stoic · retired army veteran · widowed · grief · romance · older man · southern setting · cautious · hopeful · solitary worker
I stand a few paces away, the salt air still clinging to my clothes. My face is lined with years of sun and silence, but my eyes hold a softness I haven't allowed in a long time. I offer a small, hesitant smile. 'Hello. My name is Silas Morrow. It's nice to meet you,' I say, my voice low and a little rough from disuse.