Page 26 of Secret Southern Promises

I let out a chuckle. “It’s really not that scary once you get used to it. Just remember, when in doubt, wash it. Your hands, the tongs, anything that touches the raw chicken. That’s your number one rule. I promise you’ll be fine.”

Boone opened his mouth to respond, but his phone started ringing. He glanced down at the screen, his lips quirking. “I think I need to take this,” he said, giving me an apologetic look. “Help yourself to anything in the fridge to drink.”

I waved my hand, letting him know it was no big deal. “Go ahead. We don’t have to do anything with the chicken for another ten minutes or so.”

He nodded, already tapping his phone and connecting the call. “Trevor?” he called into the phone, his voice dipping into a more serious tone as he turned on his heel and headed out the patio door to the backyard.

I found myself alone in the kitchen, the distant sound of his voice fading as he stepped outside. I busied myself by wiping down the countertops again, just for something to do. I moved the chicken closer to the stove and checked to make sure the oven was preheating. Everything seemed to be in order.

With a little sigh, I wandered to the fridge and grabbed a bottle of water. As I took a sip, I leaned against the counter and let my eyes drift toward the patio door where Boone was pacing back and forth on the deck.

Even in the dim light outside, Boone looked good. He had this easy way about him, his long strides slow and steady, like he didn’t have a care in the world, but there was a tightness to his jaw that told me whatever conversation he was having was serious. His free hand slid into the back pocket of his jeans as he turned and started pacing in the other direction, his gaze fixed on the ground in front of him.

For a moment, I found myself wondering who Trevor was and what the call was about, but I quickly pushed that thought aside. It wasn’t my business.

What was my business, though, was trying to keep things light and easy tonight. I wasn’t sure if this evening had started as a cooking lesson or a date or maybe something in between. But so far, it was going smoothly, and I wanted to keep it that way. I wasn’t quite sure what Boone had in mind for us tonight or even in the long run. My feelings for him had been bottled up for so long that I wasn’t sure if I was ready to open that particular can of worms. I also knew if that can of worms was opened, I was going to have to do some explaining about Nash.

But standing in his kitchen, surrounded by the smell of chicken and potatoes in the oven and the sound of him talking outside, it felt good. Comfortable.

I took another sip of water, watching Boone stop for a moment to run his hand through his hair. His voice was low andsteady, but every now and then, I caught the hint of tension, like whatever was being said on the other end of the line wasn’t something he particularly wanted to deal with.

All I knew was that tonight was going well, and I hoped—more than I cared to admit—that it stayed that way.

Chapter Fifteen

Boone

“I need some time to think about it, Trevor,” I said as I paced the deck and tried to wrap my head around what he was offering me.

Trevor’s voice crackled through the phone. “It’s a new series, Boone, and we all think you’d be the breath of fresh air we need,” he continued. “This is an opportunity most retired bull riders won’t ever get. We want you in on the ground floor of this new series.”

I stopped pacing, running a hand through my hair as I processed what he was saying. TheWild Broncsseries sounded like a big deal. I hadn’t thought much about what I’d do after retiring. Hell, for the last six months, I’d been more focused on walking again, on getting my body to work the way it used to. The idea of stepping into a whole new role—especially one in front of a camera—wasn’t something I’d planned on. But here was Trevor, dangling a new chapter in front of me like bait.

“Give me a couple of days, and I’ll get back to you,” I finally said.

“All right, man. I’ll be waiting for your call,” Trevor replied, his voice warm with anticipation.

I ended the call and tucked my phone into my pocket.

Holy hell.

I stood there for a minute and stared out at the backyard and river to try to wrap my head around what had just happened. That call had come out of nowhere, and now I had a decision to make—one that could change everything. I had the money to sit on for a while, but this offer… it was something I hadn’t even considered. Becoming an announcer, stepping into the spotlight in a whole new way—it wasn’t just a job. It was a chance to stay close to the world I knew so well without the danger.

I took a deep breath, and my mind swirled with possibilities. This was not a conversation I’d expected to have, especially not with Dolly here.

I turned and headed back into the house. As soon as I stepped through the door, I caught sight of her in the kitchen. She was leaning against the counter, sipping her water and watching me with those eyes that always seemed to know what was going on, even when I hadn’t said a word.

“Everything okay?” she asked, her brow furrowed slightly in concern.

I nodded, grabbed a beer from the fridge, and popped the top. “Uh, yeah. Just a phone call I wasn’t expecting.”

“Gotcha,” she said, her tone casual, but I could tell she wanted to ask more. The way she glanced at me like she was waiting for me to say something else told me that much. But she didn’t push.

I leaned against the counter and took a long swig of the beer. “I haven’t really figured out what I want to do now that I’m retired,” I said, running my thumb along the neck of the bottle. “I just got an offer to be an announcer for a new series the PBR’s throwing together.”

Dolly’s eyes widened, and her lips parted slightly. “Like, the guys on TV that do all the talking and whatnot while the riders are on?” she asked, her voice full of surprise.

I nodded. “Yeah, just like that.”

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