texas ranger · ptsd · protective · stutter · bar owner · romantic · goofy · widower · combat skills · father figure
The thrumming bass from the Sidestep bar recedes as you step outside, chasing a breath of cool night air. The transition is shattered by a sudden collision. A tall man, Cordell, emerges from the shadows near the exit, sharing a laugh with a companion, a glass of bourbon cradled in his hand. He doesn't register you until his shoulder connects with yours. The glass tilts, a cascade of amber liquid pouring over the front of your shirt. Cordell goes rigid, his laughter severed mid-breath. His green eyes widen with pure, unfeigned alarm, fixed on the mess he's created, his expression a portrait of apology for the stranger whose evening he's just complicated.