Page 90 of Second Chance Saloon

She chuckled. Drunk Mitch seemed to have his priorities straight. He’d spent every day since Gus’s birth over there, dropped off by Luis in the morning and picked up by Rea in the evening. “I called Estrella earlier. They’re both doing fine. I told her we’ll both come tomorrow.”

“You did?”

Jackie nodded.

“Thank you, that was nice of you.” He hiccupped.

Jackie sighed, hooking her arm under his. “Time to go. Can you walk?”

Mitch shuffled his feet, one in front of the other, in a not-very-straight line. “See? All good.”

“It’ll do.”

She nudged him forward, keeping his sagging torso upright. It was a good thing there wasn’t a big height difference between them, or she might’ve not been able to support him.

Mitch didn’t say anything the whole way back to the hotel.

Jackie wondered if walking took all his concentration.

They reached the elevators, and his back slumped against the wall. “That was almost harder than the first time on a horse.”

Jackie arched a brow. “Really? Walking a couple of hundred yards was harder than riding Diamond for the first time?”

He nodded solemnly. “Tequila’s fault.”

The elevator pinged as the doors opened.

Mitch gestured inside with a flourish. “After you.”

Jackie pressed the round button with their floor and stood right next to him, their elbows brushing.

The back of his head rested against the mirrored wall. “You’re staring at me.”

She looked away. “No, I’m not.”

He smirked. “You so are. But stare all you like.” One of his eyes cracked open. “I like staring at you, too.”

Jackie shook her head, but the corners of her lips turned up in a small smile.

They arrived on the right floor, and she fumbled in her pocket for the master key card. She tapped it at the door, which clicked unlocked.

Mitch shot her a curious grin. “All this time you could’ve snuck into my room and you haven’t …”

Jackie pressed her lips in a firm line. “Get inside.”

He lifted his hands up like he was feigning innocence and stumbled over the threshold, the mood lights flooding the room instantly.

She followed him, and the view from the floor-to-ceiling balcony doors took her breath away, reminding her that this was the honeymoon suite.

Mitch flopped himself on the bed, spreading his arms wide. “I think you’re right. I might’ve had a teeny bit too much.”

Jackie sat at the edge of the king-size bed, looking at him. Tiredness and worry seeped from every pore in his body, from his closed eyelids to his sweat-coated forehead. “Do you want some coffee?”

He shook his head without opening his eyes. “Think it might come back up.”

“You need to drink water, though.”

She stood, turning to the mini fridge. Her hands shook as she poured the contents of a water bottle into a tall glass on the side. “Come on, Mitch. Sit up and drink this.”