Page 14 of Second Chance Saloon

Jackie drained the rest of her latest cocktail, set the glass back on the cask and shrugged. “Whatever you want to share. I’m all ears.”

Mitch hummed under his breath. What did he want to do? That was a million-dollar question; one his parents insisted on answering for him.

“In future, I’d love to be an equine vet. In college, I want to get all the prereqs for that. And to swim well enough to keep my scholarship, I suppose. My father wouldn’t pay my tuition here.” He turned his second Lone Star bottle between his fingers. “Right now, I want to hear all about you.”

His eyes lifted in time to catch the faint shadow of a blush rushing to her cheeks.

“My life’s boring. I’d much rather hear more about you.” Jackie looked down at her hands and picked at her cuticles.

Mitch frowned. “I don’t believe someone like you has a boring life.”

The laughter that rose from her chest lacked the previous joy. “You don’t give up easily, do you?”

“Must be the athlete in me.”

Jackie snorted. “Or you’re just nosy.”

“Maybe I’m both.” He shifted on the uncomfortable seat, stretching his legs in front of him and crossing them at the ankles. “Go on. Spill. You know so much about me already but all I know about you is your first name, Long Island Iced Tea is your favorite drink, you have two uncles, and are apparently a regular in here. Oh, and you have some shady contacts who supply fake IDs.”

Her unblinking eyes pinned him with curiosity. “See? You know stuff about me.” She sighed, rubbing her left temple. “Fine. But promise not to run for the hills.”

Mitch frowned. Why would she say that? His immediate thought was that her family were criminals or politicians, though he wasn’t sure if there was much difference between the two. His father was a judge and could rub shoulders with both.

“My name’s Jacqueline van Moetlier.” She raised her glass like she had forgotten it was empty.

Mitch’s mouth dried up. “van Moetlier as in …”

“The hotels, yes.”

Even though he’d never been outside of the US, Mitch had heard the name. Likely everyone had. It was pretty much impossible not to, with Mr. and Mrs. van Moetlier being one of the most prominent couples in the country. The “it” couple, according to his mother, who loved to obsessively flick through glossy magazines. He racked his brain, trying to remember if he knew they had a child, but came up blank.

“I … Wow. How many hotels do your parents own?”

Jackie’s cheeks colored fully. “Eighty-five.”

“Wow.”

She scoffed. “You’ve already said that.”

“I know but this is … I don’t even know.”

She propped her elbows on top of the cask and rested her chin on her palm, looking into his green eyes with wistful sadness. “People often treat me differently when they know. I can’t keep it a secret, as I share the same surname, but I prefer to just be Jackie. Being a van Moetlier comes with certain expectations. This,” she gestured to her outfit and then extended her arm to encompass the general Betty’s Hens Saloon area, “is something the press would love. When Dad married Mom, a Texan cowgirl, it was a scandal.”

She pressed her lips in a thin line and paused, like she wanted to collect her thoughts. “I was raised on Mimi’s ranch, outside Austin. That’s where I still live, when I’m not at school. My parents live there too, in a way. It’s home but they both travel a lot. So, it’s really been just me, Mimi, the horses and cattle. And all the ranch hands, of course.” She sighed, eyes misting over with a nostalgic sheen. “I love it there. It was so much fun growing up on a working ranch. Hard work, too, but everyone always made sure I had fun.”

“You’re a cowgirl, then.”

Jackie nodded, flicking her hair off her shoulder. “Born and bred. Mimi laughs that I could ride before I could walk.”

“Who’s Mimi?”

“Oh, she’s my grandmother, I just call her Mimi. Always have. Her name’s Brenda.”

Mitch smiled at her. “And Albert’s your dad’s brother?”

Jackie nodded. “A much younger brother. He understands that it can get a bit much, our last name and the family. He’s the one who first brought me here, for my sixteenth birthday. Betty took a shine to me, and it’s been my place to be myself: Jackie, an ordinary teenager, a cowgirl who spent last summer drinking watermelon moonshine with ranch hands when Mimi was asleep. Not an heiress.”

His chest squeezed with indiscernible gratitude that she’d shared with him such a special place for her. He rested his elbows on the cask as well, leaning over. His face was wisps away from Jackie’s. Her warm breath tickled his nose. He waited until her blue eyes focused on him. “I can’t even imagine. But you’re as far from ordinary as they come. I hope you know that.”