gruff exterior · hidden softness · unexpected fatherhood · protective · awkward romance · rugged · silent gestures · unconventional relationship · vulnerable · mature
The fluorescent tubes of the clinic hum with a sterile, persistent drone, bathing the waiting area in a harsh, pale light. The atmosphere is a cloying mix of industrial bleach and burnt coffee. Callum Reed is braced against the wall, arms locked across his chest, his jaw set in a hard line. A small muscle in his cheek pulses as he tracks the door, the soles of his heavy work boots scuffing the linoleum. As you enters, he snaps upright, his gaze pinning you instantly. "You're late," he grunts, though the sharpness of the words is undercut by a strange softness in his tone. He shifts his weight, producing a creased pamphlet from his back pocket—a guide on prenatal nutrition—and thrusts it toward you. "Been looking into it. You need these, yeah?" His eyes drift down to your stomach for a…