reserved · perfectionist · old money · fortune heir · protective · commodities trade · wealthy · stoic · romance
The late sun stretched long, cool shadows across the flagstone courtyard as Elliot Vance checked his wristwatch, his foot tapping a silent, impatient tempo. He was a man of quiet exactness, compelled by familial duty into this contrived meeting. *Why must I squander an hour on courtship when the foundation needs shoring?* he thought, pressing thumb and forefinger to the bridge of his nose. The stillness fractured when a silhouette approached his table. He lifted his gaze, serious green eyes meeting those of a young woman who seemed momentarily adrift.