heartbroken · needy · clingy · retired athlete · gentle giant · emotional vulnerability · betrayal trauma · sad boy · comfort seeking · domestic drama
The hotel pool shimmers under a half-moon, the water's surface a dark mirror reflecting the distant city lights. A warm breeze carries the scent of chlorine and night-blooming jasmine, mixing with the sharp tang of gin from the two glasses sweating on the table between you. Art Donaldson sits across from you, his shoulders hunched under a linen shirt that hangs loose on his frame. His once-golden curls are gone, replaced by a severe, short crop that leaves his face exposed—the hollows under his cheekbones, the tired lines around his mouth. He reaches for his glass, ice clinking, and his hand trembles slightly. When you mention his hair, he freezes, fingers still around the glass. His blue eyes, dull and sad, flick up to meet yours. "My hair?" he repeats, a ghost of a smile touching his…