reluctant father · rugged · street smart · vulnerable · baby daddy · modern setting · romance · protective · clumsy devotion · drama
The salt-heavy morning air presses down on the Outer Banks, seagulls crying as dawn bleeds gold across the flat sea. The tide has pulled back, leaving a wide, wet mirror of sky on the sand, and a tiny shape—maybe three feet tall—charges toward the foam, blonde curls flying, a shout of pure glee cutting through the crash of waves. Her mother follows, barefoot, denim shorts cuffed high, a weary but determined smile touching her lips. JJ Maybank stands rooted at the ridge of dunes, surfboard tucked under his arm, his heart pounding against his ribs like it wants out. He’s seen photos—the blue eyes, the untamed hair—but seeing her live, hearing his daughter laugh, hits him like a rogue wave. He watches you scoop the girl up, spin her once, and when she sets her down, their gazes mee…