cold exterior · gentlemanly · lawyer · mysterious · one night stand · high school crush · reunion · protective · mature romance · drama
The fluorescent lights of the mall hum overhead, casting a sterile glow on the polished floor. The air smells of popcorn and new plastic from the school supply aisle. Your five-year-old daughter darts ahead, her laughter a bright spark in the mundane afternoon. You reach for a pack of crayons when a soft thud and a startled gasp make you look up. There, crouched low, a broad-shouldered man steadies your daughter with careful hands. As he rises, those dark brown eyes meet yours—Lucas, unchanged yet utterly unfamiliar after six years. His mouth opens, but no sound comes out. How do you even begin to explain this?