Love Calls You Home

By Donna Simonetta

Stephanie Williams left skid marks on the road out of Willow Springs, Vermont after she finished high school. She didn't return until her company sent her to evaluate the town for a massive development project. Back then she thought the town was way too small and too cold. Now the cold isn't as much of an issue since she's reconnected with her childhood friend, Donald Flanagan. Stephanie doesn't remember his eyes being quite so green, or his body quite so built. He's smart and funny as he ever was, and a forest-fire sized attraction burns between them.

Donald never understood his old friend's driving need to leave Willow Springs. He loves everything about it. When he learns the truth about Stephanie's project, and how it will turn his hometown into a theme-park version of itself, will it extinguish the flame that has sparked between them?

• Language: English
• Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
• Release date: Jun 12, 2019
• ISBN: 9781509226658

Donna Simonetta

Donna Simonetta writes the kind of books she loves to read––contemporary romances with heart and humor, to help you escape the real world for a little while. Writing is Donna’s third career. She toiled in the business world, and when she decided being an Account Executive wasn’t for her went back to school to get her MLS degree. Next, she worked in a school library for many years. But, Donna dreamed of being an author since she was a little girl, and began to squeeze writing into her day. After the publication of her second book, Donna decided to leave the library and become a full-time author. It can be a solitary job, so she loves to connect with her readers––you can find her online at https://twitter.com/donna_simonetta https://www.facebook.com/donnasimonettaauthor Donna lives in Maryland with her husband, who is her real-life romance hero. They enjoy traveling to visit far-flung family and friends, and spending time on the beach with an umbrella drink and a good book.

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It was much darker on this side of the building, without the bright, neon lights around the entrance, and even though they could hear the muffled music through the wall, it felt as though they were all alone in the world. Donald stopped and turned to face her, which placed her between him and the building. He cupped her face in his hands, and Stephanie marveled that she never noticed how big his hands were before. He leaned down a little and studied her face. His eyes seemed to be searching for a clue as to what she wanted. There were complications aplenty—putting their lifelong friendship at risk, and her work here in town, which Donald still didn’t know the extent of, being two major hurdles—but Stephanie knew what she wanted right now. She knew it from the bottom of her toes to the top of her head, with a certainty she’d never experienced before. Her blood pounded in her veins, and she felt a little breathless with excitement about the step they were about to take.

Hurry up and kiss me, Flanagan, before I spontaneously combust.

One side of the mouth she longed to be kissing quirked up in a sexy half-grin. There’s no turning back if we take this step, Williams. Are you sure?

Praise for Donna Simonetta and…

A SWEETER SPOT: Do yourself a favor and get a copy. Then settle onto an old chair, get a cup of tea, and feel the warmth and love that flows through this book.

~Peggy Jaeger, Author (5 Stars)

~*~

ANGELS FLY: This book was impossible to put down. I wanted the story to keep going. I love the chemistry of the characters and the storyline itself. Very well written. I look forward to more from this author.

~Amber McCarty, Imaginative Dreams (5 Stars)

Love Calls You Home

by

Donna Simonetta

Deerbourne Inn

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales, is entirely coincidental.

Love Calls You Home

COPYRIGHT © 2019 by Donna Stevens Simonetta

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the author or The Wild Rose Press, Inc. except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

Contact Information: [e-mail]

Cover Art by Debbie Taylor

The Wild Rose Press, Inc.

PO Box 708

Adams Basin, NY 14410-0708

Visit us at www.thewildrosepress.com

Publishing History

First Champagne Rose Edition, 2019

Digital ISBN 978-1-5092-2665-8

Deerbourne Inn

Published in the United States of America

Dedication

As always, to Leo.

I hit the husband jackpot with you!

Thank you for supporting my writing dreams.

Acknowledgements

Thanks to the Wild Rose Press for including me in their Deerbourne Inn series. I’m so excited to be part of such an amazing group of writers, and as a native New Englander, it was wonderful to write a book set there.

Chapter 1

Stephanie squinted in the glare of the bright light the wall of windows let in to the office. Seriously, she’d lived in Miami for years—she should be used to all the brightness by now. A desire to live somewhere filled with sunshine and warmth was a big part of the reason she’d left her chilly, New England hometown as soon as she graduated high school, but right now she wished she could put on her sunglasses. The all white décor of the office served to accentuate the brightness of the early summer sun. Her boss, Lauren, sat across the white and chrome desk from her, and the woman’s impatient tap-tap-tap of her long, manicured nails made it clear she was waiting for a response. Uh oh. Stephanie’s mind had drifted, and she didn’t know what Lauren had asked.

Stephanie? The committee was impressed with your work on the development project in Indiana last year, and we are very interested in you heading up the New England one, but if you’re not interested…

Stephanie sat a little taller in her seat and spoke in a rush, Oh, I’m interested! Please, don’t misinterpret my silence as lack of interest. I was just thinking ahead. Strategizing about how to proceed.

Very good. The question is when can you get boots on the ground in Willow Springs?

Stephanie suddenly wasn’t squinting anymore—her eyes bugged out of her head. Willow Springs?

It’s one of the towns we’re considering for the New England project. Willow Springs, Vermont. It is the site we would like you to evaluate.

Stephanie nervously licked her lips, and willed her heart to stop pounding. I didn’t know Willow Springs was one of the towns under consideration for development.

Is there a problem with the location, Ms. Williams? Are you familiar with Willow Springs?

Stephanie swallowed hard. Oh, I’m familiar with it. Willow Springs is my hometown.

****

Good morning, Donald, Tiana Armstead called out as she swept the sidewalk in front of her business, Sunny Springs Café.

Morning, Tiana. See you at lunch today.

Happy to hear it, she replied with a fond smile.

He waved with his free hand, and took a sip of coffee out of his travel mug, before he turned off Willow Springs’ Main Street, and onto Church Street to finish his morning commute to his job as the head librarian at the Arthur Public Library. One of the benefits of living and working in Willow Springs was that it was just a quick stroll from his apartment to the library.

Born and raised in Willow Springs, Donald loved his hometown, and couldn’t imagine living anywhere else. It made him happy to know everyone by name, and to feel like he belonged. Big cities gave him hives, with all their noise and people rushing from one place to another. Reaching the library, he waved at Cherry Rousett as she opened the hair salon across the street.

You’re overdue for a trim, Donald. Stop by when you can, and I’ll fit you in, Cherry tsked in disapproval at what he knew was the shaggy state of his reddish-brown hair.

He ran his free hand through it, and grinned at her sheepishly. Will do, Cherry. Thanks.

As he unlocked the front door of the library, he thought about his schedule for the day, and tried to figure out when he could fit in a quick haircut. It didn’t seem that bad to him, but he wasn’t the best judge—he’d never put much thought into his appearance, and if Cherry could see from clear across the street he needed a trim, he must really need it.

He went behind the circulation desk and booted up the computer, before walking around and turning on the lights. He was a little early, so he had a few minutes to catch up with his social media online before the library day began.

Since he was the first one at work, he sat at the circulation desk, instead of in his office, so he would be able to assist any library patrons who might come in early. He scrolled down the screen, before stopping and leaning in to read a notification. Huh. Stephanie Williams sent him a private message. That was unusual. Not unwelcome, mind you, she’d been his best friend growing up, and he’d had a huge crush on Steph back in high school, but she ran out of Willow Springs so fast after graduation that Donald didn’t even think she turned in her cap and gown…he always suspected she just sped out of town still wearing them. They were friends online, but hadn’t seen each other in person for years.

He clicked on the message, and his eyes opened wide as he read. It appeared hell had frozen over, because Stephanie was coming back to Willow Springs for some sort of work project. Since her parents had moved away to be closer to Stephanie’s brother, his husband, and their kids, she’d be staying at the Deerbourne Inn. And she wanted to get together while she was in town.

Donald had no clue what could be bringing Steph back to the one place on Earth she swore never to set foot in again, but he was looking forward to seeing her.

Chapter 2

Stephanie wended her way down winding mountain roads to Willow Springs from the small airport in Burlington. She hated to admit it, but it really was a pretty area, especially at this time of year. In the early summer, everything was green, and comfortably cooler than the heat and humidity she’d left behind in Miami. But, come winter…brr! There would be snow and ice as far as the eye could see here in the Mad River Valley, and freezing cold temperatures.

She slowed her rental car down to look at the orchard on the right. This was the spot her company had in mind for the outlet mall. Between the apple orchard and the cornfields, this farm had plenty of acreage for the sprawling collection of stores, which would draw tourists and area shoppers to Willow Springs. A brief toot of a horn behind her told Stephanie she’d slowed down a little too much. With a quick, apologetic wave in her rear-view mirror, she took a deep breath and hit the gas pedal.

Not overly anxious to arrive in Willow Springs, she had been driving at a much slower speed than was her norm, but she was almost there now, so no more delaying. As a matter of fact, there was the sign welcoming people to town.

Welcome to Willow Springs

Population: 3,004

She passed the town square, and the intersection with Church Street, where the library was located.

The library brought Donald Flanagan to her mind. She was looking forward to seeing him at dinner tonight. They had lost touch over the years, but he’d always been her favorite person in town. He was smart and funny; she loved spending time with Donald when they were kids and teens. Sometimes, she suspected he might want more than friendship from her, but he’d never pushed the issue. He was a great guy, and she wouldn’t have minded dating him, but getting out of Willow Springs to experience the big, wide world beyond its borders was Stephanie’s sole goal back in the day, and a boyfriend would’ve complicated matters for her.

She spotted the right turn for the Deerbourne Inn, and clicked on her directional indicator, to turn in at the entrance. Going up a slight hill, she parked her car and popped the trunk, where she’d stowed her bags. She didn’t imagine there would be staff at the small inn to help her with her luggage, but it was the only place to stay