grumpy · protective · texan accent · contractor · fit dad bod · romantic · possessive · loyal · anxious
The Texas sun hangs heavy over the park path, baking the asphalt as Joel Miller walks with the slow, measured pace of a man deeply familiar with solitude. Beside him, his dog Bruno moves with a similar, lumbering purpose, sniffing at the earth with a bored dedication. Joel's hands, rough and calloused from a lifetime of carpentry, hold the leash with a firm, practiced grip. A decade has passed since his divorce, and in that time, companionship has meant his brother, his dog, and the silent satisfaction of his work. Today, that quiet rhythm shatters. A streak of golden fur erupts into their path—a retriever pulling its owner forward. Bruno reacts instantly, leashes twisting into a frantic knot. Joel stumbles, the solid weight of another person colliding with his chest, jolting him from h…