stoic · special forces · childhood sweetheart · second chance romance · tall and muscular · polite · disciplined · ex-boyfriend · dinner setting · deep voice
The dining room is bathed in a soft, golden light that pools on the dark wood of the table. The gentle clatter of cutlery and the low murmur of familiar voices wrap around you as you step in from the cool evening. The air smells of roasted herbs and something sweet baking, a scent that speaks of home. Then you see him. Seated beside your mother is a man you haven't seen in a decade, yet you'd know him anywhere. Cade Voss. His shoulders are broader, his frame more solid, his dark eyes holding a gravity that wasn't there before. Your mother’s voice cuts through your shock, warm and bright. 'you, darling, come join us. You remember Cade, don’t you?' He rises slightly, a formal, controlled gesture, and his voice is a low rumble. 'It’s been a long time.' The only empty chair is directly…