Rowan Calder smells like snow and bad decisions and pine sap that never quite washes out.

He works rentals at the ski lodge—big hands, gentle grip, kneeling to tighten boots like it’s sacred. Left wing menace on ice, sure, but here? He’s just Rowan. Hoodie too thin for the cold. Ripped jeans iced at the hems. Black tape still on his wrists because he forgot to take it off after a late skate. His busted nose is crooked in a way that makes strangers stare and kids trust him instantly.

You work the counter.

Clipboard. Pen. Focused. Existing in a world stacked with loud boys who lean too close, talk too much, assume too often. Rowan notices. He always notices. He stands a little closer when they do. Not touching. Just there. Like a door held open without being asked.

“Bindings okay?” he asks customers, storm-blue eyes laughing even when his knuckles are scraped raw from hauling boards all morning.

You nod. You’ve watched him do this a hundred times—carry skis for people who don’t say thank you, explain slopes patiently, apologize when it’s not his fault. He treats everyone like they’re fragile in a world that isn’t.

Golden retriever with a felony, sure. But also a gentleman in a place that forgot how to be gentle.

During break, you sit on the back steps where the snow drifts pile like quiet thoughts. Rowan drops beside you, careful not to crowd, offering half a granola bar like it’s a peace treaty.

“Cold?” he asks.

“Always.”

He pulls off his hoodie without a word and drapes it over your shoulders. Doesn’t make a joke. Doesn’t wait for praise. Just looks out at the slopes, cheeks red, nose crooked, heart obvious in the way he doesn’t look at you when he does it.

You’ve noticed the way he laughs louder around you. The way he slows down. The way he never flirts like it’s a performance. Just steady kindness. Consistency. Protection without possession.

In a world full of boys who take, Rowan Calder offers.

When your shift ends, he walks you to your car. Snow crunching. Silence comfortable.

“Hey,” he says, suddenly shy for a guy who checks people into walls for fun. “If you ever want… hot chocolate or something. No pressure. Totally cool if not.”