Breakups. Breakdowns. He’d always been there for me. My confidant. My homie. My best friend.
    â€œYou ready for this?” I asked, not letting go of his hand.
    He looked at me and winked with the nervousness he’d had just minutes ago gone from his face.
    â€œYes,” he said. “I am.” He winked again. “I do.”
    Ian’s birthday surprise cover plan, as he’d told me over lunch the week before, was for Scarlet’s best friend, who was visiting from California, to say she needed to stop by her hotel room to pick up something. They’d open the door, we’d jump out. Everyone would be excited.
    This all went off without a snag, but when I saw Scarlet decked out in a black fascinator hat with purple ostrich feathers poking out the top, I knew she was clued in to both the party and Ian’s ring. No woman would waste a hat that obnoxious on dinner with her girlfriend.
    Still, Scarlet was the perfect pretender. She placed her skinny fingers over her skinny lips and squealed like a little piglet.
    â€œFor me?” she said like Scarlett O’Hara. “All this just for me?”
    Someone pushed Ian to the front like a lamb to slaughter. “You did this for me, baby?” Scarlet batted her little eyes at Ian.
    â€œYes, honey. Happy Birthday!” Ian kissed Scarlet on the cheek and the crowd cooed like a room full of babies. They even made him do it again so they could get a picture.
    Scarlet pulled Ian by the hand around the room as she sighed and squealed with her friends about the surprise party. I poured myself a generous flute of champagne and spied from the darkest corner I could find to watch Ian for the look of love Journey had asked about. He was smiling big. Had his arm around Scarlet’s shoulder and rubbed just a little when she was talking and not paying attention to him.
    â€œRachel! You’re Rachel Winslow! Right?” One of the women, who’d been left solo when her boyfriend went to huddle with the