Page 70 of Second Chance Saloon

In that single moment, ten years might’ve not existed. It was like they were back where it all began, two hearts beating together to the melody written only for them. It was like coming home when you thought it had burned down, after the wind scattered all the ashes, leaving nothing.

A chorus of screeches and flapping of velvet wings broke the spell over them, forcing them to come up for breath. They both looked up.

Mitch’s pupils widened in alarm. He pressed her closer to his chest. “Bats!”

Jackie laughed, nuzzling his neck. “I told you there might be some.”

An onyx blanket covered the opening of the cave as the bats took flight.

“I thought you were joking,” he murmured.

She lifted her head off his shoulder. “No. But this …” she inhaled. “This … kiss was …”

“Epic?” Mitch supplied, a small smirk playing on his lips.

The sweet memory of their first kiss stormed Jackie’s mind. Her lungs cinched. She kissed the corner of his lips, wanting to borrow some of that confidence. “Reckless. Impulsive. Shouldn’t have happened.”

“But also epic, yeah?”

She sighed. “Yes. Epic. But Mitch, whatever we do, whatever happens …”

His smirk dissolved into a sad frown. “We don’t have to decide anything right now.”

Her heart rattled away with the hope he’d say he was fine with it. Because she wasn’t sure she could stop herself from kissing him again, now that she’d done it and discovered that kissing Mitch Craigton was still her favorite thing on earth.

She pinned him with her gaze. “I’m not going to be your rebound.”

Her breath hitched, her insides coiling into knots so tight, she wasn’t sure she was ever going to untangle them again. She closed her eyes, shielding them from his drilling gaze.

Why the hell did she say that? There was no way she could compete with the love he had for the woman he wanted to make his wife. Better question, why would she ever want to? He had no idea why she left, and even if he did, and somehow still wanted anything to do with her, she couldn’t give him children. Ever.

Memories swarmed in behind her closed eyelids: countless nights they spent in each other’s arms, all the joy and laughter, the hard days when they were there for each other, and the good days when they celebrated each other’s wins.

Mitch swallowed thickly. “You could never be that.”

Jackie’s eyes snapped open. Her pulse tapped haphazardly, deafening her. “Fine. But—” she tried but he interrupted her.

“No overthinking. Not just now.”

Jackie nodded, despite herself. This was good enough, surely? They were both adults. It would be all right.

Mitch kissed her forehead, and reached for her hand, hooking his pinkie finger with hers. “Forehead kisses, pinky promises.”

Four words, and they knocked all the air out of her, kicking her heart into overdrive.

Oh, fuck. It was definitely not going to be all right.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Jackie

The outdoor showers at cenotes weren’t the best place for lingering, but Jackie couldn’t help herself, her mind skipping between indecision and knowing exactly what she wanted. Or at least, thinking she did.

Kissing Mitch had been like stepping into her old life for one blissful morning.

They went into the remaining cenotes, spending the most time in Boca three. Early-afternoon December sun shimmered on the lustrous surface of blue water and hit their bare skin, soaking right through without the protection of the sunscreen. Whenever Mitch raked his hand through his damp hair, Jackie was transported right back to college and had to remind herself to breathe.

With more people arriving, Jackie announced they should get back to the hotel, using the need to check on the preparations for tomorrow’s wedding as an excuse. It wasn’t a lie, there was a wedding for sixty guests happening, but she was certain Rea had everything under control. She was excellent, probably doing a way better job than Jackie could have done herself.