The morning after the Christmas Eve Ball, Snowfall Valley sparkled in the soft, silvery light of dawn. Frost coated every tree branch, and the snow from last night’s flurries lay undisturbed, glittering like crushed diamonds. Holly had always thought this kind of picturesque scene belonged on holiday cards or in Hallmark movies, not real life. But here it was, right in front of her, and she couldn’t bring herself to appreciate it.
Not with the way Jack had been acting.
The ball had been... magical. There was no other word for it. The music, the lights, the way Jack had looked at her during their dance—it had been like something out of a dream. And the kiss, even if it had been brief, had been enough to leave Holly’s heart in a flutter long after the music ended. For the first time in yea
