Very long-term slow burn where one MC pines over his long-term friend who's married
I recently read >!To Ghosts & Gravity by Kat Marowe!<, and there were 2 minor characters whose relationship I would like to see depicted in its own book.
Essentially, the 2 characters were friends, and one of them absolutely pined for the other. However, the other considered himself straight, and didn't reciprocate until both characters were in their mid 40s. Despite the unrequited feelings, the characters stayed in each other's lives, and it was even described that the first went on holidays with the second's wife and kids.
Things I'm looking for:
- the 2 MCs are/were friends for at least a good while
- romantic pining
- angst
- bi/gay awakening
- a very slow burn story, taking place over decades
- personal preference, but one or both MCs being on the more muscular/bigger side
Things I'd like not to see:
- cheating
- the wife being casted off/depicted as evil (basically I don't want her to just be a plot device/source of conflict)
I haven't been able to find any myself, so I'm hoping posting here would yield something...