Mate’s Harvest: Bear Sheriff III Read online

  Life was easier, now. Marcus was no longer a Sheriff. She knew he missed it, yet she also knew that part of him was okay with letting it go. He worked on the ranch full time and they were doing well for themselves. Angie hadn’t worked much in the past few years, deciding that devoting most of her time towards raising Erica and helping Marcus around the ranch was the best idea.

  Still, she’d finished what she’d set out to do in Charming. She was proud of that. It wasn’t a huge, revolutionized town, but it had a grocery store and a finished school, which was more than enough.

  “When’s your school program?” Marcus was asking.

  “Next week!” Erica said, grinning ear to ear. Marcus had taken naturally to being a dad. He was involved in almost everything Erica did, whether it was making sure she made it to her singing program on time, or that she joined the dance class that she wanted to. Whatever Erica wanted, Marcus was always there for her – and Angie couldn’t be prouder of either of them.

  Thunder rumbled high overheard and Erica squealed in delight. She’d always loved storms. Marcus, on the other hand, grimaced and started putting the fence up faster and faster.

  “What’s the point, Dad? The storm could just knock it down later anyway!”

  “Then I guess I’ll be putting you to work tomorrow, too,” Marcus said, ruffling her hair and smiling. “Why don’t you run up and get ready for dinner? Your mom and I will be up in a few minutes.”

  “But Dad…”

  “Erica…” Marcus said, a slight edge to his voice. Angie watched with a grin as Erica nodded and took off up the driveway, running past the barn – rebuilt after she’d crashed a car into it.

  “You’re a little hard on her,” Angie said, getting out of her chair as Marcus finished the finishing touches.

  “That’s nothing,” Marcus said with a smile. “You know that.”

  It was true.

  “Hopefully she never finds out just how hard you can be,” Angie said, grabbing Marcus’s hand in her own as they headed up towards the house. “Because if she does, she’ll know just how far she can push you.”

  The first few drops of rain fell, big and wet. Angie didn’t mind.

  “This is something else, isn’t it?” Marcus asked. “Who would have thought it would ever come to this?”

  “It’s wonderful.”

  “It is,” Marcus agreed. She’d always loved Marcus. She half thought she’d somehow fallen in love with him, the first time she’d seen him, but he was a better man now than he had ever been.

  They’d just reached the house when they heard the sound of a vehicle coming up the driveway. Marcus set down his tools and Angie set her drink on the grill and turned to watch. It was a Sheriff’s vehicle, slowly makings its way up the driveway. It parked and out stepped Sheriff Nixon, looking as tired as she’d ever seen him.

  “Evening, Sheriff,” Marcus said by way of greeting. He looked a little bit wary since it had been years since the Sheriff had shown up at their doorstep. Angie didn’t think the men would ever truly be friends, yet at least there was some kind of mutual respect there.

  “Stone,” he nodded towards Marcus. “Ma’am.”

  “Hello, Sheriff,” she told him.

  The door opened behind them and Erica peaked out.

  “Go back inside, honey,” Marcus said. She looked defiant for a moment and then closed the door and went inside, though Angie knew that she wouldn’t be far from the door. Angie considered going inside and shooing her off but thought better of it.

  “What do we owe this pleasure?” Marcus asked. “You want to come inside?”

  The rain was starting to come down just a bit harder.

  “No thanks,” Nixon said, though he did step underneath the porch. “I don’t think I’ll be staying long. I’ve got something to ask you, Stone.”

  Next to her, Marcus immediately tensed. She would tell he was extremely wary – and she was, too.

  “I need your help.”

  “With what?” Marcus asked.

  “We’ve got a dead body out south of town.”

  “Anyone I know?”

  “Looks to be a vagrant.”

  “And what does that have to do with me?” Marcus asked.

  “Nothing, nothing,” the Sheriff assured him. “I was just thinking I could use a fresh set of eyes on the case. Since The Skinner, you know the higher ups cut all my help. It’s just me around here, and frankly, I’m getting a little bit sick of it. I could use some help.”

  “They wouldn’t give me my badge back even if I begged them. Even though they know I’m innocent, and always have been.”

  “You’re wrong there, Stone. I’ve already appealed your case,” he said, reaching into his back pocket. He pulled out a badge and handed it over to Marcus, who took it thoughtfully. Angie watched as Marcus turned it over in his hand and then looked at it.

  “They’d reinstate me? As Sheriff?”

  “They would,” Nixon said. “I know from a few years back that you’re used to working on your own, Stone, so that would have to change. You’d be working in conjunction with me – neither one of us would have command. It would go a long ways to helping me out.”

  Marcus kept turning it over and thinking. Angie knew that though Marcus hadn’t had a problem giving up his badge and never going back, it had always been there in the back of his mind. Somewhere, even if he wouldn’t admit it to himself, he’d always wanted to go back.

  No… Angie thought. I want him here, with me. Not out there where it’s dangerous.

  But he can keep you safe by doing his job, she reminded herself. Angie found herself torn. She wanted Marcus to do what he wanted, and she would support him no matter what he chose, but most of all, she just wanted him to be safe. She thought of all of the times she’d feared for his life. She didn’t want to feel that again.

  “So, Stone? What do you say? Want to get back to your old job? Get off this ranch for a little bit?”

  Marcus didn’t answer for a few moments. Then he handed the badge back to Nixon and shook his head slowly.

  He said, “I appreciate the offer, Nixon. Truly, I do. Part of me wants to get back to the old ways and get out there solving cases. But that’s not who I am, not anymore. That’s not what I want. I want to stay here with my family and keep them safe.”

  “You’d go a long ways to keep them safe by taking the badge again,” Nixon said. His voice wasn’t harsh and his tone didn’t give much away, but Angie could tell that he was a little disappointed. “I think this is a mistake.”

  Rain was falling hard now.

  “The mistake would be me leaving my family and risking my life,” Marcus said, looking Nixon directly in the eyes. “You’ve done a lot for this town, Nixon, and you’ll keep doing it. I know you will. You’re good at the job. Hell, you’re better than me. I let my emotions cloud what I was supposed to be doing. You don’t want me back.”

  “Stone…” he said, but Marcus cut him off.

  “Thanks again, Nixon. But I’m going to respectfully decline.”

  Nixon looked like he wanted to argue some more – but he nodded, put the badge back into his pocket, and said, “Have a good evening,” and stepped out from underneath the porch and into the downpour. They watched as his lights fired up in the increasing gloom and then he disappeared down the driveway, leaving them standing alone.

  The door opened and Erica stepped out. She looked a little nervous.

  “Daddy? Are you going to be leaving?”

  Angie cursed herself for not getting her to go all the way back inside. Marcus knelt down in front of her, his golden eyes reflected in her own.

  “I’m not going anywhere, honey,” he told her, pulling her close. “I’m never going to leave you or your mommy ever again. We’re a family and I’m going to be here for you. Always and forever.”

  “Promise?”

  “I promise, honey,” he said, getting to his feet. Their daughter looked a little bit happier.

  �
��Okay,” she said with a smile. “I’m all ready for dinner.”

  “Well, we’d better get inside and get it started then, hadn’t we?” Marcus asked. “I love you, Erica.”

  “I love you, Daddy,” she said, then she turned to Angie and said, “And you too, Mommy.”

  Angie felt her heart melt as Erica ran inside. The door slammed behind her, leaving Angie and Marcus standing underneath the porch, the rain falling loudly, thunder rumbling the sky.

  “You could have said yes, you know.”

  “You didn’t want me to.”

  Angie thought about arguing but said, “You’re right. I want you here with Erica and me. But that isn’t my decision. You can. If you want.”

  Marcus looked longingly down the driveway for a few moments and said, “I know. I know I could. Hell, maybe it would be the right thing to do for Charming.

  “But Charming doesn’t need me. You and Erica need me. And more than anything, I need you. I couldn’t live with myself if I was out there putting myself in harm’s way day after day. I couldn’t bear to think what would happen to you two if something happened to me.

  “I love you, Angie. I love Erica. I love you both more than the world.”

  “I love you too, Marcus,” Angie said, letting Marcus wrap his big arms around her.

  “Let’s go inside,” he said, reluctantly breaking the hug. “Our daughter’s waiting.”

  FIN

  Also by Becca Fanning

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