The morning sun poured through the tall windows of Hayes Dental Care, painting soft gold stripes across the polished floors. The clinic hummed with its usual quiet energy...soft music playing in the waiting room, the faint scent of fresh coffee from the beverage station, assistants moving between rooms with clipboards and smiles. It was just after eight o'clock, and the first patient of the day had arrived.
Alex Ramirez sat in one of the plush gray chairs, trying to look relaxed. He wore a simple black hoodie pulled low, sunglasses still on even indoors, baseball cap shading his face. Fame made private moments hard, but here no one bothered him. A couple patients glanced his way, whispered, then went back to their phones. The swelling in his jaw had gone down a little overnight with ice and pain meds, but the ache was still there...sharp when he talked, dull when he stayed still.
He flipped through a magazine without reading it. His leg bounced under the armrest. He had not slept much. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw that beach again...moonlight, waves, Ethan's lips on his. Three years, and now here he was, waiting like any other patient.
"Alejandro Ramirez?" the receptionist called softly.
Alex stood, towering over the room. "That's me."
"Right this way. Dr. Hayes is ready."
He followed her down the hallway, past framed awards and photos of smiling patients. His heart beat faster than before a big game. The door to exam room one stood open. He stepped inside...bright lights, comfy reclining chair, big screen on the wall showing calm ocean waves. Tools gleamed on a tray...drill, mirror, suction hose...everything clean and modern.
And there he was.
Ethan stood by the computer, reviewing digital x-rays from the team doctor. He wore a crisp white coat over a light blue shirt, sleeves rolled just enough to show strong forearms. His blond hair was neatly styled, blue eyes focused on the screen. He looked older in the best way...more confident, more sure of himself.
Then he turned.
Their eyes met.
Time stopped.
Ethan's lips parted slightly, surprise flashing across his face. The chart in his hand lowered slowly. Alex pulled off his sunglasses, letting Ethan see him fully. The room felt smaller suddenly...charged, like the air before a storm.
"Alex..." Ethan said, voice barely above a whisper.
"Hey, Ethan." Alex's mouth tugged into a small smile, even though it hurt his jaw. "Been a while."
Ethan blinked, then recovered fast...professional mask sliding back into place, but his eyes stayed warm. "Three years. You...you look good. Except for the jaw, I guess."
Alex chuckled low. "Yeah. Took an elbow last night. Team doc said you're the best, so...here I am."
Ethan gestured to the chair. "Have a seat. Let's take a look."
Alex sat back, reclining as the chair moved. Ethan washed his hands thoroughly at the sink, pulled on gloves, adjusted the light. He rolled his stool close, faces only inches apart now. Alex could smell his cologne...clean, subtle, familiar even after all this time.
"Open up for me," Ethan said softly.
Alex opened wide. Ethan leaned in, mirror and explorer in hand. His touch was gentle...professional but careful. He probed the cracked molar, checked the gum line, studied the x-ray again on the screen.
"Lower right second molar...vertical fracture through the crown. Root looks okay, no infection yet. We can save it with a new crown. I'll numb you, remove the damaged part, build a core, and place a temporary today. Permanent one in a couple weeks once it's fabricated."
Alex nodded, mouth still open. "Sounds good, Doc."
Ethan met his eyes again. A small smile played on his lips. "You hate dental work, don't you?"
"How'd you guess?"
"The way you're gripping the armrest." Ethan glanced down. Alex's knuckles were white.
Alex relaxed his hands. "Yeah. Not my favorite. But if it's you...I trust you."
Something soft passed between them. Ethan looked away first, prepping the numbing gel. "This will taste weird, but it'll help."
He applied the gel, then picked up the syringe. "Little pinch."
Alex felt the needle go in...quick, steady. Ethan was good...barely any pain. He injected slowly, massaging the cheek to spread it. Minutes passed as the numbness took hold.
"Feeling it yet?" Ethan asked.
Alex tried to talk. "Yesh...numb."
"Good." Ethan removed the old filling material carefully, drill whirring low. Water sprayed, suction pulled it away. Alex stared at the ceiling, then at Ethan...watching him work. Focused, calm, beautiful.
"You built this place up big," Alex said while Ethan worked. "Saw it online. Congrats."
Ethan paused the drill. "Thanks. Been busy. You...championship ring? MVP? Congrats to you too."
Alex smiled under the light. "Yeah. Good years."
They fell quiet again, but it was comfortable. Ethan shaped the tooth, built the core with composite material that hardened under a blue light. He took impressions with soft putty...Alex biting down gently.
"Temporary crown coming up," Ethan said. He shaped a plastic one, cemented it in place. "Bite together for me."
Alex bit. Ethan adjusted until it felt perfect.
"All done." Ethan peeled off his gloves, lowered the light. "No chewing on that side for a few hours. Soft foods today. I'll call when the permanent is ready."
Alex sat up slowly, working his jaw. "Feels good already. You're magic."
Ethan laughed quietly. "Just practice."
They stood at the same time. Close again. The room felt warmer.
"So..." Alex started.
"So..." Ethan echoed.
"You free after work? Coffee? Catch up for real?"
Ethan hesitated only a second. His smile grew. "Yeah. I'd like that. There's a place down the block. Quiet. Meet you there at six?"
"Six it is."
Alex paid at the front...full price, no celebrity discount...then walked out into the sunshine. His jaw still tingled, but his heart felt light. He slid on his sunglasses and smiled to himself.
Inside, Ethan leaned against the counter after the door closed. Maria raised an eyebrow.
"Everything okay, Doctor Hayes? You look...flustered."
Ethan shook his head, grinning. "Never better."
The rest of the day dragged and flew at the same time. Ethan saw patients...cleanings, fillings, consults for veneers...but his mind kept drifting to six o'clock. Alex kept practicing with the team, running drills, but every free second he thought about blue eyes and gentle hands.
At five fifty-five, Ethan locked the clinic doors. He changed into a casual shirt, checked his hair in the bathroom mirror. Nervous. Excited.
Alex arrived first at the little coffee shop...corner table in the back, away from windows. He stood when Ethan walked in.
"Hey."
"Hey."
They ordered...black coffee for Alex, latte for Ethan...then sat across from each other. The table was small. Knees brushed underneath.
For a minute, neither spoke. Just looked.
"You saved my life that night," Ethan said finally.
"You ran pretty fast for a dentist," Alex teased.
They both laughed. The ice broke.
Talk flowed easy after that. About the years apart...Alex's championships, Ethan's awards...funny stories from games and patients. They skirted around the beach at first, then dove in.
"I never forgot," Alex admitted quietly. "That night. You."
Ethan's eyes softened. "Me neither. Thought about reaching out a thousand times."
"Why didn't we?"
"Life. Timing. Scared, maybe."
Alex reached across the table, fingers brushing Ethan's. "Not scared anymore."
Ethan turned his hand over, lacing their fingers. "Good."
They talked until the shop closed...two hours gone like minutes. When they stepped outside, the sky had turned dark. Streetlights glowed.
"My place isn't far," Ethan said softly. "If you want to keep talking."
Alex smiled slow. "I'd like that."
They walked side by side, hands brushing, hearts racing again.
Three years apart...but the spark never died.
It was only getting started.