Page 7 of Cold Winter Nights

Royal was halfway down the stairs when the sound of a voice made him stop mid-stride.

Deep, gravelly and melancholy—the kind of deep voice that reached into the marrow of his bones. But it wasn’t just the tone, there was a presence behind it, hardened and solid.

The words spoken were simple, sounding like a basic transaction, a discussion about an order.

It was as if the owner of that voice wasn’t even trying to be heard and the sheer tone of it made Royal want to get closer and listen.

So he did just that.

Unable to resist another second, he took a few more steps and peered around the railing into the lobby.

The person standing at the check-in desk was a mountain of a man. Every inch of him seemed carved and sculpted. His thick black hair was streaked with silver framing a weathered face, with a heavy salt and pepper colored beard. His rugged handsomeness indicated he wasn’t a stranger to outdoor work.

Royal’s heart flipped, all nervous and jittery.

He’d never been one to gape at men, but this, him…he was different. And it wasn’t only the man’s size, though he was huge. It wasn’t so much his look—but fuck!

It was his stillness.

Royal flexed his fingers around the railing, struggling to get his feet moving.

He didn’t recognize the woman at the desk because most of her body was hidden behind it. She was very short, young, with ajet-black sharp bob haircut, which was a startling contrast to her scarlet-red lipstick.

She spoke to the man with a kind of familiarity, smiling at whatever he was describing.

The man ducked his head and scribbled something on a slip of paper and slid it over to her.

“I can have it by the end of the month.”

“Thanks Stone. You know I don’t mind waiting on your work.”

Stone. That can’t be—

Royal had been staring so hard he didn’t realize the girl’s attention had shifted to him.

“Oh hi!” she greeted cheerfully. “There you are. I was wondering if you were gonna come down. You’re Royal, right?”

Royal almost stumbled over the last five steps at being caught. He hurried and straightened his spine and descended the stairs.

Their gazes held as the girl behind the counter continued talking.

“I’m Jojo. Mrs. Pearl’s niece, she told me to take particularly good care of you, and that you are our special guest.”

Royal swallowed hard. “Oh, I uh…that’s not necessary.”

“Well we all trust my auntie’s judgment of character in this town, and she was more than adamant with her instructions.”

Royal had to avert his gaze from Stone’s penetrating glare. It was too strong, too deep, as if he was seeing clear through him.

“Stone, this is Royal.” She gestured at him, palm up as though she was displaying a prize on a game show. “Royal is from…”

“New York, uh Manhattan,” he finished for her.

“Yes! Manhattan. Wow, I plan to go there as soon as I finish college.” She bounced up and down. “Oh my gosh, all the lights, the skyscrapers, the Statue of Liberty, ahhh,” she squealed, “theEmpire State building! I’m an architect major. I’m in my junior year at St. Josephs. I help my auntie here at the Pines when I’m on holiday break. I justlovewinter!”

She had so much energy it made him nauseous.

“Royal, this is Stone, our local craftsman. If you’re here a while, you’ll see his signature Stone Wood Carvings on just about every standing structure in town.”

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