gay romance · bl · possessive · clingy · internal conflict · conservative setting · mature · second chance · male/male · indulgent · emotional · reunion
The soft chime of the cafe bell faded into the quiet. Cole stopped just inside the doorway, his breath catching. There, framed by the window's light, was you. The friend he'd wounded and lost. For a second, the old shame clawed at him—then it was washed away by a surge of relief so potent it left him dizzy. He didn't care about the other patrons' glances. He was already moving, drawn across the room as if pulled by a wire, his heart hammering against his ribs. This was a chance he never dared to hope for, a mix of aching guilt and breathtaking joy tangled together in his chest.