Chapter 3
Aspen
Far too many drinks and questionable decisions later, I found myself standing outside, tucked close to Cole’s side to keep my face obscured. It had been several hours, and I’d all but abandoned my belongings. Thank god I had my phone on me at least.
Not that any of that seemed important now. I’d settle my boxes at their place later. For now, I was going to keep my head straight until I was back at my place.
Thank god the doorman and I were on good terms, at least. .
“Is your car here, honey?” Karina asked. I swear this woman exuded ‘mom’ energy.
“No, but I’ll just catch a cab,” I said easily, shivering as the evening air blew past us. It had already dropped several degrees, and I was grateful for the fur-lined suit that I had taken… or stolen, rather.
“Don’t be silly. You’ll ride with us,” she said, ushering me forward.
Cole’s arm was still around me, playing the part he’d sold to his mom, and here I was, still following along with it. Clearly, I had lost my damn mind.
She was so sweet that part of me wanted to stop this farce and tell her the truth. The other part wanted to soak in the motherly adoration while I could. It wasn’t exactly something I’d ever experienced.
Cole led us to a sleek BMW SUV, holding the door open for me and depositing me in the front seat, not giving me a chance to argue before helping his mom into the back.
“Just swing me by my hotel first, honey,” she said easily as soon as he climbed into the driver’s seat.
The ride was quiet. Cole didn’t strike me as the type to fill silence with small talk. Karina did, however. She’d just had several glasses of wine and was happily humming Christmas songs to herself in the back seat.
When we pulled up to the hotel, she blew Cole a kiss, said a hasty goodbye to me before yelling back. “Can’t wait to see you guys at the estate!”
Then she disappeared inside.
We sat there in silence for several minutes after she walked away, until finally, I couldn’t take it anymore. I turned toward Cole who looked worried now.
“I’m so confused,” I said. “How did kissing you turn into a fake engagement and an invite for Christmas?”
“Why did you kiss me?” he asked, turning to study me.
“That’s your question right now?” I asked, letting out a shocked laugh.
“Yes,” he said firmly, not letting it go. “Why did you kiss me?”
“The truth?” I asked. “It’s not pretty, and it’s not quick.”
“First, where am I driving you to?” He shifted the vent to blow warm air over me. It was barely a thought for him, and very telling of just how kind this alpha was.
Not all the rumors were true, it seemed.
“That’s a good question,” I admitted, thinking it over. Technically, I still had my apartment. My lease wasn’t up for another three weeks, but I’d moved almost everything out. Whatever was left behind would just have to do.
I gave him my address and he put it into the GPS before letting it guide us through the city.
“Now,” he said again, “are you ready to tell me why you kissed me?”
It was clear he wasn’t going to let it go. And at this point, what did I have to lose?
“I ditched my wedding.”
“You what?”
I had a feeling Cole wasn’t an easy man to stun, but I’d done it. He flipped on his blinker, pulled to the side of the road, and shifted in his seat so he was facing me.
For better or worse, I now had all of Cole Hawthorne’s attention.
“Why did you ditch your wedding?” he asked. His body was tense now. As if he were deciding whether to be upset at me, or for me.
“I’d been feeling uneasy all day. It felt like their sister was getting in the way.
When I went out to the balcony to get some fresh air, I heard them fucking their little sister’s best friend, the one they told me countless times that I had nothing to worry about.
The one who continuously pushed boundaries.
And before you can ask, yes, I’m sure. She called out their names and I heard their voices. ”
Anger flashed across Cole’s face. “They were fucking someone else while they were getting ready to marry you?”
I let out a hollow laugh. “Yup. Right before, in fact. I was literally in my wedding dress and waiting to walk down the aisle soon.”
“I’m sorry, Aspen.”
It sounded like he really meant it.
“For what it’s worth,” he added, “they’re insane.”
I flashed him a sad smile before forcing myself to look away.
“If I’m being honest with myself, I was always a bit too much for them. Maybe I could have saved myself a whole lot of heartache if I’d admitted that sooner.”
“My point still stands, they’re insane. You’re not too much, Aspen.”
“Yeah, well, here I am. My night’s a disaster, my life’s a mess, and instead of going on my honeymoon, I guess I’m going back to work early. Yay for me.” I deadpanned the last part.
He looked like he wasn’t sure whether to laugh or talk me down.
“Your turn, boss man. What’s with the whole fiancée thing?”
“My mother is obsessed with pairing us up,” he said with a sigh.
“She grew up in this big, close-knit family, and I think she always expected us to be that as well. My brother definitely adheres to that standard more than I do. I always wanted more than Pine Ridge had to offer. There’s something about the city that drew me in.
Once I was old enough I couldn’t resist its pull. I’ve never looked back.”
“That, I can understand. I escaped here, too.”
“I started Pack & Co. as a way to build toward my future. I believed there was a mate for me somewhere who wanted the same things as I did. An omega who understood my desire to stay in the city. This company was my way of building that future. I put everything I had into it.”
“It shows,” I said gently. “Everyone who works for you knows how much effort you put into the magazine. It shows in how well you take care of your employees.”
“I used to know every employee by name. And yet, I’ve never seen your face, Aspen. Pack & Co. is bigger than I expected.”
“Of course you haven’t seen my face before,” I said with a small laugh. “With that many employees, there’s no way you could name us all.”
“At first, my mom encouraged me. She understood my need to take care of my future mate and my pack, to make a name for myself first. But then she started to notice how much I put into it, how quickly I became married to the job. Long nights, insane hours, being at my company’s beck and call. .. she thinks I need more balance.”
“She’s not wrong,” I said softly. “It sounds like you haven’t lost yourself, but you’re tired.”
He gave a dry laugh. “Exactly. I’m tired of hearing how my brother’s settled and found his place, while I’m still the son who can’t seem to get it right.”
“There’s nothing wrong with working hard, though. But it must be exhausting. Do you at least do things for yourself in between? It sounds like you’re a bit too hard on yourself.”
The fact that he didn’t answer right away didn’t give me much hope for this overworked alpha.
“Tonight’s the first night I’ve gone out in a long time,” he admitted. “Though the fact that it was a work event doesn’t exactly make it a night of fun.”
Then his gaze snapped to me, eyes heating as he likely remembered our kiss.
“I had a good time,” he added quickly, almost defensive.
“So did I, alpha,” I said with a faint smile.
“Very convincing, Aspen.”
“Well, it’s not every day you run away from your wedding and get plastered with your boss.”
“Oh, and don’t forget, you already met my mother, and we somehow convinced her that we’re getting married.”
“I’m still kind of confused how she bought that,” I said. “If she knows her son so well, isn’t it a red flag that she’s never met me?”
“Maybe for most,” he countered, “but I don’t exactly share a ton of my life with them anymore. I pretty much show up for Christmas every few years, and that’s about it.”
“That’s really sad,” I said softly. “Don’t you miss them?”
Cole hesitated, not answering right away. When he finally did, his voice was almost wistful.
“Sometimes. My brother was my best friend for a long time. Jack, North, and I spent most of our free time together until I left. They wanted to stay, and I wanted more. It was our one point of contention. They always assumed we’d be a pack, but it just wasn’t in the cards for us.”
“So, what now?” I asked. “Do we tell her? Or do we go?”
“When do you go back to work, Aspen?” he asked me. I studied his face for a moment before answering, soaking in this insane moment.
How could I have just met him yet hated the idea of leaving him?
“I saved up all my vacation time until the very end, so I’m not supposed to go back until after the new year,” I admitted.
“Then come with me. Don’t spend your Christmas alone and sad.
Pine Ridge is honestly great for a reset.
It’s peaceful, the town is beautiful, and there’s plenty to do.
It has character, and, apparently, there’s drama to be had.
Before you showed up, Mom was telling me how the mayor was on his usual crusade to end holiday festivities. ”
“Scrooge for a mayor? What a way to convince me to visit,” I snorted out a laugh.
Cole chuckled as he turned back to the road, putting on his blinker and pulling back into traffic.
“It almost sounds like you like this little town,” I teased.
“It has its appeal. At the end of the day, Pine Ridge will always be home for me. That doesn’t mean I want to spend my entire life there.”
He let the subject drop as we drove toward my apartment. My stomach clenched with nerves the closer we got. I was half afraid I’d find the pack waiting for me.
“Are you sure you want to head back there?” he asked. “You don’t exactly look settled about the idea.”
“I’m not,” I admitted. “What if they’re here waiting?”
“I’ll walk you up,” he promised. “You don’t have to face it alone.”
“Thanks, Cole,” I said quietly. There was no way I was turning down his offer. Not tonight.
He finally pulled up in front of my building. I scanned the cars in the lot, but I didn’t see any of theirs.
True to his word, Cole walked me up to my door, his hand protectively on my lower back.
Honestly, an omega should’ve been wary of an unfamiliar alpha’s touch, but I couldn’t bring myself to put distance between us. I liked the feel of his hand there.
Protective. Steady.
Had my pack ever felt that way?
We took the elevator up to the fourth floor. The doors slid open to reveal an empty hallway. They didn’t have keys, so that meant I was safe.
For now.
Regardless of their cheating, I knew they’d be furious that I’d embarrassed them. I’d stood them up at the altar in front of everyone they knew.
“Well, this is me,” I said as we approached apartment 412.
He glanced down the hallway one more time, then back at me. “Are you sure you’re safe here?”
“They’re cheaters, not violent,” I said reluctantly. As much as I didn’t want to be away from Cole’s protection, I needed tonight to myself. To process everything that had happened today.
“They don’t have a key,” I promised. “I just think it’s time to face how I feel about all this.”
That made him look even more concerned, but he didn’t argue.
How could he? We barely knew each other.
No matter what we’d promised his mom, the truth was we were absolute strangers.
“Can I at least see your phone?” he asked. He would need my number now that we’d been somehow tied together tonight.
I handed it over and he quickly typed in his number. His phone went off a second later as he texted himself from my phone.
His face was serious as he looked back at me. “Call me if you need me. Otherwise, I’ll check in tomorrow evening and we can talk more about Christmas.”
“Okay,” I breathed out.
“No matter what happens, Aspen. Your job is not at risk. I would never do that. I like to think I’m an alpha of integrity. You can walk away from this at any time... but my offer still stands. If you want a break from the city, a chance not to spend Christmas alone, I’d love the company.”
With that, he gave me one last look before turning and walking away, stopping at the end of the hall to wait until I went inside.
Somehow, I had the self-control not to look back as I locked and deadbolted the door behind me.
Then I broke.