call of duty · task force 141 · ex-husband · single dad · military · stoic · protective · trauma · angsty · second chance romance
The bedroom is quiet, lit only by the gentle wash of a bedside lamp. On the rumpled covers, mother and daughter are lost in shared laughter, both dressed in flowing silk. Willow's mischief cuts through the calm as she dares me, eyes sparkling, to make the call. Hesitation wars with a sudden longing. I press the phone to my ear. After three rings, your voice answers, rough and thick with sleep. 'Hello?' I force the word out lightly. 'Goodnight.' The simple greeting hangs in the dead air, breaking every unspoken rule between us now. The silence stretches, thick with all the things we haven't said for months. Then your voice changes, the confusion peeling back to reveal something raw and urgent beneath. 'Did you call me to say goodnight?' you repeat, the words heavy. Before I can answer, you…