A Fresh Start - Joe Burrow

Chapter 19 - Game Day Jitters and Bad Ideas

It was the morning of the first game of the season, and Joe could feel the tension building. The stadium buzzed with excitement, the energy of game day always electric, but today felt different. He had been so used to having Y/N around during the offseason—her support, her calming presence—but with her gone for the last few weeks, something felt off.

Joe had tried to keep his focus, pushing through practices and game prep, but the distance between them had started to weigh on him. They'd kept in touch, of course, with constant texts and late-night phone calls, but it wasn't the same. He missed seeing her, missed having her close. And now, with the season kicking off, her absence was sharper than ever.

His phone buzzed as he sat in the locker room, already half-dressed for the game. It was a message from Y/N.

Y/N: Landed! Just in time for kickoff. Can't wait to see you out there.

Joe exhaled, a small smile tugging at his lips. She had made it. That helped, but the strain of her being gone for so long still lingered. He'd missed her more than he expected, and as much as he tried to shake it off, it was affecting him. There had been times, late at night, when he thought about how things would be easier if she didn't have to travel so much. It had been an idea floating around in the back of his mind for a while now—what if Y/N worked closer to him? Or, more specifically, for him?

Joe shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. Now wasn't the time to dwell on it. He had a game to win.

Hours later, after a hard-fought game and a close victory, Joe made his way off the field, the adrenaline still coursing through him. The fans were still cheering, and all around him, his teammates were celebrating. But all Joe could think about was Y/N.

He spotted her waiting near the tunnel, her face lighting up as soon as she saw him. She looked as stunning as ever, her smile wide, her eyes full of pride.

"Hey, superstar!" she called out, stepping forward to wrap her arms around him.

Joe grinned, pulling her in tight. "Hey. You made it just in time."

Y/N laughed, pressing a quick kiss to his cheek. "Wouldn't have missed it for the world. You were incredible out there."

Joe chuckled, still holding her close. But even as they stood there, surrounded by the noise of the stadium, the idea that had been nagging at him resurfaced. The thought of how much easier it would be if she didn't have to travel so much, if she didn't have to leave him.

As they started to walk toward the locker room, Joe glanced down at her, his voice casual but laced with something deeper. "You know... I've been thinking."

Y/N raised an eyebrow, smiling up at him. "Oh? What about?"

Joe hesitated for a moment, then let the words spill out. "What if you worked for me? Like, managing my brand and stuff? You wouldn't have to travel so much. We wouldn't have to be apart as much."

Y/N blinked, caught off guard by the suggestion. She let out a soft chuckle, thinking it was just another one of Joe's playful comments. "Work for you? Joe, I'm sure you can manage without me keeping tabs on your Instagram."

But Joe didn't laugh. He stopped walking, turning to face her more seriously. "No, I mean it. You're already amazing at what you do, and you'd be able to build my brand just like you do for your other clients. And... we wouldn't have to deal with the distance as much."

Y/N's smile faltered as she realized he was serious. She stared at him for a moment, her expression shifting from amusement to something more guarded. "Joe, I love what I do. And I'm good at it because I work with a lot of different athletes. I'm not sure I'd want to change that, even for you."

Joe frowned, the tension between them growing. "But think about it. You wouldn't have to be on the road all the time. We could actually spend more time together. Isn't that something we both want?"

Y/N sighed, crossing her arms. "Joe, I get where you're coming from, but I can't just drop everything and work for you. I've worked hard to get where I am, to build my reputation. It's not that simple."

Joe's frustration simmered. He hadn't meant for this to turn into a thing, but now that it was out in the open, he couldn't shake the feeling that her constant traveling was driving a wedge between them. "I know it's not simple, but it's not like I'm asking you to give up your career. I'm just saying, it would be easier for us."

Y/N shook her head, clearly growing irritated. "Easier for you, Joe. Not for me. I love what I do. And I'm not just going to become your personal brand manager because you don't like the distance."

The words hung between them, sharp and unresolved. Joe could feel the tension building, but he wasn't sure how to defuse it. He hadn't expected Y/N to react like this, and now he wasn't sure where to go from here.

"I'm not saying you have to give up anything," Joe said, trying to keep his voice steady. "But I miss you. And it feels like we're always apart. I thought... I thought maybe this could fix that."

Y/N's eyes softened, but there was still a firmness in her voice. "I miss you too, Joe. But my career is important to me, just like football is important to you. We can't fix everything by making one of us sacrifice our dreams."

Joe stared at her, his frustration bubbling up again. "So what, we just keep doing this? Missing each other all the time? Pretending like the distance isn't a problem?"

Y/N took a deep breath, clearly trying to keep her cool. "The distance is hard, I get that. But we knew it would be. We just need to figure out how to handle it without one of us giving up what we love."

Joe didn't respond right away, his mind racing. He knew she was right, but he couldn't help feeling like there had to be another way. The distance was wearing him down, and he hated the idea that this was their new normal.

"I just don't want to lose you," Joe admitted, his voice softer now.

Y/N stepped closer, her expression softening as she reached up to touch his cheek. "You're not going to lose me. But we have to figure this out together, without one of us bending too far."

Joe nodded, though the tension still hung in the air between them. They had brushed the issue aside for now, but it was clear that this was far from resolved.

As they left the stadium together, hand in hand, Joe couldn't shake the feeling that this was only the beginning of a bigger conversation—one that neither of them was fully ready to have.