Five years. Five years since she's been back. Micki couldn't believe how much things changed since she left the Rangers. But after what happened with her old friends, she made the difficult decision to leave. She smiles as she walked in the Side Step Bar.
"What can I get you darlin'." The friendly bartender asked.
"One shot of your finest whiskey."
"Coming right up."
She looked at her bare hand. Her and Trey just finalized their divorce, the ink was barely dried when she caught him and his new fling in their shared bedroom back in San Antonio. She didn't blame him, their marriage was over for a year. After her whiskey came, she sat and stared at nothing.
"I'll have what she's having."
"Cordell. How's things." She missed her old partner, after what happened she gave her notice and left town. Trey followed her and they got married shortly after, unfortunately she developed severe depression and her and Trey's marriage quickly fell apart.
"Fine." He drank the whiskey, he too was staring at the wall.
''How's Stella and August?" She gestured for another drink.
"Gone. Stella is still in Georgetown, and August is backpacking in Prague." Walker missed his kids terribly, but he didn't want to hold them back. "Before you ask, Liam is busy as the new district attorney, he is busy trying to prosecute the North Side Nation's traders, and Mama is running the local farmers market." Bonham was gone, he passed away a few years ago.
"Sorry to hear that." She drinks up the drink. She then looks at her old partner. "You did good." She heard about his hard work, he was working hard to get rid of the crimes in Austin. "Your bar is doing great."
"I guess. Work is doing fine. My partner is doing a decent job, already is talking about joining the Marshalls." Walker was thinking about changing his life path, he turned down a promotion because he wasn't sure if he wanted to stay in Austin. Especially since Abeline was talking about selling the ranch. She was getting older and didn't feel like living alone anymore.
"I feel you." She finishes her drink and takes out her wallet.
"Nope. It's on me." Since he owned the bar, he drank for free. He did tip the bartender.
''Thanks Walker." She was looking at the dancers. A old song was playing. "Good ol Willie." She always loved this song.
"Always On My Mind" was playing. Micki danced to this during senior prom. Willie Nelson did a decent job.
"Would you like to dance?"
"Sure." Walker was bored anyways. He took Micki's hand and led her to the dance floor. He smiled when he took her hand and danced. "Didn't think you liked Willie."
"It was always a good song. My date during prom told me I was the most beautiful girl he met. Then he proceeded to make out with Andrew Davis." She didn't care, he was scared to come out as gay. He and Andrew dated till the end of senior year. "He made my night."
Cordell just smiles. He remembered dancing with Emily at their prom, she danced with her friends all night, ignoring Walker. He missed her everyday, but it's been years now. Looking down at Micki, it was nice to see a old friend.
"Want to get outta here?" The bar was getting hot. The air conditioning wasn't working as well as it used to.
"Sure." It was getting hot.
An hour both Micki and Cordell were laughing like old friends.
"Why do you remind me of that picture!" Cordell regretted showing off that picture he took in high school. He looked like a jackass. She was pointing and laughing at it.
"Oh come on. You were adorable. Fine." She takes out her own phone. "Here." She blushed when he started laughing.
"You were what?" Expecting a typical goth picture, Micki was dressed as a doll. "What were you? Raggedy Ann?" He was emailing that picture to himself.
"It's called Lolita." She blushed at his grin. "Okay! I went though a weeb phase back then." She was wearing a pink Lolita dress, complete with white stockings, pink Mary Jane shoes, with permed hair. Her relatives almost had heart failure.
"I don't know, you were pretty cute." She was so tough. "How old were you?"
"Seventeen. Blame my friends. All of us were obsessed with Japanese culture." Thankfully all of them grew out of it.
"Hmm." Walker looked over at her, imagining her dressed up like that. He blushed and looked away.
Micki always thought of him as a friend, but she liked how his voice sounded. So soothing and kind. That jawline. She looked away.
Cordell was looking at her with the corner of his eyes. She looked so sexy sitting there.
"It's getting hot." He opened the windows. "What? Rain?" It started pouring. "Where are you going?" Micki was leaving the truck.
"Getting some air! C'mon! Live a little!" She didn't care about getting soaked. But she did take off her shoes.
Cordell hated getting wet, but when he saw Micki dancing in the rain, he took off his boots and joined her.
"Doesn't this feel good!" She laughed as she held her arms up. She felt cleansed.
"Yes it does." Cordell never realized how relaxing it felt. He was fighting with depression and loneliness these last few years, but now he felt so free. When Micki grabbed his arm, he laughed when she hugged him.
"Think of this as a new beginning." She didn't want to look at the past anymore. "Let's dance."
Cordell felt silly when she swung him around. But what the hell. He and Micki danced in the rain till the rain stopped.
She laughed hard when he groaned as he puts on his boots.
''I forgot I was wearing socks." Those boots cost a fortune.
"I took off mine." She was soaked, but she'll be damned if she wrecked hers.
"Anyways. No big deal." Boots can be replaced. He looked over at Micki and quickly looked away.
"What?" She looked down at herself.
"It's nothing." He was determined not to look, her white blouse was see through. She wasn't wearing a bra. "Where are you staying?" He was very careful when he drove, it was very slippery, plus was aware he had a few drinks.
"The Holiday Inn. I'll be leaving tomorrow."
"So soon? You just got here." He felt hallow when he realized she was leaving again.
"I just came here to tie up loose ends." She came here for closure. Her friends, her first love died during that undercover mission. She sighed. "I'm being transferred.'' The US Marshalls, they were sending her to Atlanta. It was a great opportunity.
"I see." Cordell sighed. He never realized how much he missed Micki. "I'll miss you."
"Same here Walker." Once he pulled up to the hotel, he was surprised when she kissed him on the cheek. "Thanks for the ride. I'll see you around."
She waved goodbye as he drove away. She was going to miss him.
"You sure about this?" Larry James was getting handed over Walker's resignation letter.
"I'm sure." The US Marshalls were a good opportunity, they were so impressed with the last mission he did, the captain asked if he was looking for a new career. Besides, Georgia was lovely this time of year.
"Okay. We'll miss you."
Walker smiled as he looked around his childhood home. He was going to miss Texas, but there was a lot of organized crime going on in Atlanta. Once he finished looking around, he walked out the door.
"Here you go." He handed his keys to Liam and his new husband. Robert and Liam already bought the bar from Cordell.
"Say hi to Micki for me." Laim knew when a guy was in love. Walker had that glow.
"I will. Take care of Mama." Abeline was only staying for six more months, she was retiring to Florida. Once he finished hugging his brother, he takes Stella's old mustang and turns on the engine. He looks at the old bobble head. "You ready? Atlanta is a long way." He turned on the engine, Willie Nelson started blasting. He flips on his shades and drives off to his new life.