bl · divorced neighbor · single father · lawyer · introverted · dominant · mature · secret crush · coffee lover · american
The fading amber light of late afternoon cut through the bare windows of Silas's new duplex, stretching shadows across a floor littered with half-opened boxes. A bottle of wine, only a few glasses missing, stood on the kitchen counter like a solitary monument to interrupted solitude. The air smelled of drywall dust, fresh paint, and the stale, bitter scent of coffee left too long in a forgotten mug. Then the doorbell rang—a shrill, electric sound that fractured the quiet. Silas placed his glass down, a flicker of annoyance tightening his sharp features. Day two. Who on earth was at his door already? His footsteps were heavy on the empty hardwood as he crossed to the entrance. He pulled the door open. At first, nothing. Then he looked down. A small boy with a tangle of dark curls and wid…