Page 5 of Cold Winter Nights

“I uh…I’m Royal. I live…I meanlived, in Manhattan. I’m from Manhattan.” He glanced back at the door, every instinct telling him to hurry—he had emails piling up by the second, not to mention twenty or more phone calls to return in the next hour, and he was wasting time.

“Sweetheart, are you all right?”

Mrs. Pearl even sounded like his mother.Ifhis mom still sounded like that. He wasn’t sure.

Royal could feel moisture forming in the corners of his eyes.

“Do you um, have any rooms?” He forcefully wiped tears away. “I-I don’t have a reservation. I don’t need anything fancy. Just a bed will do.”

Pearl came from around the counter and before he knew it he was engulfed by strong arms that didn’t seem to fit her petite stature.

“Of course I do.” She hugged him tighter. “And even if I didn’t, I’d call Stone and tell him to get over here right away and build you one.”

He assumed Stone must be her husband.

Royal locked up his emotions and pulled away from her.

“Shit, I’m sorry. I’m just really tired, I haven’t eaten in a while and I been driving a long time…and I get these migraines,” he rambled, hoping his excuses explained his weirdness.

“Don’t you dare apologize, sweetheart.” Pearl reached over the counter and grabbed a set of keys off a cork board. “I’ll take care of you. Let’s first get you settled in a room.”

Royal began to reach for his wallet.

“You put that away. We’ll worry about check-in later.” She turned him back towards the door. “Do you have any luggage?”

Royal nodded.

“All right then. Go get your luggage and meet me upstairs, first room on the right.”

He was baffled that she didn’t need his ID and to run his credit card first to ensure he didn’t skip out on the bill or wreck the room.

Too tired to question it, Royal did as he was told and when he came back in he ambled up the stairs with his garment bag and small suitcase, the wood flooring creaked under his Bergdorf dress boats.

Pearl was in the first room on the right. The two lamps on the nightstands were turned on, she’d already gotten a fire started in the fireplace, had turned down his sheets and was fluffing his pillows.

I’m in theTwilight Zone. This can’t be real.

Just like everything else since he’d turned onto Main street, the room wasn’t what he’d expected. It was small but not in a suffocating way.

The bed was large and covered with a cream, mint, beige and gold quilt. It looked warm and inviting in the way that homey things did, not like his cold, black satin comforter in his penthouse.

Lace curtains covered a thick set of burgundy drapes that had been pulled to the sides. A small vase of white and purple flowers sat on the table beside an empty glass pitcher with two glasses waiting on a white cloth.

Everything was mismatched, as though the room hadn’t been decorated all at once but over a long period of time.

Mrs. Pearl watched him as he sat his things on the luggage rack. “So, what d’ya think?”

“It’s fine. It’s very nice.” His voice sounded as if he was just getting over strep throat.

Mrs. Pearl’s smile lit up the room. “Wonderful. I’m glad you like it. You go on and get settled, bathroom is right there, and the water gets super-hot so be mindful.”

She pointed to the nightstand. “You’ll find the television guide, Wi-Fi password, map of the town, and a few other pamphlets in the drawer, okay?”

“Kay… oh, thank you…um, thanks so much.” He’d almost forgotten to add that.

“You’re very welcome, sweetheart.” She clasped her hands together. “Now, I’m gonna go to the kitchen and heat you up some leftovers. Myra always makes too much.”

Royal blinked.

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