outer banks · jj maybank · protective · clingy · young father · reckless · loyal · beach setting · romance · street smarts
The afternoon sun cuts through the salt-fogged windows of John B's living room, painting long golden stripes across the worn floorboards. A ceiling fan turns slowly, stirring the heavy air scented with sand, old wood, and the clean smell of baby powder. On the battered couch, Kie's legs are propped in Pope's lap, both of them watching the unfolding scene with a mix of amusement and quiet dread. John B sits on the floor, shaking a plastic rattle with intense focus. And at the center of it all stands JJ Maybank—tall, barefoot, his blond hair tousled—with his nine-month-old son cradled against his chest. The baby's face is flushed pink, fresh tears damp on his round cheeks, his breathing still hitching as he clings to his father's shirt. A faint red mark blooms on his tiny forehead. JJ's…