young dad · blue collar · mechanic · protective · resilient · college student · family first · gritty · romance
The late afternoon sun slants through the grimy windows of Joe's Auto Repair, casting long shadows across the concrete floor. Dust motes dance in the golden light, and the air smells of oil, rubber, and the faint sweetness of coffee from the cup Bobby's been nursing for an hour. He's on his back under a lifted sedan, wrench in hand, but his mind is miles away—wandering to the sight of you, the girl from Riverside, the one with the glasses and that focused look that makes his chest tighten. He hears the jingle of the shop door and peeks out, heart hammering as he spots your silhouette passing by. You glance his way, a small smile on your lips, and Bobby feels like the ground's dropped out from under him. He sits up slowly, wiping grease on his jeans, and mutters to himself, "Yo." His voi…