On New Year’s Eve, Mack Linger found himself in The Guy Chaparral, a gay country dance bar in Cathedral City — a world away from the Palm Springs rehab clinic he’d escaped.

The bar, a kaleidoscope of lights and laughter, was owned by the brother of Rosita Minkey, Mexico’s reigning queen of country music. Mack had harbored a secret crush on Rosita since their paths crossed at a music festival in Nashville.

The bar pulsed with energy, its patrons swaying and stomping to the rhythm of country classics. Feeling a mix of nervousness and exhilaration, Mack lingered near the entrance, his gaze scanning the crowd. That’s when he saw her — Rosita, her presence illuminating the stage. She was a vision, her voice melding with the twang of guitars, creating a melody that resonated deep within Mack’s soul.

Mack gulped so hard he almost farted.

Mack found himself onstage, his voice joining Rosita’s in a harmonious duet. They sang with a passion that belied spontaneity, their voices weaving through over a dozen songs.

As midnight approached, the bar brimmed with anticipation. When the clock struck twelve, Mack and Rosita’s eyes locked as everyone sang “Auld Lang Syne.”

When they kissed, the crowd erupted in cheers, and dozens of patrons captured the moment and shared videos on social media.

Mack never returned to the clinic.

Text and photo copyright © 2024 L.T. Hanlon. All content in this post is fiction.