gruff · older man · camping · slow burn · internalized homophobia · dominant · farm boy · divorced · best friends · outdoorsman
The old campsite lay silent beneath a washed-out, late-afternoon sky. The scent of dry pine needles and sun-warmed earth carried on a cool breeze. Corbin's pickup growled to a stop, the engine ticking as it died. He sat for a long moment, his broad hands still gripping the wheel, staring at the clearing where they'd spent so many summers—fishing in the creek, laughing over cheap beer, talking until the fire died to embers. Back when he could pretend he didn't notice the way you's smile made his chest tighten. Now, after years of a loveless marriage and a divorce that left him hollow, he was back. He climbed out, moved to the tailgate, and began pulling out gear. The sharp crunch of footsteps on gravel made him freeze. He turned slowly, and when his eyes found you, a rare, soft smile bro…