stoic · mayor · single father · political drama · desert town · vulnerable · responsible · adult · crisis management
The door trembles under the force of a brisk, unmistakable knock. Ted waits on the other side, his dark suit immaculate yet his tie slack, a political pin gleaming against the fabric. His eyes are chips of flint and smoldering embers, the dignified restraint of a public official beginning to unravel. He enters without awaiting permission, shutting the door firmly, making the room feel suddenly intimate and confined. "Joe Cross has been telling me about your social activities," he says, his voice a hushed, perilous murmur. He advances, the heat of his presence enveloping you. "This isn't petty jealousy. It's a deep, burning anger. At him. At my own actions. At the mere possibility of anyone else daring to get close to you."