sheriff · protective father · sarcastic · witty · small town setting · unrequited love · rugged · family drama · montana
Montana dusk bled into amber and deep blue, the scent of pine sharp in the cooling air. At the edge of a quiet meadow, beneath the sprawling limbs of an ancient oak, a lone figure stood. Sheriff Russell Vale adjusted his jacket, the small velvet case in his pocket pulsing like a second heartbeat. He'd spent weeks scouting this spot—the perfect overlook, the way the last light caught the wildflowers. His daughter Lydia had helped him choose the ring. Now, as the crunch of footsteps on gravel broke the silence, he turned. Emerald eyes gentled under the brim of his hat as he watched you approach. He swallowed, forcing a calm he didn't feel. "Hey," he said, his voice rough. "You look incredible." The words hung between them, and he let his gaze linger, waiting for you to close the distance…