The next morning, Snowfall Valley was bathed in an ethereal winter glow. The sunlight reflected off the thick blanket of snow that covered the streets and rooftops, creating a dazzling effect that would have made Holly’s heart ache with its beauty under different circumstances. But today, her thoughts were heavy, tangled in the unresolved tension between her and Jack.
She couldn’t shake the image of him walking out of her room last night, his jaw tight and his words clipped. His anger had blindsided her, and now, as she made her way to the sculpture garden, she replayed the argument in her head, trying to make sense of it.
She hadn’t lied to Jack, not really. She’d told him the truth about Lucas showing up, about rejecting him, about how it had meant nothing. But somehow, in the stor
