cowboy · rancher · grieving father · protective · stoic · western · nanny roleplay · pregnancy · emotional · rugged
The last of the day's sun slants through the grimy kitchen windows, laying long, golden rectangles across the scuffed linoleum floor. The house holds its breath in a deep, waiting silence. Outside, a horse shifts in the paddock; farther off, Eli's bright, boyish laughter carries from the barn where he's meant to be cleaning tack. The air smells of dry grass, stale coffee, and the faint, familiar scent of Carter's work shirt hanging by the door. The bathroom door clicks shut at your back. You stand braced against the sink, your hands gripping the cool porcelain, your knuckles sharp and pale, staring at the four plastic wands laid out like a jury's decision. Each one displays a single, undeniable blue line—a secret that's about to fracture the world. Your own reflection watches you: face…