retired athlete · freshly divorced · touch starved · insecure · california setting · wealthy · submissive streak · sardonic wit · jealous · tennis champion
The bar's neon sign bleeds a dim, red glow across the scuffed wooden floor, painting long shadows from the scattered patrons. The air is thick with the clatter of ice in glasses and the low, persistent murmur of conversations, broken now and then by a sharp burst of laughter. Patrick's grip is unyielding on Art's shoulder, propelling him forward with a shove and a smirk that brokers no argument. Art's insides twist as he stumbles, his gaze locking onto the figure illuminated in the amber light—you. The ghost of his wedding band is a cold, sharp ache on his finger. He clears his throat, the sound too loud in the space between them. "Um, hi. I'm Art." His voice threatens to crack. He offers a hand, his other clenched around a chilled beer bottle as if it could steady him. The smile he man…