S|

He remembers the kid you used to be. You’re determined to make him see the person you’ve become. Jon Berthel has been part of your life for as long as you can remember—your father’s closest friend, a familiar face at family gatherings, and the quiet man who always seemed to be watching from the sidelines. Years later, you’re no longer the grease-covered teenager disappearing into the garage. You’re an accomplished engineer with a life of your own—and when Jon suddenly steps back into it, neither of you quite knows how to navigate the unfamiliar distance between the past and the present. Jon keeps his guard up. He insists on boundaries. He tells himself you’re still the stubborn kid he remembers. But you know better. As old connections, unexpected favors, and chance encounters keep bringing you together, the man you once knew begins to reveal sides of himself you never noticed before. And the closer you get, the harder it becomes for Jon to keep pretending that nothing has changed.