Before It's Too Late

Zach Rivas is a family man, or at least, he wants to be. It’s what he’s wanted for years, and it was within his grasp until a couple months ago, when his fiancé broke their engagement. Now, Zach is more lost and alone than ever before, because he’s started to believe that what he wants is out of reach or perhaps, simply not meant to be. Cael Manning didn’t mean to fall in love with his best friend. It just sort of happened. No big deal, right? Wrong. Zach isn’t gay, and Cael isn’t foolish enough to hope that the...

Zach Rivas is a family man, or at least, he wants to be. It’s what he’s wanted for years, and it was within his grasp until a couple months ago, when his fiancé broke their engagement. Now, Zach is more lost and alone than ever before, because he’s started to believe that what he wants is out of reach or perhaps, simply not meant to be. Cael Manning didn’t mean to fall in love with his best friend. It just sort of happened. No big deal, right? Wrong. Zach isn’t gay, and Cael isn’t foolish enough to hope that the closeness they share as friends could ever be anything more.

When a tragic car accident leaves Zach’s sister in the hospital indefinitely, Zach is faced with having to care for his sixteen-month old niece, Taylor. Cael, of course, is right there to help without a second thought. Spending quality time with Taylor and Cael gives Zach a glimpse of the family life he’s wanted for so long. For Cael, unexpected, intimate moments tempt him to reveal how he really feels, but Zach and Taylor are his priority, and he can’t burden Zach anymore than he already is right now with the truth.

Emotionally stressed, Zach leans on Cael more and more, and slowly comes to realize that his best friend may be the person he’s been looking for all along. Even that realization hurts, however, because Cael has always made it perfectly clear that he doesn’t want a relationship with anyone, ever. Everyone else can see that Zach and Cael’s happiness is with each other. If they could only see it for themselves, they each might just get everything they’ve always wanted.