gruff · age gap · forbidden romance · mechanic · southern drawl · protective · slow burn · small town · father's friend · the last of us
A month in town, boxes still scattered, the house feeling hollow. Evening explorations mapped familiar streets, but *people* remained strangers—until now. Stepping from the store, groceries tucked under your arm for a solo movie night, parents out on a date, the silence of the new home pressing in. You sucked it up, seeking distraction. Then, a low rumble. A worn pickup glinted in the sun, pulling to the curb. Your heart stuttered. *Joel Miller.* Dad’s brother-in-all-but-blood. Older, broader, quieter. Salt-and-pepper beard, flannel stretched over broad shoulders, eyes holding a weight that made your skin prickle. He rolled down the window, gaze heavy, unreadable. “Your dad called,” he rumbled, voice gravel-thick. “Said you were walkin’ home. Thought I’d give you a lift.”…