Page 14 of Falling for My Shifter Guardian

Olivia

The photo feels heavier than it should in my hands. It’s just a cheap frame, the kind you pick up in a discount bin, but right now, it’s holding a piece of my past that feels like it might slip through my fingers if I don’t grip it tight enough.

It’s been three years. Three years since that knock on the door, since the folded flag, the stiff uniforms, and the words I still can’t forget:We regret to inform you…

I trace a finger over the glass, over my dad’s face, his arm slung around my shoulders like the whole weight of the world could bounce right off just because he was there. His grin is wide, toothy, like he’s mid-laugh. He always laughed with his whole face, his whole body. A BBQ king, a backyard football ref, the guy who taught me to parallel park and never let me quit anything, no matter how hard it got.

Next to him in the photo is Ben, holding up that stupid football like he’s posing for a Wheaties box. His other hand is on my back, casual and familiar, the way it always was back then. He was my constant, the one who kept me steady when my world tilted.

I set the photo down carefully, like it might shatter if I breathe wrong. “You’d know what to do,” I murmur, my voice barelyabove a whisper. My throat tightens as I swallow. “You always did.”

The knock at the door snaps me out of my thoughts, and I blink, brushing at my eyes quickly, just in case.

When I open the door, Ben’s standing there, a paper bag in one hand and two steaming cups of coffee in the other. He’s wearing that lopsided grin of his, the one that always used to make me feel like everything was going to be okay.

“Thought you could use a pick-me-up,” he says, holding up the bag like it’s a peace offering. “Your favorite—blueberry donut, no glaze, extra sprinkles. Took me three stops to find one.”

I can’t help it—a small smile tugs at my lips. “You’re too good at this,” I say, stepping aside to let him in.

“Yeah, well, some habits die hard.” He walks in like he belongs here, setting the coffee and bag on the table before his eyes catch on the photo I left sitting there.

He picks it up, and for a moment, the usual lightness in his expression softens. “I remember this day,” he says quietly. His fingers brush over the frame, and the way his voice dips pulls at something in me. “Your dad kept yelling at me to stop tossing the football near the grill. Said I was gonna knock over the burgers.”

I let out a laugh, the sound warm and unexpected. “And you almost did. Twice.”

Ben grins, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “Yeah, well, he still let me have two burgers, so he wasn’tthatmad.”

We sit down at the table, the coffee cups between us, the photo still in his hands. For a moment, neither of us says anything.It’s… comfortable, in a way I hadn’t realized I missed. But then his voice shifts, a little lower, a little more serious.

“Your dad… he was one of the good ones, Liv. The kind of man who made you want to be better, you know?”

I nod, my throat tightening all over again. “He was. He always knew how to make things feel… safe. Like no matter what went wrong, he’d figure it out.”

Ben sets the photo back down carefully and reaches across the table. His fingers brush mine, just for a second, before he pulls back. “You’ve got that in you too. He’d be proud of you.”

The sincerity in his voice catches me off guard, and something in my chest aches. For a moment, it feels like the old Ben is sitting across from me—the one who always knew what to say, who always made me feel strong, even when I didn’t believe it myself.

I clear my throat, trying to break the moment before it swallows me whole. “Thanks,” I say, my voice softer than I mean it to be.

He nods, his smile faint but warm. “Anytime.”

We talk for a while, mostly about nothing—work, the diner, the usual small-town stuff. It’s easy, familiar, like slipping into a pair of old sneakers.

"So, any plans for today?" he asks.

“I’m heading to Maya's place for a game night after my shift,” I say, popping the last bite of donut into my mouth.

“Maya, huh?” Ben’s tone is light, but there’s something under it, faint and sharp, like a splinter you don’t notice until it’s too deep to pull out.

I shrug, not thinking much of it. “Yeah, she’s great. It’s nice to have someone to hang out with who doesn’t mind my terrible card game skills.”

He chuckles, but it doesn’t quite reach his eyes. “As long as you’re happy. That’s all that matters,” he says, his voice soft. “I should get going,” he says. “Don’t want to make you late for work.”

“Thanks for stopping by,” I say, following him to the door.

He turns back as he steps outside, his blue eyes catching mine for just a moment. “You ever need anything, Liv… you know where to find me.”

I nod, watching him walk away. For a second, I feel lighter, like maybe today won’t be so heavy after all.

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