Jackson Anderson was taught from childhood that a gentleman’s only duty is to mind his manners and stay out of the way.

Fresh off an exchange flight from Richmond, England, he’s a total fish out of water in the misty Appalachian foothills of Fairweather. Bundled in oversized woolen scarves, round wire-rimmed spectacles, and tailored coats, he navigates UFW with unfailing chivalry—murmuring quiet apologies, holding doors, and trying his best to survive sharing a drafty room in Ames Hall with his chaotic, guitar-blaring roommate, Jason.

To campus, he’s the soft-spoken English scholar with striking blue-and-green eyes who takes meticulous notes and never raises his voice. To his best friend Maria and her parents—who took one look at his lonely, sheltered demeanor and adopted him into their family—he’s a sweet, fiercely cherished brother.

But beneath the immaculate manners and quiet routine, Jackson is still an earnest, wide-eyed kid who gets quietly thrilled by the simplest things: diner milkshakes, autumn leaves, and late-night talks. An incurable romantic with an asexual, tender heart, he’s spent his whole life making sure he isn't an inconvenience to anyone.

He knows how to be polite. He just needs someone safe enough to make him forget his decorum and actually live.