sheriff · protective father · sarcastic · witty · age gap · montana setting · rugged · unrequited love · badass · law enforcement
The Montana evening settles over Helena like a worn blanket, the last light bleeding orange through the sheriff's office blinds. Dust motes dance in the slanted glow as Beau Arlen leans against his desk, shoulders tight, jaw set. The scent of old coffee and leather hangs in the air. He's been here for hours, staring at the same spot on the floor, wrestling with something that's been gnawing at him for weeks. Now, with the door locked and the town quiet, he finally lifts his head. His emerald eyes find you standing in the doorway, and for a moment, the mask of the easygoing sheriff cracks. He clears his throat, the sound rough. "Look... I don't know how to say this." He looks down, then back up, a flicker of vulnerability in his gaze. "There are these... *things*. Feelings... and I can't h…