He Fell Asleep on His Boss’s Shoulder During a Meeting – Then His Boss Did Something No One Expected
How and Reed had not slept properly in almost 3 weeks.
At first, he told himself it was normal.
People got over breakups in different ways.
Some cried, some drank too much.
Some jumped into new relationships before the old one had even ended.
Howen worked.
That was his solution.
When Ethan walked away after 5 years together, Howland buried himself and worked so deeply that he barely had time to think about it.
If he stayed busy enough, maybe he wouldn’t have to remember all the promises Ethan had made before breaking his heart.
Unfortunately, life didn’t work that way.
The memories always came back at night.
Every night, the empty apartment, the silence, the side of the bed that nobody slept on anymore, the messages he still couldn’t bring himself to delete.
By the time morning arrived, he usually had only managed to sleep 2 or 3 hours.
Then he would force himself out of bed and head straight to work.
For a while, nobody noticed, or at least nobody said anything.
Then came the Meridian Project, the biggest project their company had landed that year.
Tight deadlines, impossible expectations, constant meetings, everyone was under pressure, but Howland was operating on fumes.
The worst part was that his boss noticed.
Justin Carter noticed everything.
At 34, Justin was one of the youngest department heads in the company.
He was respected by almost everyone and feared by the rest.
He wasn’t rude.
He wasn’t cruel.
He was simply demanding.
When Justin gave instructions, people followed them.
When Justin entered a meeting room, conversation stopped.
And when Justin looked disappointed, it somehow felt worse than being yelled at.
At least that’s what most people thought.
Helen had worked under him for almost a year.
He respected him, admired him even, but they weren’t close.
Their conversations usually involved project deadlines, reports, client updates, and not much else, which was why was trying very hard not to embarrass himself during the Monday strategy meeting.
Trying and failing.
The meeting had already been going for almost 3 hours.
20 people sat around the conference table.
Charts filled the giant screen.
Someone was discussing budget projections.
Someone else was arguing about timelines.
Justin stood near the front of the room leading the discussion.
His sleeves were rolled up.
His tie had loosened slightly.
Even after 3 hours, he looked completely focused.
Meanwhile, Howland felt like his body was shutting down.
He blinked, then blinked again.
The words on his laptop started to blur.
His head felt heavy.
He shifted in his chair, straightened his posture, took a sip of coffee.
Nothing helped.
Across the room, Justin continued speaking.
His voice became background noise, then distant noise, then almost nothing at all.
Howland told himself to stay awake.
Just 20 more minutes, maybe 30.
You could survive 30 minutes.
But exhaustion had other plans.
His eyes closed for a second.
Just a second.
Then everything disappeared.
The next thing he knew, the room was completely silent.
Not normal meeting silence.
The kind of silence that made people stop breathing.
Howland slowly opened his eyes.
For a moment, he didn’t understand what was wrong.
Then he realized something warm was against his cheek.
His heart nearly stopped.
He wasn’t sitting upright anymore.
His head was resting against someone’s shoulder.
Justin’s shoulder.
Howen froze.
Every ounce of sleep vanished instantly.
Oh no, no, no, no, no.
He pulled back so quickly that his chair nearly tipped over.
Several people looked away.
Others pretended to focus on their notes.
A few were clearly trying not to laugh.
Howen wanted the floor to open beneath him.
I’m sorry, he blurted out.
Nobody answered.
The silence somehow became worse.
Then Justin calmly looked around the room.
Where were we?
Just like that.
No anger, no lecture, no embarrassment, nothing.
The meeting simply continued.
Howland sat there feeling like he wanted to disappear.
His face burned, his hand shook slightly.
For the next 20 minutes, he barely heard a word anyone said.
The only thing running through his mind was the memory of sleeping on his boss’s shoulder in front of half the department.
When the meeting finally ended, people quickly packed their things and escaped.
Howen was preparing to do the same when he heard Justin’s voice.
Halen, stay for a minute.
Of course, this was it.
The private conversation, the professional warning, maybe even the beginning of the end.
The conference room slowly emptied.
Then it was just the two of them.
Justin closed his laptop.
You look terrible.
That wasn’t what expected.
He let out an awkward laugh.
Thanks.
I’m serious.
Allan looked away.
I’m fine.
Justin raised an eyebrow.
No, you’re not.
The directness caught him off guard.
For a few seconds, neither spoke.
Then Justin asked quietly.
How much sleep did you get last night?
Howen hesitated.
3 hours.
Justin’s expression didn’t change.
What about the night before?
Maybe two.
And before that, howighed.
Does it matter?
Yes.
The answer came immediately.
For some reason, that simple word hit harder than it should have.
Nobody had asked how he was doing in weeks.
Not really.
People asked out of politeness.
Justin sounded like he actually wanted the answer.
Howen rubbed his face.
I’ve had trouble sleeping.
The breakup.
Now it was Howland’s turn to be surprised.
You know about that?
The entire office knows about that.
That was fair.
He and Ethan had been together for years.
Everyone at work had known him.
Everyone knew when things ended, too.
Justin leaned against the conference table.
You don’t have to tell me details.
I’m not asking for details.
Then why are you asking?
Justin studied him for a moment, then said something Howland never expected to hear.
Because you’re running yourself into the ground.
The words landed harder than they should have.
Because they were true.
Completely true.
And for the first time, somebody had actually said out loud.
Howen looked down at the floor.
I’ll be okay.
Maybe.
Justin picked up his phone.
Come on.
What?
Lunch.
I’m not hungry.
That’s not what I asked.
Howen stared at him.
Justin stared back.
A few seconds later, Howland gave up.
5 minutes later, they were sitting in a small cafe across the street.
The situation felt surreal.
An entire year working together, Justin had never invited him anywhere.
Now, they were eating lunch together on a random Monday afternoon, or at least Justin was eating.
Howen mostly pushed food around his plate.
Eventually, Justin pointed at the untouched sandwich.
Eat.
I’m trying.
You’re staring at it.
Howen laughed despite himself.
That earned the faintest smile from Justin.
And somehow that smile changed everything because Howland suddenly realized something.
Justin looked different when he smiled.
Softer, warmer, less like the intimidating department head everyone talked about.
More like an actual person.
The realization caught him completely offguard.
For the first time all day, the tightness in his chest eased.
They talked for another 20 minutes.
Mostly about work, a little about life.
Nothing dramatic, nothing life-changing.
Yet somehow Howland left feeling lighter than he had in weeks.
When they returned to the office, Justin stopped near the elevators.
Go home on time tonight.
Howland immediately rolled his eyes.
I always do.
Justin just looked at him.
That wasn’t convincing.
Then he walked away.
The rest of the day passed surprisingly quickly.
For once, Howen actually left the office before 8.
He drove home, made himself dinner.
Try not to think about Ethan, try not to think about the meeting, and definitely try not to think about Justin.
None of those attempts were particularly successful.
Around 10:30, he was sitting on his couch scrolling through emails when his phone vibrated.
A message unknown feeling immediately turned into confusion when he opened it.
It was Justin.
Just one sentence.
Did you make it home?
Howen stared at the screen.
A strange warmth spread through his chest.
It wasn’t a romantic message.
It wasn’t even a personal message, but somehow it felt important because nobody had checked on him in a very long time.
His fingers hovered over the keyboard before he finally typed back.
Yeah.
Made it home.
A few seconds later, another message appeared.
Good.
That was it.
Nothing else, no explanation, no reason, just one word.
Good.
Howland sat there looking at the screen for far longer than he should have.
Then for the first time in weeks, he found himself smiling.
And for reasons he couldn’t quite explain, he had a feeling that sleeping on Justin Carter’s shoulder might end up changing far more than just his reputation at work.
The next morning, Howen Reed woke up with a strange feeling that something had changed.
Even though his apartment looked exactly the same as it had the day before, the dishes were still sitting in the sink.
The television remote was still on the coffee table, and the silence that had followed Ethan’s departure still hung over every room.
Yet, despite all of that, the memory of yesterday’s lunch kept replaying in his head.
He remembered falling asleep during the meeting, remembered waking up with his head on Justin Carter’s shoulder, remembered wanting to disappear from embarrassment, and most of all, remembered the fact that Justin had not laughed at him, humiliated him, or treated him like an inconvenience.
Instead, Justin had taken him to lunch, made him eat, and then sent a text message later that night just to make sure he had gotten home safely.
It was such a small thing, yet somehow it had stayed with him far longer than it should have.
Unfortunately, the good mood lasted only until he looked at the clock.
He had slept for less than 4 hours again.
Howland groaned, dragged himself out of bed, and headed toward [clears throat] the shower.
He spent nearly 10 minutes standing under hot water, hoping it would wake him up.
But by the time he arrived at the office, his body still felt heavy and sluggish.
The lack of sleep was catching up to him faster than he wanted to admit.
He knew Justin had been right yesterday, but admitting that to himself felt dangerously close to admitting he wasn’t handling things as well as he pretended.
The morning started normally enough.
Emails, reports, client updates, budget revisions.
Howland buried himself in work and managed to avoid thinking about his personal life for several hours.
Around 11:00, however, he began feeling unusually cold despite the office temperature being perfectly normal.
At first, he ignored it.
Then came a headache, then the sore throat, then the pressure behind his eyes.
By lunchtime, he knew exactly what was happening.
He was getting sick.
Under normal circumstances, he would have gone home, but the Meridian project was entering a critical phase, and leaving early felt impossible.
He convinced himself he could push through one more day.
That decision lasted approximately 20 minutes.
Howen was reviewing a stack of documents when someone stopped beside his desk.
He looked up and immediately straightened in his chair.
“Justin,” his boss saw the paper cup in one hand and a small pharmacy bag in the other.
“What happened to you?”
Justin asked.
Helen blinked.
“What do you mean?
You look worse than yesterday.”
“I’m fine.”
Justin stared at him.
The silence lasted long enough to become uncomfortable.
Finally, Justin set both items on the desk.
You’re terrible at lying.
Howen glanced at the pharmacy bag.
What is that?
Cold medicine.
You bought me medicine.
I walked past a pharmacy.
That’s not an answer.
It’s the only answer you’re getting.
Despite feeling miserable, Howland found himself smiling.
Justin pointed toward the paper cup.
Drink the tea while it’s still hot.
You bought me tea too.
You asked too many questions.
The conversation should have ended there, but for some reason, neither of them moved immediately.
Howen found himself looking up at Justin while Justin continued studying him with an expression that was difficult to read.
Finally, Justin side.
Did you even eat breakfast?
Howen hesitated.
That was apparently enough of an answer.
Justin rubbed his forehead.
Unbelievable.
I wasn’t hungry.
That’s not how food works.
I know how food works.
Clearly not.
Helen laughed quietly.
The sound seemed to surprise Justin slightly.
For a brief moment, something softened in his expression before he stepped back and returned to his office.
The entire interaction lasted less than 3 minutes, but it left Howen staring at the teacup for much longer than he intended.
No boss had ever treated him like that before.
No boss had ever noticed.
The rest of the afternoon passed in a blur.
The medicine helped slightly, but not enough.
By 4:00, his headache had intensified, and focusing on spreadsheets felt almost impossible.
He kept making mistakes, forcing himself to reread the same numbers over and over.
At 5:30, most employees began leaving for the day.
Howen remained at his desk.
There was simply too much work to finish.
The office slowly emptied until only a handful of people remained.
At some point, he rested his forehead against his hand for a moment, then another moment, then a little longer.
The next thing he knew, a voice interrupted his thoughts.
Helen.
He looked up.
Justin was standing there again.
Why are you still here?
Working?
You’re barely conscious.
I need to finish this report.
No.
The answer came immediately.
Helen frowned.
No, no.
Justin walked around the desk and looked directly at the screen.
This report can wait until tomorrow.
The deadline is Friday.
Today is Tuesday.
Still go home.
Howen leaned back in his chair.
I’ll leave in an hour.
Justin folded his arms.
No.
For some reason, the argument felt oddly familiar despite never happening before.
Howen opened his mouth to protest again.
Then suddenly the room tilted slightly, not enough to fall, just enough to make him realize how exhausted he actually was.
Justin noticed immediately.
The concern flashed across his face so quickly that Howland almost thought he imagined it.
Almost.
Without another word, Justin reached over and closed the laptop.
Hey, my report.
Tomorrow.
Justin.
Tomorrow.
For several seconds, neither moved.
Then Howland finally surrendered.
“Fine, good.”
Justin grabbed his coat from the back of a nearby chair.
“Come on.
What now?
I’m walking you out.
That’s unnecessary.”
“Humor me.”
They rode the elevator down together.
The ride was quiet.
Not awkward, just quiet.
For some reason, Howland found himself enjoying it.
When the doors opened into the parking garage, they walked side by side toward the employee parking section.
Halfway there, Justin suddenly spoke.
Can I ask you something?
Sure.
When was the last time you had a day off?
Howen thought about it, then realized he genuinely couldn’t remember.
Justin noticed the answer before he spoke it.
That’s what I thought.
They continued walking.
After a few moments, Howland looked over.
Why do you care so much?
The question escaped before he could stop it.
Justin slowed slightly.
For a second, Howland thought he had crossed the line.
Then Justin answered, “Because burnout doesn’t make you impressive.”
Howland frowned.
“What?
You act like destroying yourself somehow proves your dedication.
That’s not what I’m doing, isn’t it?”
The question lingered.
Howan looked away.
Part of him wanted to argue.
Another part knew Justin was right.
They reached Hen’s car.
Neither immediately moved.
The silence settled between them again.
This time it felt different, less professional, more personal.
Justin looked tired too, Howland realized.
Not physically tired, emotionally tired, like someone carrying weight nobody else could see.
The thought caught him off guard.
For the first time, he wondered what Justin’s life looked like outside the office.
Who checked on him when he got home?
Who worried about him?
Who told him to rest?
The answer that immediately came to mind was nobody.
And strangely, that realization made Howland sad.
Get some sleep, Justin said.
I’ll try.
I’m serious.
I know.
Justin nodded.
Ben turned to leave.
After taking a few steps, he stopped.
Howen?
Yeah.
If you’re still sick tomorrow, stay home.
Helen smiled.
You know that’s not going to happen.
Justin looked completely unimpressed.
Unfortunately, yes.
For the first time since Howen had started working under him, Justin actually smiled.
A real smile.
Not the small almost smiles he occasionally gave during meetings.
An actual smile.
And suddenly Howland understood why people always said certain moments stayed with you forever.
Because that smile did.
It hit him so unexpectedly that he forgot how to respond.
Justin seemed to realize the effect he had accidentally created because his expression shifted immediately back toward professionalism.
Good night, Howen.
Then he walked away.
Howen sat in his car for several minutes afterward, staring through the windshield.
His headache was still there.
His throat still hurt.
His life was still a mess.
None of that had changed.
And yet, for reasons he couldn’t explain, he felt lighter than he had in months.
That night, after taking medicine and forcing himself to eat something, he collapsed onto his couch and eventually drifted into an exhausted sleep.
Several hours later, he woke briefly when his phone vibrated on the coffee table.
A text message.
Half asleep, he unlocked the screen.
It was Justin.
Just three words.
Take your medicine.
Howen stared at the message, then laughed quietly to himself.
Maybe he really was getting sick.
Because surely there was no reason those three simple words should make his heartbeat a little faster than normal.
Yet somehow they did.
And for the first time since Ethan left, Howland fell back asleep with a small smile on his face.
By Thursday morning, Howen Reed was finally starting to feel human again.
The cold medicine had done its job.
He had managed to get almost 6 hours of uninterrupted sleep the night before.
And for the first time in weeks, his reflection in the bathroom mirror didn’t look like someone recovering from a disaster.
Unfortunately, the universe apparently considered that improvement temporary because the moment he arrived at work, he found an email waiting in his inbox with a subject line, urgent project visit.
The sender was Justin Carter.
The message was short.
The Meridian project site inspection has been moved forward.
Client requested immediate review.
You and I leave tomorrow morning.
Details attached.
Helen read it twice, then once more.
A two-day business trip.
Just him and Justin.
He immediately hated how aware he became of that fact.
Not because the trip itself was unusual.
They had traveled for projects before, though usually with larger teams.
What bothered him was that ever since Monday’s meeting and everything that followed, being around Justin had started affecting him differently, and he wasn’t entirely sure what to do about it.
Over the past 3 days, Justin had checked on him more than anyone else in his life.
The medicine, the tea, the messages, the concern, none of it crossed professional boundaries.
None of it was inappropriate.
Yet somehow it felt more personal than anything Howland had experienced in months.
The problem was that he had started looking forward to it.
That realization alone was dangerous enough.
By noon, the entire department knew about the trip.
Unfortunately, that included Olivia from accounting, the office’s unofficial gossip network.
When she passed Allen’s desk, she stopped and casually leaned against the petition.
So immediately knew he wasn’t going to enjoy this conversation.
So what?
You and Justin?
No.
I didn’t ask a question.
Still no.
Olivia laughed.
You know, most people don’t blush when their boss texts them after work.
Howland nearly choked on his coffee.
I don’t blush.
You absolutely do.
I have work.
You always have work.
And you always have gossip.
That’s because people keep giving me material.
Howen pointed toward her department.
Go away.
Still laughing.
She finally left.
Unfortunately, her words lingered.
Because part of him knew why she noticed.
Part of him knew he had started paying too much attention to Justin.
The way he rolled up his sleeves during meetings.
The way he concentrated when reading reports.
The way his voice became softer during private conversations.
The fact that Howland now recognized the difference between Justin’s professional smile and his real smile.
That realization should have worried him more than it did.
The next morning arrived quickly.
At 6:30, Howen was standing outside the office building with a travel bag and a large coffee.
The company car was already waiting.
Justin was standing beside it, dark jacket, black jeans, travel mug in hand.
For some reason, seeing him outside the office made him seem younger, less intimidating, more approachable.
Justin glanced up.
Morning.
Morning.
You look better.
I’ll take that as a compliment.
It is.
That simple answer somehow improved Howland’s mood immediately.
The drive took almost 3 hours.
At first they discussed project schedules, then clients, then budgets.
Then eventually neither felt like talking about work anymore.
The conversation shifted naturally.
Movies, travel, music, random stories from college.
For the first time, Howen found himself laughing around Justin without thinking about it.
And surprisingly, Justin laughed too quite a lot.
By the time they reached the project site, the atmosphere between them felt noticeably different.
Comfortable, easy, dangerously easy.
The inspection itself took most of the afternoon.
They met contractors, reviewed plans, walked through unfinished sections of the building, answered client questions.
By 5:00, both were exhausted.
Justin checked his watch.
We should head to the hotel, please.
The hotel wasn’t luxurious.
Just practical.
The kind companies booked for business travel.
Howland grabbed his suitcase while Justin checked them in.
A few minutes later, Justin returned holding two key cards.
Then his expression changed.
What?
Justin rubbed the back of his neck.
Minor problem.
What kind of problem?
The kind where apparently a local convention booked every available room.
Howen frowned.
What does that mean?
It means they only have one room left.
Silence.
Justin looked equally annoyed.
Neither spoke for several seconds.
Finally, Howen shrugged.
It’s one night.
It’s one room.
We survived a 3-hour budget meeting.
Fair point.
10 minutes later, they entered the room.
Thankfully, two beds, not one.
Howen silently thanked every force in the universe.
The room wasn’t large, but it was fine.
After dropping off their bags, they headed out for dinner.
A small restaurant nearby.
Nothing fancy, just burgers and drinks.
The conversation flowed surprisingly easily.
At one point, Howland realized they had been talking for almost 2 hours.
Not about work, not about deadlines, just life, normal life, the kind of conversation he hadn’t enjoyed in a long time.
Outside, however, the weather had changed dramatically.
Rain poured from the sky.
By the time they left the restaurant, the storm was in full force.
Damn.
Justin looked upward.
We’re getting soaked.
The hotel was only a few blocks away.
Normally, that wouldn’t matter.
Tonight, it mattered a lot.
The rain came down in sheets.
Within seconds, both men were drenched.
They ran beneath a small storefront awning halfway down the street.
Howen laughed breathlessly.
We should have stayed another 10 minutes.
We should have checked the forecast.
Lightning flashed.
Thunder followed.
The rain only got worse.
The awning barely covered both of them.
Without thinking, just in step closer, then closer again until their shoulders touched.
The movement shouldn’t have felt significant.
Yet somehow it did.
Howland suddenly became very aware of everything.
The warmth of Justin’s body, the smell of rain, the way Justin’s hair looked slightly messy for once, the fact that they were standing far closer than they ever had before.
Neither moved away, neither said anything.
The world seemed strangely quiet despite the storm.
Then Justin removed his jacket.
What are you doing?
Come here.
What?
Come here.
Before Howland could argue, Justin lifted the jacket over both of them, creating a makeshift shelter from the rain.
The distance between them disappeared entirely.
Now they were practically shoulderto-shoulder.
Close enough that Howland could hear Justin breathing.
Close enough to notice the faint stubble along his jaw.
Close enough to realize this situation was becoming increasingly dangerous for his sanity.
Neither spoke.
Neither seemed eager to move.
For one strange moment, time felt suspended.
Justin looked at him.
Alan looked back and suddenly the rest of the world disappeared.
No project, no office, no deadlines, just the realization hit hard enough to steal his breath.
Fortunately or unfortunately, a passing truck splashed water onto the sidewalk.
Both immediately jumped backward.
The moment shattered.
Justin cleared his throat.
We should probably run for it.
Yeah.
They practically sprinted back to the hotel.
By the time they reached the lobby, both were laughing again.
The tension faded mostly.
Back in a room, they changed into dry clothes.
Howen assumed the evening was over.
It wasn’t.
Around 10:00, Justin appeared from the bathroom carrying two beers from the vending machine downstairs.
He tossed one toward Howland.
Caught.
Thanks.
They sat on separate beds, television playing quietly in the background, neither paying attention.
The conversation resumed, slower this time, more personal.
Eventually, Justin stared at his beer bottle, then spoke.
I used to think I’d be married by 30.
The comment caught off guard.
What happened?
Justin smiled faintly.
Life.
Something in his tone suggested there was more.
Howen waited.
A few seconds later, Justin continued, “There was someone.”
Howan immediately understood a relationship?
A serious one.
We were together for almost 4 years.
What happened?
Justin was quiet for several moments.
“My parents.”
How frowned.
What do you mean?
Justin stared at the label on the bottle.
They never accepted that I was gay.
The words landed heavily.
They tolerated it.
He laughed bitterly, which isn’t the same thing.
Howen remained silent.
Justin continued.
He got tired of waiting for things to change.
Did they?
No.
The answer came immediately, so he left.
For the first time, Howen saw genuine sadness behind Justin’s usual calm exterior.
Not fresh pain, old pain.
The kind that never fully disappeared.
I’m sorry.
Justin shrugged.
It was years ago.
Still.
Yeah.
Silence settled again.
This time it felt different, more intimate, more vulnerable.
Eventually, Justin looked over.
What about you?
Howen laughed softly.
Ethan cheated.
Justin blinked.
What?
Pretty simple story.
No, it isn’t.
Howen stared toward the ceiling.
We were together 5 years.
His voice sounded strangely calm.
I thought we were building a future.
What happened?
He met someone else.
Justin’s jaw tightened.
That’s it.
That’s it.
And he just laughed.
Eventually, the room fell quiet.
Then Justin said something that surprised him.
He’s an idiot.
Howen laughed.
A real laugh.
You don’t even know him.
I know enough.
The warmth spreading through Howland’s chest had nothing to do with the beer.
They talked until after midnight.
About relationships, about mistakes, about loneliness, about things neither usually discussed.
At some point, the conversation slowed.
Neither seemed eager to end it.
Justin leaned back against the headboard.
Howen did the same.
The room became quiet, comfortably quiet.
Then Justin looked over.
Their eyes met and stayed there longer than they should have, much longer.
Howen felt his pulse speeding up.
Justin didn’t look away either.
The air between them suddenly felt charged, different, dangerous.
For one impossible second, Howland genuinely thought Justin might lean forward.
And the terrifying part was that he wasn’t sure he would stop him.
Then Justin looked away first.
The moment vanished.
Just like that.
Neither acknowledged it.
Neither mentioned it.
A few minutes later, they both turned off the lights.
The room fell dark.
Howland stared at the ceiling.
Sleep should have come easily.
It didn’t because every time he closed his eyes, he saw Justin standing beneath the rain.
Justin sharing a jacket with him.
Justin opening up about his past.
Justin looking at him the way he had a few minutes ago.
And sometime around 2 in the morning, Howland finally admitted something to himself that he had been avoiding for days.
This wasn’t admiration anymore.
This wasn’t gratitude.
This wasn’t a harmless crush that would disappear after a few weeks.
Somewhere between the conference room, the medicine, the late night texts, and the storm outside a small restaurant, he had started falling for Justin Carter.
And judging by the look they had shared before turning off the lights, he wasn’t entirely sure Justin was unaffected either.
When Hal and Reed returned from the business trip, he made a decision that lasted exactly 48 hours.
He was going to stop thinking about Justin Carter.
It sounded reasonable in theory.
In practice, it turned out to be nearly impossible.
The problem wasn’t that Justin had done anything inappropriate during the trip.
In fact, that was exactly the problem.
Everything Justin had done had been thoughtful, considerate, and completely harmless.
He had shared meals with him, listened when Howen talked, opened up about his own past, and somehow managed to make Howland feel more understood in two days than most people had managed in years.
If Justin had flirted openly, crossed boundaries, or made things obvious, maybe Howland could have dealt with it.
Instead, Justin remained exactly the same professional, responsible man he had always been, which somehow made everything worse.
By Monday morning, Howland found himself watching the glass wall of Justin’s office far more often than he should have.
He noticed when Justin arrived.
He noticed when Justin left meetings.
He noticed when Justin smiled.
Most importantly, he noticed that Justin seemed determined to pretend nothing had changed after the trip.
At first, Howland told himself that was a good thing.
Then it started bothering him.
The easy conversations from the hotel were gone.
The personal questions disappeared.
The late night feeling that something important had almost happened now felt like it existed only inside Howen’s imagination.
Three days passed, then four, then five, and somehow Justin seemed more distant than before.
Not rude, not cold, just careful, too careful.
The realization frustrated Howen more than he wanted to admit.
By Friday afternoon, he was sitting at his desk trying to finish a project report when a familiar voice interrupted him.
Helen, his stomach immediately tightened.
Not because of the voice itself, because he recognized it instantly.
Ethan Howland looked up.
There he was, standing in a lobby entrance holding a bouquet of flowers.
For a second, Howland genuinely wondered if he was hallucinating.
Then Ethan smiled.
The same smile Howland had once loved.
The same smile that now only reminded him of betrayal.
“What are you doing here?”
Ethan looked surprisingly nervous.
“I wanted to see you.
You could have called.
You stopped answering.
There’s a reason for that.
Several nearby employees were already watching.
Exactly what didn’t need.
Ethan glanced around.
Can we talk somewhere else?
Every instinct told to refuse.
Unfortunately, curiosity got the better of him.
10 minutes later, they were sitting at a small cafe across the street.
The flowers remained untouched on the empty chair beside Ethan.
What do you want?
Ethan.
Straight to business.
We don’t have anything else to discuss.
The words sounded harsher than how intended.
Ethan looked down briefly.
I messed up.
You did.
I know.
Silence followed.
Then Ethan leaned forward.
I think about you every day.
Helen almost laughed.
3 months ago, that sentence would have shattered him.
Now it mostly made him tired.
Ethan, just listen.
No.
Ethan blinked.
No, you had 5 years to say what mattered.
The words came easier than how unexpected.
You had 5 years to choose me.
Ethan’s expression tightened.
I made a mistake.
You made a decision.
They’re not the same thing.
They’re when you keep making them.
The conversation continued for almost 20 minutes.
Apologies, regrets, promises, excuses.
Howen listened because he needed closure, not because he believed any of it.
Eventually, Ethan said the one thing Howland had been expecting all afternoon.
I want another chance.
There it was.
The real reason.
Howen looked at him quietly, then shook his head.
No.
Ethan stared.
Helen.
No.
This time, the answer felt final, complete, certain.
For the first time since the breakup, he wasn’t saying no because he was angry.
He was saying no because he genuinely meant it.
Whatever had existed between them was over.
Ethan saw it, too.
The realization crossed his face immediately.
Before either could continue, movement outside the cafe window caught Howen’s attention.
A Black Company vehicle stopped at the curb.
Justin stepped out.
For a brief second, their eyes met through the glass.
Then Justin looked away.
The moment lasted perhaps 2 seconds, maybe three.
Yet, something about it felt wrong.
Very wrong.
Justin continued walking without stopping, without waving, without acknowledging anything.
Howen’s stomach sank.
The conversation with Ethan ended shortly afterward.
When he finally returned to the office, Justin was nowhere to be found.
The rest of the afternoon passed in silence.
No messages, no casual conversations, nothing.
By Monday, the situation had become impossible to ignore.
Justin was avoiding him.
Every interaction became strictly professional.
Every conversation happened in front of other people.
Every personal moment disappeared.
Howen hated how much it bothered him.
On Wednesday evening, after another frustrating day, he finally decided he was done pretending.
At 7:30, most employees had already left.
Justin’s office light remained on.
Howland stared at the door for several seconds, then stood up.
A few moments later, he was knocking.
Come in.
Justin looked up from his laptop.
His expression immediately became guarded.
Helen, we need to talk.
Justin leaned back slightly.
About you know exactly about what?
For several seconds, neither spoke.
Then Justin closed the laptop.
The gesture felt strangely final.
What do you want me to say?
The truth will be a nice start.
Justin laughed once.
Not because anything was funny, because he was tired.
The truth?
Yes.
The truth is I have work.
That’s not the truth.
No.
Justin looked away.
It isn’t.
Silence stretched between them.
Howland took a step closer.
Why are you avoiding me?
Justin didn’t answer immediately.
That alone was answer enough.
Because of Ethan?
Still nothing.
And being there bothered you.
Justin stood.
Now they were only a few feet apart.
You should leave.
No.
Helen.
No.
The firmness surprised even him.
For the first time, Justin seemed genuinely unsure what to do.
You don’t get to disappear after everything that happened.
Justin looked at him.
What exactly happened?
The question hit harder than expected.
Howen opened his mouth, then stopped because he wasn’t entirely sure how to answer.
The trip, the rain, the conversations, the looks, the almost moments.
None of those things technically meant anything.
Yet they meant everything.
Justin exhaled slowly.
That’s what I thought.
The disappointment in his voice [clears throat] hurt.
Howen, you’re vulnerable right now.
What does that mean?
It means your relationship ended recently.
It ended months ago.
It still affects you.
Of course, it affects me.
Justin shook his head.
Exactly.
Understanding finally clicked in a place.
Anger followed immediately.
You think this is about Ethan?
I think you’re hurting.
You think I’m confused?
Justin didn’t answer, which was basically a yes.
Something snapped.
Maybe it was frustration.
Maybe it was fear.
Maybe it was weeks of unspoken feelings finally reaching their limit.
Howen stepped closer.
What if I’m not confused?
Justin froze.
What if I know exactly what I feel?
The room became painfully quiet.
Neither looked away.
Neither moved.
For the first time since the business trip, there was nowhere left to hide.
Justin’s voice dropped.
Helen, what?
You don’t understand?
Then explain it.
A muscle tightened in Justin’s jaw.
Finally, after what felt like forever, he spoke.
I hated seeing him with you.
The confession landed like a physical impact.
Halen’s pulse immediately accelerated.
What?
I hated it.
Justin looked away briefly before forcing himself to continue.
I hated watching him sit across from you.
His voice was quieter now, more honest.
I hated wondering if you’d give him another chance.
Howen couldn’t breathe.
The room suddenly felt much too small.
Why?
The word barely emerged above a whisper.
Justin laughed bitterly, as if the answer should have been obvious, as if he was exhausted from fighting it.
Then finally, he looked directly in a Hound’s eyes.
Because I like you.
Silence.
Absolute silence.
For one impossible moment, the entire world seemed to stop moving.
Howen stared at him.
Justin stared back.
Neither moved.
Neither spoke.
The confession hung between them.
Real, undeniable, terrifying.
Every emotion Howen had been trying to ignore for weeks suddenly rushed to the surface.
The concern, the messages, the lunches, the rain, the way Justin looked at him, the way he looked at Justin, everything suddenly made sense.
Howland Justin’s voice sounded rough, unsteady, nothing like his normal self.
But how wasn’t listening anymore because for the first time in months, maybe years, he knew exactly what he wanted.
Slowly, he stepped forward.
Justin didn’t move.
Neither of them looked away.
Howen reached up.
His fingers brushed Justin’s jaw.
A tiny touch, barely there.
Yet Justin inhaled sharply.
The distance between them disappeared.
Neither needed words anymore.
The moment had already said everything.
Justin’s hand closed gently around Howland’s wrist.
Their eyes met.
The tension became almost unbearable.
Then slowly, naturally, they leaned closer.
Neither rushed.
Neither hesitated.
Months of loneliness, weeks of confusion, days of frustration.
Everything led to this.
Their faces were only inches apart.
Then a few inches became one.
And just as their lips were about to meet, a phone rang.
The sound exploded through the silence.
Both froze.
For a second, neither moved.
Then Howen glanced down.
The screen lit up.
One name, Ethan.
The timing couldn’t have been worse.
Howland immediately rejected the call.
Then looked back up.
I’m not answering.
Justin saw the screen, saw the name, saw everything.
Something changed in his expression.
Not anger, not jealousy, something sadder, something more complicated.
Slowly, Justin stepped back.
The distance returned.
Justin.
He shook his head.
Don’t.
What?
Justin looked away.
For several seconds, he seemed unable to find the right words.
When he finally spoke, his voice was calm.
Too calm.
I don’t want to be someone’s second choice.
Howen stared.
You’re not.
Maybe I’m not choosing Ethan.
But you still have to choose.
The words landed heavily because part of Justin was right.
Not about Ethan.
About closure, about the past, about finally deciding what came next.
Justin grabbed his jacket.
Helen, what are you doing?
I need some time.
Justin, I mean it.
He moved toward the door, then stopped.
Without turning around, he spoke quietly.
When I come back, silence.
I hope you’ll know your answer.
Then he left.
Just like that.
The office door closed, and Howland found himself standing alone in the empty room.
A few moments later, his phone vibrated again.
This time, it wasn’t a call.
It was a message from Justin.
Only one sentence.
When I come back, I hope you’ll know who you really want.
Howland stared at the screen, then looked down at the recent call notification.
Ethan, then back at Justin’s message.
For the first time all night, fear replaced certainty because he knew exactly who he wanted.
The problem was convincing Justin of that before it became too late.
So now the question is no longer whether Justin and Howen have feelings for each other.
The truth is finally out.
But after years of heartbreak, disappointment, and emotional scars, can Howen truly leave the past behind and choose the future standing right in front of him?
And more importantly, when Justin returns, will he still be willing to risk his heart for someone he’s afraid might walk away?
Their story is only beginning, and the biggest challenges are still ahead.
To find out what happens next, continue listening to the exclusive bonus chapters available on Patreon, where the romance deepens, the stakes grow higher, and the rest of Justin and Howland’s journey unfolds.
