(Disclaimer: All images were generated with the help of AI tools)
I wrote this pair of epilogue scenes to continue my recent story Snow Bunny. I highly recommend reading the main story first.
One Week Later…
It was the day of the competition, and the air buzzed with a different kind of energy than the one I was used to. The usual fierce, competitive chill had been replaced by the electric anticipation of the crowd. I stood at the bottom of the final run, a cup of hot chocolate warming my hands, and a feeling of genuine excitement bubbling in my chest. This was it. The moment I had dreamed of for months.
Except, it wasn't my moment anymore.
I scanned the crowd, a sea of brightly colored ski gear, looking for a familiar flash of cobalt blue. I found him near the starting gate, stretching and chatting with the other competitors. He looked so focused, so in his element. A little wave of pride washed over me. My Colton.
It had been a whirlwind week. After our date that night at the lodge—which had been a delicious mix of flirty conversation and stolen glances—the competition had been the last thing on my mind. We'd spent the next few days together, me as his personal cheerleading squad. He’d spend his mornings practicing, and then we’d meet for lunch, my body feeling more and more like it belonged in a snug sweater dress than a ski suit. We’d talk for hours, and then I’d go to his cabin to spend the rest of the day with him. We’d talk, watch movies, and just get to know each other, a new kind of intimacy fully replacing of our old animosity until I could scarcely remember it.
The transformation had been subtle, but complete. My athletic prowess had faded entirely, and my body now felt soft, curvy, and perfectly suited for cozying up by a fire with a handsome man. My skis and poles lay forgotten in the back of my closet at home, their memory hazy and distant. My mind, once laser-focused on training, winning, was now filling with memories of lazy afternoons and Colton's easy laughter. It all felt right, the natural order of things.
Today, I was dressed for the part. My outfit was not for performance, but for display. I wore a plush, cream-colored shearling coat over a fitted black turtleneck dress that showed off my figure. My feet were clad in a pair of tall, fur-lined winter boots, and a matching shearling headband kept my perfectly coiffed hair in place. My makeup was done with care, my lips a soft pink, my cheeks a rosy blush. I looked pretty. I felt pretty.
The announcer’s voice boomed over the loudspeakers. “Next up, in the number three bib, Colton Hawthorne!”
My heart gave a little jump. I watched as he pushed off from the starting gate, a blur of blue against the white snow. He carved down the mountain with an effortless grace, his skis a natural extension of his body. The crowd cheered, but my cheers were the loudest. “Go, Colton!” I screamed, cupping my hands around my mouth.
He was fast, his form impeccable. He was going to win. I just knew it. The old Tessa would have been jealous, furious even. The new Tess felt only a surge of giddy joy for his success. When he crossed the finish line, the clock flashing a new course record, the cheers were deafening, mine most of all. He raised his hands in triumph, and his eyes immediately found mine in the crowd. He winked, and I felt a blush creep up my cheeks.
Colton went on to win the competition handily. As he stood on the podium, the gold medal gleaming around his neck, he looked directly at me. He mouthed two unmistakable words: “Snow bunny.”
And yet again, I felt the truth of the phrase settle deep in my bones. I was his. His little snow bunny, happy to be on the sidelines, to watch him shine, to be the soft, beautiful counterpoint to his strength and skill. As he came down to greet me after the award ceremony, a happy grin on his face, I threw my arms around him, pulling him in for a celebratory kiss, our lips meeting in the crisp mountain air. I had found a new prize, a far sweeter victory than any trophy could ever be. And I couldn’t wait to spend the rest of the season—and maybe the rest of my life—being his prize, his pretty little snow bunny.
One Year Later…
The roar of the crowd was practically tangible, shaking the air around me. I stood in the VIP section of the grandstands, the cold biting at my cheeks. This was the pinnacle. The Winter Olympics. And my man, Colton Hawthorne, was about to compete in the men's downhill.
A reporter with a perfectly coiffed blonde bob and a microphone bearing an American network logo approached me, her smile wide and bright. "Tess Hawthorne, could I get a moment of your time?"
I smiled back, a genuine, delighted smile. "Of course!"
"Tess, you are simply glowing," she began, her gaze raking over my outfit. I had chosen it carefully: a custom-tailored white cashmere coat that cinched at the waist, a matching A-line mini-skirt, and knee-high leather boots that added a touch of chic practicality. A small, sparkling American flag pin was clipped to my lapel. My hair was styled in soft waves, and my makeup was immaculate. "And your fashion sense is always impeccable. Who are you wearing today?"
I giggled, a sound that felt as natural as breathing now. "Oh, this is just a little something I picked up here in Milan. I’ve squeezed in more than a little shopping since we arrived, and I just love to look my best when I'm out here supporting my man!" My hand, a beautiful, delicate thing with perfectly manicured nails, came up to my chest. A flash of light caught the reporter's eye. "And of course, I never go anywhere without this." I pointed to the massive, dazzling diamond ring on my left hand. "He surprised me with it right after he qualified for the team. It's just so me."
The reporter’s eyes widened slightly. "It's gorgeous! Speaking of your husband, Colton is about to make his run. I know you only recently tied the knot, but what's it like to be married to such a rising star?”
“It’s everything I ever dreamed of! We had a beautiful ceremony at this plush lodge back home, and every day since has been just magical!” I was still getting used to all the attention, but gushing about Colton and married life seemed to come more and more naturally these days.
The reporter nodded and pressed on, “I understand you used to do a bit of skiing yourself. Do you ever wish it was you out there competing, instead of watching him go down those slopes?"
I shook my head, my smile never wavering. "Oh, no, never. I'm just so proud of him. He's so strong and talented, and it's always been his thing, you know? The skiing. I mean, I love being out on the slopes for a bit, but I’m much more of a lodge girl than a pro racer. I just love watching him do what he loves." The memory of a younger me, one with fierce ambition and a competitive streak, was a faint, hazy ghost in the back of my mind. That was a person I no longer knew, a life I couldn't imagine living.
"And how does he stay so calm before a big race like this?" she asked.
"Well," I leaned in conspiratorially, "I always make sure he has a big, hearty breakfast any day he’s training or racing. And I lay out his favorite gear for him. It’s the little things, you know, to make sure he's all ready to go. I love making sure my man is taken care of."
A cheer from the crowd signaled Colton’s arrival at the starting gate. The announcer’s voice boomed. “And now, for his first run, in his Olympic debut, representing the United States… Colton Hawthorne!”
The reporter turned her microphone back to me. "Any final words for him, Tess?"
I put my hands up to my mouth like a megaphone, my voice ringing out clearly, happily. “Go get ‘em, my big, strong snow king!” I looked back at the reporter and winked. "He always says I'm his little snow bunny, and I just love it."
I watched as Colton launched himself down the slope, a blue streak against the fresh powder. My heart swelled with pride. He was amazing. He was the best. And he was all mine. I pulled out my phone, ready to snap a few selfies to commemorate the moment, a happy little snow bunny living her best life, waiting for her champion at the finish line.
