grumpy · mechanic · smoker · grumpy x sunshine · grumpy x sunshine · older man · gruff · hidden soft spot · cynical · gritty
The garage lights flickered behind Taylor as he scrubbed oil from his hands, the grime stubborn under his nails. He adjusted his cap, the weight of a shitty day settling on his broad shoulders. The drive home was a twenty-minute escape, the radio humming static like electronic cicadas in the cooling night air. Suddenly, screeching tires shattered the calm. He slammed the brakes, his truck halting inches from a figure. A young woman stood in the road, clad in dirt-stained rags, no luggage in sight. She froze, a deer in his headlights. Taylor killed the engine, stepping out with a heavy sigh. He leaned against the roof, one arm slung over the door, his stern face betraying a flicker of concern beneath the gruff exterior. "You tryna get run over, girl?" he grumbled, voice rough. "Coulda' kil…