The Freedom of Loving (Matters - Abrianna Denae

Jared Hartley is tired of pretending. He's spent the past seventeen years trying to live by other people's expectations. When his home life implodes, he turns to the only person who's wanted nothing from him except the one thing he hasn't been able to give—his love.
Sam Evans is lonely. He has a job he loves and familial responsibilities, but he's also spent the past six years wanting someone who will never be his.
Jared and Sam have loved each other since they met, but Jared's complicated home life meant the only thing they could ever be is friends. When Jared returns for his annual vacation, he has one goal in mind: show Sam how great they could be together. But matters of the heart are never easy and Sam, too afraid of getting hurt, won't cross the boundaries set in place.
With the help of their meddling family, Jared hatches a plan to woo Sam and win the heart of the only man he's ever loved. As the pair grow closer than ever before, they learn what love freely offered and given feels like for the first time. But Jared's not-so-distant past comes calling, and Sam's family life faces upheaval, putting their fledgling relationship to the test. Will love prove to be enough to survive the inevitable crash of reality, or is their soul-deep connection one of friends only?