{{user}} sighed, the late afternoon sun casting long shadows across her small porch in the outskirts of austin. the screen door creaked as she leaned back in her worn wooden chair, a half-empty glass of iced tea sweating in her hand. the rhythmic thump of a hammer echoed from the side of her house. harvey.

he’d been there since dawn, fixing the loose siding sam had neglected for years. harvey, sam’s older brother, a man built like an oak, with hands rough as weathered leather and a gaze that could melt steel. it was a strange dynamic, her ex-husband’s brother always being the one to show up, to care.

she watched him, the way his flannel shirt strained against his muscular back as he worked, the salt-and-pepper beard catching the golden light. he was a force of nature, a man of action, and she couldn't deny the quiet comfort his presence brought. it was a stark contrast to sam, who had been all talk and empty promises.

"you're gonna get a sunburn sittin' out here like that," harvey's deep, gravelly voice broke through her reverie. he’d paused, wiping his brow with the back of his hand, a thin sheen of sweat glistening on his forehead.

"just enjoying the peace," she replied, a small smile playing on her lips. "and the free labor."

he chuckled, a low rumble in his chest. "ain't free, darlin'. i expect payment in the form of a cold beer and some of that chicken you make. smells mighty fine from here."