see you.”
Jolene eased past him, looking adorable in a tight T-shirt and jeans tucked into the boots he’d given her. She stepped in his living room. “I came to tell you that I’m selling my house. I’m selling my sports car I never drive. I’m letting go of my housekeeper and my pool guy and my landscapers.”
He felt his eyebrows rise before he could stop them. “This is a surprise. Are you leaving town?” Not that he ever saw her outside of work, but he didn’t like the idea of her being totally out of reach. He didn’t like that idea at all.
“No, I’m downsizing. Because after I finish my commitment to Wayne Rush, I’m looking to do a small acoustic tour and I’m looking for a guitar player. You interested? We have three-quarters of an album written and I’d like to finish it.”
Still holding his damn sandwich, Chance shook his head, shocked. “Have you lost your mind? You can’t do an acoustic tour.”
“Yes, I can. I can do anything I want. I need to do what I want. And damn it, what I want is you. I want you and me and nothing else.” There were tears in her eyes and she sounded so earnest, so desperate, that Chance set his sandwich down on the coffee table so he could get closer to her, put his hands on her shoulders.
“Hey, it’s okay,” he murmured, though he wasn’t sure why he was comforting her. She was the one who’d walked out to sign with the king of country. “What’s wrong?” He shouldn’t care. But he did. He did and would never stop. That was something he had learned and accepted about his feelings for Jolene. They were deep and true and they weren’t going away, no matter how many arguments they had about stupid shit that didn’t matter. “Did something happen with Wayne? Did he hit on you or something?” The guy was a lecher. Everyone knew that.
She gave a watery laugh. “Oh, my God, no, gross. I just… I just miss you.”
His chest tightened. “I miss you too.” It had been a lonely four weeks filled with sleepless nights and a struggle to understand how they couldn’t make it work when they so clearly loved each other.
“I’m sorry. Chance, I am trying to tell you that I would give up everything. The money. My career. I just want to be with you.” She tentatively reached out, lightly pressed her palms into his chest, like she wasn’t sure if he would let her touch him or not.
He shifted his hands to her cheeks and cupped her soft skin. He could drown in those doe-like eyes. “I gave up drinking because I realized that I was always holding myself back, not sharing my real feelings. I didn’t deserve you before because I didn’t know what I had. Even when we were together, I was missing you, because I wasn’t letting you in.” He brushed his lips over hers. “Does that make sense? I feel like I’ve spent my whole life missing you and I have a damn hole in my heart, Jolene, that only you can fill.”
Her hands shifted, wrapping around him fully, so she was hugging him tightly. “Maybe it’s time to stop missing and start enjoying. I mean it about leaving the spotlight. I’ll do that if that’s what you want. I actually like the idea of doing a smaller tour.”
“What are you saying, JoJo?” He needed to hear her say it.
“I love you, Chance.” Her heart was in her eyes. “I’m all in.”
“Hot damn.” He kissed her again, and again, grateful that despite everything, they were giving each other a third shot. “But no bailing this time. On anything. No giving up on us. We’re in it. Not backing out.”
“You stomped off the first time, me the second.” She gave him a sly smile. “I think we’re done, right?”
“We’d better be.” He bent down and scooped her up into his arms. “Because next time would kill me and I don’t think you want my death on your hands.”
“I swear on my father’s grave I’m done throwing in the towel. Even though he’s not dead.” Jolene wrapped her arms around his neck. “Can I move in here?”
“No grass grows under your feet, does it?” Chance carried her down the hallway. “I don’t think this house is big enough. Maybe we should find a compromise house together.”
She smiled at that. “Did I interrupt your dinner?” she asked, flicking her finger