Page 120 of Second Chance Saloon

He groaned. “All right. If this is what you need, to be sure about us forever … Six months.”

She kissed him, slow and deliberate, like she wanted to channel all the gratitude, love, and hope into the gesture. “Thank you,” she whispered into his mouth.

“How are we going to do this?”

Jackie tilted her head to consider his question. “We can’t keep in touch, because I want you to think clearly. If in six months you’re still in, meet me in Betty’s Hens Saloon.”

His brow shot up. “That brings back memories.”

She bit back a smile. “All kinds of them.”

He pulled her to his chest, linking their small fingers together. “Six months.”

She nodded. “Six months.”

“And then we’ll have the rest of our lives.”

“If you—”

He put a finger to her lip. “No ifs. Then we stay together. No backing away.”

“Yes, Mitch. Six months and then it’s forever.” She tilted her head back, squeezing his finger tighter and dropping a kiss on his forehead. “Forehead kisses, pinky promises.”

CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

Jackie

Six months later

Betty’s Hens Saloon hadn’t changed one bit. Walking through the door was like being thrown back in time. Jackie crossed the floor to the bar, twisting her hands in front of her. Nostalgia washed over her, her lips forming the widest smile when she spotted Betty behind the bar.

The last time she’d been here was three years ago, with Albert and Gilbert. When she came to say goodbye to Ricochet, she didn’t have it in her to celebrate anything.

“Well, well. You still look as fabulous as ever, Betty.” Jackie beamed at the bar owner.

Betty looked up, her brown eyes crinkling as they landed on her. “Well, I’ll be damned. Jacks!” A few years older—Jackie had never discovered Betty’s age, and she didn’t want to ask—Betty jumped up with glee, hanging over the bar with her arms outstretched. “Missed ya.”

Jackie chuckled, leaning in to hug her. “So good to see you.”

Betty laughed into her chest, squeezing her waist. “Back at ya.” She let go of Jackie and stepped back, dabbing her eyes with a sniff. “Are you just droppin’ by, visitin’ the old spots, or are you back in Texas?”

Jackie hopped on the bar stool and laced her fingers on top of the sticky surface, a grin stretching her cheeks. “I’m not sure. I’d love to stay, but that depends on some things—or rather, someone.”

Betty’s brow shot up. “I think I know who that someone is.”

Jackie swiveled round, her heart in her throat.

She wasn’t sure if Mitch would turn up. Yes, they’d agreed they would meet here on this day, around this time. She worried he would run or decide it wasn’t a good idea. That despite everything they’d shared right up until he left Mexican Jewel, he’d change his mind.

After she told him everything, they talked, and talked some more. Taking sunset strolls on the beach, horseback riding through the jungle—courtesy of Estrella and Bruno’s horses—dining, laughing, and smiling. They also had lots of great sex, but that wasn’t surprising. Apparently, when they were together, they reverted back to their younger selves and couldn’t keep their hands off each other.

He said goodbye to her, like they were never going to see each other again. He sang her the entire “In Case You Didn’t Know” by Brett Young, humming whenever he forgot the lyrics. It sounded almost as bad as Ben Affleck’s goodbye scene in Armageddon.

The hotel’s shuttle-bus driver had to personally come to remind Mitch he would be late for his flight if he didn’t get on the bus immediately.

Jackie joked that the sooner he left, the sooner they’d meet. She put on a happy facade, a grin so wide it hurt her cheeks, but deep down, she was terrified that those two weeks had been a beautiful dream.

Mitch went home six months ago.