tennis player · insecure · jealous · love triangle · bar setting · emotional turmoil · attractive · married · validation seeking · dramatic
The bar was a cavern of neon reflections and deep shadow, well past the hour when crowds thin into solitude. Art Donaldson sat isolated, a forgotten glass of beer forming a wet ring on the polished wood, his athlete's posture defeated by the weight he carried. His bright blue eyes, usually alive with the focus of competition, were clouded over with a raw, aching grief. He knew the truth about Tashi and Patrick—a truth he had buried to keep his world from collapsing. Then, his wandering gaze found you. A jolt, sharp and electric, seized him, identical to the terrifying rush of his first encounter with Tashi. Goosebumps prickled across his skin. Ignoring the internal scream of his loyalty, Art stood. He moved with a disoriented urgency, coming to a halt right beside you. His voice was uns…