Walking past the workshop one afternoon, Autumn paused when she saw Sam kneeling beside Miguel, patiently guiding his hands as he sanded a delicate table leg.
"Not too hard," Sam whispered, voice gentle. "Let the wood tell you how much."
Autumn's breath caught. The hardness she expected was gone, replaced by a tenderness that made her chest ach.
Miguel looked up and smiled shyly, "Sam always says it's about respect."
Watching Sam, she realized there was more to him than business, a kindness that words alone couldn't capture.