Evergreen Hollow began to shake off the last remnants of the holiday season as January deepened. The Christmas lights came down from the shops on Main Street, replaced by simpler winter decorations like snowflake banners and evergreen wreaths that hinted at the long months ahead. The snow, however, showed no signs of letting up, blanketing the town in a quiet hush that made everything feel intimate and enclosed. For Holly Winters, this time of year was usually a period of reflection—closing out old matches at Heartstrings Connections and planning for Valentine's Day rushes. But this year, her thoughts were consumed by Rowan Kane and the slow unraveling of his guarded heart.
Holly sat in her office one afternoon, the room still carrying a faint scent of pine from the small tree she had finally taken down. She was reviewing client files, but her mind wandered to the mistletoe kiss at the festival. It had been brief, soft, but it lingered like the taste of hot cocoa on a cold day. Rowan's lips on hers had sparked something undeniable, yet he had pulled back, always cautious. She understood why now, more than ever, after the bits and pieces he'd shared about Anna. But there was more to the story, she sensed, layers of betrayal that had shaped his grumpiness into an armor.
Her phone rang, pulling her from her thoughts. It was Rowan. "Hey, Holly. Lily's at a playdate. Want to grab coffee? Need to talk about something."
Holly's heart skipped. "Sure. The cafe on Main?"
"See you in ten," he said, his voice steady but with an undercurrent of tension.
She arrived first, ordering two coffees—black for him, latte for her. The cafe was cozy, with wooden tables, a fireplace crackling in the corner, and windows fogged from the warmth inside contrasting the snow outside. Rowan walked in, shaking snow from his coat, his blue eyes searching until they found her. He sat down, wrapping his hands around the mug.
"Thanks," he said. "For this, and... everything lately."
Holly smiled. "No problem. What's on your mind?"
Rowan stared into his coffee, as if the dark liquid held answers. "Anna called again last night. Wants to see Lily for her birthday next month. Stirred up old stuff."
Holly leaned forward. "You okay?"
He nodded slowly. "Yeah. But I think I need to tell you more. If we're... whatever this is, fake or not, you deserve the full story."
Holly's pulse quickened. This was progress, him opening up without prompting. "I'm listening."
Rowan took a deep breath, his voice low to keep the conversation private in the quiet cafe. "Anna and I met in high school, like I said. She was the cheerleader type—bubbly, always the center of attention. I was the quiet hockey kid. We started dating senior year. It was fun at first, parties, games. But after graduation, I got scouted for the Bears. She followed me here to Evergreen Hollow."
He paused, sipping his coffee. Holly waited patiently, sensing the weight of what was coming.
"We got married young, twenty-two. Thought we were in love. Lily came a year later. That's when cracks showed. I was traveling for games, practices every day. Anna stayed home, said she felt trapped in this small town. She wanted more—trips, excitement. I tried, but hockey was my job, our income."
Rowan's face hardened, memories surfacing. "About a year before she left, things got bad. She started going out more, 'girls' nights' she called them. Came home late, smelling like cologne that wasn't mine. I ignored it at first—denial, I guess. Then I found texts on her phone. From some guy named Mark, a salesman from the city who visited for work."
Holly's eyes widened slightly, but she stayed quiet, letting him continue.
"The messages were flirty at first. 'Miss you already.' 'Can't wait for next time.' Then more. Plans to meet at hotels when I was away. Photos—nothing explicit, but enough. I confronted her. She cried, said it was a mistake, that she was lonely. Promised to end it."
He rubbed his temples, the pain evident. "I believed her. We went to counseling for a bit. Things seemed better. She helped with Lily more, we had date nights. But it was a lie. A few months later, I checked her phone again—couldn't shake the doubt. The affair never stopped. Mark was promising her a new life in the city, no small-town boredom, no hockey schedules. She was planning to leave, but wanted to wait until after Christmas for 'Lily's sake.' Irony, right?"
Holly reached across the table, touching his hand. "Rowan, that's horrible. Cheating like that... it's betrayal on every level."
He nodded, his grip tightening on hers briefly. "Yeah. The night I found out for sure, we fought bad. She admitted everything—how it started at a bar, how Mark made her feel 'alive.' Said I was too focused on the team, too grumpy. Maybe I was. But that didn't justify it. I told her to leave if she wanted, but not take Lily. She packed a bag and walked out that Christmas Eve. Left a note saying she couldn't do it anymore, that Mark was waiting. Never looked back."
Holly felt a surge of anger toward this woman she didn't know. "Did she ever try to come back? For Lily?"
Rowan shrugged. "A few times, early on. Called crying, said she missed us. But then Mark would be in the background, or she'd cancel visits. Turns out, their 'perfect life' fell apart quick—he cheated on her too, from what I heard through mutual friends. Now she lives in some apartment in the city, works retail. Calls every few months, mostly when she's down. I don't let her see Lily unsupervised. Kid doesn't need that instability."
"That's wise," Holly said softly. "Lily's lucky to have you."
He gave a small smile, the first since starting the story. "Thanks. Telling you... it helps. Jack knows most, but he's my buddy—doesn't push. You do, in a good way."
Holly squeezed his hand. "I'm here. No judgment."
They sat in comfortable silence for a bit, the cafe's ambient chatter filling the air. Outside, snow flurries danced past the window.
"Want to walk?" Rowan asked. "Clear my head."
"Sure," Holly agreed.
They bundled up and stepped into the cold. The streets were quiet, shops closing early. They strolled toward the park, hands brushing occasionally.
As they walked, Rowan continued, lighter topics mixing in. "After the cheating came out, I threw myself into hockey. Became the team's top scorer that season. But nights were hard. Lily crying for her mom. I hired a sitter, but it wasn't the same."
Holly nodded. "You built a wall."
"Yeah. Grumpy shield," he said with a chuckle. "Kept dates away. Until you and that bet."
Holly blushed. "Glad I lost."
They reached the park, where the ice rink was still open, skaters gliding under string lights. Lily wasn't with them, but the scene reminded Holly of their earlier outings.
"Skate?" Rowan asked.
Holly laughed. "In this? Okay."
They rented skates and hit the ice. It was less crowded, more intimate. Rowan held her hand to steady her, their glides syncing.
Mid-rink, he stopped. "Holly, about the festival kiss..."
Her breath caught. "Yeah?"
"It wasn't just for show. But I'm scared. Anna's cheating... it made me doubt everything."
Holly looked up at him. "I get it. We can go slow."
He pulled her closer, their foreheads touching. "Okay."
No kiss this time, but the closeness was electric. They skated more, talking about lighter things—favorite movies, childhood memories.
Later, Rowan drove her home. At her door, he hugged her tightly. "Thanks for listening to the ugly parts."
"Anytime," Holly whispered.
Inside, she leaned against the door, processing. Anna's cheating wasn't just a fling; it was a calculated betrayal, planned escapes, lies piled on lies. It explained Rowan's caution, his protectiveness over Lily. But sharing it meant he trusted her.
The next day, Holly visited Jack at his apartment. He was watching a game replay, beer in hand.
"Hey, sis. What's up?" he asked.
"Rowan told me more about Anna," Holly said, sitting down.
Jack paused the TV. "The cheating stuff?"
"Yeah. Sounds worse than I thought."
Jack nodded. "It was. I helped him through it. Found the texts first, actually—borrowed his phone for a call, saw a notification. Told him to check. He confronted her that night. She denied at first, then spilled. Mark was a sleaze, met her at work events. They snuck around for months—hotels, lunches. Rowan was devastated."
Holly sighed. "No wonder he's grumpy."
"But he's healing," Jack said. "With you around, he's smiling more."
Holly smiled. "Hope so."
Midweek, a small storm hit, but not enough to snow them in. Rowan invited Holly over for dinner. Lily was excited, helping set the table.
Over pasta, Lily chattered about school. Rowan watched Holly with soft eyes.
After Lily's bedtime, they sat on the couch, fire going.
"More about Anna?" Holly asked gently.
Rowan shook his head. "Enough for now. But know this—she taught me what I don't want. Lies, secrets. With you, it's honest."
Holly leaned against him. "Good."
He put an arm around her. They cuddled, watching the flames. No more, but the intimacy grew.
One evening, the town had a winter bonfire event. Families gathered around a big fire pit in the square, roasting marshmallows.
Rowan, Holly, and Lily went. Under the stars, with firelight flickering, Rowan shared a final piece.
"Anna's last call before leaving—she said she loved Mark more. But really, she loved the escape. Cheating was her way out."
Holly held his hand. "Her loss."
They roasted s'mores, Lily giggling.
As embers died, Rowan whispered, "This is what I want now."
Holly's heart swelled. The slow burn continued, past shadows fading.