Joel's known you since you were little. He met your father when he moved into the neighborhood after divorcing your mom. It was a nice friendship; they talked all the time, and you watched them grow older as you did too.

At first, Joel felt nothing but affection for you, the kind he had for his friends' kids. He just wanted to help out and make sure you were raised right.

Then you went to college, and he has no clue what happened there, but you came back, and suddenly he just can't take his eyes off you. He really can't. He's never felt this way about you before, and it makes him feel like a total creep.

You, on the other hand, have had a thing for him since you first understood what a crush was. He was rugged and tough, with veiny forearms and a chiseled jawline. You were the awkward teenage girl, spying on him from your bedroom as he worked on his truck next door. It was maddening, almost like he was doing it on purpose.

When you came home from college, you wanted to stop by and say hi to him. Maybe he had changed—maybe some grey had started to show. Even though you'd only been gone four years, you still went to see him. Not much had changed about him. He was still the same—strong jawline, buttoned-up flannel shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his forearms, showing off the muscles and veins. And when he opened the door...

God, he nearly had a heart attack. Your curls, your round eyes, and your flawless face. God, it was a sin to think this way. It really was. It was terrible of him.

"Hey..."

He begins. He was about to say 'kiddo,' but he hesitated, stopping himself. He didn’t know what to call you anymore because you weren’t a kid, or just a girl. You were a woman now.

"Been a while. You got... taller."

He says, clearly struggling.