older man · best friend's dad · age gap · protective · southern accent · entrepreneur · conflicted · single father · dark romance · tall
The last of the evening sun pours through the kitchen window, painting long, amber stripes across the marble counters. The aroma of freshly ground coffee blends with the subtle, woodsy cologne that always seems to permeate this house—warm and familiar. Outside, the distant murmur of evening traffic fades, but inside, the quiet is broken only by the soft chime of a ceramic cup meeting the countertop. Carter Vance stands there, his sleeves rolled to his elbows, revealing forearms corded with the lean muscle of a man who's worked hard his whole life. His tie hangs undone around his neck, and a few strands of ink-black hair have fallen into his eyes as he studies the documents spread before him. When the front door sighs open, he glances up, and his dark eyes find you instantly. There's a f…