Page 13 of Time to Shine

“You gonna change out of that suit for dinner?” Casey asked.

Landon welcomed the interruption to his misery spiral. He turned his gaze back to Casey. “I thought maybe we had to wear the suits to dinner?”

Casey laughed. “Fuck no. Wear whatever you want. It’s like a buffet in a fucking conference room.”

“Oh.”

“Get changed. Wear something comfy. Or something slick for going to the bar later.”

“I’m not—” Landon sighed, then stood and took one step toward his suitcase on the floor. “I really didn’t pack any clothes for going out.”

Casey studied him for a moment, his eyes raking up and down Landon’s tall frame. Then he smiled and said, “Well, you can’t borrow mine.”

A breathy squeak escaped Landon’s lips. He immediately covered his mouth and pretended to cough. It didn’t work.

“Was that laughter? Is that what you sound like when you laugh?” Casey asked, clearly delighted. “Dude, that’s cute.”

“No!” Landon said, still squeaky. He took a breath. “No. Shut up.”

“I hear that a lot. Never works.”

Landon pressed his lips together.

“Seriously, though,” Casey said, “just wear jeans or something. Did you pack jeans?”

Landon had packed most of the clothes he’d brought from Saskatoon to Calgary, which didn’t amount to a whole lot. “I have one pair of jeans. Black ones.”

“Perfect! Wear your tightest T-shirt and you’re good.”

Most of Landon’s T-shirts were either branded with the Saskatoon Bandits or the Calgary Outlaws, and he may not have much game, but he knew wearing your team’s gear to a bar was pretty weak. “I think I have a plain gray one.”

Casey frowned.

“What?” Landon said flatly. “Sorry I didn’t pack my fucking cartoon hot dog shirt.”

It was probably too soon for Landon to reveal how bitchy he could be, but Casey cracked up. Actually curled into the fetal position on the bed laughing. It was alarming and kind of adorable.

“I like you, Stacks,” he finally said. “You’re hilarious.”

No one had ever accused Landon of that before.

Casey stayed curled on his side on the bed and watched TV while Landon put together an outfit of sorts. Black skinny jeans, his high-top black sneakers, and a V-neck dark gray T-shirt that he normally only wore under other shirts. He examined himself in the full-length mirror beside the TV. He didn’t look fashionable, but he didn’t look like he was heading to the gym either.

“Damn, dude. Look at how hot you are!” Casey said.

Landon froze. “What?”

“You. Look hot. Those jeans look tailor-made. Were they tailor-made?”

Landon huffed. “None of my clothes are tailor-made. And I’m not trying to look hot. I just want to go to dinner without looking ridiculous.”

“Sorry, Stacks. You’re hot. Live with it.”

Landon turned back to the mirror and tried to will away the heat that was flooding his cheeks. Why was Casey saying any of this? Why was Casey even here? He was an all-star who surely had lots of friends on the team. Landon would be back in Saskatoon in a few days. There was no reason for them to get to know each other.

Was it possible that Casey Hicks was lonely?

Landon dismissed the idea immediately. Like Casey had said himself, he liked meeting new people. Landon was a novelty. Something a tiny bit interesting on an otherwise dull afternoon.

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