Romance Me: A Collection Of Standalone & First In Series Books Read online

  His words caught her by surprise. She never thought she'd be anyone's wife. Alex stood close to her, a mix of his musky cologne and sweat heightened her senses. "No, I didn't," she smiled as she answered. Kimberly knew he referred to Ryan owning half of the farm.

  They walked back to the house as their stomachs growled. Kimberly offered to make them lunch while he checked in on Ariel. While she was putting a salad together, she could hear his cell phone ring and him answering it. She didn’t listen to the conversation but knew it didn’t last long.

  Ariel came running into the kitchen and wrapped her little arms around Kimberly’s leg. “Hey there. Are you hungry?” Ariel turned around and climbed up on her chair.

  “Yes,” Alex answered instead. Kimberly laughed and tossed a hand towel at him.

  “Then you better wash your hands,” she told him.

  Kimberly looked at Alex as they ate. He wanted to say something. She sensed it, but didn't want to intrude on his thoughts. Instead, she smiled at him and hoped that he was alright.

  “Ryan just called,” he broke the silence. “He said he was delayed,” Alex studied her face before continuing. He wasn't sure how she would take the news. “For a week.”

  “A week?” She shouted, and her hand slammed onto the table, a little harder than she planned. Ariel looked up and Kimberly apologized for her outburst. "A week?" Kimberly said again at a calmer tone. She didn’t know what to say or what to do. The weekend with her new-found brother-in-law and niece was nice, but she didn’t expect him to want her to stay any longer. Kimberly already felt that she overstayed her welcome. "I guess I'll have to go home and settle things from there."

  Alex seemed to understand her frustrations. “You can stay if you want. Ariel loves having you here and, I have to admit, I'm enjoying the company."

  "I could do my work here on my laptop." As much as she was starting to miss her friends back home, she was also starting to like the new ones she was making here. “Are you sure you don’t mind? I’d have to take the rental back though. I need to return it by Monday.”

  "There's a rental place much closer than Indy." Alex explained. "I can take you there myself."

  Kimberly smiled "Thank you, Alex. You're very generous."

  “Then it’s settled,” he said. “We'll drive over there this afternoon and I'll show you the town on the way back.”

  Kimberly looked to Ariel and grinned. A part of her was happy that she was staying. She offered Alex some money to help pay for things, but he wouldn’t have it.

  After they finished lunch, he took her out back and handed her a set of keys. An older model station wagon sat with weeds growing around the tires. Alex explained, "It was my mother's. I'll take the car seat out of the truck and put it in here. You won't have to be confined to the house the entire time you're here."

  “Well then,” Kimberly stated, “I guess it's settled.”

  Chapter 9

  “OH GREAT,” KIMBERLY mumbled to herself as she glanced in the rearview mirror at Ariel. The passenger side rear tire blew out as she was driving into town. Trying not to panic, she pulled over to the side of the road and parked the car. She didn’t know anything about cars but got out and looked at it anyway. Squatting down, she smirked. There was no way that she could put on the spare.

  She leaned into the window and reached inside her purse to get her cell phone. Alex had put his cell phone number into her contacts over the weekend, and she was now glad he did. After pressing the call button, nothing happened. Kimberly looked at the phone and then placed it back to her ear. It still wasn’t ringing. She hung it up and tried the house number instead. Once again, she heard nothing. Then it hit her: there wasn’t any service. “Double great,” she cried.

  Ariel didn’t seem to mind being stuck. The little girl sat and brushed her doll’s hair. Kimberly rolled the windows down so that she didn’t get too warm inside.

  She moved around the front of the car and stood near the driver side door. Someone had to pass sooner or later. As she waited, she checked her phone several times. No luck. Kimberly felt bad for Ariel who had to sit inside the car and felt bad about the tire. If she didn’t have a young child with her, she’d start walking to town and call Alex from there. Kimberly felt helpless. If help didn’t arrive soon, she might have to carry Ariel and walk anyway.

  About 20 minutes later, a police car became a sight for sore eyes. He passed in the opposite direction, saw her, and turned to park behind her. “Something wrong, ma’am?” Kimberly recognized him as the sheriff who helped her find the Calvin farm.

  “The tire blew,” she said tilting her head towards the other side. “I tried to call for help but, for some reason, I don’t have service.”

  The sheriff walked around the back of the car as he replied to her. “Yeah, this part of the road is in the valley. It’s a hit or miss for cell service here.” He walked back towards her and noticed Ariel in the back. “You're staying with Alex Calvin?"

  “Yes, sir,” she answered. “I’m visiting for a week or so. I’m borrowing the car to go into town and feel bad about the tire.”

  “No need to feel bad,” he said. “Alex is a friend of mine. We met the other day. I'm Gavin.” Gavin extended his hand and she reached out and shook it. “This old thing hasn’t been used in quite a while. It was bound to happen sooner or later.”

  Kimberly smiled at Gavin and was glad that he was there to help her again. "Jump in," he said pointing to the squad car. "I'll drive you to town and introduce you to a mechanic that I know."

  Kimberly situated Ariel's car seat in the squad car then buckled the little girl in. "Thank you so much. I really appreciate it."

  IT WASN’T FAR INTO town, and they arrived at the mechanic’s a few minutes later. Gavin did the talking for her and asked for a man named Paul Walton. Paul emerged from under a truck and stuck his dirty hand out towards Kimberly as Gavin introduced them. Kimberly shook it despite its appearance. “She had a tire blow out on Route 54. Think you can tow it in and put a new one on?”

  “Tony,” Paul hollered across the garage. “Stop what you’re doing, and go pick up this girl’s car.” Then he turned towards Kimberly and gave her a toothless smile. “No problem,” Paul replied.

  THE GARAGE WAS ON THE main street in town. Kimberly and Ariel walked around and browsed in the stores. The people seemed friendly as they stopped and said hello to Ariel. Nobody questioned who she was. They were polite and greeted her as well. Ariel held her hand tight and squeezed Kimberly’s leg when she saw anyone who frightened her. It surprised her that nobody cared that a stranger walked around with a child they all seemed to know.

  “That’s the young lady I saw with Mr. Calvin at the diner the other day.” A stout elderly lady said to her companion as they passed.

  “She is pretty, the dear girl,” the other one chimed in. Kimberly laughed. The town was small after all.

  They stopped at the bookstore. Kimberly took Ariel to the children’s area and let her pick out a couple of coloring books and crayons. Then she searched the non-fiction books and wondered if she could find something on sign language. She wanted to communicate with Ariel more than she already had but wasn’t sure if sign language would help. “Ariel,” she called to the little girl. Ariel’s back was turned towards her, but Kimberly was hoping to get some sort of reaction. It didn’t work. She found a book designed for children and decided to give it a shot.

  When they left the bookstore, Paul was standing outside of the garage. He waved her over. Paul stood and waited for her then held the door open for her and Ariel.

  Kimberly was surprised that they replaced the tire so fast and wondered if she was getting special treatment because she was a guest in town. When she pulled her wallet out of her purse, she was surprised to hear Paul say, “I already put it on Ryan’s tab.”

  Right away she started to protest. She was the one driving the car when the tire blew out, and she felt responsible. But he startled her by what he’d said. “Ryan?
No, I’m with,” but she was cut off.

  “Don’t you worry none,” he said. “I’ve known him since he was knee high, and he won’t mind a bit.”

  Kimberly wanted to tell Paul that she didn’t even know Ryan but was afraid she would only confuse the man. She thanked him for the service and placed Ariel in the car seat. As she drove away, she could still see him holding the door open. Kimberly smiled and drove home.

  ARIEL SAT AT THE TABLE and colored in her new books while Kimberly began making dinner. She started singing to herself then sang louder once she realized that Ariel couldn’t hear her anyway. As time went on, she loosened up and was having a good time. Singing turned into dancing, and she’d occasionally turn to see the little girl smiling at her. Her back was turned away from the table for a few minutes before she spun around to get Ariel’s attention again.

  Alex was leaning against the wall and grinning when she turned. Kimberly turned beet red, but he laughed and told her to continue. “Don’t mind me. I can use the entertainment.”

  He washed his hands, and then they all sat down and ate. Alex smiled at her every time she looked in his direction. Kimberly told him to stop, but that only made him smile more. He took a drink and said, “I’m sorry about the car.”

  “You know about that already?”

  “Gavin called me after he left you,” he explained. “Are you all right?”

  Kimberly wasn’t surprised. It appeared that everyone she saw knew him. “I would have paid for it. I’ll pay Ryan back.”

  “Ryan?” Alex looked puzzled.

  “He said he put the new tire and labor on Ryan’s tab. I tried to explain that Ryan is out of town, but he wasn’t listening.”

  Alex felt a sense of relief. “No, its fine. We put things on the same bill all the time. Whenever he goes to the feed supply store, they put it in my name. It’s all good.”

  Kimberly felt better but still wished they’d let her pay for it. She suggested it, but Alex wouldn’t have anything to do with it.

  "It's my beat up old car. I'm sure it needed a new tire anyway." He watched her smile at him. "I'm just glad that nobody got hurt. Besides,” he added. “Ryan already knows about it.”

  “He called?” Kimberly was enjoying her time away from the city but wished Ryan would get back and sign the divorce papers.

  “Yes, ma’am. We were on the phone when Gavin rang on the other line.” Alex helped clean up the kitchen as he continued. “When I returned to his line, he wanted to know what was going on. No biggie. He’s glad you’re alright too.”

  “Can’t keep anything from you two,” Kimberly laughed. “Can I?”

  Alex chuckled out loud as he put the dishes away. “Except being married. You were pretty good at keeping that from me.”

  They looked at each other and cracked up. Kimberly loved how his sense of humor made her comfortable. It was getting hard to fight off her attraction to him.

  Chapter 10

  GAVIN EWIN SAT AT HIS desk and looked across the street at the diner. It had been a calm morning in town. He thought about going over for a burger but couldn’t make up his mind if he was hungry or not. Gavin closed his eyes and enjoyed the peace and quiet for a moment. When he opened them, he spotted a blonde walking into the diner and his mind was made up.

  It had been a few years since he saw her, but there was no mistaking her identity: Misty Adams. She was by far, physically, the most beautiful girl he’d ever seen. Misty always wore high heels though she was tall enough on her own. They complimented her toned legs which were usually always showing underneath her short skirts. Even though she once had a baby, Misty still looked slim and fit.

  Gavin knew her beauty was only skin deep. Her personality was disgusting, and he knew her better as the evil spawn that she was. He and Misty were high school sweethearts. Gavin loved her unconditionally even after she rejected his marriage proposal. She told him that she was in love with his best friend. Even though his heart broke, he didn’t object to her being with the other man. Her happiness was all that mattered to him. It broke even more when, in time, she let the whole town know what kind of monster she was.

  Gavin barged into the diner, walked up to her table, and slammed his hand down. “What are you doing here?”

  Misty put her hand over her exposed cleavage and took a deep breath, as if she was frightened. “Sheriff Ewin,” she purred. “I didn’t know it was against the law for a girl to have lunch.”

  Gavin pulled a chair out and sat down. Her legs were crossed and the top one swung, allowing her sandal to balance on her toes. He ignored her body language and leaned in to whisper. “You’re not wanted around here anymore. Did you forget that?”

  She stiffened up but wouldn’t back down from his threats. “A woman has the right to visit her child too.”

  “You’re not a woman!” Misty turned her head from him and lit up a cigarette. Gavin, being the enforcer that he was, ripped it from her hands, threw it on the floor, and stomped it out. “That’s not allowed in public buildings anymore, either.”

  She turned towards him and laughed. “That girl is mine, and I want to see her.”

  Gavin stood to leave. There was nothing legal he could do to stop her from seeing Ariel, but he could warn her that it wouldn’t happen. “You abandoned her; not once but twice. Stay away from Alex and Ariel.”

  He stormed out of the diner. His appetite was gone. Misty didn’t deserve to be in Ariel’s life. Gavin sat back down at his desk and thought about how she almost destroyed the relationship he had with Alex. Alex fought her seduction for the sake of Gavin. He often told Gavin that he would never do that to him but, after Gavin gave his approval, Alex took the bait. When she left, Gavin realized how awful she was.

  Chapter 11

  KIMBERLY TURNED OFF her computer and decided that she worked enough for the day. Her mind didn’t focus too well since she was far from home. She stood and checked in on Ariel and found the girl still taking a nap. As she walked back into the living room, she heard a knock on the door. Kimberly raced to answer it.

  “Who are you?” A snotty looking woman sneered as she opened the door.

  “I’m a friend of Alex. Can I help you with something?” Kimberly replied. Being a city girl, she knew a thing or two about stuck up girls. If an attitude was what the woman wanted, that’s what she would get.

  The woman tried to barge in. “I’m Misty.” She could tell that Kimberly wasn’t allowing her past the threshold and continued. “Where is my daughter?”

  “Alex isn’t home right now,” Kimberly said as she blocked Misty from entering. She knew that name. Alex mentioned it the first night she arrived. Kimberly didn’t know the woman but knew that she wasn’t going to let her see Ariel.

  Misty's impatience grew. The lack of Alex's truck in the driveway was a dead giveaway that he wasn't home. “You must be the babysitter,” she stated. “You can go home. I’m her mother, and I’m here now.”

  “I am home,” Kimberly didn’t know why she said that but knew that the other woman didn’t know any different. “And you’re not coming anywhere near her.” Misty had more strength than Kimberly gave her credit for, and she wasn’t sure how much longer she could keep the other woman out.

  “Let me in,” Misty shouted. She shoved her elbow into Kimberly’s arm and forced her way passed her.

  “MISTY,” A DEEP VOICE called from behind. “Get out now.”

  Misty turned to see Alex standing in the doorway. She batted her eyelashes and smiled. “Oh, Alex, it’s so good to see you again.”

  Alex stretched his arm out and pointed his finger to the door. “I said get out. Now!”

  Just then, Ariel turned the corner and entered the living room. Misty’s eyes grew large at the sight of her daughter. She tried to reach out for the girl, but Kimberly swept Ariel up and walked out of sight.

  “Julia,” Misty cried out. “Let me see my baby!” she screamed at Alex.

  He grabbed her by the arm and pulled her out
onto the porch. “Let’s get something straight,” he told her. “That is not your daughter. You gave up all rights to be her mother when you walked out on her.” Misty faked tears as he lectured her, but Alex wasn’t buying into it. “Twice!” he screamed when he was just inches from her face.

  Misty tried to protest but Alex physically pulled her to her car and forced her inside. She was begging for forgiveness, but he didn't listen. He stood outside of the car, staring her down, until she started the ignition and drove away.

  When he went back inside, he found Kimberly holding Ariel on her lap. Alex didn’t know what he would have done without her. “Thank you for not letting her in.”

  “I recognize a bad person when I see one,” she told him. “Thank you for getting home when you did.”

  He sat beside her and said, “Gavin called me and said she was in town. I was on my way to tell you not to let her in if she should show up but, obviously, I didn’t need to.”

  “Thank goodness for Gavin,” she smiled at him.

  “Thank goodness for you,” he replied, smiling back. Alex wanted to lean over and kiss her, but he didn’t know how she’d feel about that. “I guess we should thank my brother for making you a part of this family.”

  Chapter 12

  KIMBERLY STRETCHED across the bed as a cool breeze comforted her. Part of her was anxious for Ryan to return and sign the divorce papers. Another part of her wasn't in a hurry. Time was passing fast. She was getting used to being there with Alex, and she adored Ariel. She considered staying married to Ryan and throwing her life in the city away to be with this new family. But she knew that wasn’t possible. She and Ryan were strangers. More importantly, she couldn’t stay married to a man when she desired his brother.