Page 104 of Second Chance Saloon

“Let me guess, you want to come in.”

Mitch shrugged. His eyes snuck along her body. “I like waking up next to you.”

She liked it too, very much so. Welcoming a new day with his strong arms around her infused her with an inexplicable courage. She couldn’t wait to share his bed every day for the rest of their lives.

“Will you bring me coffee in the morning?” she asked.

He rocked their hands up in the air, eliciting a giggle from her. “I’ll even make you pancakes.”

Jackie beamed at him. “Choc chip ones?”

“As long as you have any chips left.”

A line creased her forehead, as she tried to remember the contents of their kitchen cupboards. She didn’t register a figure sitting at the bottom of the stairs to her building.

“Fred, what are you doing here this late?” Mitch asked.

Jackie shook off her musings, zeroing her tipsy gaze in on her father. “Dad?”

Fred stood, nodding to Mitch. “Mitch, how are you? Fancy a round of golf on Sunday?”

Mitch furrowed his brow, pushing his hands in his pockets. He blinked, before answering: “Maybe—” Mitch started, surprise and unease echoing in his tone, but Jackie cut him off.

“I thought you weren’t back for another two weeks. Is Mom okay?”

“She’s fine, nothing’s wrong. I got back earlier and thought I’d surprise you.” Fred smiled at her. “Though, it seems like I should’ve called.”

Jackie’s frown deepened. Since she’d received the first letter from Weronika, her relationship with her father had been a bit frostier. He didn’t seem to fully know how to behave around her, and Jackie was annoyed at him for walking on eggshells. She wanted her entire family to give these stupid letters a rest.

“It’s almost midnight, Dad,” she said.

“You know how it is with time zones.” Fred laughed, but it sounded hollow.

Mitch shifted awkwardly by her side. “Do you want me to go? You can catch up with your dad and I’ll see you in the morning.”

Jackie looked at him, unsure of what was happening. She blinked. “But I wanted pancakes.”

Mitch chuckled, hooking his pinkie with hers and placing a quick kiss in the middle of her forehead. “I’ll buy everything we need and come round early. You can stay in bed until I bring you a plate, and a coffee.”

She nodded, her gaze moving to her father. What could he possibly want, out of the blue and at such a later hour?

“See you later, Fred.” Mitch pushed his hands in his pockets and turned to head home.

“I’ll text you about Sunday!” Fred called after him.

Jackie crossed her arms, her right eye twitching. “You’re scaring me. What’s the matter?”

Fred chewed on the inside of his cheek. He cleared his throat. “Let’s get inside.”

She didn’t remember how she got her keys out of her bag or how they found themselves in her living room.

Slumping into a worn velvet armchair, she raised a brow when Fred started pacing the room. Tequila was fuzzing her vision a bit; everything was slower, or perhaps she was just tipsy. “Clearly, everything isn’t all right. Tell me what’s going on, Dad. You’re freaking me out.”

He stopped in the middle of the room. Overhead light illuminated his face and Jackie’s gaze traced the shadows under his eyes; his normally clean-shaved face was covered with a short stubble. His fingers shook as he dragged them across his jaw.

“Have you heard of Huntington’s disease?” he asked quietly.

Jackie leaned forward, propping her elbows on her knees. She grimaced, willing herself to focus. “I’m going to Columbia med in the fall, of course I’ve heard of Huntington’s. It’s a neurodegenerative genetic disease. A very cruel one. There’s no cure.”