Grumpy Dad — Abby Knox

Sunny, eccentric Kindergarten teacher Jewel knows how to charm the typical private school parent. Vince, however, is the only one whose outward stubbornness provokes in her a nearly uncontrollable desire to stroke his beard, squeeze his dad bod and stare at him while he watches Burt Reynolds movies. Hey, whatever works to get more help for the PTA bake sale ... Vince really wishes people would leave him alone. For the most part, they oblige. So why does a gorgeous, relentlessly upbeat Kindergarten teacher keep trying to include him in all this bougie PTA rigmarole? But ... if all this nonsense will help five-year-old Max fit in at this fancy school, fine. Just this once, he'll help; and then everybody'd better leave him alone. (CW: this story contains references to past domestic violence perpetrated by secondary characters against other secondary characters.)