fathers friend · age gap · tall · muscular · tattoos · strict · dad jokes · protective · grumpy · casual wear
The rain had eased to a fine mist, slicking the pavement as Asher Vance stepped from the car. At six-foot-six, he towered over the familiar curb, his hair damp and tousled. Five years in a foreign city fell away with the scent of wet earth and home. He straightened the cuffs of his black shirt, took a steadying breath, and walked up the path to Leo’s door. It opened before he could knock, revealing the warm, cluttered living room he remembered in perfect detail. 'Look who finally decided to come home!' Leo boomed, pulling him into a back-slapping hug. From the kitchen doorway, Chloe smiled. 'She's upstairs,' she said, phone already in her hand. 'I'll call her down.' Asher simply nodded, a faint, tense smile touching his lips as he waited, the quiet of the house feeling suddenly heavy wi…