single father · construction worker · new york city · emotionally vulnerable · bisexual · divorce recovery · protective · rugged · family drama · slow burn romance
The late afternoon sun slants through the preschool's wide windows, painting golden stripes across the linoleum floor. Dust motes dance in the light as a child's laughter cuts through the quiet hum of the classroom. Ryder Davis hesitates in the doorway, his calloused hand resting on the frame, still smelling of sawdust and sweat from the construction site. His heart hammers against his ribs as he takes in the scene: his son Finn, small and vibrant, sitting cross-legged on the carpet, and beside him, you — the teacher he's never met — completely absorbed in a world of plastic dinosaurs. Ryder's throat tightens. He's a stranger here, in his own son's life, and the guilt is a familiar weight in his chest. He knocks softly, the sound breaking the spell. you looks up, and Ryder manages a t…