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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Over the next few weeks, Alessandra and Cole's connection grew stronger. Their nights were filled with dinners at cozy Cincinnati restaurants, late night drives, and hours of laughter. Cole's support and laid-back confidence felt refreshing, and Alessandra felt more like herself than she had in a long time.
But it wasn't long before her relationship with Cole made waves in her old circles, especially when it reached Joe. Though Alessandra hadn't anticipated Joe would feel any sort of way about her dating, word of her seeing Cole started to get back to him.
One afternoon, while at Ben Gals practice, Joe overheard a couple of his teammates talking.
"Did you hear Alessandra's dating that Blue Jackets player? Cole Sillinger, right?" one said.
"Yeah, I saw them at the downtown cafe. Looks like they're pretty close," another replied with a chuckle.
Joe tried to shrug it off, but a prickle of jealousy flared up inside of him. Though he had started dating someone new after things with Alessandra ended, hearing she was moving on made it all feel...final. He found himself looking at photos of her social media, noticing the small, genuine smile she had around Cole, and it bothered him more than he wanted to admit.
The next time he saw Alessandra around the facility, he couldn't help the slight edge in his voice when he greeted her. "So, you're really with that hockey guy now, huh?"
Alessandra looked at him, taken aback. "Yeah....his name's Cole. We've been spending some time together."
Joe nodded, forcing a casual tone. "Well, hope he treats you right. Guess things are pretty serious?"
A part of Alessandra could tell he was fishing, but she only smiled. "We're just enjoying each other's company," she said simply, leaving Joe with more questions than answers.
The following Sunday, the Bengals had a home game, and for the first time, Cole attended to watch Alessandra in action. Seated close to the field with Harlow by his side, Cole couldn't contain his excitement when Alessandra stepped out in her cheerleading uniform, confidently leading her squad through the routine. She looked radiant, her smile lighting up the stadium, and Cole found himself grinning like an idiot, completely entranced by her.
When Alessandra looked over and caught him cheering for her, she laughed and waved, her cheeks flushing.
Harlow nudged him, laughing. "You're a goner, aren't you?"
"Yeah, I am," Cole admitted, shaking his head with a laugh. He'd seen her dedicated to her sport before, but witnessing her in action, leading the energy of the crowd made him admire her even more.
Meanwhile, Joe's gaze had drifted into the stands during warmups, where he spotted Cole cheering Alessandra on. His jaw clenched as he watched her wave back at Cole with a smile. His focus wavered throughout the game, mind caught between his own jealous thoughts and memories of his time with her. The easy chemistry she had with Cole gnawed at him, though he couldn't quite figure out why.
After the game, Alessandra found Cole waiting for her outside the stadium. He scooped her up into a hug, his smile wide. "You were incredible out there, Alé cat. I could see how much this means to you."
Her heart fluttered, feeling completely seen by him. "It's just a part of who I am," she said, her cheeks flushed.
As she looked up at him, Alessandra felt a surge of happiness realizing that her journey had led her exactly where she needed to be. She was in Cincinnati, creating a life and relationship on her own terms, and for the first time in a long time, she knew she'd made the right choice.
