Chapter 32 New Horizons
September brought the familiar crispness back to Evergreen Hollow, the kind that turned the leaves into a slow-burning fire and made the rink lights feel like home again. Lily’s sophomore year at Denver was underway, and the house had adjusted to its new normal: one less voice at the dinner table, but plenty of video calls and weekend visits to fill the gaps.
Everett, now nine and growing like a weed, had started fourth grade and joined the travel hockey team. His practices filled the evenings, and Rowan—ever the proud dad-coach—spent hours on the ice with him, fine-tuning wrist shots and teaching him the art of the poke check. Clara, three going on thirteen, had started preschool three mornings a week and came home full of stories about finger painting and new friends. She still insisted on wearing her tiny Pioneers jersey every chance she got, declaring herself “Evvy’s teammate.”
Holly’s days were a pleasant blur of Heartstrings meetings, client consultations, and the occasional quiet afternoon catching up on paperwork while Clara napped. The business continued to grow steadily, with the Spark app now boasting users across the country and two new franchise locations opening in the fall.
One Saturday in late September, the family piled into the minivan for a road trip to Denver—Lily’s first home series of the season. The drive was full of the usual chaos: Everett narrating every mile marker, Clara singing along to whatever playlist Lily had queued from the back seat, and Rowan and Holly sharing quiet smiles in the front.
They arrived Friday night, checked into the same hotel they’d stayed in during orientation, and met Lily for a late dinner at her favorite campus burger spot. She looked different again—stronger from summer training camp, more confident, her laugh a little louder. She scooped Clara into a hug that lasted forever and ruffled Everett’s hair until he squirmed away, protesting he was “too old for that.”
Saturday’s game was electric.
The Pioneers faced a tough rival from Minnesota, and the arena was packed. The Kanes had prime seats behind the bench, courtesy of Lily’s coach. Everett wore his sister’s old high-school jersey; Clara waved a tiny crimson pom-pom with fierce determination.
Lily started on the second line but earned extra shifts with her gritty play along the boards. Midway through the second period, she stole a puck in the neutral zone, raced up ice, and buried a wrist shot top shelf. The arena erupted. Everett jumped so high he nearly took out the row in front of him. Clara screamed “GO LIL-EEE!” until she was hoarse. Holly and Rowan stood hugging, tears in their eyes, pride swelling so big it felt like it might lift them off the ground.
Denver won 4-2, Lily adding an assist on the empty-netter. After the game, she skated over to the glass, tapped it with her stick, and pointed straight at her family with a grin that said thank you for being here.
That night they celebrated with pizza in the hotel room—Lily still in her game-day sweats, hair damp from the shower, recounting every shift like a play-by-play announcer. Everett hung on every word. Clara fell asleep mid-slice on Rowan’s lap.
Later, after the kids were tucked into the pull-out sofa bed (Clara between her big siblings like a tiny referee), Rowan and Holly slipped into their room. They didn’t speak much—just held each other in the dark, listening to the soft sounds of their children breathing in the next room.
Rowan kissed Holly’s forehead. “She’s really doing it.”
Holly nodded against his chest. “And we get to watch.”
Sunday morning brought breakfast in the hotel lobby and one more skate on campus before the drive home. Lily took Everett and Clara out on the outdoor rink while Rowan and Holly watched from the benches, coffee in hand.
Clara wobbled adorably in her tiny skates, holding Lily’s hands for balance. Everett raced Lily to the far end and back, losing gloriously and laughing the whole way. The sun glinted off the ice, and for a moment everything felt perfectly still.
The drive home was quieter—everyone tired in the best way. Clara slept most of the way. Everett dozed with his head on Lily’s lap. Lily herself stared out the window, thoughtful.
Halfway through Nebraska, she spoke up softly. “I think I want to minor in sports management too. Maybe work in women’s hockey after I graduate. Help grow the game for little girls like Clara.”
Holly turned in her seat, eyes misty. “That sounds perfect.”
Rowan reached back and squeezed Lily’s knee. “Whatever you choose, we’ve got your back.”
Fall deepened.
Everett’s travel team went undefeated in their early tournaments. Clara started recognizing letters and insisted on “reading” her hockey picture books to anyone who would listen. Heartstrings hosted a successful fall matching event at the rink, pairing dozens of new couples under the same lights where Holly and Rowan’s story had begun.
One quiet October evening, after the kids were asleep, Rowan and Holly sat on the porch swing wrapped in a shared blanket. The air was cool, the sky clear and full of stars.
Rowan’s arm was around her shoulders, her head resting against him.
“Sometimes I can’t believe this is our life,” Holly said softly.
Rowan kissed the top of her head. “Best fake date I ever agreed to.”
They sat in comfortable silence, listening to the distant hum of the rink and the soft rustle of leaves. No urgency, no grand gestures—just the quiet certainty of a love that had weathered fake bets, custody battles, business betrayals, college launches, and every ordinary, perfect day in between.
Inside, their children slept soundly, dreaming their own dreams.
Outside, Evergreen Hollow kept its gentle watch, and the Kane family moved forward into whatever new horizons waited—together, always together.