Sweet Town Love

by Maggie Ryan

  At the appointed time, they went back to meet with Misty and spent the rest of the afternoon renting a townhouse and making the necessary arrangements to lease one of the storefronts Misty showed them.

  "That was a good day," Addie said. "I can't believe you found what you wanted the first day out."

  "Misty is good, you were right. Now, tomorrow, I'll have to see about getting my things shipped out here so I can get moved in. I really like the townhouse. I'm already thinking of how I'm going to decorate it."

  "It's good to see you so enthused about something," Addie said. "I guess you were right about sinking your teeth into something."

  "I need to get settled into my new home. Then, I can concentrate on the store."

  "Good plan, and I can help if you need me."

  "Thanks, sis, I know you will. Let's go home and I'll make dinner for you and the family tonight. It's been a while since I've been able to cook for anyone but myself."

  "You're on, I never turn down a chance to get out of that chore," Addie said.

  They linked arms and walked to the car, stopping at the market to pick up a few things for Lydia's dinner on the way.

  Two weeks later, Lydia settled into her new home and was ready to get to work. She made an appointment with a local accountant. It was time to talk to someone about her investments and her new venture.

  She parked the new car she'd purchased with the money from the two vehicles she'd sold before she left New York. As she walked into the modern office, she spoke to the receptionist. "Good morning, my name is Lydia Granger. I have a ten o'clock appointment."

  "Of course, Mrs. Granger, have a seat and one of our accountants will be with you shortly," the young woman said in a pleasant voice.

  She sat down and picked up a magazine. Leafing through it, the last thing she expected to hear was the voice that said, "Mrs. Granger, come on back."

  She looked up and saw Mr. Kimball standing in front of her. The same Mr. Kimball she and Addie had seen in the realtor's office and, later, at the diner. What was he doing here?

  "All right, thank you," she said as she stood up.

  He led her to an office down the hall.

  "Have a seat and tell me what I can do for you," he said when they entered his space.

  "I-I… uh… I thought you were buying a farm," she said. She could have kicked herself. This wasn't Lydia Granger talking. Lydia Granger was poised and polite, polished, not some stammering fool.

  The man chuckled at her confusion. "I am indeed buying a small farm on the outskirts of town, but I also work here. I moved back to town not too long ago, from Wyoming. I was a partner in a ranch back there. I am also an accountant. So, when I came back home, I decided to combine the two, but in a different way than before. There, I did all the accounting for the ranch. Here, I'll own my own small farm and work here, doing other people's accounting."

  "That's taking on a lot, isn't it?" she asked. "Excuse my rudeness, please, I'm sorry."

  "Oh, it's not rude to be curious, no offense taken. Actually, I find that I need to be busy right now."

  "I can relate to that," she replied with a smile. "That's why I'm here. I just moved from New York, and I'm looking to start an interior design business. I've already leased a storefront, but I need some advice on some of my investments, and I have some questions about the business. You see… my husband recently passed away. He left me with quite a bit of money. I recently sold our home and my business there, and I need someone to handle my finances for me and advise me on starting the business. My husband's accountant took care of everything for us in New York, including my business."

  "I'm so sorry about your husband. It must be tough, coming here, of all places, after living in New York. Do you have family or friends here?" he asked.

  "I grew up here. My sister and her family are still here, so it seemed like the right thing to do. I couldn't stay in New York alone. Paul, my husband, took care of everything. I ran my business, and he took care of me… and everything else."

  A light bulb clicked on in his head. "You don't, by chance, have a niece named Lisa, do you?" he asked.

  "Why, yes, my sister's daughter is named Lisa. How do you know her?" she asked in surprise.

  He laughed. "It seems that your Lisa is my niece Gracie's best friend. My first night back, Gracie mentioned at the dinner table that Lisa's aunt was also moving back home. I grew up here, too."

  "You did? I don't seem to recall anyone by the name of Kimball. What year did you graduate?" she asked.

  It was his turn to be embarrassed now. During the conversation, Rance figured out that Mrs. Granger was Lydia Rose Sharp, all grown up and as beautiful as ever. Obviously, he had made no impression on her at all in school, because she didn't remember him. He wasn't surprised, but it still stung.

  "I graduated with the class of 1996. I left that summer and have only been back for occasional visits. How about you?" he asked

  "1996, really?" she asked in awe. "That was my class. May I ask what your first name is?"

  "Rance—Rance Kimball—I was quite a bit chubbier back then," he said.

  "Were you the guy who won the math award every year?" she asked.

  Hmm, she remembered that about him. "Yes, that was me, the numbers geek."

  "Small world, isn't it?" she asked.

  "I guess so. Now, let's talk about your finances."

  Chapter 3

  Rance decided it best to talk business with the beautiful Mrs. Granger, seeing as how she still got to him. She intrigued him from the first time he'd seen her sitting in Misty Tanner's outer office and again at the diner. When she'd sat down in his office and began talking, he put two and two together, being the math genius that he was, and knew that she was his Lydie. And she still made his heart pound nearly out of his chest, even after all these years. Funny, how that never happened with Ellie. But Lydia Granger was a rich and successful widow. She admitted that her husband had taken care of everything, and now, she was striking out on her own. He'd be more than willing to take care of her, but since he knew she was out of his league, he would have to settle for taking care of her money.

  And he did that very well. He gave her some sound advice, and she seemed pleased. They spent the better part of the morning discussing her investments and her new business. When it was time to break for lunch, on a whim, he asked, "Would you like to continue this discussion over lunch, my treat?"

  "How can I refuse such a generous offer after all the help you've given me?" she asked in reply.

  He stood up and walked around his desk to where she sat. "I know just the place," he said as he took her hand and helped her up.

  When they were seated at a corner table in a local Italian restaurant he'd found recently, she said, "So, Mr. Rance Kimball, tell me about this farm of yours. How can you run a farm and work a full week at the office?"

  He chuckled. "Actually, I work four days a week at the office. I also have hired a few guys to help out with the animals I'm getting ready to purchase."

  "Does everyone in this town only work four days a week? That's my sister's schedule, too."

  "Laid back and small town, what can I say? Definitely not the rat race you're used to. Even on a Wyoming ranch, things were pretty fast paced."

  "I guess I'll eventually adjust. You seem to be doing fine."

  "It's had its moments, believe me."

  "What brought you back here?" she asked. "I'm sorry, maybe that was too personal."

  "I don't mind. A broken relationship—with the woman who owned the major part of the ranch I was part owner of."

  "Ouch, that's raw," she said. "I'm sorry, a business disagreement?"

  He laughed. "No, more of a personal one, you could say. We were an item for years. Then, one day, a smooth talking stranger came to town, and that was it. She is now married to him. I sold her back my shares in the ranch, sold all my stuff, and left town. My family is all here, so I came back here to start a new life."

  "How heartb
reaking for you," Lydia said sympathetically.

  "You know, that's the crazy thing about it. I wasn't heartbroken. It was almost like a relief."

  "Then, she wasn't the one for you. I hope you find your soul mate."

  I already did, years ago, he thought to himself. He dismissed the thought as soon as it entered his head.

  They chatted amicably over lunch, returning to his office to finish some more business before she said goodbye. "Thank you for lunch and for all your help today."

  "I'll get all these figures worked out for the business and give you a call in a few days. We can make the arrangements to move some of your money to the local bank as we talked about, too."

  "Sounds great," she said. "Thanks again, Mr. Kimball."

  "Rance, please, after all, we are old classmates," he said with a grin.

  "Have a good evening, Rance." And she was gone.

  Wow, what an exciting woman she had turned out to be. And nice, too. If only…

  Her heart was beating fast as she unlocked her car and got inside. How could that hot hunk of a man be that same geeky guy she remembered from high school? She hadn't given him the time of day back then, other than a possible hello in the hallway, occasionally. He was sweet, knowledgeable and, oh so hot. She hadn't so much as looked at another man since she'd been with Paul, even in the year since his death. She hadn't wanted to. Paul had taken care of her, in every way possible. No one, not even her sister, had any idea of the type of relationship they shared in New York. Her sister probably wouldn't have a clue what she was talking about if she told her, anyway. Paul was not only her husband, but he was her Dom, as well. Yes, he was the head of the household; he took care of everything, including her discipline. When he died, she assumed that part of her life died, as well. Once she'd made the decision to move back home to Bloomdale, she knew that if she were lucky enough to find love again, it would be a different type of relationship than the one she shared with Paul. But, after spending most of the day with Rance Kimball, she found herself imagining what it would be like with him. He seemed quite capable of dishing out a good, hard spanking now and then. But, the question remained, would the idea appeal to him or turn him off completely? She would love to explore the possibilities.

  She was much too busy over the next few weeks to think any more about it as she prepared for the opening of her design business. Everything was set for the grand opening. She was just going over the final details with the young woman she had hired to be her assistant when her cell rang.

  "Hello, this is Lydie Granger," she said as she answered the call.

  "Hello, Lydie Granger, this is Rance Kimball." Her heart jumped. That voice! Sexy wasn't the word for it, it held so much more…

  "Rance, it's good to hear from you again. Have you got everything set up for me?"

  "I do, and if you'd like to go over it all, I thought we might do it over dinner tonight. We can celebrate the opening of your business."

  "Dinner sounds great."

  "I can pick you up…"

  "Okay, of course you have my address, don't you? So, say around seven, I should be finished by then."

  "Seven sounds good. I'll see you then."

  She raced back to the townhouse at six, finally satisfied that everything was ready for the opening of the store the next day. She didn't have time for a relaxing soak in the tub as she'd hoped, so she settled for a hot shower. She dried her shoulder length hair, styled it the usual way, and applied her makeup before going to the closet to choose her clothes for the evening. She didn't know where they were going, so she decided on a casual dress with aqua flowers. She grabbed a pair of sandals and ran downstairs just as the doorbell rang. When she opened it, he nearly took her breath away. Standing on her doorstep was Rance Kimball, dressed in khakis and a navy shirt with a striped tie. His dark hair was perfectly groomed, as always. He smiled as he handed her a bouquet of roses. "To congratulate you on your grand opening," he said.

  "Oh… t-thank you, Rance, come on in. I'll put these in some water and we can go." She led him into the living room. "I'll just be a minute."

  "We have time. I made the reservation for eight," he said.

  She returned with the roses in a vase and set it on the console table. "There, the perfect place for them," she said. "Thank you again, that was quite thoughtful of you."

  He grinned. "I've made reservations at that new steak place in town. Have you tried it yet?" he asked.

  "No, I really haven't had much time what with getting the store ready and all. Is it good?"

  "I don't know, I guess we'll find out tonight," he said.

  She grabbed a small bag and a white sweater to throw around her shoulders in case it was chilly in the restaurant. "I'm ready if you are."

  He stood up and took her hand. The gesture surprised her. This seemed like a date, not a business meeting. She couldn’t say that she was disappointed either. The idea rather intrigued her. Rance Kimball intrigued her. If given the opportunity, she intended to find out more about this man tonight.

  They talked business on the way to the restaurant. When they arrived, he said, "Now, we've gotten that out of the way, the rest of the night is a celebration. Agreed?"

  "I'm good with that," she said as he got out of the car. He walked around to her side and opened the door for her.

  Seated, he ordered wine, and they looked over the menu together. After the waiter had taken their order and poured the wine, Rance lifted his glass in a toast. "To you and your new business, may they both be successful."

  She took a sip and said, "Thank you. I am beginning to wonder if a small town like Bloomdale even needs an interior designer. The doubts are starting to creep in."

  "Young lady, there are many fine people in this town who will welcome your talents I'm sure, not to mention the folks in neighboring towns. Once the word gets out, you'll be busier than you imagined possible."

  "Still, I'm used to the big city…"

  "Lydie, if you don't stop talking like that, I'm going to have to turn you over my knee." He winked and grinned at her before taking a sip of his wine.

  Taken aback by his comment, she shivered, wondering if he meant what he said.

  "I'm sorry, that was out of line. I didn't mean to shock you; I was just trying to get a point across. You need to have more confidence. The Lydie I knew way back when was a confident girl, not a doubter," he said.

  "Oh, you weren't out of line at all. Maybe I needed that wake up. Now, the question really is—would you have followed through if I'd continued to doubt?"

  Now, he was the one in shock. It took a minute to formulate the right words. Finally, he came back with, "Well, now, it seems a discussion is in order. Am I to believe you wouldn't object to such a thing? Because, honey, if it's what you need, I'm more than capable of giving it to you."

  Their salads arrived. Lydia couldn't wait for the server to get out of earshot so they could continue their conversation. Leaning closer across the table, she said in a low voice, "We definitely need to discuss this matter further, Mr. Kimball."

  "Whatever you say, Ms. Granger," he replied.

  They ate in silence for a while, each lost in thought. She broke the silence by saying, "Rance, are you into—you know—did you and the girl in Wyoming?"

  He finished chewing his food before answering. "Ellie and I dabbled in discipline, yes. Nothing elaborate, she got off on it, though, at first. As the years went by, she lost interest, so we stopped. Hmm… wonder if she and the new hubby engage?"

  "Wow, and here I thought that no one in this rinky-dink town would even know what that lifestyle was about."

  "So, are you saying that you and Paul…" He shook his head in disbelief.

  "I told you that he took care of me, took care of everything," she said. "Well, I meant that literally. He was my husband, but he was also my Dom. I didn’t know anything about the lifestyle until I met him."

  "Do you… miss that in your life?" he asked bravely.

  "I gu
ess maybe I do. I had resigned myself to the fact that it was no longer going to be my life, especially when I made the choice to come back here."

  "Lydie, may I tell you something?" he asked. "As long as we're being honest with each other here, I feel you should know."

  "What is it, Rance?" she asked. "What could possibly be more shocking than the conversation we've just been having?"

  "Well—you see—I have always had this feeling… about you. Since we were kids, I felt connected to you. Of course, you didn't even know I was alive. Seeing you again hasn't changed anything. From the moment I ran into you in the realtor's office, the old feelings just came rushing back. There, I've said it. Am I an idiot or what?"

  She took a deep breath. "No, you are definitely not an idiot." She reached across the table and touched his hand with hers. "In fact, you are the first man I've looked at twice since I lost Paul, over a year ago. I may not have known you existed all those years ago, but I certainly know it now."

  "Where do we go from here?" he asked.

  "I know you didn't mean that literally, but I think we should go to my place and talk about this some more, from here."

  He chuckled. "The more I am around you, Lydie Granger, the more I like you."

  "Likewise, Rance Kimball, likewise," she said with a coy smile.

  They enjoyed their dinner, even more so, as the anticipation of what was to come gripped both of them. They both knew, as sure as they were sitting across the table from each other, she would be over his knee before the night was over.

  By the time they finally went back to her place, hours later, she knew she had found what she craved in Rance Kimball. He was perfect for her in every way. Who knew? Sexy, smart, handsome, sweet as pie, and he enjoyed domestic discipline or, at least, he was willing to indulge her. How had she found him, here, in her hometown?

  She unlocked the door, and he followed her inside, kicking the door shut with his booted foot. Once they were in the living room, he took her in his arms and looked deeply into blue eyes that were twinkling with mischief.