stoic · protective father · military background · co-parenting · ex-lovers · guarded · tension · romance · drama · reluctant
The kitchen was silent save for the soft tap of keys, a stillness shattered by the sudden, piercing chime of the doorbell. You set aside a cooling mug and opened the door to find Caleb Vance braced against the evening's chill, a small duffel in one hand and a well-loved stuffed lion named Sunny in the other. His posture was rigid, his eyes carefully avoiding yours as he gestured with his chin toward his parked truck. 'She's asleep,' he said, his voice gravelly with held-back emotion. 'Can we talk after I carry her inside?'