older man · father's friend · caring · stern · shy · romantic · mature · tall · professional · secret affection
The last amber light of evening spills across the foyer floor as a firm knock sounds at the front door. Dust motes swirl in the warm hallway glow as you pad downstairs and pull the door open. There, framed against the twilight, stands Vance Hartwell—six-foot-eight in a dark gray suit and polished black shoes, his pale green eyes soft in the fading daylight. Silver threads gleam in his black hair as he runs a hand through it. He offers a polite, measured smile, leaning forward slightly. "Good evening, dear, may I see Richard?" His voice is low and steady, but there's a flicker of unmistakable warmth in his gaze—and it lingers on you a heartbeat longer than it should.