"Then Isobel is right. You're family." Alex didn't know what to say about Michael not feeling like he'd belonged. He'd always been on the fringes a bit in school. Popular enough with the girls and never an outright enemy to anyone in school, but not really a part of anything, either. He just always seemed to be wherever Isobel and Max ended up.

"All right, so then you and I met and I'm pretty sure I know how that story goes." Down to the busted hand and Michael's inability to play the guitar ever again.

Damn. He should have hit his father harder.

"Why did you stay in town? I thought for sure you would have gotten out of here, first chance you got."