Page 69 of Time to Shine

Brooke: It’s Monday.

Well, that was depressing. Not that days of the week had much meaning to Casey. Everything was just game days, practice days, and days off. He sent a sad-face emoji.

Brooke: Why has this week sucked?

Casey didn’t want to get into it. He didn’t need his sister to know that he was crushing hard on his roommate, and that his roommate was clearly not feeling the same way. There were less painful ways to embarrass himself.

Casey: bunch of little stuff

Brooke: Aren’t you in Vegas right now?

Casey: otw

Brooke: Maybe your luck will change.

That would be nice, except luck had nothing to do with his situation. He sighed and rested his head on Lee’s shoulder.

“Dude,” Lee said.

“Just let me have this.”

Lee sighed and leaned against the window, allowing Casey to get more comfortable. He removed his earbuds. “You’ve been mopey all day.”

“I know.”

Lee dropped his voice to a whisper. “Did you and Stackhouse have a fight or something? Why aren’t you sitting together?”

“Thought he could use some space from me.”

“How come he gets that courtesy but I don’t?”

Casey smiled. “Because you’re team captain and this is your job.”

“It definitely isn’t.”

“Your arm is comfortable,” Casey murmured. “So beefy.”

An easy silence passed before Lee said, “I like Stackhouse. He’s good for you.”

“He’s too good for me.”

Lee’s arm tensed, and then relaxed. “Ah,” he said. “It’s like that.”

“It’s not like anything. We’re friends. Teammates. Roommates. Whatever.”

“But you want more.”

Casey glanced around for eavesdroppers, but as usual nearly everyone on the team had earbuds in or was having their own loud conversations. “It doesn’t matter what I want. He doesn’t.”

“Sorry,” Lee said. He sounded sincere.

“Yeah.”

“It’s probably for the best, though. Dating a teammate would be messy, and besides, he’s going back to Saskatoon as soon as Morin is healthy.”

“I know.”

“But the heart wants what it wants, I guess.”

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