Free Chance of the Heart by Kade Boehme

bargained on the bisexual angle. He’d been jealous then, he was even more jealous now.
     
    Though he wondered about the validity of Chance’s bisexuality because Chance had been so open and free when they’d made lo— fucked . When they’d fucked. But bring up sex between him and Caitlin and he squirmed. At first Bradley thought it was because obviously talking about the girl with the mistress could be awkward. But if Chance brought it up he said things like “sex with a woman isn’t horrible” or some other ringing endorsement of intimacy with the fairer sex.
     
    Was it possible to be that naive? So naive you didn’t realize you were gay until it cock-slapped you in the face? When he thought of sweet Chance, who was possibly one of the most innocent adults he’d ever met, he didn’t think it was wishful thinking to think that, yes… it was possible to be that naive.
     
    He groaned to himself. He needed to stop thinking like that. So what? He had a crush on Chance. Who wouldn’t? Especially after sleeping with him. Caitlin was a fool for letting that boy off the leash.
     
    He’d foolishly confided in his beloved older sister, who’d been quite mature and insisted on singing Chance and Bradley sitting in a tree. She also told him he was too old to be chasing after closet cases. You’d think having that confirmed would help. And it did in a way. He didn’t spend every moment he was around Chance obsessing over how to get him into bed.
     
    A knock on the door derailed the train to crazy town, thank goodness. “Come in.”
     
    His new secretary, Rhonda, popped her head in. “Hon, I’ve got a Chance Becket here to see you.”
     
    “Oh?” Bradley was surprised. Other than seeing Chance when he helped his sister cater a couple of church lunches, he didn’t see him often. He knew Chance attended services with his parents on Sundays, but since that wasn’t Bradley’s thing he only saw the man during working hours. They hadn’t even exchanged numbers yet. “Send him in.”
     
    When Chance came in, clutching his Stetson to his chest, he was like an excited puppy, practically wagging, but trying to cover it for some reason. Bradley couldn’t recall having ever seen the man like this. His cheeks were flushed and eyes twinkling, but he appeared to be holding himself in check.
     
    “What’s up?”
     
    “I’m sorry to barge in like this. I know you’re busy.” When Bradley waved that off, Chance continued, “Okay, so here’s the thing. I’ve saved up a lot of money over the years and I have some inheritance from my grandparents but I don’t know nothin’ about money at all.”
     
    “You’re telling me. I’ve seen your boot collection.” At three-hundred dollars a pop, Chance owned at least ten thousand dollars in footwear.
     
    Chance scowled. “I wanted to show you something when you get off work and I may be jumping the gun and I may not even do it because I’ve got so many other responsibilities but I just saw it and you’re the only person I know who could crunch numbers and…” He took a breath. “Sorry. And I know it’s probably seemed like I’m avoiding you. So this is out of the blue...”
     
    Bradley chuckled. How could he say no to that hopeful face? And if he could help out, why not? It’s not like they were going to fuck. “Okay. Sure. I’ve only got about another hour here. If you want to wait.”
     
    “I can do that. I’ll just go out to my truck. I need to make a phone call.” Bradley didn’t want to know so he just nodded and watched Chance disappear out the door.
     
    “You’ve got to find more friends,” he said to the closed door.
     
     

     
    When Bradley pulled his Jeep up behind Chance’s F-250 in the parking lot of an old building with chipped paint and cracked front windows, he was confused. They were a block from the main drag of Hope Springs. The houses in the area all had recently had their own face lifts and a few new businesses had sprung