Michelle Celmer - The Sheriff's Second Chance

“That’s true,” she said.

Nate never knew how much he wanted to be a father until he watched his son being born, held him for the very first time. He had been totally unplanned, and three weeks premature. And so tiny and fragile Nate had been terrified he might drop him. Cody had gazed up at Nate with the wisdom and patience of a very old soul, as if to say, Don’t worry, you’ll do just fine. I have faith in you.

Nate fell instantly in love and from that day forward, his boy was all that mattered. Nate knew the first time he held his son that he was destined for great things. And now, at six years old, Cody had an innate patience and a deep understanding of people that left adults scratching their heads. Sometimes he would get this look, as if he knew something no one else did. And though his reading difficulties set him apart from other kids his age, he took it all in stride.

“Are you still in love with her?” Mel asked, her voice muffled against Nate’s shirt.

The question was so out of the blue, so ridiculous, he snapped his head back hard enough to give himself whiplash. “I can’t believe you asked me that.”

She looked up at him, her eyes—which could never decide if they wanted to be blue or green—swimming with tears. “Is it really that unusual a question? You loved her before.”

“Without trust, there can be no love.”

“You never got closure. Neither of us have.” Her arms tightened around him. “Now I’m so confused. This morning, when Regina told me Caitie was back, my first instinct was to run down to the diner, throw my arms around her and hug her. I was actually excited at the idea of seeing her, and for a split second I desperately wanted my best friend back.”

Mel’s first instinct involved hugs and reconciliation. The only thing Nate had wanted to do was hurl. That had to mean something, didn’t it? “If that’s how you feel, maybe you should talk to her.”

“I’m not sure what I feel. I never imagined that her coming back could be so—”

“Disruptive,” he finished for her.

“Yes! It’s all I can think about. I’m so preoccupied I nearly used the wrong color dye on Mrs. Newburg.”

“For what it’s worth, seeing her for the short amount of time that I did made me realize that we’re two completely different people now. She’s changed.” It had seemed that way to him at least. Or maybe that was what he preferred to believe. He resented her coming back and disrupting the quiet, orderly life that he had spent the past seven years building. She had no right.

“No matter what happens with Caitie, you and Cody will always be the most important people in the world to me.”

“I know.”

He held his ex-wife close, wishing there was something he could say, a way he could assure her everything would be okay and nothing would change.

Only problem was, things had begun to change already.

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