Free By Chance by Sasha Kay Riley

“And apparently, I told him about myself while I was drunk. He’s fine with it.”
    “Is he, too?”
    Vince paused. He’d told Dustin he wasn’t going to tell anyone, and he meant it. He was about to tell her he didn’t know the answer to that when she caught on anyway.
    “Oh my god, that’s why he got kicked out of his house, isn’t it?”
    Vince groaned. “Jane, please. I told him I wasn’t going to tell anyone.”
    “You didn’t tell me,” she argued. “You’re just awkward at conversations that require you to lie like that. I will never let him know that I know before others do. I will say, though—you better go get ’im. You’re already basically in love with him.”
    “Yeah, right,” he practically laughed. “He’s a kid, five years younger than me. He’s hot and all, but I think he’s more like a brother. Plus I’m technically his boss.”
    “Didn’t stop your parents, did it?” she countered. “And who cares that you’re five years older? It’s not like he’s not a legal adult.”
    Vince walked into the living room and dropped down onto the couch. “Jane, I hardly have my life figured out anymore. The last thing I’m going to do right now is start dating the kid and fuck up his life too. He’s happy now, and I’ll be damned if I take that away from him.”
    “Maybe you should find out what he wants instead of being selfish and hiding under a rock for the rest of your life?”
    Vince shifted so he was lying on the couch with his feet dangling off the end. “If he wants something, he’s free to let me know, and then maybe I’d think about it.”
    She did laugh this time. “You expect him to make a move on an older guy who happens to be his boss and has done all these great things for him? He has a stable life there; he’s not just going to risk it like that.”
    “It’s not like I’d make him leave because I don’t want to date him,” Vince argued. “That would be pretty unprofessional.”
    “But how comfortable would he be seeing you every day knowing that you shot him down? Even if he did stay, your friendship would be ruined. You’re going to need to handle it.”
    He groaned and ran a hand through his messy hair. “Dammit, Jane, I’m not going to date Dustin. Or anyone. Seriously, I can take care of myself. Stop rushing me into dating. I can’t go from being with you for two years to suddenly accepting the fact that I like guys overnight. When I’m ready for a relationship, I’ll find a dating website.”
    She sighed. “I guess you’re right. I am pushing you. I just want you to realize that you guys should be together. He loves his horse like you love yours, and you’re good friends. Let it happen.”
    The doorbell rang, making Vince sit up and turn to the door. Dustin was standing on the other side of the door—the screen door. The weather had improved enough to make it sensible to have windows and doors open during the day, and Vince was suddenly terrified. Had Dustin heard any of that conversation?
    “I gotta go, Jane,” he said cautiously.
    “Okay… bye.” She sounded confused but didn’t ask any questions.
    Vince hung up and called for Dustin to let himself in.
    “I just thought I should bring your book back,” he explained, holding up the book he’d been reading the night Vince had been drunk.
    Vince was relieved to see that he was at least acting like he hadn’t overheard his boss talking about dating him. “That’s fine. Help yourself to more if you want.”
    Dustin smiled, and he went to the bookshelf. He put the book back, then grabbed another. It only took five minutes for him to choose a book and thank Vince before leaving again. And the whole time, Vince had sat there telling himself that he couldn’t date the kid, no matter how attractive he was and how good he was with horses—which was a major turn-on for Vince.
    There were too many reasons why it would be a terrible idea to start a relationship with Dustin for him to even let