Chapter 29
Summoned By The Sheriff
The following morning, I get a text from Sheriff Matterson asking me to swing by his office before my shift starts. When I arrive, the door is open, and he’s at his desk, thumbing through a file. He glances up as I enter and take a seat.
“Halstead. Thanks for stopping by,” he says, pushing his paperwork aside.
“Everything okay, sir?”
His stern features relax as he clears his throat.
“There’s something important I want to discuss with you, but first, I owe you an apology.
I never should’ve put you in a position where you had to keep secrets from Birdie.
That wasn’t fair to either of you.” He straightens in his chair.
“I appreciate everything you’ve done for our family.
I’ll never be able to repay you, especially for reading to my wife.
She’s missed being able to do that on her own, and you’ve given her back a piece of herself she thought she’d lost for good. ”
“I’m happy I could do it, but you should know it was all for Birdie,” I answer honestly. “I’d do anything to give her peace of mind and remind her she’s not facing this alone.”
Sheriff Matterson’s lips twitch into a rare, approving smile.
“I’m glad she comes first for you. That’s the way it should be.
” He pauses, lowering his gaze. “I’ll be the first to admit I’ve been a lousy husband and father, and I’m committed to turning things around. That means making some big changes.”
My brow creases in confusion. “Like what?”
He leans forward, resting his forearms on his desk.
“I’m retiring, son. It’s high time I prioritize my wife and take care of her the way I should have since her diagnosis—while also giving Birdie the space to reclaim a sense of normalcy.
I can’t do that if I continue to divide my attention between work and my family. ”
That’s the last thing I expected him to say, but it’s about damn time he put them above everything else.
“As much as you’ll be missed, I think it’s the right decision,” I say, rubbing a hand over my stubble. “Have you told Birdie?”
He nods. “I broke the news to her yesterday, but asked her to wait before sharing the specifics. I wanted you to hear it from me first, and I’ll tell the rest of the team next week.”
Birdie mentioned she and her dad had finally talked, but we got a little sidetracked before getting into the specifics.
Then this morning, I let her sleep in while I made her coffee and breakfast and fed the animals before heading here, so we didn’t get the chance to discuss it then either.
It was probably for the best so she didn’t have to stress about keeping the details from me.
“What does this mean for the department?” He’s been the sheriff for over thirty years, so it won’t be an easy transition, no matter who takes his place.
The deputies who started with him retired years ago.
I’ve been here the longest among the current team, and nothing this drastic has ever happened in all my time here.
I wonder if he’ll bring in a seasoned deputy from another city to take over.
The problem is, there’s a good chance they’ll want to shake up how things are run, and adapting isn’t exactly our strong suit.
“Halstead, are you listening?” I raise my head to look at Sheriff Matterson, who’s staring at me with a concerned expression.
“Sorry, can you repeat that?”
A small chuckle rumbles from his chest. “I was asking how you’d feel about stepping in as sheriff.”
I blink, pointing at myself. “Are… are you serious?”
“Sure am,” he states. “You’re the first person who came to mind when I made the decision to retire. You’re my most senior deputy, and you care more about Bluebell and its residents than anyone else in the department or someone from out of town ever could.”
I’m stunned speechless. I’ve considered a full-time deputy role, but sheriff?
I’ve never considered it a possibility, so I haven’t given it much thought.
Still, the idea has a certain appeal. With the right processes in place and dependable deputies, it could be a career that lets me get home to Birdie at a decent hour while still helping Heath during the busy season at the ranch.
It would also make it easier to keep an eye out for any local animals in need of rescue and prevent Birdie from going rogue to save them and getting herself in trouble again.
I love being a deputy—it gives me the chance to contribute to Bluebell and make a real difference in people’s lives.
Taking over as sheriff would allow me to have an even greater impact while staying connected to the work I enjoy.
There’s also reassurance in knowing that if I did take the job, I’d have Heath’s full support, and that he’ll soon have more help managing the ranch.
Sheriff Matterson studies me, drumming his fingers against his desk. “Don’t hurt yourself thinking too hard, son.”
I give an incredulous laugh, shaking my head. “You’ve given me a lot to think about.”
“Is taking over as sheriff something you’d be interested in?”
“Yeah, I think I could be, but it’s a big decision.
” I keep my response neutral. “I’ll need time to think it over and discuss it with Birdie before I can give you a definitive answer.
Right now, her happiness and goals come before mine.
She’s waited so long to make her animal sanctuary an official nonprofit, and I want to help her get it up and running as soon as possible.
She does incredible work and deserves the space and funding to care for the animals without having to cover the costs herself. ”
I’ve explored every option to make her dream a reality, but so far, I haven’t found a practical solution.
One idea was to convert part of Silver Saddle Ranch into a rescue, but she’s mentioned wanting space near her house so she doesn’t have to relocate the animals already living there.
Another idea was to build more sheds in her backyard, but that wouldn’t solve the problem of the property being residential.
Hell, I’d buy her all the land she could ever want if I thought she’d let me. As it stands, I know she’d never accept it—not when our relationship is still so new, and she’s been so determined to make this happen on her own terms.
Sheriff Matterson falls silent for a moment, tracing a finger along the edge of a photo of Birdie and her mom on his desk.
“I knew she went to great lengths to rescue animals in trouble, but I didn’t realize how much she’d given up to do it—or that she planned to turn it into a nonprofit.
” He draws his hand back to his lap, guilt shadowing his expression.
“Birdie’s my daughter. I should’ve been more invested in the things that matter most to her and done more to help her achieve her goals. ”
A new idea sparks in my mind—one that might actually work if Sheriff Matterson agrees.
“You can still make a difference for her, sir. If Birdie had more land, she could expand her rescue efforts, get the nonprofit approved, and start accepting donations to keep operations running long-term. She thinks she has to make this happen on her own, but we can show her that she doesn’t.”
He tilts his head, studying me. “What did you have in mind?”
I lean forward, resting my arms on the desk. “Give me a few minutes, and I’ll explain.”
His gaze softens. “For Birdie, I have all the time in the world.”