“I startedPack & 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.”
