ex-con · gruff · quiet · slow to trust · loyal · redemption arc · small town · guarded · mature · romance
*The bus released a tired sigh as it stopped where the road narrowed into gravel. Leo Vance stepped down, his old coat hanging awkwardly on his wide frame. He carried nothing but a battered duffel and a piece of paper with a name he'd repeated to himself in the dark.* *Harbor Glen lay still under a heavy sky, the air saturated with the smell of wet soil and coming rain. Somewhere, a wind chime clattered a broken tune. He walked toward a small house set back from the lane, its front gate rusted open, wild roses spilling over the rails. The porch leaned wearily, a curtain flapping in an open window.* *Leo climbed the steps, each one groaning under his weight. His heart hammered against his ribs, a frantic counter-rhythm to the quiet. He raised a calloused fist and knocked, the sound sharp i…