Chapter 28
Aspen
Genevieve isn’t the type of girl you’d expect to love snowboarding, or to get her hands dirty cooking in the back of a resort bar, or to enjoy hiking for that matter.
But that’s the thing about her, she keeps surprising me in the best possible ways.
Just when I think I’ve got her figured out, she throws me a curveball that makes me fall for her a little more.
The sun’s still high enough in the sky, so I decide to take her to one of my favorite lookout spots, this little hidden gem just a fifteen minute hike from my place.
It’s an easy hike, one I’ve done so many times I could probably walk it blindfolded.
And I packed us dinner in the backpack, courtesy of the leftovers she snagged from the resort kitchen.
A sunset picnic seemed a hell of a lot more romantic than eating in my sad, echoing kitchen.
As we start the trail, the late afternoon air is crisp, and the breeze carries the scent of pine and melting snow. I glance over at her as she looks around, taking everything in like it’s magic.
“I can’t remember the last time I went on a hike,” she says, her voice soft with wonder. “This is so nice and peaceful.”
I smile to myself. “This spot’s my favorite place to watch the sunset,” I tell her. “Thought we could have dinner with a view.”
Her whole face lights up. “I love that,” she says, and that one little smile makes the entire trek worth it.
The hike is short and gentle, barely enough to get our heart rates up.
Along the way, we pass nothing but squirrels darting through the brush and the occasional bird call echoing through the trees.
Peaceful, just like she said. It’s rare to be out here and not run into some kind of wildlife, especially in the evening.
Deer, mostly. Thankfully I’ve never seen a bear.
And while I’m not usually one to tempt fate, I figured we’d be fine—especially since we’re close to home and the sun hasn’t dipped too far yet.
Still, the thought of getting mauled while trying to impress a girl? Not exactly ideal.
“I wanted to show you something,” I say as we round a bend and reach a small clearing. “Come on. We’re almost there.”
When we reach the top, the sky is beginning its golden descent. Hues of amber and lavender bleed into each other, like watercolor on canvas. It’s the kind of sight that never gets old no matter how many times I’ve seen it.
“Wow,” she breathes staring out at the horizon. “I’ve never seen a sunset from up in the mountains like this. It’s… breathtaking.”
I could watch her watch the sunset forever, but she hasn’t seen the best part yet.
“Now turn around,” I say, a grin playing at my lips. “Look to your left.”
She spins around and gasps. “Oh my gosh, Aspen! That is the cutest little fort ever!” Her eyes are wide. “How did you know that was here?”
“I built it,” I admit. “With Derek, years ago.”
“You guys built that?” She laughs. “That’s so cool. I’m genuinely impressed.”
“Thanks. It’s one of my favorite places in town and I wanted to share it with you.”
Her smile softens, “I’m honored.”
We settle down by the fort and I pull off my backpack, handing her a salad and a fork. She grins and steals a fry out of the bag.
We sit on the wooden log Derek and I hauled up here ourselves, eating in companionable silence. Every so often we exchange glances, little smirks passing between us like unspoken inside jokes. When the sun starts its slow descent, I nudge her.
“This is so nice Aspen, thanks for bringing me here,” she says. She takes out her phone to take a quick photo of the pastel colored sky and puts it back away.
“You know, I do have impeccable taste when it comes to sunset spots. Just wait until you see what else I have up my sleeve,” I tell her, “But hold that thought, the movie’s about to start.”
She turns back toward the sky and we watch in awe as the world transforms. The clouds catch the fading light turning soft pink, tangerine, and shades of gold. She points at the sky, totally enraptured.
“Oh my goodness, look!” She says pointing at the sky.
Genevieve is definitely a “look at the sky” kind of girl. And somehow, that simple fact makes me feel like I’m falling even deeper for her.
I’ve been to this lookout a thousand times, but this is the first time it’s ever felt like this. Like I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be… with her.
Now's my time to say something.
To let her know how I really feel.
“Snowflake,” I start.
She looks over at me, eyes twinkling with curiosity.
“Yeah?” She asks.
“I think I’m falling for you,” I get out.
She smiles. “Yeah? Cause I think I’m falling for you too Aspen.”
And just like that my world stops spinning, because it’s just me and her.
Her and me.
I grab her hand and sit in peace as we watch the sun go down.
***
Eventually, the sun dips below the mountains and shadows stretch long over the trail.
“Time to head back before it gets dark,” I say, standing and offering her my hand, “Careful where you step Snowflake, I can’t have you rolling an ankle now that you work at the resort.”
She laughs, “Ha! Don’t jinx me! Knock on wood right now.”
I roll my eyes playfully, but find the nearest tree and knock on its trunk anyway.
“Happy?”
“Very.”
We start our descent, but the darkness creeps in faster than expected. I suggest a light jog the last few minutes down—which is not ideal on full stomachs but better than risking an encounter with a curious bear. I always keep bear spray on me, but still, no need to test our luck.
We reach the bottom safely, out of breath and laughing. Her cheeks are flushed, her eyes bright, and I can tell she’s wiped.
Back at the apartment, Genevieve looks beat—understandable, considering she just finished her first real day of work, probably ever.
“I’m gonna shower,” she mumbles. “I smell like grease.”
“Sounds good,” I reply, “I’ll be out here.”
When she disappears into the bathroom, I finally let myself crash onto the couch.
Hosting a girl, especially one like Genevieve, is harder than I thought.
I have no money to treat her right now, no real food to offer beyond what I get for free, and work keeps stealing away the hours I want to spend with her.
I can’t help but wonder if she’s regretting this.
Coming here I mean, what could she possibly see in me?
She deserves better than this, better than me.
I reach for the remote out of habit before remembering Derek broke our damn TV. Right. Perfect. It’s still sitting like a corpse on the shitty entertainment stand we picked off the curb last summer. In a burst of motivation, I yank it off and haul it out to the dumpster. Screw it.
Then I remember something, my old projector.
I dig around the back of my closet and there it is, collecting dust on the top shelf.
I set it up, connect it to my laptop, and test it against the blank wall where the TV used to be.
To my surprise, the picture’s crystal clear.
Honestly? It’s kind of perfect. Romantic, even. Girls love this kind of thing, right?
I start scrolling for a movie. The Notebook catches my eye. A little cheesy, sure, but it’s a classic. And yeah… I kind of like it too, sue me.
Just as I hit play, I hear the water turn off. Genevieve steps out—naked except for a towel twisted in her hair, and my brain short circuits.
“Whoa,” I say, that’s all I can manage at the moment.
She raises an eyebrow, amused. “The Notebook?” She asks grinning. “Don’t put that on just for me, I’m not really into cheesy romance movies.”
Of course she’s not.
“Oh. Well, uh—I’m gonna shower. You can pick something else while I’m in there,” I say, pointing at the laptop, but not really looking away from her. She’s glowing.
“Sounds good. I’ll be here,” she says winking at me.
I tear my eyes away, barely, and escape to the bathroom before I do something stupid. In the privacy of the steamy shower, I do the only thing I can do to calm down now that I don’t have coke. I jerk off.
Because honestly? If she keeps looking at me the way she does, I’m not going to make it through this week without completely losing my mind.