“It’s fine. I can see why you’d think that. It’s not like we’re ever together,” I said, my eyes scanning the unfamiliar faces in the bar.
“Why do you think that is?” she asked, her eyes inquisitive not implicating.
“He’s in one state, and I’m in another,” I explained, but even I knew it was a lame excuse. If you loved someone, you made time for them. You yearned to see them at any chance you got.
“Any plans to move to Florida to open a boutique there?” she asked.
“Maybe someday,” I said, though it was unlikely since I never planned to move away from Colorado.
“Your family would miss you,” she said.
I nodded, knowing that was part of the reason I couldn’t go.
Jesse, one of my brother’s friends, squeezed between us. “We’re doing shots! Some tequila shots for me and my friends,” he called to the bartender before looking to me. “Your brother fucking crushed it today.”
We’d already had the same conversation earlier, so I knew he was pretty wasted. “Did you expect anything less from the great Kason McCloud?”
“The guy always delivers.” He glanced to Shay. “But you already know that, don’t you?”
Shay and I both groaned at his insinuation.
Jesse laughed as he handed his credit card to the bartender who placed the shots in front of us. “Take a shot,” he urged us.
Shay waved off the shot, but I grabbed one and lifted it with Jesse.
“To Kason…” He looked around the bar. “Wherever the hell he is.”
We downed the shots—Jesse doing his and Shay’s. The liquor burned its way down my throat, warming my insides.
Jesse took off in search of more people to do shots with.
My head began to swim with the effects of the alcohol.
“Hey!” Kason stepped up to us and draped his arm with the cast over Shay’s shoulder, his medal dangling from his neck.
“You just missed Jesse. He’s toasting to you,” I said, a slight slur to my voice. Dammit.
Kason laughed. “Any excuse to get wasted.” He pressed a kiss to the top of Shay’s head. “We can head out in a few.”
“Take your time,” she said. She knew he deserved to celebrate his first-place finish after all of the hard work he’d put into preparing to compete.
“This is why I love this girl,” he said to me, though his eyes never left Shay’s.
Tears pricked my eyes. The way my brother had changed in less than a year was truly remarkable. He went from putting himself first to worrying about someone else. He’d always been a good guy deep down, but the fame had definitely gotten to him. Shay made sure that that Kason was long gone. Now, he was replaced by a guy I was proud to call my brother.
Jesse approached now that Kason had joined us. “Shots!”
Shay and I rolled our eyes as Jesse ordered more shots. Once they arrived, I grabbed one, joining Kason and Jesse in another toast. We raised our glasses.
“To the baddest motherfucker on the mountain!” Jesse yelled.
The bar erupted into cheers.
Kason grinned before slamming his shot back. I followed his lead, downing my shot just as his theme song from his last run blared from the speakers. Everyone began jumping around to the music. I threw back my head and laughed, the whole scene like something out of a feel-good movie.
“Let’s do this!” Kason pulled Shay and me out onto the packed dance floor.
Shay looked uncomfortable, but I embraced the music and the night. We were there for Kason, so if my brother wanted to dance, I was gonna dance my heart out.