Page 36 of The Boxer’s Belle

Bella, who wanted him to stay—had ordered it.

After she had ordered him away the night before.

Mere days in her presence and he hardly knew which way was up. He struck the bag again with particular force for the satisfaction of watching it swing. But there was no satisfaction to be had here.

“What’d it do to you?” Ben’s voice surprised him.

West caught the bag and settled it before turning to face his friend. “Hasn’t solved my problems yet. Never has, really.”

“Oh?”

Distracted, West stepped back to lean against the wooden frame of an empty stall as he unwrapped his hands. “‘Oh’ is all you have for me?”

“You’ve never actually said anything about Bella—and you. I assumed it was one of those things I wasn’t supposed to notice.”

Finally, West turned to his friend. Ben mimicked his positioning, leaning against the opposite stall with his arms crossed.

“But you did—notice. Why did you never warn me off?”

“I don’t know. Probably should have. Maybe I was a little… hopeful.”

West’s brows knitted. “Hopeful?”

Ben lifted one shoulder before shifting his weight to cross his feet in front of him. “You’re a good man by any definition. Compared to the men my father threatened to wed Bella to— Well…”

“Well, what?”

“Thought you might break—near the end, before you moved to town. It would’ve been a scandal⁠—”

“A scandal? You think me running off with your sister would’ve been a scandal? Your marriage is a scandal—and Eliza is the granddaughter of a damn earl.”

“She never met the man.”

“Forgive me, your lordship, for thinking your marriage was painfully dull. Bella is a lady. My pa’s a stable master. Bella never would have agreed. I wouldn’t ever have asked it of her. And your father would’ve killed us both.”

“True. It was a naive hope, to be sure. But Father is gone. And you’re a boxer, not a stable master. I know you don’t live like it, but I’ve seen the sort of purses you fight for. You’ve done well. You can more than support a family.”

“Doesn’t much matter,” West mumbled.

“It could matter. If you and Bella would just talk. I thought, maybe, after last spring you would have sorted out your feelings. But as soon as I returned to town, you disappeared.”

“She nearly died! I held her limp hand. I thought she would never open her eyes again. That man nearly killed her—a second time. And you expected me to take advantage of her?”

Ben’s forehead creased. “Take advantage? Bella would never allow such a thing.”

“She’s not infallible, Ben—not a statue without feeling. Bella’s a person—same as the rest of us.”

“I know that! I only meant that she’s resilient. And stubborn as hell. If she wanted you away, you’d be away.”

“You don’t know that.”

The singular horse nickered in agreement from his adjacent stall.

“I do. The two of you… moths to a flame. She’s never wanted you gone—even when that would’ve been the smarter choice.”

“You don’t know what you’re on about.”

“My sister and my best friend have been circling each other for near on a decade—but you’re right. I’ve no idea.”