Chapter 18 Aspen
Aspen
“Aspen! I’m so glad I caught you!” Rebecca, the front desk clerk, calls out just as I’m heading to see if my brother wants to grab lunch on our break.
“Hey Beck. What’s up?” I ask her.
She glances down at a yellow sticky note in her hand. “Someone left a message for you. Her name’s Genevieve. She said she’s sorry, but she had to go home and won’t be able to make your date tonight.” Her voice softens as she hands me the note, sympathy written all over her face.
No.
This isn’t happening.
How did I forget she was only visiting?
I thought we had more time.
My stomach drops like I caught an edge on a steep run—one second I’m coasting, the next I’m tumbling. My palms are slick with sweat and suddenly I’m freezing, even inside.
“Did she leave a number?” I ask, my voice hollow.
Rebecca shakes her head. “I’m sorry.”
I nod, swallowing hard. “Thanks, Becks.” Then I head to the bathroom and take my first bump of the day.
I guess now I can buy more snow to get by. It’s the only thing that will help me get through this pain.
No, I can’t. I promised myself. For Genevieve.
But I need it.
In the bathroom stall, I take a small bump, allowing the snow to work it’s magic: numb me from pain.
I can’t believe she’s gone. Just like that.
No goodbye. No number. Nothing.
Did I seriously mean nothing to her? I felt like I stuck the landing… and turns out I wasn’t even in the competition. Was I the only one who felt something?
No way this is real. Genevieve isn’t the ghosting type. She wouldn’t just vanish like that without another word.
Except that’s exactly what she would do. I just thought I was different.
Maybe I read her wrong, or the situation wrong. Maybe I was all in while she was still strapping in.
What am I going to do now? I have no way of reaching out.
For crying out loud, the only reason I met her in the first place was pure chance. A random night, a fleeting moment—my brother just happened to get invited to her party and I just happened to show up.
That same kind of luck doesn’t come around twice.
And now she’s gone.
What the hell am I supposed to do now?
Wait. My brother. Everest. He has her Tinder!
I take my last bump of coke, hopefully ever, exit the stall, checking my nose for any residue before I walk over to the rental station. On my way over I am stopped in my tracks by my boss, Raul.
“Hey, Aspen! Can I have a word?” He calls out.
Good God. Does everyone need me today? I’m on a mission, people! I need to find my dream girl before she’s gone for good!
I plaster on a smile. “Hey, boss! Of course! What’s up?”
“In my office,” he says, his tone unreadable.
His office? Okay… great. I must be in trouble. But for what?
I step inside—the same office I was in just days ago when I got my promotion. I had a sinking feeling then too, and that turned out great. Could this be the same?
He leans against his desk, arms crossed. “I called you in to show you some footage I came across last night. I need your help identifying a few people.”
My stomach drops.
Yup. I’m in trouble.
He swivels his monitor toward me and the footage starts playing.
Genevieve and I appear on the screen, lacing up our snow boots in the rental room.
Genevieve.
God, I miss her already. I need to talk to Everest.
But reality snaps me back—I’m in my boss’s office and I’m definitely not here for a friendly chat. Speaking with Everest will have to wait.
“I know you know I’m not an idiot, Aspen,” my boss begins.
Here we go.
“So why don’t you explain to me what the heck you were doing here after hours with a girl?”
Shit. I didn’t even think about the cameras. I was so focused on making sure the security guard didn’t catch us that I completely forgot we were still being watched.
“I, uh… I don’t know, sir. I’m sorry,” I say scrambling for words.
“You don’t know?” He raises an eyebrow. “Come on, Aspen. You obviously know. Were you trying to impress her? Show off your after-hours access?” Was I trying to impress her? Hell yeah I was, but I won’t admit that.
“No,” I shake my head. “I never told her it wasn’t allowed. I just… I wanted to show her a good time. She was only visiting and she left today. I was teaching her how to ride.”
“I see.” He leans back, considering. “Using the ski lift alone was reckless. Anything could have happened without supervision. You could’ve gotten hurt—ruining your shot at going pro. Someone could’ve fallen. You could’ve gotten stuck. Don’t ever let it happen again.”
I can’t get fired. I brace myself for the worst as he takes a slow breath.
“Turn in your keys,” he repeats.
This is it. The drop-off I can’t come back from. Say goodbye to your job, your shot at becoming pro, maybe your last real connection to her.
“You don’t need lift access anymore now that you’re in a different department. That’s all. No word to anyone. Now go on with your day.”
Wait. What?
“I’m sorry sir… what?” I ask blinking.
“Lucky for you,” he continues, “I like you a lot, Aspen. You’re like a son to me. And extra lucky for you, no one else knows about this… except Terry, the security guard.”
No way.
“—and you’re not going to say a word. What no one knows won’t hurt them.”
How the hell did I just get away with that?
But I don’t question it. I jump out of my seat, ready to leave. I should be face-planted right now, but I’ll take the win. Maybe the snow Gods are still looking out for me.
“Oh, and Aspen—one more thing.”
I freeze. Slowly, I turn back. “Yeah?”
He lifts two pairs of shoes—one mine, the other Genevieve’s.
My throat tightens.
“You forgot these,” he says, holding them out.
I step forward, grabbing both pairs.
“Thanks, boss,” I murmur.
He nods, a knowing smirk on his face. “And Aspen?”
I pause again.
“Have fun with that girl. She looks like a real keeper.”
I swallow hard. “Yeah… thanks, boss.”
Then I bolt.
I have to get to Everest. Now.
I can’t let this girl walk out of my life without a fight.