Page 70 of I Want Crazy (Loco, Texas 3)

Ten minutes later, she covered her mouth to smother a sob.

Rand came over to her and gave her a one-armed hug. “What do you think?”

Jessie couldn’t say a word as she watched the citizens of Loco, Texas hard at work. They had already replaced the wall to the bar Will had burned down, and the charred roof. As she took her first step forward on trembling legs, she held on to Rand’s hand.

“Wait until you see the inside,” Red said, coming up alongside them. “Bubba’s cousin works at an electronics store in Austin and got us new—”

“Shush, let her see for herself,” Rand said, smacking him.

Jessie wasn’t even aware of their bickering or her father’s presence as she walked into her bar. The walls had been repainted, and new flat-screens hung on them. Everything had been replaced, including the photographs, only everything was new again.

Next to Jessie’s Bar and Grill was the picture Red had taken of her holding her sign.

Red’s large arms wrapped around her, and she held on. “Thank you.”

“Don’t tell me, tell them. I had very little to do with this.”

She opened her mouth but couldn’t stop crying long enough to say anything.

When she finally calmed down, she said, “Thank you so much for all of this. I don’t deserve it.”

Ray walked forward. “Are you kidding? You were the only person willing to give me a job.”

“Plus, you didn’t cheap out on the sports package,” Bubba called.

The room laughed, and Finn crossed his arms over his chest, commanding the room. “You’re a part of our town, Jessie, and we take care of our own.”

Jessie wiped her eyes, and Jake shouted, “Jesus, leave the girl alone, or she’ll never stop blubbering.”

Finding her voice again, she said, “I think this calls for a round on the house.”

Everyone cheered, and once the drinks were passed out, Jessie stood on the counter and held up her glass. “To good friends.”

They drank, and Jessie felt hands on her waist, lowering her down. When Red had her on her feet and looking up at him, he yelled, “To doing something crazy.”

“Hear, hear!” shouted the people closest to them.

As everyone started mingling around, Jessie scoffed, “I’m not that crazy.”

“You kind of are, but it’s okay with me,” he said, pulling her in for a kiss. When the whoops and whistles got too loud, he pulled away and, next to her ear, whispered, “I don’t mind a little crazy.”

“You know, since this is another fresh start for the bar, I think it needs a new name. And since you came up with it, remind me to thank you properly later.”

“Not that I don’t want a proper thank-you, but what do you mean?”

She wrapped her arms around his neck and said, “Welcome to A Crazy Little Bar and Grill.”

Red kissed her again and didn’t let her up for air for a good minute. “I think that’s a perfect name. And, it will give the bar another fresh start.”

Jessie reached up to run her hand over his lips. “Are you sure you want to do this? Between my crazy ex, my crazy baggage, and my—”

“If it means I can keep you, darlin’, then I want crazy.”

Grinning like a fool, she threw her arms around his neck. “I’m all yours.”

Epilogue

Nearly six months later…

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