Page 8 of Secret Southern Promises

“Whoa there, you all right?” His deep voice rumbled, concern laced in the words.

I nodded, though my heart was still racing. “Yeah, I’m... I’m fine. Just... wasn’t watching where I was going.”Obviously.

He let go of my arms, but not before giving them a reassuring squeeze. “Good thing I was, then.”

I swallowed, trying to find my voice again as I bent down to retrieve the bag that had unceremoniously fallen to the floor. Boone crouched down at the same time, his hand brushing against mine as we both reached for it.

“Here,” he said softly, picking it up and handing it back to me, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. “Saved your breakfast too.”

I took the bag from him, trying to ignore the way my skin tingled where his fingers had touched mine. “Thanks,” I mumbled, suddenly feeling like I was back in high school, all awkward and unsure.

He stood up, towering over me in that way that used to make me feel small and safe all at once. “Didn’t think I’d run into you here, Dolly,” he said, his eyes searching mine like he was trying to figure out if I was real or just a figment of his memory.

I swallowed again, feeling the weight of his gaze. “Yeah, well, Magnolia Grove isn’t exactly a big place.”

“No, it’s not,” he agreed, his voice low and thoughtful.

An awkward silence settled between us, the kind that only happened when two people had too much history to fit into a single conversation. I could feel the tension in the air, the unspoken words hanging between us like they were just waiting to burst out.

Boone shifted, shoving his hands into his pockets. “You... still get bagels from here, huh?”

“Yeah.” I looked down at the bag in my hand, feeling the heat rise to my cheeks. “Guess I’m a creature of habit.” The Bagel Bin had been my vice all the way back, starting in high school.

He nodded slowly, his eyes still on me. “Same ol’ Dolly. Sweet or savory today?”

I couldn’t tell if he meant it as a compliment or just a statement of fact, but either way, it hit me harder than I expected. Because I wasn’t the same old Dolly, not really. Notafter everything that had happened. But standing in front of Boone, it felt like I hadn’t changed at all. Like all the years that had passed between us didn’t matter. “Uh, I went with sweet today,” I muttered. “I should probably go,” I said, shifting on my feet. “Don’t want to be late for work.”

Boone looked like he wanted to say something else, his mouth opening slightly, but then he just nodded. “Right. Of course.”

I turned toward the door again, my heart still pounding, but just as I was about to step outside, I glanced back at him. He hadn’t moved, just stood there watching me, like he was trying to figure out if this was some kind of dream.

“Take care, Boone,” I said softly, almost like I didn’t want him to hear it.

His eyes met mine, and for a second, I saw a flicker of something in them—something that made my chest tighten in a way I hadn’t felt in years.

“You too, Dolly,” he replied, his voice rough around the edges.

I turned and pushed open the door. I stepped out into the cool morning air, but even as I walked away, I could still feel his eyes on me.

There went my plans of avoiding Boone West.

Chapter Six

Boone

“The great Boone West coming back to Magnolia Grove was not on my bingo card,” Chad laughed, shaking his head as he took a swig of his beer. “You’re a damn legend, Boone.”

I chuckled and lifted my own bottle to my lips. “I don’t think I’d go that far.”

Chad leaned back in his chair, his expression full of disbelief. “Come on, man. They make posters of you. And I know that because my seven-year-old asked for one for his birthday. When he finds out I’m sitting here having a beer with you, he’s gonna lose his mind.”

I huffed out a breath, shaking my head. Famous? Maybe in the rodeo world, sure, but that didn’t make me anything special outside of it. “Bring the poster next time, and I’ll sign it for him,” I offered with a grin.

“Oh, I will,” Chad laughed. “And he’ll be with me, too. Kid’s not gonna let me leave without him if he knows where I’m going.” He paused, still grinning. “I still can’t believe you won the World Finals two years ago, man. That’s insane.”

I leaned back in my chair and stared down at my beer. “Yeah, well… it feels like a lifetime ago now.”

Two years. It didn’t seem like that long in the grand scheme of things, but so much had changed since then. I may have won that title, but the rodeo had a way of humbling you real quick.

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