12. Chapter Twelve

Chapter Twelve

Indy — Now

I cracked open the bathroom door and peeked through the gap, my stomach dropping as I failed to find Nolan. I checked my phone again, feeling like an idiot. We’d barely made our arrangement yesterday, so it was a surprise when he’d texted this morning and asked me to meet him at the bar tonight. I’d almost shot him down and asked how he’d gotten my number, but I resisted. Ye Olde Trusty Tavern was the last place I had in mind to repair my reputation, but I’d agreed to meet with him anyway. At least he was sticking to our agreement. Wanting to show him I was as serious as he was, I’d shown up at seven, exactly like he asked.

Except now it was seven thirty.

I closed the door and leaned against it, as though that could keep the tune of “Boot Scootin’ Boogie” on the other side. This was a new low for me. This wasn’t even a date, and I’d been stood up. I was hiding in a bathroom that reeked of Taco Bell. I cursed under my breath. To hell with Nolan and his help. I’d bet he was at home, drinking a beer as he pictured me making a fool of myself.

This was the last time he’d ever make a fool of me.

Slinging my bag over my shoulder, I opened the bathroom door, ready to run. Keeping my head low, I only managed two steps before I walked into a solid surface. I stumbled, and a hand caught my waist. “There you are.” Nolan steadied me on my feet. “I thought you ran out on me again.”

“Me?” He had some damn nerve. “You’re the one who’s half an hour late.”

“I was waiting in the parking lot. Figured we’d walk in together.” His gaze flickered behind me, and his grin grew. “You know”—his hand curled around my hip—“if you wanted to make out with me in the bathroom, all you had to do was ask.”

I scoffed, pushing his hand off me. “I think we’ve outgrown that, don’t you?”

“What’s another habit I can’t break, right?” He stepped back and swept his gaze over me, not even trying to hide it. “On second thought, maybe you have outgrown making out in bathrooms—what the hell are you wearing?”

I glanced down at my black dress, the simple and loose fit falling past my knees. Admittedly, I hadn’t gone out in a while, but last I knew there was nothing wrong with wearing this to a bar. “It’s a dress?”

He made a face, having the nerve to look personally offended by it. “You look like you’re going to a funeral.”

I rolled my eyes. If Nolan thought tonight was a chance for me to let my hair down, squeeze into a pair of old shorts, and dust off my boots, he was mistaken. “Whatever. Instead of staring at me, why don’t you tell me the plan for tonight?”

The corner of his mouth ticked up. “Just try not to piss anyone off, Indy.”

Before I could stop him, he slipped into the crowd, leaving me alone in the hall. Biting my lip, I eyed the front door. What was I doing here? Growing up, I never would’ve done this. I didn’t give two cents what anyone thought of me—or at least I tried not to.

But it was that thinking that had gotten me into this mess.

Across the room and through the crowd of bodies drinking and dancing, I spotted Nolan at the pool table, and my stomach dropped when I realized who surrounded it with him. Reminding myself why I was doing this, I followed after him. “Indy,” he crooned. “Come here, angel baby.”

I ground my teeth, both at him calling me angel baby —what the hell was that?—and the fact he was beckoning me forward with a finger. Resisting the urge to snap his finger in two, I crept to his side, not protesting when he slung an arm around my shoulder. Look at me, I was a changed and respectable woman. “Guys, I’m sure you remember Miss Indy Tyler.”

I lifted my hand in an awkward wave, wanting to crawl beneath a rock when no one waved back. I glanced around the group, but before I could put a name to anyone’s face, I was yanked out of Nolan’s hold and lifted off the ground. “Indy Tyler,” a husky voice said, and I’d recognize the burly arms wrapped around me no matter how many years had passed. “What the hell are you doing here, you beautiful devil?”

Despite my nerves, I laughed as he set me on my feet. “Hi, Charlie.” My childhood friend was as large as I remembered him—if anyone didn’t know how kind and harmless his heart was, they’d try to recruit him as a linebacker.

“Guess what?” His grin was cheeky beneath his beard.

“What?”

“I married the hottest girl in school.”

I laughed, and for a moment it felt like no time had passed. “Lisa, I know.”

“Hi, Indy.” Lisa, his high school sweetheart, sunk into his side. She wore a crop top and a leather skirt, her bronze skin gleaming beneath the bar lights. “Heard you were in town.”

I fidgeted with my hands, not entirely sure where we stood. We’d run in the same group in school, but one of the last times I’d seen Lisa, I’d told her best friend I’d make her eat her words if she ever compared Nolan to his mom again. It wasn’t one of my finest moments, but I hoped she would give me the fresh start I was seeking. “It’s good to see you. Congrats on your wedding. My mom showed me a few pictures—you looked beautiful.”

She smiled, her long dark curls spilling over her shoulders. “Thanks. It’s because it was in the Bahamas. Everyone looks good on the beach.” She jabbed Charlie in the side. “Thankfully I convinced him to put on a suit.”

“I still think we should’ve gotten married naked.”

I laughed quietly as she squirmed out of his hold and gave him a shove in the direction of the pool table. “So, what brings you to town?” she asked. “It’s been a while. ”

I rubbed my fingers together at my side, my palms slick. “My parents are going to Texas soon to help out when my sister has her baby, so I’ll run the diner for them while they’re away.”

“Oh.” She pursed her lips, something in her tone I couldn’t place. “It’s not permanent? You and Nolan aren’t back together?”

I was ready to tell her no, just as a familiar voice said, “There’s no way. Why would Indy settle for second string when she’s got a full roster of top league men?”

Nolan laughed, seemingly unfazed when he clapped a hand down on his old high school teammate’s shoulder. Sam’s hair was dark and cropped short, his frame long and trim. It had been years since I’d seen him, but I felt the same about him as I always had.

Sam was a dick.

Before I could stop myself, instinct took over. “You’ve got your story mixed up, Sam. Nolan’s never been second string. I’m the one who’s had to settle for less now.”

The conversation around us slowed, or at least it seemed to as everyone glanced my way. They wore confused, almost distrusting looks, but it was hard to focus on them with the way Nolan watched me. His jaw was clenched, and I thought there might’ve been frustration in his eyes, like he couldn’t believe I had the gall to stand up for him.

Guess he wasn’t the only one with bad habits he couldn’t break.

A hand touched my arm, pulling my attention away from Nolan. “You’re a sports agent, right?” Lisa asked, and I gave her a faint smile, grateful she hadn’t run off.

“I interned for an agency in New York over the summer. I’m hoping to have a full-time position next month,” I told her, not wanting to lie. As long as Nolan didn’t know the truth, I didn’t care. “What about you? What do you do?”

“I’m the PE teacher at the high school. But I coach the girls soccer team too.” That didn’t surprise me; Lisa had always been one of the top female athletes in our class. “Except it’s not looking too hot for next year. The school district is making budget changes, and unfortunately sports programs aren’t high on their list.”

“That sucks,” I said honestly. Not only because budget cuts were the reason I wasn’t sure I had a job or not, but I knew firsthand how sports could be a lifeline for someone. “Can’t the community do something? Maybe raise some money to fund another year?”

“Maybe.” She seemed to consider the idea, and I glanced over her shoulder, finding Nolan talking to a man behind the bar. I perked up, recognizing the bartender’s tattooed arms and hard, grim smile. Wanting to say hello to Heath, I stepped away, then stopped as she said, “I actually wanted to ask you: while you’re in town, would you mind stopping by the school and talking to a few of my classes? Maybe even my team?”

“For what?” I wasn’t an athlete. As a kid, I could never stay interested in anything long enough to get good at it. When I’d danced, it was self-taught, and I hadn’t done that in years.

“Small towns are great. I love them. But sometimes they make it hard to see what’s out there, and I think it would be a positive experience for my students to see it’s okay to dream bigger than our little world.” She raised one shoulder in a shrug. “You didn’t happen to bring one of your clients with you, did you? The kids would lose their minds if they got to talk to a professional athlete.”

“I didn’t, sorry.” I didn’t bother to tell her the likelihood of me getting one of the agency’s clients down here was slim. Despite how they might be perceived, agents couldn’t tell clients what to do. And I wasn’t even an agent. “I have to go to New York for a few days, but when I’m back maybe we could plan something for your students?”

“That would be awesome—” She stopped short as a blonde stopped beside her, slipping her arm over her shoulder. “Hey, Bethany. You remember, Indy, right?”

“Who could ever forget Indy?” Bethany crooned, bringing a glass of whiskey to her lips. Her hair was pulled back in a clip, blonde tendrils framing her face. She wore a lace tank top, dark jeans flaring around a pair of tan pointed boots. “ I was wondering if you’d stop by again. Wasn’t so sure my daddy would let you out from behind bars.”

I forced a smile. I wouldn’t be surprised if Bethany had called the sheriff’s department two nights ago. With her dad being the sheriff, it was a miracle I hadn’t been arrested as a teenager. “It’s nice to see you too, Beth. You’ll have to tell your dad thank you for the big welcome home.”

She hummed as her brown gaze flicked over me, and I fought the urge to shrink. “You always did like attention.”

I flinched, taken off guard by the ache her words inflicted. Besides working next to Eli at the agency, it had been a while since I’d been around this petty bullshit. Even then, Eli’s words never had any real bite behind them. He was a pest, one I didn’t have time to be distracted by.

Before I could form a response, Bethany asked, “So, did you come back to finish the job?”

I shared a wary glance with Lisa, not understanding. “What do you mean?”

She ran her finger around the rim of her glass. “Figured you were here to pick off whatever scraps you left from when you ruined Nolan’s life.”

Behind me, I thought someone might have laughed, but I didn’t turn, not wanting to break Bethany’s gaze. Her smile was small, innocent, as she watched me, waiting for me to react. Before, I would’ve picked a fight or planned some elaborate prank as revenge. But the longer I stood there as her words settled in, the more exhausted I felt. All I wanted to do was go home.

And I couldn’t even do that.

“I’m going to get a drink. If you guys get a chance, swing by the diner. It’d be nice to catch up.” With that, I slipped past them, ignoring the sympathetic smile Lisa shot my way. I didn’t deserve her sympathy, and I wasn’t sure Bethany was entirely out of line.

“Hey, Heath.” I slid up onto a barstool, grateful when he gave me a polite smile instead of making a big deal about me being back. I eyed the shelves of alcohol behind him, considering ordering a drink, when I noticed the pictures hung on the wall. There were photos of folks around town, snippets of Fourth of July parades, sports teams, and graduations from over the years. My stomach twisted as I saw a photo of Nolan standing on the pitcher’s mound. Mouth suddenly sour, I returned my gaze to Heath. “Can I get a club soda?”

“You want me to put something stronger in that?” He leaned a tan, tattooed arm against the counter and tipped his head to where Nolan had wandered back to the pool table, taking turns hitting the ball with his friends.

I shook my head, unable to look away as Nolan tipped his head back in a carefree laugh. Envy laced through me, and not for the first time, I wished I was like him. Both of us had suffered great loss and made mistakes, but it seemed like I was still paying the price.

Felt like I always would be.

Heath slid my glass across the counter. “Never thought I’d say it, but it’s nice seeing you and Nolan here again. Makes me want to do one last dance competition for old times’ sake before I close.”

I scrunched my nose, recoiling at the thought of dancing. “You’re closing down?”

“Nothing’s set in stone—I got a few offers. But here soon, a new owner will take over.”

“Oh.” My gut sank, and I blamed it on not eating dinner yet. “Well, I’m glad I got to see you before you close.”

He tapped his knuckles against the counter. “Hang in there, Indy. It gets better.”

Taking his words to heart, I grabbed my drink and started back to the pool table when I heard Bethany’s voice. “I’m just saying, we need to have Nolan’s back. He might’ve left Indy with no strings attached before, but she might try and change that.”

Lisa rolled her eyes. “You’re overthinking it. She’s here to help her parents.”

“Right. Since when has Indy helped anyone but herself?” Bethany snorted, earning a few nods from the people surrounding her. “You really don’t think it’s suspicious she pops into town when Nolan’s business is taking off and he’s buying the bar?” She ran a hand down his arm, and my stomach plummeted. “I bet anything she’s here to get a piece of it. ”

Lisa might’ve said something back, but I was too focused on Nolan to hear what she said. Time seemed to slow, and I wasn’t sure I was breathing as I waited for him to respond. But he only stood there, doing nothing. His silence felt like a knife wedged in my back. The group shared a laugh, and I had no idea how long I stood there in a crowd of friends-turned-strangers until Nolan’s gaze met mine.

Hurt raced through me. Not because of what Bethany had said, or because everyone seemed to agree. This town had had a front-row seat to Nolan and me falling in love. When we’d moved away with nothing but a dream and each other. Just the same, they were here when everything crumbled. When only one of us moved back and the other ran away. But they hadn’t been there . They hadn’t experienced the gut-wrenching devastation we had. In a way, maybe they were right to be angry and hesitant to trust me. They didn’t know the full story.

But Nolan had been there. He’d lived it beside me.

I put on a straight face and raised my glass to him. You win , I silently told him before setting the glass down and leaving. I slipped outside and into the lot, muttering a low curse when I remembered I’d walked here. I hadn’t known if Nolan would be sober to drive his own truck home.

Eyes burning, I let out a shaky laugh. All these years between us, and I was still trying to take care of someone who didn’t give a shit about me. Steeling myself with the reminder I’d walked home at night plenty of times before, I started across the street. It was dark, the moon hidden behind a coat of clouds. Town was quiet, most of the businesses closed for the night. A handful of streetlamps lined the road, their light giving off a faint warm hue. Gravel crunched beneath my shoes, mixing with the sound of my heavy breaths and the fading music coming from the bar.

I was halfway across the road when a hand grabbed my wrist. “No.” I twisted out of his hold, hating that I’d known who it was without a single look. “Go back inside, Nolan.”

“Where are you going?” he asked, trailing me. “Did Heath say something to you? What happened— ”

“Oh, come on.” I spun on my heel and faced him in the middle of the street, grateful we didn’t have an audience. “Don’t pretend with me. You know what I heard in there, and you did nothing to stop it.”

“What was I supposed to do?” Nolan gave me a wide-eyed look, waving a hand in the direction of the bar. “Do you want me to tell Bethany she’s as spiteful and jealous of you as she was in high school? What good would that have done?”

“You could’ve said something!”

“Yeah? Sort of like what you said to Sam? What the hell was that?”

How was that relevant at all? “Sam was being a prick, but okay—I’m at fault for having your back.”

“We’re not a team anymore. It’s not your responsibility to have my back,” he spat. “You don’t have to take care of me. That’s the last thing I want.”

I staggered back a step, as though his words had been a physical blow. But I didn’t blame him. It was my fault for agreeing to this arrangement, for thinking Nolan and I could ever work together amicably again.

“You’re right. We’re not a team.” My voice was dry. “But I thought you at least respected me and what we shared enough to defend me. But it’s my fault for being surprised you didn’t. Hell, I’m sure the reason you’re buying the bar is so you have a place to bullshit about me every weekend.”

He pinched the bridge of his nose, not denying or admitting if he was buying Heath’s place. “You have never needed me to defend you, Indy.”

“You’re right.” I prayed he couldn’t hear the shake in my voice. “I just needed you to stand beside me. I needed you to say something .”

It fell quiet, nothing but the sound of the mountain breeze shifting through the trees and crickets chirping. It was a sound I used to cherish. Used to long for at nights in college and even New York, desperate for some peace and quiet. But this silence was thick, suffocating.

And it was all too familiar.

Nolan watched me with solemn eyes, his chest rising with heavy breaths. His throat bobbed, and when he opened his mouth, something in me warmed, as though readying to hear what I would’ve begged him to say years ago. But that hope flickered out when he only said, “You shouldn’t be walking alone this late. Let me drive you to your parents’.”

Eyes burning, I waved him off and walked away. I hadn’t seen Nolan drink, so maybe there was nothing physically influencing his ability to drive safely. But just because his words weren’t slurred and his movements were steady didn’t mean I could trust him.

I wasn’t sure I could trust him at all.