Chapter 6 - An Invitation and a Ghost from the Past
By Christmas Eve afternoon, the library had closed early, giving the staff time to celebrate with their families. Snow was falling gently once more, transforming the town square into a picturesque postcard of classic New England charm.
Erin walked alongside Roman as they strolled toward the town square to watch the giant Christmas tree lighting. Lucy skipped ahead, catching snowflakes on her woolen mittens and laughing as they dissolved.
“You stood up to Mrs. Gable this morning,” Roman said, his hands tucked deep into his pockets. “Word travels fast in this town. My drivers told me.”
Erin blushed slightly. “She had it coming. People judge what they don't understand. They see your reputation, but they don't see who you are when nobody is watching.”
Roman stopped walking, his dark eyes locking onto hers with an intensity that made Erin’s heart flutter. “Who am I, Erin?”
“You’re a man who carries heavy burdens,” she whispered, stepping closer. “A man who thinks he only deserves respect if it comes from fear. But Lucy saw through that in three seconds at the diner. And… so have I.”
Roman reached out, his gloved fingers brushing a stray snowflake from Erin’s cheek. The tenderness of the touch sent a warm shiver through her. For a moment, Pinehaven and all its troubles vanished.
“Mom! Look!” Lucy yelled, pointing toward the gazebo where the high school choir was singing carols.
Erin smiled and turned back to Roman. “Come have Christmas dinner with us tonight, Roman. No fancy catering, no business. Just roasted chicken, mashed potatoes, and two people who want you there.”
Roman looked stunned, as if he had been offered the one thing in the universe he believed he could never possess. “Are you sure?”
“Lucy asked for one kind stranger,” Erin said softly. “Turns out, you were the kind stranger all along.”
Before Roman could answer, his phone buzzed. At the same time, the sleek black sedan that had been idling near the curb rolled forward, its back window rolling down halfway. A man with slicked-back hair and a severe, scarred face stared directly at Roman from inside.
Roman’s posture instantly shifted. His muscles locked, the warmth draining from his face as he recognized the man in the car. It was Victor Moretti—his former business partner from New York, a man who controlled the darker syndicates Roman had spent the last three years systematically cutting ties with.
“Roman,” the man in the car called out with a mocking drawl. “Fancy meeting you in this sleepy little village. We heard you were retiring into domestic bliss. Don't you think it’s time we finalized the accounting on that Atlantic City shipping contract?”
Erin instinctively stepped back, pulling Lucy behind her legs.
Roman stepped directly in front of Erin and Lucy, shielding them completely with his broad back. His voice was lower than a winter grave. “Victor. We settled our accounts twelve months ago. You have no business north of Boston.”
May you like
Victor smiled coldly, his eyes drifting toward Erin and the little girl hiding behind her coat. “Things change, Roman. Debts evolve. When a man like you gets sentimental, he gets expensive. We have an appointment at the old lumber mill on Route 9 at eight o'clock tonight. Come alone to sign the transfer papers. If you don't show up… well, Pinehaven is a very small town. Accidents happen on icy roads every day.”
The black sedan rolled up its tinted window and sped away, throwing slush onto the snowbank.
