Chapter Twenty-Seven
ASPEN
It was the final day of the charity event, and even though Mr. Mynt understood her situation, Aspen knew she needed to show up.
She owed it to the program and herself—no matter how badly she wished she could spend the day wrapped up in that quiet, perfect bubble she and Cole had created.
Not that it mattered—he had to work anyway.
They hadn’t made any official decisions yet about what they’d talked about last night, but Aspen already knew exactly what she was going to do.
She’d already met with Mr. Mynt earlier that morning to go over a few things weighing on her mind, and she’d let him know she would only be attending the Charity Ball that evening.
Her knee wasn’t ready for a full day of events, and honestly, she wanted the extra time to add a few more decorations to her cabin and get herself ready for the evening ahead.
Cole had left her a note saying he’d be working until six—fashionably late for the ball, but still coming—which meant her dad would be picking her up at five-thirty so they could take their time getting there.
She reminisced over the changes she’d seen in her dad the past few days, but mostly, in herself.
She felt like a completely new person. Sure, she still felt betrayed by Chase and had internal scars that would take a while to heal, but they would heal.
Cole was already helping mend wounds she’d carried for years.
She missed her mom so much, but having Cole there with her—making new memories and helping her enjoy the old ones—was slowly turning those once-dreaded moments into something she could cherish. With him beside her, she felt alive again.
She hung a few more ornaments she had made with the supplies Mae brought over while she’d been confined to the couch, strung a few more strings of lights around the cabin, and cut out snowflakes to hang from the ceiling. Cole would have to help her with those later.
Once the leftover lights from the tree had been hung, she stood near the door, arms folded as she looked around the room.
She sniffed and wiped away the tear that had made its way down her cheek, then took a deep breath.
She had done it—done it without anyone’s help or reassurance.
The lights twinkled on the tree, almost as if smiling at her progress.
She made her way to the bedroom. It was time to start getting ready for the Charity Ball.
Aspen wasn’t one to dress up fancy, but tonight, she was excited to wear something elegant—and even more excited to finally tell Cole what she had decided about her future.
She opened the closet and brushed her fingers across the smooth velvet fabric hanging there.
Carefully, she lifted the gown and draped it across her bed, admiring how it shimmered in the light.
It had taken her weeks to find the perfect dress, but this one was it.
Holding it against herself for a moment, she studied the details—the dark forest-green fabric fell into a graceful A-line, hugging her curves before flowing into a gentle sweep at the floor.
The neckline would frame her pale collarbones, the long, elegant sleeves lent the dress an air of modesty, and tiny pearl buttons ran down the front, delicate and classic.
The material would feel soft against her skin, and with her white hair and subtle pink streaks, her green eyes would pop against the rich velvet of the gown.
The dress hadn’t been ready when she left home, so she’d asked the seamstress to mail it to the lodge. The staff there had steamed it and ensured it was perfectly wrinkle-free for the event, and she’d picked it up earlier when she met with Mr. Mynt.
Aspen grinned as she hung the gown back up and headed for the bathroom to shower and curl her hair. But before stepping in, she found her new favorite Christmas album and hit play, turning the volume all the way up as she belted out the songs and letting herself get completely lost in the music.
She stepped out into the evening, her dress sweeping the snow, her golden flats sparkling in the porch lights. Her pearl-studded headband sat elegantly on her head, framed by subtle curls, and her minimalist gold pearl-drop earrings dangled from her ears. She was ready.
Now, she just needed to tamp down her nerves. Why was she so nervous?
Her dad had said he’d be here at 5:30, but where was he? She squinted into the darkness of the forest between the lodge and her cabin, trying to spot anyone approaching, when a voice from behind startled her.
“Well, don’t you look lovely.”
She spun around. “I thought you had to work until six… How are you he—” Her words caught as her eyes traveled over him, taking him all in.
She had never seen him all dressed up. His hair was tamed, giving him that Clark Kent, curly-but-handsome look.
His face was freshly shaven, and his tuxedo fit him like a glove.
She was used to seeing him in snowboarding gear or a flannel shirt and jeans—which she loved—but this… this was utterly dreamy.
He just stood there, smiling, hands in his pockets, mirroring her gaze as his eyes skimmed over her, as if touching her. Her hair lifted at the nape of her neck, and she felt her cheeks heat up.
“Well, are you just going to stand there staring at me all night, Casanova, or are we going to a ball?” Aspen teased, making him chuckle. He stepped toward her, and when he reached her, he rested his hands on her waist, sending her heartbeat skittering at his closeness.
“Casanova, eh?” He gave her a wink, and she playfully smacked his arm before he leaned in closer, stealing a kiss that took her breath away.
“I would say, more like Clark Kent.” She squeezed his arm as he carefully guided her down the steps.
“Well, if I look like Clark Kent, then I don’t even know how to describe what you look like, Snow.” Cole stopped, turned to face her, and brushed his fingers over her cheek as he gazed into her eyes. “You are an absolute vision.” And with that, he kissed her again.
At this rate, they might never make it to the ball.
The hem of her dress was probably caked in snow, but she didn’t care.
She wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing close, and kissed him back, making him stumble slightly under her weight as he laughed into her kiss, his arms sliding around her in return.
She had never realized that a simple walk in the snow, to a ball of all things, could be this enchanting.
But with Cole beside her, snow swirling around their feet and stars twinkling overhead, she was beginning to think that dressing up in fancy clothes might be more magical than she’d ever imagined.
She could feel the warmth spilling through the wide-open ballroom doors as they approached, welcoming guests inside.
She had thought before that the lobby was decked to the nines with decorations, but the ballroom was something else entirely.
Charming? Over-the-top? Twinkling lights glimmered down as they walked beneath them, and the balconies were draped with evergreen garlands, silver ribbons, and red berries peeking through the greenery.
Intricately decorated round tables were dotted throughout the ballroom, silver and gold tablecloths shimmering under the glow of the Christmas lights above.
Snowglobe centerpieces sat amid candles that flickered in time with the music drifting from the dance floor, where a grand chandelier hung like icicles.
The jazz band played on the stage, framed by golden velvet curtains, and Aspen couldn’t help but hum along to the melody as Cole led her to a table where her father was already seated.
Cole pulled out a chair for her, bent down, and pressed a kiss to her cheek, whispering, “I’m going to go get us some refreshments, beautiful.
Make sure no one takes my seat—or I might have to go full Clark Kent on them.
” He flashed her a grin, winked, and walked away, leaving her covering her mouth as she laughed.
You two look happy,” her father said, pulling her out of whatever lovesick dream she had been lost in. “Took you long enough to get here, though.” He tapped his watch.
Aspen smiled, her cheeks warming as she placed her hand over his and gave it a squeeze. “I am happy, Papa Bear. For once in my life, I am truly happy—with who I am, and where…” She paused as her eyes found Cole’s across the room, then finished, “…I am.”
Her father looked between them and nodded.
“Whatever you decide, Neve, I will support you. If I hadn’t seen it with my own two eyes, this would be a different conversation, you know.
But I have seen it. And… well… the rest…
is history.” He returned her squeeze and released her hand just as Cole approached, carrying their sodas.
“I’m going to go sit with a few friends I met over the past few days and leave you to it.” He nodded to Cole and stood from the table.
“Bye, Papa Bear. Love you,” she said as he patted her cheek and moved past Cole, giving his shoulder that friendly squeeze Aspen had come to adore, before heading to the table where his newfound friends were waiting.
“What was that all about?” Cole asked.
“I’ll tell you later,” she whispered in his ear as Mr. Mynt’s voice came through the speakers.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I’m Barry Mynt, and I want to welcome you to the first-ever Peppermynt Twist Showdown!”
Applause followed as Cole’s hand found Aspen’s on top of the table, their fingers interlocking as though never to be parted.
He leaned over to whisper in her ear just as she was about to take a sip of her soda.
“Ever seen a peppermint candy cane in human form?” He nodded toward the stage, where his boss, Mr. Mynt, stood—resembling a peppermint candy cane in a velvet red tuxedo with white satin lapels and a matching pocket square shaped like a peppermint.
Aspen covered her mouth to stifle her laughter and nudged his side. “Stop. It. You’re going to make me snort my soda out of my nose, Cole.” She narrowed her eyebrows, taking on a more serious tone. “In which case, my dress would be ruined.”
He shook his head. “Tsk, tsk, tsk… We wouldn’t want that now. It would be such a shame to see a beautiful dress go to waste, especially when worn by such a beautiful woman.”
Aspen bit her lower lip, her cheeks warming from the compliment.
“You keep biting that lip of yours, sweet Snow, and I might have to take you home sooner,” he said, his eyes trailing down to her mouth, making her entire body flush.
She fanned herself, and he chuckled as they tuned out the rest of Barry Mynt’s speech. The room erupted in applause a few times, but they didn’t notice—their eyes locked, too absorbed in each other to care.
The lights dimmed, cutting off their moment, and a spotlight illuminated the dance floor.
The first couple appeared to a fancy rendition of holiday music, and applause followed as they began to dance.
Sequins on their costumes sparkled with every movement, and the room hummed with energy—along with Aspen’s skin, as Cole’s thumb traced over her knuckles and his other arm snaked around her shoulders, fingers toying with the hair at the nape of her neck.
Aspen could barely focus on the dancers; her thoughts were entirely on Cole, her heart keeping pace with the music with every brush of his hand against her skin.
This ridiculous dance competition needed to end.