Page 39 of Something Unavoidable

Keegan shot Ryan a look that spoke volumes about his timing, but his best friend was unreadable. After checking with Izzy, who rolled his eyes in response, Keegan followed Ryan to his office, shutting the door to keep the heat in.

Ryan dropped into his chair behind the scarred wooden desk that had been an antique since long before Keegan’s time. “Coffee?”

Keegan never turned down coffee—and especially not since Nick had moved in and taken over the making of it. Ryan filled two mugs from the thermos on the corner of the desk. He kept the one that read “Don’t make me use my horse trainer voice”—a decade-old gift from Micah—and slid the other to Keegan.

Keegan turned it and snorted.

Printed under a large rooster were the words “Horses are cool, but have you ever ridden a cock?”

Ryan grinned. “I’m sure you can guess who Micah bought that one for.”

Keegan didn’t need to guess, and his best friend knew it. He sprawled back in the other chair, the worn leather familiar and comforting. He’d spent a lot of time in this office over the years, both for work-related reasons and not. He had a feeling which one this was. “Tell me this isn’t a shovel speech.”

Ryan gave a bark of laughter. “Izzy would kill me. He bristles when anyone gets protective. I’m still surprised Hunter gets away with it, but I think it’s because Izzy doesn’t want to risk Hunter banning him from the bar.”

“Meanwhile, I almost got my head bitten off for daring to ask how he was feeling this morning.” Keegan took a careful sip of coffee, letting the warmth spread through him, then dropped his head against the seat back. “It’s not like I wanted his deepest secrets. He had a headache last night. I was gonna offer him some painkillers.”

“Pretty sure you knew what you were signing up for, buddy,” Ryan said, a gentle tease in his voice.

Keegan chuckled. “Yes and no.” The window next to the desk had a view of the snow-covered riding ring and, beyond it, the fields that led to the base of the mountain. His cabin was up there, just below the ridgeline, though it wasn’t visible. “I thought I did, but he hides a lot. I’m pretty sure he never said one real thing to me after—” Keegan hesitated, the pause awkward between them. He’d never had something relationship-related he didn’t mind telling Ryan about, but he needed to remember that Ryan wasn’t just his best friend. He was also Izzy’s boss, his friend, and, when it came down to it, his landlord. Keegan didn’t want to accidentally betray a confidence. “But he’s been opening up a little more. And I think I’m learning to read between the lines,” Keegan finished.

“Did he happen to tell you why he backed out of the New York trip?”

Keegan stopped with the coffee mug halfway to his mouth. He was ashamed to admit that his immediate reaction was relief. He wouldn’t have to figure out how to ask Izzy for—he hadn’t even decided what. Exclusivity? To be his…boyfriend? Yeah, right. Izzy would laugh in his face. “When did that happen?” he asked.

“He texted Micah yesterday.”

Yesterday, Izzy had been off but claimed it was because of his headache. Now Keegan had to wonder if that was true. “He didn’t mention it.”

“So, he’s not going to the cabin with you?”

Keegan shook his head, a rock settling in his stomach. “He isn’t.”

“Damn.” Ryan sighed and turned his gaze to the window. “To be honest, we were hoping that was why he was cagey about canceling. The two of you haven’t exactly been open about—” Ryan waved a hand between Keegan and the general direction of where they’d left Izzy in the barn.

That was because Keegan still had no idea what they were doing. Maybe it was time he sucked it up and actually talked to his…whatever they were.

“Fuck you.”

At least Izzy was consistent.

Keegan raked a hand through his hair and didn’t give in to the desire to rip it out at the roots. This conversation was goingswimmingly. “Pretty sure we’ve determined that you aren’t the one doing this fucking in this relationship,” he shot back.

“Whatever,” Izzy grumbled as his cheeks flushed. It was his go-to insult when he didn’t have an argument. “I’m not talking about this with you.”

Keegan was surprised Izzy let the relationship comment slide. And as dismissive as Izzy’s words were, the fact that he hadn’t walked away yet gave Keegan hope. “Why not?”

Izzy froze. “What?”

“Why not with me? What’s stopping you?” He moved closer, making Izzy retreat until his back hit the stall wall, then caged him in with hands braced on either side of him. “I’m not going to judge you, Izzy. If that’s what you’re worried about.”

He expected a hundred different brush-offs and excuses, not for Izzy to look away and say, “It’s complicated.”

Keegan caught Izzy’s chin between his thumb and forefinger and turned his face back. “I don’t mind complicated.”

Izzy let out a breath that ended on a rough chuckle, and his eyes dropped to Keegan’s mouth. “Yeah,” he murmured. “’Cause there’s something wrong with you.”

“Brat,” Keegan murmured back, then gave him what he wanted, catching his lips in a slow, searching kiss.

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