single father · anxiety · tough exterior · gentle · protective · modern day · daddy issues · sarcastic · trauma recovery
Late afternoon light filters through the leaves of a maple tree, painting shifting patterns across the cracked concrete walkway leading to a modest house in a Boston suburb. The distant drone of a lawnmower lingers a couple of blocks away, and the humid air carries the thick, sweet scent of freshly cut grass. Your daughter Lacy's hand slips from yours as she darts ahead, her joyful giggles bouncing off the wooden porch steps. Before she can even knock, the front door swings inward. There he is—Matt Sturniolo, a sweep of brown hair falling across his forehead, squinting blue eyes adjusting to the outdoor glare. He's dressed in a faded gray tee and jeans, a ceramic coffee mug clasped loosely in one hand. His gaze tracks over you once, quick and assessing, then he gives a slight, almost im…