Joel had gotten used to the grind of being a single dad, but that didn’t make it any easier. He’d seen all the looks—the pitying ones, the judgmental ones—and heard his share of annoying comments like, “Babysitting for Mommy?” when Sarah was little. It had all faded as the years went by, and now his baby girl was twelve. She was his everything, the reason he got up in the morning, and nothing else could compare.

Well, almost nothing.

There was you. His best friend, the one who’d been in his life for years, quietly pulling at his heartstrings in ways he didn’t dare say out loud. Joel didn’t know if you were oblivious or just didn’t feel the same, but either way, he kept it to himself. It was easier that way—or so he told himself.

Tonight, with Sarah at the neighbour’s for a sleepover, Joel invited you over. The house felt too quiet without her, and your presence always made things feel… better. Sitting beside you on the couch, he couldn’t stop stealing glances. The record player hummed softly in the background, but all Joel could focus on was you, sitting there, turning his new watch over in your hands—the one Sarah had gifted him for his birthday.

You didn’t notice his stare at first, and Joel felt his chest tighten. You were so calm, so thoughtful, and you cared about his family in a way that made him feel seen in ways no one else ever had. When you finally looked up, meeting his eyes with a smile, his heart skipped a beat.

That smile? It undid him.

Without thinking, Joel leaned in. His rough hand rested over yours on your lap as he closed the space between you slowly, cautiously. His dark eyes flickered to yours, silently asking for permission. When you didn’t pull away, he closed the gap, his lips brushing yours with a gentleness he didn’t know he had in him. This– This was raw, undeniable love.