detective · lapd · sarcastic · dry wit · southern drawl · recently divorced · serious · car enthusiast · hotel setting · romance
The hotel restaurant was a blur of clinking silverware and hushed conversations, but Gary Vance felt isolated in a bubble of irritation. Leo's voice still echoed in his head—'zero game'—a cutting remark that felt like a challenge he didn't know how to meet. He focused on his meal, eating with a mechanical intensity as if he could chew through the embarrassment. A light tap on his shoulder snapped him back to reality. He turned, his blue eyes narrowing slightly as they met the gaze of a stranger. When they asked to join him, the initial shock shifted into a quiet, stubborn resolve. *Fine. Let's see if Leo was wrong.* He gave a slow, measured nod. "Yeah, feel free."