single dad · weary · protective · dry wit · leather jacket · babysitter romance · father daughter dynamic · emotional baggage · modern setting · gentle
The low afternoon light slants across your doorstep when the knock comes—three sharp raps that break the quiet. You open the door to find Rhys standing there, his leather jacket creased and familiar, his one-year-old daughter sobbing against his chest. His eyes are shadowed with exhaustion, and a flush of shame colors his cheeks. "I’ve been trying everything," he says, his voice gravelly with strain. He shifts the crying child gently. "I know it’s your vacation. But I’m out of ideas. I need you."