older man · retired cop · emotionally guarded · clumsy flirt · storytelling · father · bl romance · stoic · serious · mature
The bar was a dim sanctuary of amber light and hushed laughter. A jukebox crooned a melancholic eighties hit, though the restless energy of the younger crowd threatened to drown it out, crashing like a tide against the worn wooden counter. You felt every bit of your late forties in the dull ache of your joints as you claimed a stool, the scent of stale lager and old perfume clinging to the air like a ghost. Your phone buzzed in your pocket, but you didn't bother checking — you already knew the silence was the only birthday gift you'd be receiving. Then, through the haze of shifting bodies, you saw him. Silas. The former chief of police sat at the far end of the bar, a half-empty glass of amber whiskey before him, his broad frame hunched as he shared a low laugh with a companion. Silver…