Page 75 of Second Chance Saloon

“Don’t you even dare talk about her that way.”

Tanner let out a humorless laugh. “Oh, of course. Already back under her spell. Nice one, son. Very good job. Did you forget how she ruined your life? Ten years and you’ve learned nothing.”

Mitch clamped his teeth together, breathing in and out of his nose. He wasn’t going to take his father’s bait any more than he already had. There was no point in that. Tanner would say whatever he wanted to say, throw whatever insults he was convinced would make him feel better, and then he’d hang up.

Tanner spat more words, but Mitch switched off. There was nothing in that stream of nonsense worthy of his attention. “… And with elections coming up, this really isn’t the right time for me to have your business plastered all over the media—”

“Are you done?” Mitch interrupted him.

Tanner huffed. “I haven’t even begun. You must see how insane it is.”

“What’s insane is that you’ve called me, after seeing every major news outlet run a story about how humiliated I was at the altar, and instead of checking how I’m feeling your only concern is for yourself.”

“She ruined your swimming career, son.”

Mitch closed his eyes, stretching the tired muscles in his neck. This was the one thing Tanner was never able to let go. He still hadn’t gotten over the fact that Mitch dropped swimming at the end of college, when he qualified for the national team. Right before his motorcycle accident. “It was my decision. Stop looking for reasons to justify why you’ve never liked her.”

“You could’ve been at the Olympics—”

“Dad, stop. It’s ancient history, no one cares.”

“I care! You could’ve made a name for yourself, for your family. Instead, what have you achieved in life? Delivering foals and bandaging injured hooves.”

Mitch rolled his eyes. Of course, this was the extent of Tanner’s understanding of what he did for a living. He shouldn’t even be surprised, but it still hurt. “Good job that my life’s got nothing to do with you.”

“You’re a Craigton and what you do reflects on this family.”

“You mean it reflects on you,” Mitch hissed.

Tanner blew out an irritated sigh. “Yes, Mitch. It reflects on me. Do you know how many phone calls and emails my office received after your sham wedding?”

Mitch snorted into the microphone. “I’m sorry I’m such a disappointment. I’ll consider the possibility of my bride having sex with a country music star, right before the ceremony, next time I plan a wedding.”

“Next time? You better not be thinking of proposing to that … that …” Apparently, Tanner couldn’t even bring himself to say Jackie’s name out loud.

Mitch pushed his fingernails into his thighs, his chest crushed under a barrage of questions about the future. He wasn’t thinking of getting married to Jackie, of course he wasn’t. But what were they doing?

All the conversations and plans they had made for the future when they were at their happiest snuck through the leaky barrier his brain had put up to protect his heart, infiltrating his mind. Marriage, children, happiness, and most of all, being together. Being partners. Sharing everything with each other. Maybe that was why her leaving had hit him so hard. It didn’t just betray his love; it betrayed his trust in the future.

He didn’t think he’d managed to hide his confused feelings very well these past few days. Jackie must’ve known he would still do anything for her. And damn him, he wanted her. The lofty young dreams they shared? Those didn’t matter. If she told him she wanted to move to Greenland and run sled-dog excursions, keeping all the dogs at their home? He’d permanently attach an IV bag with antihistamines, if such a thing existed, to his arm and get on with it. If she decided she wanted to travel across the Sahara Desert on a quad bike? He’d go with her.

Tanner was right in one respect.

He was utterly under her spell, and he had no desire to release himself from it. An invisible string connected his heart to hers, which he’d never managed to cut.

“Are you even listening to me, son?” Tanner barked.

Mitch dragged his hand over his face. “You’ve said what you wanted to say, Father. Now, listen to me, because I’m only going to say this once. I didn’t invite the paparazzi. I have no idea how they found out about the wedding. No, I didn’t know I’d meet Jackie again. But you know what? This might be the best thing that’s ever happened to me.

“Maybe Eve did me a favor. And no, I don’t give a flying fuck about how my actions going forward will reflect on you. I’m going to focus on living my life the way I want. If you can respect that and want to be in it, fine. If you don’t? Well, then that’s on you. I don’t need you. And I’m done being treated like crap.”

Stale silence pulsed through the almost four thousand miles separating them.

“Well, if this is how you repay me for bringing you up and providing for you—”

Mitch hung up on him. For the first time in his life, he didn’t wait for Tanner to do it.

He stretched his legs and felt the beginning of a tension headache niggling at his temples. Massaging the spot, he hoped to disperse the heavy emotions latching to his skin like leeches.