Page 69 of I Want Crazy (Loco, Texas 3)

“Fine, but really, nix some of the mushy-gushy stuff.”

“Under advisement. Anything else?”

She stood up slowly and walked toward him. When she was a few inches away, she put her hand on his chest, and her voice softened. “The ending is all wrong. He shouldn’t apologize to her. She should be the one apologizing. She shouldn’t have compared him to her loser ex.”

“That wasn’t in the book.”

She looked up into his eyes, her green eyes watery. “You’re right it’s not. That’s real life, and I should have known the difference. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have thought the worst of you, especially after how good you were to me. I let my past cloud my judgment, and I’m so sorry.”

He had a hard time hanging on to any resentment when she was so close, her coconut lotion making him light-headed. “I’m not a bad guy.”

“I know you aren’t. I’ve had a bad guy,” she said, playing with the front of his shirt. Taking a breath, she changed her tone, and he caught the hint of a smile. “You’ve got a bit of a bad temper, and you might tell a few corny jokes but—”

“Hey, I’m funny.”

“Please, people give you pity laughs.”

He reached up and cradled her head, making her smile dim. “I love when you pick on me, but what does all this mean? Why are you here?”

She hesitated, and that millisecond made his gut twist. He waited for her to tell him she was here to say good-bye for real, that she was in town to sell the bar, but she surprised him.

“I’m here to tell you I was wrong”—she took a deep breath— “and that I think I’m in love with you.”

And just like that, he was kissing her, wrapping his arms around her waist and cry-laughing. “Oh God, I missed you.”

“I” —kiss— “missed mm” —kiss— “you too.”

He couldn’t seem to stop touching her, afraid to let her out of his arms. “I thought you were here to tell me good-bye for good.”

She shook her head and cuddled against his chest. “Everything I need is here.”

“What about your dad?”

“Oh yeah, about my dad…”

* * *

“Dad, this is Albert Calhoun. Red, this is my dad, Steve.”

Jessie stood back and held her breath as the two men shook hands, her father’s gaze neutral as he looked him up and down. “You’re a big guy. You played football?”

“In high school and college, until I ruined my knee.”

Before she could blink, her dad was grinning. “I like this one.”

Silvie patted her arm. “You can breathe now.”

Jessie let out the breath she’d been holding and smiled at her stepmother. “Thanks.”

“Well, Jessie, are you going to show me this bar you bought?” her father asked.

Jessie’s heart squeezed at the mention of her bar. “No, there was too much damage to it.”

“Actually, I think y’all should see it.”

Jessie looked at Red in surprise, and a wave of suspicion washed over her. “What did you do?”

“I did nothing.”

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