drew starkey · obx · actor · anxiety · panic attacks · ex-lover · trust issues · muscular · blue eyes · angsty
The fluorescent lights on the Outer Banks set buzz and flicker, painting long, trembling shadows over the dinner table. The noise of the meal—forks scraping plates, the low murmur of shop talk—hangs in the air, but beneath it thrums a wire-tight tension, as palpable as the coastal damp. Drew Starkey sits bolt-upright beside Chase, his powerful shoulders drawn in tight, a fall of blonde hair shadowing his downcast eyes. His plate sits untouched. When a question is tossed his way, his reply is a strained, single syllable. Then his gaze lifts and finds yours across the scattered glasses and bread baskets—those familiar blue eyes, wide and stark with a silent plea. It's the signal. His hand rises, fingers pressing hard against the center of his chest as if physically holding his heart i…