Page 33 of A Pen Pal for Christmas

For a moment, Dane’s mask slipped, and something raw flashed in his eyes. Regret? Maybe. But it was gone as quickly as it appeared, replaced by his cocky facade. “Fine,” he said, holding up his hands in mock surrender. “I’ll go. For now.”

He glanced at Tommy, then at me, the look in his eyes twisting into something colder. He sent Sofia one more look that was almost pleading, but when she simply glared back at him, he turned and walked out.

The tension in the bar didn’t ease immediately. Conversations resumed in low murmurs, but the weight of what had just happened lingered in the air.

Sofia let out a long breath, her shoulders slumping. “Thanks for the backup, Tommy. And you, too, Hudson. But next time, just let me handle it, okay?”

Tommy’s jaw worked, but he didn’t argue. I, however, couldn’t keep quiet. “Promises, promises.”

Her gaze met mine, and something unspoken passed between us before she sighed and walked away.

Tommy turned to me, his expression still tense. “This isn’t over.”

“I know,” I said quietly, my eyes following Sofia as she moved back behind the bar.

CHAPTER 12

Sofia

After closing,I twisted the key in the lock and double-checked it out of habit, giving it a quick jiggle for good measure. As I stepped away from The Hearthstone, my shoulders sagged under the weight of the night, and not just because it had been busy. This wasn’t the kind of exhaustion you could shake off with a good night’s sleep.

This was the kind that burrowed deep—the kind I thought I’d left behind in Philly.

The drama Dane had caused tonight wasn’t even close to the scene he’d made back at my old bar. That night, he’d stormed in, ranting and raving about how he’d changed, how I’d just needed to see it. He hadn’t been physically violent towards me, but it didn’t matter. The yelling, the public spectacle, dropping his glass for it to shatter under the watchful eyes of every customer and coworker—it had almost been bad enough for me to quit on the spot.

But then, when he’d picked a fight with a customer who was trying to get him to settle down and wound up making him bleed all over the polished floors? That was the straw that broke the camel’s back. As immature as it might have been, I’d packed upmy life and escaped to Snow Hill. But that was the thing about impulsive decisions. Because now, here we were… Different town, same problem.

I tugged my coat tighter around me as the cold nipped at my cheeks. It was almost laughable how naive I’d been to think he wouldn’t follow me here. Of course he had. Dane was always like this—relentless in the worst ways. Snow Hill was supposed to be my safe space, and now it didn’t feel so safe.

The sharp crunch of snow underfoot pulled me from my thoughts, my heart jumping into my throat. My fingers hovered near the pocket of my coat—and the pink can of pepper spray on my keychain—as I turned toward the sound.

A tall figure stepped out from the shadows near the corner of the building, and my breath hitched before recognition settled in.

“Hudson?” Relief coursed through me, but my hand stayed near my pocket as if my body needed a second to settle.

He raised his hands. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to startle you.”

“What are you doing out here in the dark?” I asked, relaxing slightly. “Creeper.”

His lips twitched at my teasing tone. “I told Tommy I’d stick around and make sure you got home okay.”

I blinked. “And Tommy actually agreed to that? He didn’t insist on being the one to personally walk me to the other side of the town square?”

“It took some convincing.”

“Especially since you’re basically a stranger.”

“Basically, huh?” He asked with a short laugh, shaking his head. Then his smile faded slightly as he met my eyes. “Why doesn’t it feel that way, though?”

I stared at him, caught off guard by the honesty in his tone. But one thing was clear: he wasn’t alone in that feeling. Therewas something about him that felt… familiar. Like I’d known him forever.

“No,” I admitted softly. “It doesn’t.”

The air between us felt heavier, charged with something I wasn’t sure how to define. My heart fluttered in a way that made me both nervous and excited, but that excitement was quickly overshadowed by a flicker of doubt. I wasn’t doing this again—falling for someone who might not be who they seemed.

I forced a smile, stepping away slightly to create some space. “I’m beat.”

He held out a hand for me to go ahead of him, then fell into step beside me.

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