Page 44 of Rise After Fall

“Zoey!” Joanna breaks off from us and heads to the table, where Zoey is drinking and chattering away with the rest of the girls.

“Fuck, Zoey’s here? That’s why Joanna wanted to come down to the valley,” I mutter.

Corbin looks at the table of females. “You and the boss have a spat? Did she have to write you up or something?”

“Nope. I just could have kept my ass on the mountain. Joanna could have seen her when she came back.”

Corbin clasps my neck. “Then, you wouldn’t have gotten to see your favorite brother.”

“I gotta hit the head. Order me a beer, please,” Scooter requests.

“I’m going to go load the jukebox,” Kinley says.

We take a seat at the bar, and Maxi hops up from the table to serve us.

“What do you guys want?”

“I’ll take a kiss,” Corbin tells her.

She leans across the bar and lays one on him. Then, she looks at me.

“Beers. Four of whatever you have on draft.”

“Double date?” Maxi asks as she looks between Clay and me.

“I’m not on a date. He is,” he answers, pointing at me.

“I’m not on a date,” I deny.

Clay’s brow furrows. “Then, who’s the redhead?”

“Kinley?” I ask.

“Yeah, I thought y’all were together.”

I laugh. “No.”

He looks at Kinley, bent over the jukebox, reading selections, and back to me. “Are you sure? Because I’m pretty sure she thinks you are.”

“She’s just a girl I’ve known since birth. Tell him, Corbin.”

“It’s so obvious that Kinley likes you,” Corbin says.

“Told you. Hope you can break it to her gently. I’m going to check and make sure Scooter didn’t pass out on the pot.”

I frown at Corbin. “Now, you sound like Zoey. She said the same thing,” I say.

He grins. “I’m sure she did. A woman can smell the competition a mile away.”

“I don’t think Zoey gives a damn about any competition on or off the slopes,” I state.

“Oh, come on, Morris. You have to know that Zoey is into you,” Maxi says.

I slide my eyes to her as she delivers our drinks. She places them on the cocktail napkins in front of us.

“Yeah, right. She hates me most days,” I tell them.

“What is it Mom always says? There is a very thin line between love and hate,” Corbin says.