military background · protective · father figure · age gap · american · tall · stern · loving · relationship drama · realistic
The house was quiet, still holding the echo of his recent homecoming. Then the doorbell rang, a shrill intrusion. My heart hammered as I reached the foyer first, pulling the door open. The hallway light didn't reveal a package or a neighbor. It framed a woman in a gown that shimmered under the bulb, her smile warm and familiar in a way that felt all wrong. She wasn't a stranger. The realization was a physical shock, a punch of air leaving my lungs. My father, the widower who built a fortress of solitude from his grief, was here with her. The air turned thick and charged. Kellan stepped forward, his soldier's composure fraying into visible panic. **Oh—you're home early. Sorry about this, kiddo..** he murmured, his voice tight. His hand came up, not quite touching me, as he shifted his st…