Page 129 of Time to Shine

Something occurred to Casey that made him brighten enough to lift his head and look at Landon. “We have our week off coming up at the beginning of February.”

Landon smiled sadly. “The Bandits are on the road that week. I checked.”

“Oh.”

Landon took his hand and held it tight. “I think this might be it.”

Casey shook his head. “Don’t say that.”

“I’m being realistic. I don’t expect you to wait for me.”

“I will, though,” Casey said quickly. “Of course I will.”

Landon choked out the most miserable laugh Casey had ever heard. “How long? Months? Years? We both know that’s ridiculous.”

Casey sniffed. “It sounds like you’re breaking up with me.”

“I’m—no. I—fuck. I don’t know. I just don’t see how it will work, and I think it would be less painful if we part as friends, y’know?”

Casey could understand the logic of it, but he didn’t care. He didn’t want to part as friends. If they had to part at all, he wanted it to be as a man who was going to miss the man he loved, and who couldn’t wait to see him again. “We wouldn’t be the first long-distance relationship ever,” he argued.

“I know. But it’s different.”

“How?”

“I told you before, I could be anywhere next season. I could be traded this season. I don’t have a long-term contract like you do. I’m a goalie who isn’t quite NHL-caliber. I go where I’m needed until no one needs me anymore.”

“I need you.” Casey sounded pathetic, but he didn’t care.

Landon squeezed his hand. “Like I said, I wish I could stay.”

A selfish part of Casey wanted to tell him to stay, then. Quit hockey. Live in Casey’s house and let Casey pay for everything and...be miserable. Landon would be miserable.

“You need to pack,” he said instead.

“I do.”

They drove home.

“I thought I’d drive you to the airport,” Casey said, two hours later. He sounded hurt.

“It will be easier this way,” Landon said. He put his phone in his coat pocket after seeing the confirmation that a taxi was on its way. His heart was in a million tiny pieces, but he tried not to let it show.

“Can I kiss you goodbye at least?”

Landon had been wrestling with this himself. Of course he wanted to kiss Casey, but would it only make it more painful to leave him?

Maybe just a quick one.

“Okay.” He tilted his head and leaned down, meeting Casey’s lips in a sweet kiss that was exactly as devastating as he’d expected.

Then Casey placed his hand on Landon’s jaw, and Landon opened automatically, moaning and pulling Casey hard against him. He backed Casey against a wall, lifting him until Casey wrapped one leg around Landon’s thighs. They kissed wildly, breaking every rule Landon had mentally set for this farewell.

“I’m going to miss you so much,” Casey said against Landon’s lips.

Landon kissed him again to stop him from talking. Before his heart broke into even tinier pieces.

They kept kissing in a storm of sadness and regret and longing. Landon tried to savor the taste of Casey’s mouth this one last time, tried to ignore Casey’s hardening cock, and especially trying to ignore his own. There was no time, and no point.

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