His Return

21~ Falling in Love With You

"So is everything's that right."

"Daddy, Michael is our lives again," I find the eye of the man being spoken of, they simmer with different emotions. Frustration. Sadness. Hope. "Right now he's not leaving." I glance back at my father, who has angrily crossed his arms over his chest. "No more from you, especially in front if his children."

My father huffs at me, but nods in agreement before turning his focus to the officer standing beside me.

"So Sheriff, how long have you had a badge in this town here?" My father's icy stare studies Dan but not in the way it's always studied Michael. There's almost a respectful glint shines underneath his glasses. And I can almost feel Dan stand straighter while my jaw slightly slackens. He had never looked at Michael like that.

"I was a rookie at nineteen, Sir. I was elected to be a sheriff once my father retired almost five years ago."

The approving glint in a father's eyes grows. "Your father raised you well then it would seem."

I roll my eyes knowing that Dan's shining sheriff's badge automatically earned him a stamp of approval from my father.

"I think so, Sir." Dan gives a stiff nod looking back at me. "I'm sorry but my son is on house arrest for his behavior the other day and the second he gets out of school I have to be waiting for him at the truck. Can I stop by during your shift tomorrow?"

"Yeah." I nod lightly, forcing a small smile. Ignoring Michael's sharp inhale. There's a lot we need to talk about, especially how his son knew that my husband left me. "You know where to find me."

Dan smiles softly at me, a cute crooked grin crossing his face. "Mr and Mrs Anderson, it was great to me you." He nods at my parents before looking at the statue beside my mother. Michael's emotionless stare has Dan clearing his throat and looking back at me. "I'll see you tomorrow."

I nod, my eyes darting back to my ex-husband. Anyone that knows him as well as I did knows, he's about to burst. It took so much to make Michael angry.. but in this moment I could almost see steam coming out of his ears.

I'm sure his fury was coming from a mixture of things, my father's automatic approval for Dan I'm sure playing a drastic part.

It was something he had fought hard for and never truly received.

My father obvious lack of approval toward Michael was something that, after he had left, made me bitter. I was sure my father's personal opinion toward Michael had been one of the things to drive him away.

My mom's sympathetic glance meets me and before I can get too deep into thoughts of the past, I plaster on a grin, hugging Ari to me. "How about pizza for dinner?"

"Yes!" Ari grins pulling away from me and grabbing my mother's hand. "My favorite."

"Granddaddy's buying." I smile at my dad at his lifts Ari up in his arms.

"Last one to the car is buying actually." My heart melts as my father's personality does a one-eighty and he smiles like a child at my mother. "Good luck with the gimp." And then he's running, Ari's head bobbing over my father's shoulder, her giggles ringing out. "Come on Nam!" Sofia starts hobbling away with her crutches as fast as she can and her grandmother follows her.

Just as quickly as my heart had started to warm, it aches. That was supposed to be Michael and I.  We were supposed to laugh with the kids and have silly competitions over who pays for pizza even though it was coming from the same bank account.

"You like him?" A rough voice asks me. My eyes close when a hand wraps around my bicep, turning me to the owner. When my eyes open again Michael's staring down at me, his breathing just barely irregular. "How many dates, Kate?"

"It doesn't matter, Michael."

"It does matter, Kate. I want to know what I'm competing with."

"There's no competition!" There's no hiding the exasperation in my voice. "I barely survived eight years ago, Michael! Do you know how hard it was to even get out of bed in the morning? I wasn't even allowed to fall apart like I deserved to. So there is no competition," my voice breaks and I watch as Michael's jaw clenches after he swallows thickly. "Because there is nothing left for us."

"I'll prove it to you, Kate." His hands grip my shoulder and I have to force myself to ignore the sparks of heat sent directly to my spine. "I know it hasn't been easy for you but I'm here and I love you and I'm not leaving again." His voice shakes with conviction. "And I'm going to keep showing up everyday until I prove to you that there's no need for that doctor or sheriff, because I am here for you." With a nod he releases me and starts walking to the car before I can argue and I simply shake my head, I guess that'll be something we can argue about it later. 

The conviction in his tone though makes me shiver as I walk back to where the car is parked. There Michael stands, holding the car door open for me and as memories flood my mind, one in particular distracts me the entire drive home.

"Kate."

"Hi." I quickly tuck a loose strand of hair behind my ear before smoothing out my dress.

"You look beautiful." Michael tells me motioning to the loose burgundy dress that stops just above my knees, the long sleeves promising to keep me warm at whatever restaurant Michael is taking us too.

"Thank-you." I whisper, feeling myself flush as he holds the door to his old Ford Ranger open. I mentally kick myself as I slide into the passenger seat. I need to calm down. This is Michael, the same guy that has been meeting me for coffee every week, dinner shouldn't be any different.

But it was different. And every moment after that was different.

Because I fell in love.

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