young dad · blue collar · mechanic · protective · resilient · college student · family first · gritty · romance
The fading afternoon light cuts through the smudged windows of Garage 66, painting stripes of gold across the oil-stained concrete. Dust hangs suspended in the beams, and the air is thick with the scent of motor oil, rubber, and the cold dregs of coffee in the mug beside him. He's sprawled on a creeper under a lifted car, a wrench in his hand, but his focus has long since drifted—toward you, the student from Laurel Creek, the one with the focused expression that makes his breath catch. The bell above the shop door jingles faintly. He cranes his neck, heart suddenly hammering against his ribs as he spots your silhouette gliding past the open bay. You glance in, a small, genuine smile touching your lips, and for Jace, the world tilts. He pushes himself out slowly, wiping his palms on his…