“Hey,” I said, admiring her tight shirt and long legs but having no clue what her name was.
“Haven’t seen you competing lately,” she said, her eyes focused on my mouth.
I dragged my teeth over my bottom lip and watched as her breath hitched. Sometimes, it was just too easy. I glanced across the room. Giselle stared at me. I dodged her gaze and looked back at the girl. “Does that mean you’ve been looking for me?” I asked, all smooth and purposeful.
She shrugged.
I knew Giselle was watching, and I couldn’t resist. I brought my A game. It’s what she deserved for ignoring me for almost a year. I reached up and tucked a stray piece of hair behind the girl’s ear before leaning in and whispering, “I like that you’ve been looking for me.”
She giggled, and I knew this night was about to get better.
2
GISELLE
I stared across the bar watching Thayer and some snow bunny chatting it up. It was like a train wreck I couldn’t tear my eyes away from. I wanted to believe it was the sisterly way I’d looked after Thayer for the past eleven years that had taken over my body. Or, maybe it was the liquor I’d consumed that made me want to go over there and tell him to stop. To tell him the only reason she was paying him any attention was because he could snowboard like a freaking rock star. But I had no right to do that.
I had Gino. He took care of me. I planned to spend forever with him. I just couldn’t understand why some shaggy-haired snowboarder had this hold on me ever since he tried to kiss me last year. I knew his emotions that night were a mix of drunkenness and losing his mother, so I didn’t want to make it embarrassing for him. I thought distancing myself would’ve worked, but I’d been fooling myself. He was Kason’s best friend. He was always around. And, even though we’d barely spoken since the almost-kiss, he still invaded my thoughts for some godforsaken reason.
“Hey,” Shay said, stepping up beside me.
“Hey. Where’s Mr. Gold Medal?” I asked.
“Showing it off.”
I smiled. I couldn’t have been happier for my little brother. He deserved every good thing that came his way—including Shay. She had his back. She had changed him for the better.
Shay yawned. “Do you think I’ll be able to get him out of here before the sun rises?”
“Not likely.” My phone buzzed, and I checked the screen.
Gino
Hey Babe. Your bro killed it. Congratulate him for me. I miss you.
I released a small sigh, hating that Gino had business meetings that made traveling to see me nearly impossible.
“You okay?” Shay asked.
“Just texting with Gino.”
“Did you make any plans to use that plane ticket yet?”
I shook my head. Kason and Shay had given me a ticket for Christmas to visit Gino, but I hadn’t booked anything yet. Since the boutique was still busy after the holiday rush—with shoppers using gift cards and returning incorrect sizes, it was impossible to skip out on my store.
“Go see him,” Shay urged. “I can cover at the boutique for you—as long as you trust me enough to leave me in charge.”
I laughed. “Of course I trust you. But as you know, I’m a control freak and…”
“And what?”
I worried my bottom lip, considering what excuse I had to not go see Gino. He signed the lease on my condo. He helped me open my boutique when I was still a college student and didn’t have enough money to do it alone. He was the guy I planned to spend the rest of my life with.
“Are you two not together anymore?” Shay asked.
“What? No. I mean, of course we are,” I answered quickly, needing to hear myself say it more than answering Shay.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked,” she said.