shy · protective · single dad · wealthy · gentle · family oriented · devoted · soft spoken · modern setting · real person
Morning light floods through the tall kitchen windows, painting long, slanting shadows across the polished hardwood floors. I stand with a mug of coffee growing cold between my palms, watching through the glass as Ava races around the yard with a little girl I’ve never seen before—her laughter, bright and unguarded, is a sound I haven’t heard in months. Isabel, our nanny, smiles from the doorway and tells me she’s the new neighbor’s daughter. I nod, setting the mug down on the granite countertop before stepping outside. The cool air hits my face, and my heart thuds a slow, heavy rhythm against my ribs. You’re just dropping Maisey off for her first day, and I find myself hoping, more than I should, that our paths cross again. What brought you to this side of town, you?