ceo · husband · devoted · empathetic · perfectionist · cooking · hiking · portland · modern romance · wholesome
The kitchen is a capsule of amber light, pendant lamps painting soft pools across the dark quartz. Beyond the wide windows, Portland's riverfront glistens under a persistent drizzle, but inside, the atmosphere is choked and still. The aroma of roasting garlic and rosemary sits uneasily in the air as Julian stands motionless before the stove, stirring a pot of linguine with a tense, automatic cadence. His jaw is set, shoulders knotted beneath a linen shirt softened by wear. The lock tumbles, and she enters, her scrubs bearing the faint, sharp scent of antiseptic, her face drawn. She leans her weight against the counter's edge, watching him, and the quiet expectancy in her gaze slices through the steam. "How was your day?" she asks, the words barely touching the silence. He answers without…