Chapter Ten

Boone

I was here again.

To anyone watching, it would look like I just liked to have a bagel in the morning, the same as any other guy. But that wasn't the truth, not really. I was here at the Bagel Bin because I was hoping to catch a glimpse of Dolly. A glimpse, a moment, hell, I'd take anything.

Dolly loved the bagels at this place, always had. That hadn't changed in the fifteen years since we last… well, since everything.

Two days ago, when I'd casually dropped a hint about needing to learn how to cook—hoping maybe she'd offer to teach me—she hadn't taken the bait. It wasn't like Dolly to brush off something like that. If anything, she'd always been willing to help someone out. That's how I knew something was bothering her. I didn't like that one bit, but I couldn't fix it if she wouldn't talk to me.

I paid for my sausage, egg, and cheese bagel and made my way to the table by the door, the perfect spot to watch without being too obvious. I settled in and unwrapped the bagel just as the door chimed. I didn't even have to look up to know who it was. I felt it.

Dolly breezed in with that same energy she carried everywhere. The kind that made people stop and take notice without her even trying. Her hair, long and curly, bounced against her back, the kind of curls you wanted to wrap your fingers around and never let go. She moved with an easy grace that was all Dolly—confident but not showy like she owned her space without needing to announce it.

She didn't see me yet, too focused on heading straight to the counter to place her order. "Bacon, egg, and cheese, please," she said, her voice as familiar to me as my own name. She was in a savory mood today. I wasn't sure if that said anything about the mood she was in, but I tried to read into it anyway.

While she waited for her bagel, Dolly struck up a conversation with Jo, the cashier. Her laugh, soft but genuine, floated over to where I sat, and I couldn't stop myself from watching her more closely. She leaned against the counter, chatting easily with Jo. Her long curls swayed as she moved, catching the light from the windows and shining like caramel in the sun.

I couldn't help but notice the curve of her hips and the way her jeans fit snugly against her waist. She always had that same figure, soft in all the right places but strong, too. There was something about the way she held herself—like she knew she didn't need anyone but herself. That had always been one of the things I loved about her.

Jo handed her the bagel, and I saw Dolly glance at the clock above the counter. "Looks like I'm running early today," she said with a smile. "Guess I'll get to enjoy my bagel here for once."

The moment she turned around, her eyes locked on mine, and there was no missing the way her face changed when she saw me. Her smile faltered, but she caught herself quick, her features smoothing out like she hadn't been surprised at all. But I knew better.

This was my chance.

I leaned back in my chair, trying to keep it casual, though my pulse had kicked up a bit. "Mornin', Dolly."

She hesitated for a beat, like she was deciding whether to acknowledge me at all, then finally gave a small nod. "Boone."

"Got an open chair here," I offered. There were only a few other people at other tables, and there were plenty of open tables she could have sat at. I wanted her to sit with me.

"Thanks." Her voice was calm and even, but I could tell she wasn't exactly thrilled to see me. Still, she walked over to my table, bagel in hand, and pulled out the chair across from me. For a second, it was like old times—Dolly and I, sitting together, sharing a meal like we used to. But that was years ago, and things were different now.

"Didn't expect to see you here," Dolly said, taking a small bite of her bagel, her eyes narrowed slightly as she watched me. "Haven't figured out how to fry an egg yet?" she teased, a hint of a smile tugged at the corners of her lips.

I shrugged, trying to play it off. "I've been trying, but nothing seems as good as a bagel from the Bagel Bin."

She eyed me closely, chewing thoughtfully, but didn't respond. I could feel her sizing me up, trying to figure out what I was doing here. I knew this wasn't just about the bagels, but neither of us had gone there yet.

"What's going on in your head, Dolly?" I asked, leaning in a little, trying to close the distance between us, even if it was just through conversation.

She quirked her lips and wiped her mouth with a napkin before setting it down. "That's a loaded question. My mind is like a computer with fifteen browsers open all at the same time."

I smiled. That was classic Dolly—always juggling a million things and always keeping herself busy. "Well, tell me what one of those browsers is," I said, leaning back a bit to give her space but hoping she'd give me something real.

"I've got a load of produce coming in later this morning," she said, picking at the edge of her bagel, not meeting my eyes. "I don't know if we'll have enough space for all of it. I'll probably have to discount a few things to clear them out and make room for the fresher stuff."

I nodded. Produce and grocery stock. That was safe ground for her—nothing too personal, nothing too deep. It wasn't what I wanted to hear, but at least she was talking to me. "I can swing by and grab some. Help make some room. What else?"

She set her sandwich down, and this time, her gaze locked onto mine. I could feel the shift in her energy; something more serious was hanging between us now. "Why are you here, Boone?" she asked, her voice soft but direct.

"At the Bagel Bin?" I asked, though I had a sinking feeling she wasn't asking about my breakfast habits. "I like a good bagel as much as the next person."

She shook her head slowly, her curls bouncing slightly. "Magnolia Grove. Why are you here after fifteen years?"

There it was. No small talk, no avoiding it. She wanted the real answer, not the polite ones we'd been dancing around.

I leaned back in my chair and rubbed the back of my neck. "Well, this is my home, Dolly," I said, pausing for a moment to gather my thoughts. "Even though my parents moved years ago, I still think of this as my home. Had a bad ride a few months ago and knew riding was over for me."

Her head tipped to the side, and her expression softened just a little. "I saw. I'm sorry."

I shrugged. "Nothing to be sorry about. It was a damn miracle I was able to ride for as long as I did without major injury. I'm just thankful I was able to retire with a few titles under my belt and my legs still working." I tried to laugh it off, but the truth of it weighed on me. Losing that part of my life—it hurt more than I liked to admit.

"You were good, Boone. Really good," Dolly said quietly, her voice barely above a whisper. "You could've kept going if that last ride hadn't..." she trailed off, her eyes flickering with something I couldn't quite read, something buried deep behind the years and the distance between us.

I shook my head, trying to brush it off. "Nah, it was time. That last ride just pushed me to face it sooner rather than later. I am surprised to hear that you kept up with me."

She smiled, but it was the kind of smile that didn't reach her eyes. Sad, almost resigned. "You were a world champion, Boone. It was hard not to follow you. I always knew you were going to be something amazing once you left Magnolia Grove."

Her words hit me harder than I expected. I glanced down at my bagel, suddenly feeling like it was the least important thing in the world. She had always said that back when we were in high school—always telling me I was destined for something bigger. I'd believed her. I'd always figured she'd be right there beside me when I became that something, cheering me on like she had for every practice, every small-time rodeo.

Instead, I'd done it all by myself.

Two weeks after we'd graduated, everything had changed. Dolly changed. She became more distant, pushing me away for reasons I couldn't make sense of at the time. She started talking about how she needed to be here, how Magnolia Grove was her home, her responsibility. The store—Magnolia Mart—had been in her family for generations. She felt like she couldn't just walk away from it.

I'd gotten that. Hell, I respected it. Family meant something, especially in a small town like this. But I also thought we could figure things out together. I believed we could make it work. I was ready to find a way, to balance rodeo and being with her, even if it meant slowing down or staying closer to home.

But then, she broke up with me.

Told me to go chase my dreams and forget about her. That she couldn't leave Magnolia Grove. Ever. I remembered standing there, dumbfounded, trying to understand what the hell had just happened. It didn't make any sense. We'd always talked about a future together—her and me, side by side. I'd pictured her cheering me on from the stands at every rodeo, the way she always had.

I'd tried to talk her out of it, told her we didn't have to split up. That we could both do what we wanted and still stay together. I could ride on the weekends and travel when I needed to, but Magnolia Grove would be home. I'd always come back to her.

But she didn't want that. She insisted I needed to go, to leave her behind, and live the life I was meant to live. She didn't say it in so many words, but I knew she thought she'd just hold me back. That if I stayed for her, I'd resent it one day.

So, she broke up with me.

And just like that, the future I thought we'd have vanished. My parents had already been talking about moving down to Florida. With Dolly pushing me away, there wasn't anything left in Magnolia Grove for me anymore.

So, I left. Packed up my dreams and my broken heart and hit the road.

And Dolly? She stayed.

Sitting here with her now, in the same town where we'd once made plans for a future, felt like stepping into a time warp. The same streets, the same storefronts, the same memories lingering in every corner. Only now, we were different—older, more worn down by the lives we'd lived apart.

I looked up at her, her face familiar but changed in ways I couldn't quite pinpoint. She wasn't that girl anymore, and I wasn't the boy who had been in love with her. But somehow, being back here with her made it feel like we were still unfinished business. Like the book hadn't been closed, just left with a chapter unwritten.

"Dolly," I said, my voice rougher than I intended, "I didn't want to leave you behind."

She looked at me, her expression softening for a moment before she shook her head. "I know, Boone. But I couldn't go with you. I couldn't leave this place. I tried to make it easier for you, but..."

"But it wasn't," I finished for her.

She nodded, her eyes downcast. "I didn't think you'd come back. I figured once you were gone, you'd find your place in the world and forget about me. About Magnolia Grove."

I stared at her, letting that settle in. I hadn't forgotten her. Not once, not in all those years. But maybe that was part of why I'd stayed away so long—because I couldn't come back here without thinking about what we lost. What I lost.

"I never forgot," I said quietly.

Her eyes lifted to meet mine, and for the first time, I saw a flash of something in them that looked a lot like regret.

"Neither did I," she whispered.

Dolly

This wasn't what I had expected when I walked into the Bagel Bin to fix my bagel craving. I came in ready for a quiet moment with a savory bagel—sausage, egg, and cheese, just like I always ordered when I was stressed. Instead, I ended up sitting across from Boone West, the man I hadn't seen in fifteen years, the man I'd spent so long trying to forget and failing at it every damn time.

I glanced down at my bagel. I'd told him the partial truth. I hadn't been able to leave Magnolia Grove because of the store—because of my responsibilities. But there was the part he didn't know about.

Nash.

If Boone had known about Nash, he never would've left. He would've stayed, would've forgotten all about his dreams of being a rodeo star, and he would've settled here in Magnolia Grove. And while a part of me wanted to imagine what that life might've been like, another part of me knew it would've crushed him. Boone was meant for more than small-town life. He was meant to be a world champion, to live out his dreams under bright stadium lights, not in the shadow of my family's grocery store.

I felt guilt every day that Boone didn't know about Nash, but look at the life he'd been able to live. He'd become everything I knew he could be. He never would've been able to do that if he'd stayed.

Boone's voice snapped me out of my thoughts. "Can we start over?" he asked, his eyes searching mine, hopeful in a way that made my heart ache.

I glanced up at him, and for a moment, my heart leaped at the idea of being with Boone again, but I knew that couldn't happen. We couldn't go back to what we were. We had been young, dumb, and in love. Life had moved on. We'd lived so much since then.

"Uh, friends?" I offered, though the word felt awkward on my tongue. It felt like a lie, even as I said it.

"That's really starting over," he chuckled, though the humor didn't quite reach his eyes.

I wrinkled my nose. "I think that's all I can offer right now."

"Is this because of your kid?" he asked, catching me completely off guard.

My heart dropped to my feet, my pulse racing. He knew I had a kid? How?

But, of course, I knew how. Magnolia Grove was small, and everyone was in everyone's business. It wasn't like I could've kept Nash a secret forever.

"Oh, uh, well, no," I stammered, feeling flustered. "I just don't have the... time." It was a pathetic excuse, and I knew it. "You know, with the store and everything." I fought the urge to roll my eyes at myself. What everything? The store was all I had besides Nash. There wasn't any other ‘everything' to fill up my days.

Boone nodded, though I could see in his eyes that he wasn't satisfied with my answer. "I guess I can deal with being friends," he said, his voice low, like he didn't quite believe it. "Do friends help each other learn how to cook?" he asked, raising an eyebrow at me. "I've got some chicken breasts in my fridge but no damn clue what to do with them. Maybe you and your kid could come over for dinner this week sometime."

"Nash," I said quickly. "His name's Nash." I paused, not sure why I was hesitating. "And I'll have to check our schedules. I've got help at the store, but it always feels like I'm working or Nash has something going on at school." I glanced up at the clock on the wall, grateful for the excuse. "Like right now, actually—I've got to get to the store before the produce truck shows up."

I wrapped up my bagel in its waxy paper and stood, the urge to flee growing stronger with every second. "How about I let you know when works?" I offered, not entirely sure I'd follow through.

Boone nodded slowly, his eyes still fixed on me. "What's your phone number?" he asked as he pulled out his phone.

I hesitated, my heart skipping a beat. My number hadn't changed since high school, and I wasn't sure how I felt about him knowing that.

"Uh, it's the same," I admitted, trying to sound casual.

Boone looked up from his phone, a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Mine didn't change either."

It felt like a sign. Despite everything that had happened, despite the years and the distance and the secrets between us, some things hadn't changed. It was like a thread that had never quite snapped, no matter how far we'd pulled from each other.

"Um, then I guess I'll let you know when works for me," I said, though I wasn't sure if I was ready for what that might mean. Nash wasn't going to come with me to Boone's. Hell, I wasn't even sure if I was going to go.

Boone gave me a slow nod, his eyes lingering on mine and the space between us thick with things unsaid. "I'll be waiting," he said, his voice dipped low as the words carried more weight than they should've. "Don't keep me waiting too long, Dolly."

I swallowed hard and the tension between us palpable. There was something in his voice that made me want to stay, to erase the years of distance and jump right back into what we'd once had. But I knew better. It wouldn't be that easy.

"I'll... I'll let you know," I managed to say, feeling the air around me grow heavy with the finality of our conversation.

"Later, Dolly," he said, his voice soft, almost tender.

"Goodbye, Boone," I whispered, forcing myself to turn away and walk out of the Bagel Bin before I said or did something I couldn't take back.

As I stepped out into the crisp fall air, I could still feel his eyes on me, the pull between us as strong as ever. But I kept walking, forcing myself to move forward down the street and toward my car.

Once I was inside, I sat behind the wheel and stared out at the quiet street in front of me. I hadn't planned on running into Boone. I hadn't planned on anything that had happened today. Seeing him again had stirred up emotions I thought I'd buried a long time ago, and I wasn't sure how to deal with them.

I let out a long breath, finally allowing myself to process what had just happened.

Friends with Boone West.

What the hell had I gotten myself into?

Friends? Friends didn't look at each other the way Boone had looked at me. And friends didn't make your heart race the way mine had when I saw him sitting there looking at me.

A simple bagel was what I had wanted, and instead, I walked out knowing Boone still had the same phone number, and he wanted to be my friend.

Freaking wild.