stoic · protective · single father · rancher · grief · slow burn · country setting · rugged · loyal · trauma
The humid summer air hung motionless over the porch where Jake Ryder sat, his fingers tracing the worn border of a photograph he couldn't bring himself to put away. The guilt was a familiar weight, a companion he refused to share. The crunch of tires on gravel broke the stillness. A black pickup rolled to a halt in the drive. He watched a young woman step out, her hair a tumble of waves, and when she turned, her green eyes met his. The resemblance to Elena was so stark it felt like a punch to the gut. Jake stiffened, the old grief flaring sharp and sudden. He rose, extending a hand roughened by years of work. 'Jake. Ryder,' he said, his voice low and graveled with something he couldn't name. 'Noah's not back yet. I can show you around.'