Dropping Mike off at the facility was the hardest thing he’d ever done. He lay in bed, tears streaming down his cheeks. He missed Mike so much he almost couldn’t breathe.

The next day, he rested so he would be able to go on shift at night. Before he’d gotten with Mike, they talked. It hadn’t been an everyday thing, but now he could barely breathe without thinking of Mike.

When he’d first taken the job working ER at night, he hadn’t minded giving up his days, but now, he wanted to spend time with Mike. It would be better if they were both on the same schedule.

After getting off work, he called Thomas. “Hey bro, how you doing?” Thomas asked when he answered.

His heart felt like it had shrunk too much to work effectively. “I miss him.”

“I get that. Clay said you two are meant for each other.”

He squeezed his free hand, wanting to hold onto Mike’s hand. He was walking south, heading to a subway entrance, but since he was on the phone with Thomas, he skipped the first one and just decided to keep walking. “I wish I was with him now.”

“Are you just getting off shift?”

“Yeah, it was a long night.” He passed a Starbucks and the scent of fresh ground coffee almost did him in. But coffee would keep him up, and he needed his sleep.

“You know, we have hospitals down here. You could see if there are any day shifts.”

Thomas’ statement made his breath hitch. He missed a step and was almost mowed over by the fast walking businessman behind him. What if he found a job in Florida? Would Mike want to move with him? Mike could do his job from anywhere, and maybe he’d like to do it from Florida.

“Hey, Lane, you still here?”

“Yeah, I was just thinking. Do you think Mike would move?”

“I think so. Do you have much money saved?”

“Well, I haven’t really spent much. I just work, eat, and sleep. Our vacations are the only splurges I’ve had. I keep my expenses low here, so yeah, I do.”

“Okay, what are you waiting for?”

His heart sped up, and he had to gulp in a breath. “My God, Thomas, this could really work out.”

“See if you can get an interview.”

“Okay. Wow, you’ve made me so happy.”

Thomas chuckled. “You’re my best friend in the whole world behind Clay. I would do anything for you. And honestly, if you two were here, I think it would take some of the pressure off Mike. We could all see each other more often.”

He felt like he was floating. Seeing his friends each week would be amazing. “Yeah, like every week.”

“That would be great. I gotta say, I miss spending time with you. I love Clay, but I would love to spend time on the boat alone with you. You know, just hanging out like we used to.”

Longing hit hard. “I get it. We went from spending almost every day together to hardly seeing each other. I miss you too.”

“Your new task is to find a job down here. There’s loads of hospitals, and I know they are always looking. I get these notices since I’m on a list of business owners down here.”

He side-stepped around a drunk guy who obviously hadn’t made it home from the night before. “Okay, I’ll start searching.”

“If you need any help or a place to stay when you interview, we have a spare room.”

“That would be great. But I haven’t even sent in a resume, so who knows what will happen.”

“Dude, you’re smart, you were in the military, and you’re young. I think you’ll be a shoo-in. These people will love you here.”

He laughed. “You’ve at least made me feel better.”

“Good. Go home, get some sleep. I’ll talk to you later.”

He hung up, excited about the prospects of finding a job close to the guys. But how easy would it be? It would be nice if he found something close to Daytona. But better than anything else, it would be great if he lived close to his friends. Being able to go hang out with them would be amazing.

He pulled up a browser window on his phone and searched for nursing jobs in Florida. It was too broad, and too many jobs popped up. He ran down the steps to the subway and hopped on a train. His phone wouldn’t work on the train while they were below ground, so all he could do was work on ways to refine his search to nursing jobs near Daytona Beach. Once off the train, he hit enter and found jobs with signing bonuses. His heart started beating faster as he waited for the bus to Jersey. Maybe this would work. He knew it wouldn’t solve all of their problems, but maybe it would be enough to solve some of the issues.

Once home, he was too jazzed to go to sleep, so he pulled out his laptop and started searching for jobs. He was starving, and grabbed a microwaveable meal out of the freezer and popped it in to heat.

He logged into his LinkedIn account and changed his status to looking in Daytona for a nursing position. After three hours, he submitted his resume to 4 places. His phone rang and he answered.

“Hello.”

“Hello, is this Mr. Lane Ashford?” a woman asked.

“Yes, it is.”

“Hi, I’m Tressa Mulgrave from Allied Solutions. I work with a couple of hospitals in the Daytona area.”

“That was quick.”

“I was looking at your LinkedIn profile. It popped up, and I saw you’re looking for a nursing job in Daytona. On your profile, it says you have experience working in New York City in the emergency room. How long have you worked there?”

“Yes, I’ve been working at Mount Sinai for a little over a year.”

“Okay, that’s great. Why would you like to move?”

He drew in a slow breath as he cleared his head so he could give a good answer. “Really, it’s about friendships. I love working here. I would probably stay in New York if my friends didn’t live in Daytona Beach. Florida does have some benefits other than just my friends.”

“Like what?”

“I doubt I’ll ever get stuck at the hospital because of snow.”

She chuckled. “How do you feel about hurricanes?”

“I’d rather not have one hit Daytona Beach, but I understand it happens. I was in the Marines, and I get that weather happens. It can be devastating, but that’s why I want to work in the ER. If I can help someone survive the worst day of their life, or maybe make someone feel a little better on their worst day, then I’m happy.”

“So you understand that if a hurricane hits, you’ll be working, and you can’t evacuate.”

“I do. I live and work in one of the most populated cities in the United States. We don’t get to escape disasters. It’s part of the job. I signed up to be an emergency room nurse because it is difficult, but with difficulties, come rewards.”

“Okay, I like what you’ve said so far. I have four hospitals in the area that are looking for experienced ER nurses. I would love to have you do a phone interview. I have something tomorrow.”

This was moving so fast. He hadn’t even talked to Mike, but he guessed he could pull out of the process at any time. He wanted to be honest with this person.

“I will need to talk to my partner before I make any final decisions.”

“I get that. My wife would be angry if I moved us without asking her. Talk to your partner. We will do an interview by phone this week and then maybe next week you could come down.”

Excitement had him buzzing. “This is moving very fast.”

“We need good nurses who are strong. You listed recent military experience.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Good. I’m sure you’ll be a great fit for one of the hospitals.”

After his call with Tressa, he showered then dropped into bed. His mind spun for a little while, but he was too tired to stay awake. He woke a little late and had to rush to work. When he got there, the ER was already rocking. He jumped into action. A tourist helicopter had gone down in the river, and two girls had almost drowned. He was working on one, making sure she stayed alive as long as possible. She’d been under the water in the river for a couple of minutes—no one could say how long—but she wasn’t breathing on her own. The parents had both died and an aunt was being contacted.

Working ER was so crazy and painful. He would miss helping people here, but he knew he would be helping people in Florida. Maybe it was his way of dealing with what had happened in the military. It had been tough coming home. Doing a job where he could actually make peoples’ lives better mattered.

At around midnight, the activity slowed enough for him to stop by the head nurses desk and say hi. Bill was a great guy, and he would miss working with him, but moving closer to his friends was much more important.

“Hey Bill, I wanted you to know I’m looking at moving to Florida.”

Bill’s head snapped up and his mouth hung open. “What?”

“I have close friends there. I want to be with them.”

“Okay, how does your boyfriend feel about it?”

He’d told Bill about Mike but held back on the details about the bruises. “He’s the reason I’d be moving.”

“Oh?”

“I want to make a life with him, and I think it would be best if we were with our friends.”

Bill nodded then glanced at his computer before rolling his eyes. “Looks like there was a huge accident close to Times Square. We’ll talk later. I’ll miss you. You’re one of the best nurses I have. But I get it. Give me a few weeks’ notice, that’s all I ask.”

He nodded and took off to his station, checking on the status of his patients. There was the girl who’d been admitted and one guy who had come in throwing up. They’d run the guy’s vitals, but he probably just had the stomach bug. He had three empty beds and he knew he was going to get one of the accident victims. There was never a dull moment working in the ER.

After getting off work, he checked his email and saw he had four calls scheduled for that afternoon for interviews in Florida. He slept until about an hour before his first call. Getting prepared wasn’t difficult, but he thought maybe he was missing something. When his phone rang, he jumped a little then answered. Apprehension filled him, but he tried not to let his nerves get in the way as he talked. The person asked a lot of questions, and he didn’t feel he’d done a good job with the interview. He hung up, regretting not answering things differently. Maybe it had just been the person he’d been talking to. He had twenty minutes before his next phone interview and grabbed another cup of coffee.

He didn’t feel the first hospital would be a great fit. The second call went better, but the third call was the best overall. They were engaging, and he liked what they had to say.

Though he didn’t have to work, he stayed up late, not wanting to mess up his sleep schedule. The first hospital he’d interviewed with had wanted him on nights. He’d insisted he wanted day shift but the person interviewing him kept saying the position he would get first would be for night shift. No way he wanted to move and get stuck on nights. He’d done it for long enough.

He watched a couple of movies then pulled up his photos, staring at images of Mike. There was one he caught of Mike, which made his heart melt. The man was looking at him like he was the best thing in the world. He would do anything for Mike.

Excitement filled him after he heard from Sharron. He would be able to visit his man the following afternoon. Maybe he’d jumped the gun on interviewing in Florida, but he didn’t think so. The next morning, he got off work and checked his email before going to bed. He had two interviews in person in Florida. Excitement filled him, and he had a hard time going to sleep.

When he woke, he was still tired, but he wanted to see his lover. His hands were shaking when he stepped into the room where his man was waiting for him. The second he saw him, tears filled his eyes.

Mike turned and he thought his heart would stop. They stared at each other for a long moment before he moved close, hugging his lover. It felt amazing to have his man back in his arms. He never wanted to let this guy go. He would change everything for Mike.

After a few minutes, he leaned back and stared into Mike’s eyes. “I missed you.”

Mike sobbed then laughed, his words coming out in a choked bark. “Same here.”

“Would you like to go sit outside?”

Mike nodded, and they moved to the door, but Mike stopped walking. Lane stopped too. He stared at Mike, wishing they were going home, but he understood Mike’s need to stay here.

“I’m sorry for what happened.”

Lane cupped Mike’s cheek. “You don’t have to keep apologizing.”

“I need to get this out.” Mike took a deep breath and let it go slowly. “I’m sorry for not getting help sooner. I think I have the tools I need to fight this. You may not trust me, but I’m working very hard.”

Lane’s stomach twisted as fear took hold. What if Mike wasn’t happy with the direction he’d taken. He glanced away and Mike’s hold tightened on his hand.

“What—what’s wrong?”

The question brought Lane up short. “Nothing is wrong. I—let’s go outside and sit.”

“Okay.”

Mike frowned, and Lane felt terrible. He squeezed Mike’s hand and prayed he could get this out without mucking it up. It seemed like he was already making mistakes.

They sat on a bench under a tree. It was a perfect spot, in the shade, not too hot, but he felt off. He should just say what he had to say, reveal what he’d done, because hiding stuff from Mike was painful.

He met Mike’s gaze, and emotions flooded him, making his throat close up all over again.

“I’ve missed you so much. I don’t know how I came up with this idea. Maybe it was talking to Thomas.”

“How is he?”

“He wants us to move there.”

“What?”

Panic made him speak faster. “Okay, I know this is crazy, but I was thinking about how all of them live close to each other now, and then I was on the phone with Thomas and he mentioned it. It would be a slower pace.”

Mike sat up straighter and leaned in. “Wait, what about your work?”

“I have an interview in Florida next week. Actually, two interviews with two different hospitals.”

“Whoa, this is…I…” Mike closed his eyes, and Lane felt like he’d really messed up.

“Hey, we don’t have to.”

Mike opened his eyes and leaned in very close, his brows rose as he spoke. “No, it’s just, would you do that? Would you really do that for me?”

“What? Move?”

Mike nodded and glanced away. “Yeah, would you move?”

“Yeah. There’s no way I’d be up for working days here for a while. There’s a long list of people with reasons a mile long. In Florida, they know I want day shift. We can spend our days off actually spending time doing things together. And then we’d be with our friends and see them more than once every year.”

Mike closed his eyes and drew in a slow breath before letting it go. He watched as Mike breathed. When Mike opened his eyes and nodded, Lane felt like he’d hit the jackpot.

“You want to move?” Lane couldn’t believe it was going to be this easy.

“Oh yeah, it would be good. I’ve kept so much bottled up inside.”

“Tell me. I’m here for you.”

“Just so much pain from my past. It was hard when our friends died. I’m not sure I handled it the way I should have. No, I know I didn’t handle it the way I should have.”

“Can I do anything to help you?”

Mike squeezed his hand. “Just be there when I need someone to talk to.”

“I’ll always be there for you. I don’t want us to get lost in the shuffle. And we’ll be living close to the guys, though I haven’t even thought about what type of place we want to move into.”

“We could buy a house,” Mike said.

“We could.”

Mike let his fingers trail over the back of Lane’s hand. Desire rose, and he met Mike’s gaze. Happiness filled him.

“I feel hopeful,” Mike said.

“Good. I do too. I want our life together to really start.” Lane leaned in and kissed Mike’s cheek. “If you don’t want this, I’d stay here. Or anywhere you are, because you’re it for me.”

Mike chuckled, his lips finding Lane’s. The sweet brush of soft lips pulled at his deepest parts. His stomach felt like it was being twisted hard. He pulled back enough to stare into Mike’s eyes.

“We’re good together,” Lane said.

“I still feel bad.”

“Don’t. I’m fine, and you’re getting the help you need. I want you to focus on you. When you come home, we’ll find ways to help you manage.”

“I think with the meditation and relaxation techniques I can cope, maybe more than cope.”

“Good.”

“So Florida. Are the guys excited?”

“I’ve only talked to Thomas. I know Brent and Jake are busy getting settled. Clay seems to be happy doing odd jobs, and Thomas is busy with his company.”

“I can run my business from anywhere, though I’m not sure I want to keep doing it.”

“You don’t have to. You could change to anything you want.”

Mike stood and stepped a few feet away before turning back to Lane. He got up and moved closer, reaching out and taking Mike’s hand.

“Tell me what you’re thinking,” Lane whispered.

“I don’t know how I would survive without you.”

Lane smoothed his thumb over Mike’s hand. His heart was thudding, and his brain buzzed. “I can’t survive without you.”

“I know we’ve had a few rough starts.”

“I’m not going to walk away from you.”

He could see the tears in Mike’s eyes. Their emotions were at the surface and close to spilling out.

“I want you to promise me you’ll always tell me if I’m getting too intense. I may need those cues to get my anger under control.”

“I promise.”

“Thank you. I have no illusions or fanciful thoughts. It’s going to be tough.” Mike looked away then swung his gaze back to Lane’s. The moment became more intense as Mike leaned in, his face only inches from Lane’s. The look in his eyes was serious. “Thank you for giving me a chance.”

He reached up and stroked Mike’s cheek. “I love you. You have my support, always.”

Mike nodded. “I’ll need to find work.”

“I know. And we’ll make sure you get the help you need.”

“Thank you.”

He knew the look in Mike’s eyes, but they were in public, and it wouldn’t be right to push Mike to the bench and have his way. Instead, they walked around the lawn then headed inside where they drank a little coffee and played a card game. When visiting hours were over, he didn’t want to leave but knew Mike needed this time to heal. He’d been through too much. It was a sad reality of life for some. They’d seen things which couldn’t be unseen. War was harsh and desperate; it changed people, making them vulnerable to out of control emotions.

There was no question, he would stay with Mike through anything. Now, they only needed to make their life easier so Mike could focus on staying well.