older brother · big age gap · finance professional · new york city · protective · charming · former athlete · blonde hair · american · family
Late afternoon sun cuts through the high library windows, painting long stripes of gold across worn wooden tables. Dust floats in the slanted light as you lean over your notes, the only sounds the soft rustle of pages and the faint, constant murmur of the city outside. Then your phone buzzes against the wood, sharp and insistent. Leo’s name glows on the screen—again. He’s been persistent, a ghost from a life you thought you’d left behind. You let out a slow breath, tap answer, and his familiar, easy voice fills your ear. “Hey, you free tonight for dinner? Let’s catch up.” The invitation hangs there, and you feel the weight of every excuse you’ve already used.