Page 42 of Cold Winter Nights

But at least he had someone who could help him bear the heavy burden. He wasn’t alone anymore. Royal said he’d be there. He knew he was fallen hard and fast for the man who’d appeared in his life when he least expected it, but when he needed

Stone’s heart hammered, and his eyes stung. He stared up at the warm glow of the bed and breakfast, relief already beginning to settle over him.

Maybe he’d stay there for the night instead of driving all the way back to his cabin. He’d let Myra feed him, then he’d take a long hot shower—maybe with Royal—then he’d curl up in bed with him.

He pulled out his cell to text him and let him know he was on his way up, but his phone was dead.

He dragged his tired ass up to the door, and as soon as he opened it, the warmth and scent of fresh baked bread made him want to weep.

Jojo was behind the desk, the usual light in her eyes missing. Her face was pale, almost drawn and her lips were pressed into a thin line. Stone could see right away that something was wrong.

He already knew what it was, her aunt, Mrs. Pearl. No doubt she was as devastated as the rest of the small business owners in town. The bed and breakfast had been booked up, but now…

“Hey, Stone,” she murmured.

He gave her a curt nod, wishing he had the energy to say more, but he didn’t.

“Hi Jojo, I’m gonna go up and see Royal,” he rumbled, walking towards the stairs. “I know it’s late, but I’ll come back down in a bit and see if Myra has anything to warm my bones.”

Jojo didn’t move right away, instead her eyes dropped to the floor.

“Stone…” Her words were hesitant, as if she was unsure how to say what she had to say.

“What is it?” His question came out sharper than he’d meant. He was too tired to hear bad news.

Jojo’s face was full of sadness as she sniffled. “Royal…he left.”

Stone paused, the words crashing into him with the force of an avalanche. He stared at Jojo, his mind scrambling for sense.

“What do you mean he,left?” His voice was raspy as if he couldn’t breathe.

The weight of Jojo’s silence was unbearable.

“Jojo,” he urged, walking back to the desk. “What’s that mean?”

“He went back to New York…this morning,” she replied as tears welled up in her eyes then streamed down her cheeks.

Stone’s world tilted on its axis. He felt light-headed, as if the floor had dropped out from under him. He shook his head, his words coming out in a strangled whisper. “No. No, no, no. That doesn’t make sense. He hates that place.”

“He said he wasn’t sure when he’d be back but that he’d call you as soon as he could.”

Stone’s chest became tight, and it felt as if his lungs could no longer draw in air.

“But…” his voice trembled, the reality of what Jojo said sinking in. “But he promised me that…”

He said he’d be here.

Stone had trusted Royal, believed every word he’d said.

He wanted to yell, or punch something, but instead he stood there frozen. His thoughts were spinning out of control, trying to piece together the fragments of the life he’d thought he was about to build. But he couldn’t be with a man that would hightail-it to the big city when shit got rough.

The quiet emptiness and the chill of the night began to creep into his soul again. The loneliness and pain that Stone had fought to push away were slowly growing back like the phantom pains from an amputated arm.

He felt something within him crack. Something deep and fundamental. The weight of everything, the storm, the destruction, the loss, the fifteen hours of work, the trust he’d placed in Royal, all crushed him at once.

Jojo’s lips trembled. “I’m so sorry, Stone.”

Stone shook his head. He couldn’t think, couldn’t process the hurt. All he could feel was the cold. He turned around, his legs heavy, his heart in a freefall. As he stepped back out into the night, the chill wrapped around him like a silent predator dragging its icy knives over his skin.

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