Page 10 of Secret Southern Promises

Chad chuckled, shaking his head. “It’s always complicated when it comes to women, Boone. Her kid scaring you off?” he asked, his tone light but curious.

I shook my head. “Nah, man. Pretty sure everyone our age has a kid now. I’m the only one who doesn’t.” I took a sip of my beer, letting that thought sink in. I couldn’t really expect that Dolly wouldn’t have had a life after I left. I had a past, and so did she.

“Yeah,” Chad laughed. “You might be right about that, man. I’ve got three of my own, all of them over ten.”

I raised my eyebrows at that. Chad, with three kids. It felt like time had moved at double speed for everyone else while I’d been out on the circuit, living in a world where everything revolved around bulls, arenas, and rodeo wins. Yeah, I definitely had some catching up to do when it came to things like settling down or starting a family.

There was one thing, though, something that had been gnawing at the back of my mind since I’d seen Dolly again. “Who did she end up with?” I asked, trying to sound casual about it, though the question had been bothering me more than I wanted to admit.

Chad shrugged and leaned back in his chair. “Don’t know, man. I think it was a one-night stand or something. She’s been single the whole time you’ve been gone.”

That surprised me. I nodded, looking out at the river, letting the steady flow of water calm the thoughts swirling in my head. It was hard to imagine Dolly raising a kid all on her own, but then again, she was always strong. Independent. I’d always admired that about her.

“You never ended up with anyone serious either, did you?” Chad asked after a beat of silence.

I shook my head, letting out a dry chuckle. “Lots of buckle bunnies out there, but none of them held my attention.”

Chad whistled low, shaking his head with a laugh. “Buckle bunnies. Man, when you set out to leave Magnolia Grove, you really did.”

I laughed too, but it felt a little hollow. He wasn’t wrong. The rodeo circuit was a whole different world compared to peaceful Magnolia Grove. Fast-paced, full of highs and lows, and yeah, plenty of girls chasing after a piece of the action. But none of it stuck. None of them were Dolly.

“Yeah, but now I’m right back here,” I said, looking down at the beer in my hand. “I wasn’t in it for the money or the girls, Chad. I just loved to rodeo.”

Chad nodded slowly, his expression more serious now. “I get it, man. But I’m sure the money wasn’t hard to adjust to either.”

He wasn’t wrong about that. I had earned good money on the circuit, especially after winning the World Finals. The more Iwon, the bigger the paychecks got, and I socked away every cent I didn’t need.

“Yeah, it was nice,” I admitted, thinking about the cushion I had sitting in my savings account. From where I stood now, I wouldn’t need to work a regular nine-to-five job for the rest of my life, not if I was smart about how I spent that money.

“I bought my house outright, got my truck paid off too,” I said, glancing over at Chad. “Still got a good chunk left, enough to live on for a while.”

Chad gave a low whistle again. “Must be nice,” he said, a hint of envy in his tone, but not in a bitter way. “You don’t plan on just sitting on your ass forever, though, right?”

I laughed. “Nah, man. I’ll find something to do, eventually. Right now, I’m just trying to settle back into life here.”

“Well, you’ve got time to figure it out,” Chad said, finishing off his beer and setting the bottle down on the table. “Hell, maybe you can teach some of these young kids how to ride. Pass on all that rodeo wisdom.”

I grinned at the idea, though I wasn’t sure I was cut out for teaching. Still, it wasn’t a bad thought. “Maybe. We’ll see.”

Chad nodded, a knowing look in his eyes. “You’ve got time, man. No rush.” He pushed back from the table, stretching his arms over his head. “Well, I better get home before my wife sends out a search party.”

I chuckled, standing up as he did. “Good seeing you, Chad. Let’s do this again soon.”

“Count on it, Boone,” he said, clapping me on the shoulder before heading for his truck. “And don’t forget about that poster for my kid,” he called as he got in his truck.

“I won’t,” I called after him.

I stood there for a moment as the quiet settled in around me as I watched him drive away. It was strange being back here, surrounded by the same streets, the same sounds of crickets andrustling leaves, but feeling like a different person. So much had changed in the years I’d been gone, and yet… so much hadn’t.

Chapter Seven

Dolly

I crouched near the candy bars and carefully arranged the rows of chocolate and peanut butter cups. It had been a pretty steady morning at Magnolia Mart, with the usual flow of customers coming and going. The bell above the door chimed every few minutes, signaling another regular stopping in for groceries or a quick chat. Most people in town couldn’t resist lingering at the register for small talk.

Even when life felt chaotic, there was something steady about stocking shelves and ringing up items for people I’d known my whole life.

I was kneeling close to the floor, half hidden from view, when I heard voices. They weren’t quiet either—two women talking loud enough for anyone nearby to overhear.

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