In which the rookie Ben Gal falls for Cincinnati's number one quarterback.
Now that football season is upon us I thought it would be fun to write a little Joe Burrow story.
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Months after settling into her new life in Dallas, Alessandra's heart still felt a pull toward Cincinnati and, ultimately toward Joe. She had achieved so much with the Cowboys, but every big win felt a little emptier without him by her side. After a long talk with her family and friends, she decided it was time to take a chance, pack up her things, and move back to Cincinnati.
Keeping her plans quiet, she daydreamed about the look on Joe's face when she showed up. The thought of rekindling their romance had kept her motivated through the challenging move. In her mind, it was like the grand romantic gestures in the movies, they'd meet again, and everything would fall back into place.
Alessandra arrived in Cincinnati with a new lease on life, thrilled to surprise Joe. She thought about calling him immediately but decided to take a day to settle in. The next morning, she visited some of her favorite spots in the city, grabbing coffee at their old cafe and taking a walk through the park where they'd spent so many evenings talking about life, football, and dreams. Finally, she couldn't wait any longer and headed to the Bengals' training facility, hoping to catch him after practice.
As she entered the facility, excitement bubbled within her. But as she walked toward the practice field, she stopped short. There, on the sidelines, was Joe standing with a woman who looked at him with a smile that lit up her entire face. They were laughing together, her hand casually resting on his arm as they shared an inside joke.
Alessandra's heart plummeted. She felt frozen, watching the two of them interact so naturally, as if they'd been a part of each other's lives for a while. It hit her all at once, Joe had moved on.
She backed away, not wanting him to see her. As she left the facility, her mind spun, heart heavy with the realization that the life she'd been dreaming of wasn't there waiting for her anymore.
Later that night, her phone buzzed. It was Joe.
"Hey! Heard you're back in town?" he said, his voice light and friendly. "When did you get in? We should catch up soon."
Part of her wanted to tell him the truth, to pour her heart out and let him know why she'd returned. But instead, she managed a smile and kept her voice steady. "Yeah, I just got in yesterday. Let's catch up soon!"
As she hung up, she knew that seeing him would be bittersweet. But maybe, just maybe, she'd find closure and figure out what this next chapter held.
