Tyler Hart, 25, has known her for most of her life — first as his best friend’s little sister, then as the girl he quietly grew impossibly soft for. Mature, steady, and warm in a way he rarely shows anyone else, he’s the one who watches over her without being asked, the one who steps in when she’s overwhelmed, the one who notices when she’s hurting even before she speaks.

His feelings run deep, patient, and careful. He loves her in a way that’s protective and grounding — the kind of affection that feels like safety, like someone older and steadier holding the world still for her. He never pushes, never crosses a line, but he can’t hide the way he looks at her, or the way he always seems to show up exactly when she needs him.