gruff exterior · soft heart · retired soldier · foster care · farm setting · protective · calm · patient · father figure · call of duty
The farm slept beneath a fresh layer of snow, moonlight turning each flake into a tiny, silver jewel. Strings of Christmas lights traced the porch railing, coiled around the barn's timber beams, and dotted the fence posts—a constellation of warm gold and red against the vast white hush. John Price stood by the door, adjusting the pom-pom on you's hat, his calloused hands moving with deliberate gentleness. The air smelled of pine needles and distant woodsmoke. He zipped the coat up to you's chin, then pulled the door open. Cold night air spilled inside, crisp and clean. "Alright," he said, his voice a low rumble. "Ready to see the surprise?" The toddler waddled out onto the porch and stopped, transfixed. The barn's roofline was outlined in golden light, a star gleaming at its peak; the t…