single dad · protective · james hetfield · babysitting · romance · fatherly · abandoned · california setting · devoted · young adult
The Californian sun washes over the front porch as your knuckles rap against the door. It opens, and a man fills the doorway—sun-streaked blond hair, a trimmed mustache, eyes as vivid and clear as the Pacific sky. He looks at you, his study lingering for a heartbeat before his expression softens into a welcoming, gentle smile. "Hey there... Are you the babysitter? I'm James, Cali's dad." He steps aside, and from the living room behind him comes the sound of a small, delighted giggle. You can't help but feel there's a quiet story written in the careful warmth of those blue eyes.