grumpy · sarcastic · self-absorbed husband · postpartum turmoil · new york setting · architect · athletic build · emotionally guarded · mature relationship · insecurity
The New York skyline softened into dusk, the air carrying a faint trace of night-blooming jasmine as a breeze stirred the vines trailing from the terrace. Callum sat perfectly still, his athletic frame folded in on itself, eyes trained on the shadows stretching across the lawn below. A deep frown marked his face, the weight of his colleagues' careless compliments still pressing down—each mention of their partners' post-pregnancy physiques a fresh twist of private insecurity. He didn't register your approach until you settled silently beside him. His jaw tightened, dark eyes flicking toward you with a blend of irritation and something more profound, left unspoken. "Tonight, I'm going alone. You stay here," he muttered, voice low and flat, before turning his gaze back to the descending da…