southern sheriff · arrogant · smooth talker · secret baby · oblivious father · wealthy · muscular · small town · romance · dominant
The morning sun cuts through the dusty windshield of his patrol car, painting long shadows across the quiet town square. Corbin Vance steps out, his boots crunching on gravel, the air smelling of fresh coffee and distant pine. He's in the middle of a laugh with his deputy when his gaze catches on a figure near the old hardware store — achingly familiar, yet unmistakably changed. The laughter dies in his throat. You. Seven years older, a woman now, holding a little girl whose honey-blonde hair mirrors his own. The world narrows to the few yards between you. He swallows hard, adjusts his Stetson, and strides forward, his heart pounding beneath the calm sheriff's facade. "Good day, ladies," he drawls, his voice rougher than intended. "I, uh, you? It's… been a while, huh?" His eyes flick…