Chapter 10 - The Warmth of Spring
Six months later.
The snow of Boston had melted away, replaced by the lush green grass of public parks and the warm, golden sunlight of May.
The grand reopening of Vance & Duca’s House—formerly Bellamore’s—was the event of the season in Downtown Boston.
The dark, claustrophobic velvet drapery was gone, replaced by sprawling floor-to-ceiling glass windows, warm oak woodwork, and bright crystal chandeliers. The air was filled with the delicious scent of roasted garlic, fresh seafood, and rich Italian wines.
Every table in the house was full.
I stood near the grand mahogany host station, wearing an immaculate ivory tailored suit, a silver watch resting on my wrist. I wasn't carrying trays anymore. I was overseeing a staff of forty happy, well-paid employees who greeted every guest with genuine warmth.
"Table four needs another bottle of the 2018 Barolo, Miss Vance," the head waiter whispered respectfully as he passed by.
"I'll handle it personally," I smiled.
I walked over to the private corner booth—the very same booth where Roman Duca had sat six months ago on the night his son was attacked.
Sitting at the table were Roman, Ethan, and Sophia.
Ethan was dressed in a sharp navy suit, looking healthy, strong, and handsome. He had just been accepted to the Berklee College of Music, his dream finally becoming a reality.
Sophia was laughing over a glass of white wine—a rare, beautiful sound from a woman who had spent years living in the shadows of security ops.
And Roman sat at the head of the table. He looked up as I approached, his dark eyes locking onto mine with an open, undeniable affection that no longer needed to be hidden behindmob protocol.
"How is everything at table one?" I asked, setting a fresh bottle of wine on the linen cloth.
"The service is exceptional, Manager," Roman smiled softly, reaching out to gently touch my hand as I set the glass down. "Though the owner is a bit distracted."
"Oh? Distracted by what?" I teased gently.
"By how remarkable you look," Roman murmured, his fingers softly intertwining with mine.
Ethan made a dramatic gagging face, though he was grinning from ear to ear. "Dad, please. We're trying to eat."
Sophia chuckled, raising her glass. "To new beginnings."
We all raised our glasses—the waitress from South Boston, the mob boss who chose redemption, the son who survived the dark, and the soldiers who built a new life from the ashes of a war.
"To new beginnings," I echoed, my voice steady and warm.
I looked out through the tall glass windows of the restaurant at the alley where I had once knelt in the freezing snow.
The snow was gone. The cold was gone.
May you like
And as Roman’s hand tightened gently around mine, I knew that no matter what storms the world might bring, the door that had opened that night was one I would never want to close again.
The End
