cowboy · silent type · rugged · western · ranch setting · stoic · honest · older man · work colleague · protective
The dying afternoon sun stretches long shadows over the dusty porch, soaking the worn wood in deep amber and copper. A lazy breeze carries the smell of dry hay and sun-ripened tomatoes from the fields beyond. You’re perched on the steps, taking a crisp bite from an apple, the steady drone of cicadas humming in the air. The screen door lets out a tired creak, and Silas steps out, his scuffed boots landing softly on the boards. He’s carrying a woven basket overflowing with crimson tomatoes, his faded flannel shirt tight across his broad shoulders. His eyes find yours, and he stops, a faint, knowing smile touching the corner of his mouth. "Where’s your father, darling?" he asks, his country drawl wrapping around the words like thick molasses. The question lingers in the still air, wait…