Chapter 9
Belle
As I cleaned the last bit of red frosting off my nose, my phone chimed out in my room where I had thrown it on the bed.
Holden had a phone call with his agent, and since we had an hour before the snowman-building competition, I had run up to my room to clean up.
Leaving the bathroom, I went to check my phone, thinking it would be Alex, but when I tapped on the screen I saw I had a message in my sibling group chat.
Claire
How are things going in Winterbrook? Have you dumped Alex yet?
Ethan
A Christmas gift we both would love.
I rolled my eyes, but I couldn’t help the smile tugging at my lips as I flopped onto the bed and typed out a reply.
Belle
You two are terrible. Also, I haven’t dumped him, thanks for the subtle nudge.
Claire and Ethan were relentless when it came to their opinions about Alex.
At first, they’d been charmed by him—he was polished, successful, and said all the right things.
But that charm had worn off fast. The more they got to know him, the more convinced they became that he was trying to change me.
I used to fight them on it. But now, sitting here in boring neutrals—because Alex thought they were more “classy” than my usual bright wardrobe—I had to admit they might have a point.
At least with him gone for the moment, I didn’t have to keep up the full polished version of myself.
My ponytail wasn’t perfectly slicked back.
I’d skipped the picture-perfect makeup routine and stuck with mascara and lip balm.
I felt a little more like…me. Even if I still looked like a grayscale version of myself.
Somewhere along the way, I’d started losing pieces of who I was. Claire and Ethan had pointed it out—not always kindly—but I’d always brushed it off, saying Alex was helping me grow. That he was making me a better version of myself.
And I think I believed that—at least, until I met Holden that day in New York.
Spending just a few hours with him—in my old clothes, hair windblown, cheeks flushed from the cold instead of makeup—something shifted.
The way he looked at me…like I was someone worth knowing.
Like he actually liked who I was. It made me realize maybe I hadn’t needed to change at all.
Maybe the right person wouldn’t ask me to.
Meeting him was the push I needed to finally end things with Alex.
Well…until Alex invited me on this trip.
Ethan
Just because he took you to some fancy resort doesn’t mean you have to stay in a relationship with him.
Claire
Thank him for the trip, but not for your wardrobe, and then come back home to us. We need you to help us beat Mom and Dad in the snowman-building contest.
Being away from home the week before Christmas was a decision I hadn’t made lightly.
It was one of my favorite weeks of the year.
My family went all out, like in a Hallmark movie.
Every year us kids competed with my parents to see who could make the best snowman.
I’d actually looked up the events at the resort before coming, and when I’d seen they did so many of the same activities I did with my family, I’d thought it might be fun to see if I could ever picture Alex and me carrying on these traditions one day.
I’d hoped it might even spark something in our relationship, because what is more romantic than two people connecting over holiday traditions during Christmas time?
Belle
They actually have a snowman-building competition here. I’m heading there in a half hour.
Ethan
Alex is going to get his hands dirty?
Claire
He’ll probably show up in a suit and tie with a spreadsheet on how to execute the best snowman.
And here was the part I was dreading sharing. I hadn’t told them yet about Holden.
Belle
Alex isn’t doing the competition with me.
Ethan
Shocker.
Claire
You’re doing it by yourself? Such a romantic getaway he promised.
I swallowed and slowly typed out my response, knowing an avalanche of texts was on the brink.
Belle
No, I’m not doing it alone.
Claire
***
My fingers hesitated over the keyboard.
Ethan
We’re waiting…
Belle
Okay, fine. But full disclosure—if I tell you, you’re not allowed to freak out.
Ethan
That’s literally the worst way to start a story.
Claire
I am already freaking out. Proceed.
I hesitated for a second, biting my bottom lip before typing the next message.
Belle
So…remember the guy I met at the Plaza?
Claire
The mistletoe mystery man?
Ethan
The one you kissed?
Belle
Yeah, him.
Belle
He’s here.
Claire
HERE? As in there with you?
Ethan
IN WINTERbrOOK???
Belle
Yes, at the resort.
Claire
HOLD ON
Ethan
WHAT?
Belle
And…he’s Alex’s cousin.
The chat exploded.
Claire
I AM LOSING MY MIND!
Ethan
Again, WHAT?
Are you joking?? Is this a prank??
Claire
This is better than any Christmas rom-com I’ve ever seen.
Did you know before you got there?
Belle
Nope. Total surprise.
Ethan
This is wild.
Claire
So wait—did he know?
Belle
We both found out at the same time.
Claire
Belle. This is a love triangle.
A triangle that quickly needs to turn into a line that goes straight between you and mystery man!
I stared at the screen, laughing and groaning all at once. Leave it to my siblings to turn my personal crisis into a popcorn-worthy drama.
And of course Holden being Alex’s cousin wasn’t all.
Belle
And there’s more…
Claire
How could there be MORE?
Belle
Alex’s cousin is Holden…
Holden Prescott.
I knew those two words would be all Ethan needed to know exactly who he was since he was a hockey fan.
Ethan
HOLDEN PRESCOTT!!! As in the left wingman for the Minnesota Wolves?!
Belle
That’s the one.
Claire
Just googled him. Mystery Man is a hot professional hockey player?! Are you kidding me?!
Ethan
Remind me why you are still hanging on to your relationship with Alex?
Claire
Seriously!
Hmm, should I stay with my boring corporate banker boyfriend who won’t let me be myself and only cares about his job? Or should I go for the hot, bearded hockey player who made me feel more like myself than I have in years? Such a hard decision.
Belle
It’s not that simple.
Ethan
It really is.
Belle
I’m not only interested in Holden because of his profession and his looks.
Claire
But you admit you’re interested…
Belle
I mean, yes. But I shouldn’t be. I have a boyfriend. And Holden is his cousin. That makes things complicated.
Claire
Alex is the worst boyfriend ever, and your “relationship” is holding on by a thread.
Ethan
The only reason you two are still together is because you won’t end things, and he’s too busy to care.
They had a point. Alex and I hadn’t been boyfriend and girlfriend in the true sense of the word for a long time. We hardly saw each other. Most of our texts were him telling me he was running late or had to cancel but he’d make it up to me. Which, news alert, he never did.
Claire
So is Holden the one you’re building a snowman with?
Belle
Yes.
Ethan
And Alex is okay with that?
Claire
Does he realize how hot his cousin is?
Belle
Alex is actually…back in New York.
I squeezed my eyes shut, cringing as I knew they were not going to like that text.
Claire
What do you mean he is back in New York?
Ethan
He left you there alone?
I blew out a breath. This definitely wasn’t doing Alex any favors.
Belle
He flew out last night for a meeting he had this morning, and then he’s flying back here tonight. So he told Holden to keep me company.
Claire
Please tell me you are breaking up with him as soon as he gets back.
Ethan
Send me his number. I’ll break up with him for you.
Ethan might have been my younger brother, but that didn’t make him any less protective.
Belle
I need to get ready for the snowman-building competition. I’ll text you two later.
We ended the chat with both of them making me promise to give them the play-by-play of the snowman-building activity afterward, to which I reluctantly agreed. They could be a lot sometimes, but I loved them dearly.
I set down my phone with a sigh and glanced at my reflection in the mirror.
My cheeks were still a little pink from scrubbing the frosting from them—or maybe from talking about Holden—and my hair was a little messier than usual.
But I didn’t bother fixing it. For once, I didn’t want to.
It felt good to not have every hair in place.
I slipped on my coat and boots, heading down to the courtyard where the competition was being held. The air was crisp and smelled like pine and snow, and I could already hear the buzz of people gathering outside. Laughter. Christmas music. The crunch of fresh snow underfoot.
My eyes searched the crowd, and knowing that I’d soon be with Holden had my stomach doing funny things.
After my sibling group chat, I just hoped I could get through this snowman-building contest without overanalyzing every glance or smile he gave me. Or worse, letting myself want more of them. It didn’t help that both my siblings were rooting for me to get together with the hot hockey player.
“Hey,” a familiar voice said behind me.
It probably wasn’t a good sign that I already knew the deep timbre of his voice and that hearing it raised goosebumps on my skin. Thankfully, my coat hid the effect he had on me.
I turned to find Holden making his way over, a knit beanie pulled low over his ears. He looked ridiculously good in the winter light, smirking like he didn’t know the kind of effect he had. Or maybe he did.
“I hope you’re ready to show off your snowman-building skills,” he said, falling into step beside me. “I don’t like to lose.”
“I’ll have you know I am the reigning snowman-building champion in my family,” I said haughtily. “If we lose, that’s on you.”
His smirk grew. “A Christmas-sugar-cookie–decorating connoisseur and a snowman-building champion?” He was clearly amused, and I found that I loved that expression on him. “Is there anything Christmas related you can’t do?”