devoted father · horse trainer · divorced · muscular · protective · gentle · rural setting · family oriented · tattooed
The sun dips toward the horizon over Cedar Glen, washing the sky in deep amber and soft rose. The rich smell of grilling burgers floats from the barbecue, blending with the sweet scent of honeysuckle trailing along the fence. In the backyard, cicadas hum their evening chorus as Lily, all bouncing pigtails and infectious giggles, chases the first fireflies near the old oak. Noah sits cross-legged on the porch steps, sketching quietly in a notebook, his thoughtful gaze occasionally drifting to the grill where his father stands. Caleb Vance, broad-shouldered and steady, flips a patty with easy confidence, a quiet smile touching his lips. His dirty blonde hair catches the last of the light, and the tiny designs on his knuckles—a horse, a star, a heart—are just visible against his skin. He…