by Maggie Ryan
"I'm so sorry for her," Annie said.
"He was sick for a long time. They don’t have kids, so she decided to come home. Lisa says she's pretty cool."
"Well, I'm sure if Lisa says she's cool, then she is," Bart said with a chuckle. He turned to Rance to explain. "Lisa is at that stage where not many adults are cool. She and Gracie have made that abundantly clear."
"I see. Well, munchkin, when you meet Aunt Lydie, you'll have to let us know how cool she really is," Rance teased.
"Oh, you two, leave her alone. You know it's normal at their age," Annie said in defense of her only daughter. "As long as they are polite, I don't see any harm in letting them voice their opinions in private."
Annie got up then to clear the table. She went into the kitchen and returned with an apple pie, some plates and a half-gallon of vanilla ice cream.
"Now, where do you think I'm going to put that pie?" Rance asked. "Dinner was delicious, as always, sis."
"I’m sure Gregory will help you," his sister said.
She served the dessert and went back to the kitchen, returning with a tray, which held coffee for the adults and milk for Gracie and Gregory.
After dinner, Gracie and Annie disappeared to do the dishes while the men went into the family room. The family had quarters that were separate from the guests' area. Bart sat down and flipped on the television set. "There's a game on, if you're interested. I know Gregory wants to watch it. I'll help you unload the car first, though." He got back up and looked at his brother-in-law.
"Sure, let's go," Rance said, anxious to get settled.
Gregory settled on the couch, and the two men went outside. After two trips back and forth, the car was unloaded, and Bart led him to a room upstairs. He opened the door and set down the bags he was carrying. Rance followed with some boxes in his hands.
"This is the bedroom and sitting room area, the bathroom is over there. This is the guest room with the biggest closet, so you should have room for everything. I can't believe this is all you brought with you."
"Figured it would be easier to sell it all and buy new, once I find a place. I need to see a realtor this week, to check out the farms for sale in the area."
"I wondered if that might be the route you'd decide to go after being on the ranch for so many years."
"I think I'll pass on the game and get unpacked. I'll be ready for a hot shower and some shut eye after that, I think."
"I don't doubt it after two days on the road. I'll see you at breakfast, unless you want some help here."
"No, you go on and spend some time with your boy. I'll be fine," Rance assured him.
Two hours later, the bags and boxes were empty. The closet was full of clothes, cowboy boots and shoes, and the dresser and chest held his other things. He looked around at his temporary digs. "Not bad," he said aloud as he took in the blue and brown plaid comforter and matching curtains. At least, his sister hadn't put him in one of the rooms with handmade quilts and lacy curtains, he thought with a chuckle. The furniture was sturdy, made of oak, with a bed and matching nightstands, dresser and chest of drawers. Hardwood flooring, covered with rugs, and a brown loveseat with a matching chair completed the décor. His sister certainly had made this place homey and comfortable. He gathered what things he needed and went into the adjoining bathroom. He was astonished at the size of it. Blue and brown rugs and curtains accented the tile flooring, marble counter and white fixtures. There was a tub and shower combination, large enough for his tall frame. Both rooms had little touches of country in the pictures hanging on the walls and other knick-knacks sitting around.
He pulled a thick brown bath towel from the shelf and turned on the shower. Once inside, he let the hot, steamy spray relax him before he began to scrub his body. The water cascading down on him felt good. His thoughts drifted to the dinner conversation. Was Aunt Lydie the Lydie he remembered from days gone by? He never knew where she'd gone after graduation. How strange they both decided to move back to Bloomdale at the same time. There weren't many girls named Lydia or Lydie around town. In fact, Lydia Rose Sharp was the only one he could remember. Oh well, it didn't serve any purpose to dwell on it. He was sure she wouldn't remember him, even if their paths did cross at some point. She'd been living in New York. A rancher from Wyoming wouldn't be good enough for her, no matter how well he'd done in the last twenty years. He had quite a tidy sum of money saved up, not to mention what he'd gotten from Ellie for his shares in the ranch.
Turning off the water, he stepped out onto the mat and toweled himself dry. He walked over to the sink to brush his hair and his teeth before pulling on a pair of gym shorts and a t-shirt to sleep in. That big bed was going to feel good. He pulled back the covers and climbed in, plugged his cell in to charge and stretched out. Within minutes, he was sleeping like a log.
He awoke when the alarm on his phone sounded. He'd set it the night before, fearing he would still be on Wyoming time, rather than Eastern Standard time. After his morning wash and shave, he dressed and went down to join the family in the kitchen. Bart had told him the family took breakfast there, letting the guests have the dining room.
"Good morning," Bart said when he walked in to see the family already eating. "We didn't know if you'd get up before we left or not."
"I set my alarm. The time difference is going to take some getting used to," he said as he helped himself to morning coffee.
"There is a buffet set out in the dining room. Help yourself and come back in to join us," Annie said. "Bart and the kids will be leaving soon, but you and I can chat."
After a few hectic minutes of getting her family out the door, Annie sat down with a fresh cup of coffee. "Now, big brother, tell me how you really feel about all this."
Chapter 2
Lydia Granger boarded the plane and walked down the aisle until she found an empty window seat. Situating herself so that she could spend her time on the plane reading, she looked out the window of the plane. "Well, Bloomdale, ready or not, here I come," she said in a whisper.
The older woman who sat down beside her said, "Sounds like you're not too sure about this trip, honey."
Lydia smiled and replied, "I'm moving home, to a small town, after several years in the Big Apple. I guess you could say that I'm just a bit apprehensive."
"With good reason, I'd say. That's a big step."
"Yes, it is. But the city holds nothing for me anymore. I-I lost my husband recently, so it's time to go back to family."
"I'm so sorry. I lost my Jonathan two years ago. I'm actually going to visit my sister for two weeks."
"How did you… go on… after?" Lydia asked.
"I won't say it has been easy, but my children and grandchildren are here, in New York."
"Paul and I had no children. I had a business, interior design, but it just didn't fill the void. I've sold it and our home. My sister and her family are still in the hometown, so she suggested I come back there and open a store. As I said, there is nothing keeping me here, so here I am, on a plane headed to a small town in the Midwest."
"I think you'll do just fine, my dear," the kindly woman said as she patted Lydia's hand. "A fresh start may be just what you need."
Instead of reading, she spent the entire flight chatting with the woman, Mrs. Lincoln. By the time they landed, Lydia was feeling more confident than she had felt in months. She thanked the woman as they walked out together and parted ways. When she looked around, she saw her sister, Addie, waving wildly to her.
Rushing toward her, she hugged Addie. "Oh, it's good to see you."
"I hope you had a good flight."
"Oh, I did. I had a wonderful lady sitting next to me, chatting non-stop, all the way here."
"I'm glad; you probably needed that. Now, let's get your luggage and grab some dinner before we hit the road. Bloomdale is a good two-hour drive from the airport, if you remember. I'm ready for some sister time."
"So am I, sis, so am I."
They retrieved her bags from th
e carousel and walked out to the parking garage. Once they were in the car and on the road, Addie asked, "When do the rest of your things arrive?"
"I am having the furniture and other items shipped in a few weeks. I have to find a place first."
"Any idea if you want a house or an apartment?" Addie asked. "I've spoken to a realtor friend of mine. She said to call her when you are ready to start looking."
"I am thinking a townhouse apartment might be nice, for now. I'm just not ready to buy anything yet. I need to concentrate on finding a place for the store and getting it up and running."
"You can afford to take some time for yourself, get reacquainted with the town, ease into things. This is a big change for you, you know."
"I know, but the sooner I sink my teeth into something, the better off I'll be."
"I know it's been difficult for you, since Paul passed. Even through his illness, you've had to be so strong. I hate that I couldn't get out there more to help you. With kids and work and everything, it just wasn't always feasible."
"Oh, I know. I appreciate the times you were able to come. Now, enough about me, how are Derek and the kids?"
"The kids are growing up way too fast. Lisa is quite the pre-teen these days. Landon is playing basketball. I can't believe he's a freshman already. And Derek is the same as always, busy at work, going to the kids' activities. We keep planning a weekend away, but it never seems to happen."
"Maybe now that I'm here, you can get away. I'd be happy to spend a weekend with the kids once I get settled."
"I will take you up on that offer so I hope you meant it," Addie said with a laugh.
Addie pulled the car into the parking lot of a popular chain restaurant, and they got out of the car. "I know it's not what you're used to, but it's what we have."
"I may as well get used to the fact that I'm back in small town, USA. This is fine."
Over dinner, they talked about their lives, past and present. Finally, Addie said, "We should go. It's going to be bedtime when we get back to the house. I'm sure you're tired and want to get settled in."
"It's going to be different, isn't it?" Lydia asked as she paid the tab. "Let me get it. You're putting me up for a few weeks. It's the least I can do."
"Yes, little sis, it's going to be different, but look at it as a new adventure, a new chapter in your life. Returning to your roots can't be all bad."
The next morning, after a restless night in her new surroundings, Lydia got up and showered. She made the bed and dressed in a pair of jeans and a light sweater. It was spring, but still a bit chilly. She found Addie in the kitchen, loading the dishwasher.
"Hi, everyone else already gone?" she asked.
"Yes, they left about half an hour ago. I didn't want to disturb you. I know you had to be exhausted."
"You aren't working today?" Lydia asked as she made herself a cup of coffee.
"I took yesterday off, and the office is closed on Thursdays," her sister explained as she went to the Keurig to make another cup of coffee for herself. She joined Lydia at the table.
"So, you only work four days a week?"
"Yes, Dr. Barton has always closed on Thursdays. It's his golfing day. Now, what can I fix you to eat?"
"I'll just make myself some toast. I don't want you to wait on me while I'm here. Lord knows, you have enough to do, without catering to me."
"Do you want to take it easy today?" Addie asked as she watched her sister pop a few slices of wheat bread into the toaster.
"I think I may want to talk to that realtor friend of yours. The sooner I find a place to live and a place for my business, the quicker I can get on with my life. I just don't like this unsettled feeling. I've had it since Paul passed, and it's time to move on, as hard as that may be."
"You've already taken the first steps by selling everything and coming home you know," Addie said. "You don't have to rush, unless that's what you really want to do, of course."
"If I start looking around now, I can take my time until I find the perfect place, for both my home and my business, don't you think? Why wait?"
"Okay, then, I'll give Misty a call and see when she is available." Addie picked up her cell and dialed the number of the realtor.
"Hi, Misty, it's Addie Collins. My sister arrived from New York last night, and she is ready to start looking. She is thinking along the lines of a townhouse to rent. She also wants to start checking out locations for her interior design business."
Lydia listened as she buttered her toast.
"Eleven o'clock sounds great. We'll meet you at the office. Thanks so much, Misty."
Lydia looked at the clock. It was nine-thirty. "Wow, that was fast," she said as she took a sip of coffee.
"She said she had a light day, so we lucked out. She is one of the busiest realtors in town."
An hour and a half later, the two women were sitting in the lobby of Misty's office. The receptionist told them that someone had come in, but Misty would be with them soon. Lydia picked up a local brochure that featured local apartments and condominiums and browsed through it. After several minutes, a tall, good-looking man, probably in his late thirties, walked out with the woman Lydia presumed to be Misty Tanner, the realtor. Lydia half-heartedly watched the man conversing with Misty. He was dressed in jeans and a light blue oxford shirt. He wore cowboy boots. Odd, for this area, she thought. Oh well, what did she know? She'd been away for a very long time. Things change. She wondered who he was. Probably a local farmer, but he seemed quite charming, from what she could hear of the conversation.
"I'll give you a call in a few days," Misty said. "I should know something by then."
"Sounds good, I can't believe I actually may have found exactly what I had in mind when I came to town. Thank you, Ms. Tanner." The man shook Misty's hand and turned to go. He glanced in their direction and nodded. "Good day, ladies."
"Addie, hi, I'm sorry about that. Mr. Kimball just got to town a few days ago, and he stopped in unexpectedly."
"We have all day, so no worries. Misty, this is my sister, Lydia Granger."
"Lydia, it's so nice to finally meet you. Addie talks about you all the time. I'm sorry about your husband."
"Thank you, Ms. Tanner."
"Please, call me Misty. Come on in my office. I've put together a file for you. Let's take a look and see if anything interests you. If it does, we may be able to take a look today."
They followed Misty into her office and sat down. She began by showing Lydia some photos of local townhouses available for rent.
"Oh, I was looking at this one in the brochure in your waiting area. It really looks like the perfect size for me. How much is the rent?" Lydia asked.
"Let me see," Misty said as she looked at the picture. "Oh, that's an excellent choice. A local contractor built those townhouses about a year ago. You're lucky that one recently opened up. They have been full since the day they were available." She gave Lydia the figure, and she nodded. "Yes, definitely reasonable, I would love to take a look at it."
"I'll call and schedule an appointment. I work closely with the owner, so I'm sure we can get in today. Now, here are some possible storefronts available for lease." Misty shoved another folder towards her. She and Addie pored over them, while Misty answered a call.
"I'm sorry for the interruption," the woman said when she hung up the phone. "I had a call in to the owner of a small farm that Mr. Kimball is interested in. The owner is hard to reach, so I had instructed my secretary to put him through when he called."
"No problem, it gave us a chance to look at these locations," Addie said.
"I think I've found two that might work," Lydia said. She pointed to the first one.
Misty nodded. "And the other one?" she asked.
Lydia showed her the one that was her second choice. "Let me get on the phone right now." They waited while she set up all the appointments for that afternoon.
"Why don't you two go have some lunch and meet me back here at one-thirty? We can s
wing by the townhouse first and then we have appointments at three and four to see the storefronts."
"That was fast work, I'm impressed. Thank you so much," Lydia said.
"I told you she was the best," Addie said.
"No reason to waste time. Have a nice lunch, and I'll see you soon." Before they were even out the door, Misty was on the phone again.
"That woman is a go-getter," Lydia said as they walked down the street to a local diner.
"That she is, but the nicest person you'd ever want to meet. She has a son in Landon's class. I see her at a lot of the school functions."
When they sat down in one of the booths in the diner, Lydia looked around. "The old place looks the same, is the food still good?" she asked.
"It's not bad," her sister said. "So what about that Mr. Kimball? I wonder who he is."
"She said he'd just come to town and was looking for a farm. Who knows, but he was a nice looking man."
The nice looking man sat across the room from them. Lydia looked up and spotted him in a booth talking on his cell phone.
"Speak of the devil, there he is. What do you want to bet he is talking to Misty on the phone right now about that farm?"
Addie followed her gaze and laughed. "I'll bet you're right."
The waitress took their order and they forgot all about Mr. Kimball until a few minutes later, when he walked past their booth. He stopped. "Ladies, we meet again. Have a nice lunch."
Lydia looked up, into the most gorgeous set of green eyes she had ever seen. "T-thank you," she stammered.
"Hello," Addie said with a smile.
He nodded and went on his way, leaving the two sisters looking at each other in awe.
"Now, I'm not one to usually notice these things, but that man is all that," Addie said as she fanned herself.
"Addie, shame on you," Lydia said. "But, I have to admit, he is one cool drink of water."
Their lunch arrived and, as they ate, Mr. Kimball was all but forgotten. They discussed the sites they were going to view that afternoon and ideas for the store Lydia planned to open.