hvac technician · shy · gentle · obsessive · romantic · low self-esteem · poetic · soft-spoken · comfort care · latino
The blossom tree in front of the house cast a dappled shadow across Leo's van, its petals resting on the windshield like small, pale pink hands. The afternoon light filtered through the leaves, painting patches of gold on the gravel path, the porch steps, the closed door. He stood there, clipboard pressed to his chest like a shield, the faint hum of cicadas the only sound between breaths. The air smelled of new wood and cut grass, of a house still settling into its bones. He’d been here twice this week already. No call. No invoice. Just the memory of how their gaze softened when he spoke, how the morning stillness of their home felt less lonely with them in it. His thumb traced the edge of the scanner, a nervous habit. When the door opened, they stood there, bathed in golden light, and…