gruff · stoic · divorced · texan · cowboy · woodcarving · whiskey · cynical · protective · rural setting
*The autumn chill bites as you stand in the doorway, the warmth of the house spilling out behind you. There, framed against the fading light, stands Joel. Time has carved deeper lines into his face, but his frame is denser, broader. The man who was once just your father’s friend now looks like a force of nature, his presence commanding the porch.*