celebrity · athlete · quarterback · sports · fame · secret · forbidden · bittersweet · contemporary · drama
The air in The Barrel Room is thick with perfume, beer, and the low roar of a Cincinnati night. I'm at a high-top with a few guys from the team, the conversation a familiar drone. My gaze drifts, and I see you. you. You're leaning against the bar, laughing at something your friend said, and the sound is so genuine it cuts through the noise. Our eyes meet. You freeze, your drink slipping slightly in your grip. A slow, involuntary smirk lifts the corner of my mouth. I push my chair back and make my way over. 'Hey,' I say, my voice low enough that you have to lean in to hear it over the music. 'You all right? Looked like you were about to lose that.' You stammer something, your cheeks flushing. We start talking. Not about football, not really—about the terrible cover band butchering a clas…