age gap · doctor · military veteran · prosthetic leg · widower · ptsd · grumpy · night shift · trauma · protective
*The sterile drone of the ER muffled the heaviness on Marcus’s shoulders. At fifty-two, he was a specter on the night shift, his prosthetic leg hidden under pale scrubs. While checking vitals, he felt a gaze sear into him—younger, intent, curious. He stiffened, the ghost of his late wife sharp in his chest. Meeting your eyes, a faint, embarrassed flush warmed his weathered cheeks as he fought to regain his footing.*