Always Been You by Nic Starr

What if you fell in love with your best friend?

Ben Cooper has spent his life trying to make others happy and sacrificing his own dreams. When one fateful night with his best friend gives him a glimpse of what the future could be, he needs to find the courage to follow his heart.
One night gives Spencer Henderson a tantalising taste of the man he loves. But he doesn’t fit into Ben’s future plans—Spence is a complication. Running may be the only option to protect his heart.
With trouble escalating at home and Spence out of reach, Ben’s life will finally spiral out of control.

Note: This story has been previously published (as It’s Not Easy). This edition has been revised, expanded, and re-edited, adding approximately 9k words, but the story largely remains unchanged. It is approximately 41k words.
Always Been You is a standalone M/M romance between best friends who fear taking the next step in their relationship and need to find the courage to risk it all for their HEA. It features an emotional hurt/comfort theme.