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    Comfy Shorts: Four Romantic Short Stories
    Comfy Shorts: Four Romantic Short Stories
    Comfy Shorts: Four Romantic Short Stories
    Ebook120 pages1 hour

    Comfy Shorts: Four Romantic Short Stories

    By L.K. Campbell

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    About this ebook

    The lead story, Love & Marry is a romantic comedy set in Puerto Rico. Wedding planner Marry Markham only wants a peaceful vacation, but radio psychologist Dr. Allen Love has other plans for her.
    Lead Me Home is an inspirational story set in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Rick and Annie are high school sweethearts reunited after ten years apart. The old sparks are still there, but a secret from their past must be dealt with before they can be together again.
    The romantic comedies, In The Nick of Time, Not For Me, and the bonus Halloween story The House Next Door round out the collection.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherL.K. Campbell
    Release dateOct 2, 2016
    ISBN9781370316618
    Comfy Shorts: Four Romantic Short Stories
    Author

    L.K. Campbell

    As both a reader and a writer, I'm a lifelong lover of the written word. After 21 years with my hometown newspaper, I ran a successful freelance business from 2009-2019 formatting ebooks for independent authors and publishers. Keeping my hand in the publishing industry helped fuel my desire to continue writing. My first full-length novel, A Soldier's Love was published in 2003. Now 20 years later, I've written books covering a variety of genres from World War II romance, ghost stories, and Old West mysteries. My current works are cozy murder mysteries set at a small hotel, owned by a 60-something widow, in the Blue Ridge Mountains. I hope you enjoy reading my stories as much as I enjoyed writing them.

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      Book preview

      Comfy Shorts - L.K. Campbell

      Comfy Shorts

      Four Romantic Short Stories

      by

      L.K. Campbell

      Includes:

      Love & Marry

      Not For Me

      Lead Me Home

      In the Nick of Time

      Copyright © 2013, 2022 by L.K. Campbell

      All rights reserved.

      No part of this work may be reproduced in any fashion without the express, written consent of the copyright holder.

      Love & Marry, Not for Me, Lead Me Home and In the Nick of Time are works of fiction. All characters and events portrayed herein are fictitious and are not based on any real persons living or dead.

      Cover Art © by Piccia Neri / Dreamstime.com

      Copyright Disclaimers – Not for Me: The song But Not for Me is from the 1930 musical Girl Crazy by George and Ira Gershwin. Star Trek is a registered trademark of Paramount Studios. All characters from Star Trek are the property of Paramount Studios.

      Table of Contents

      Love & Marry

      Not For Me

      Lead Me Home

      In The Nick of Time

      Bonus Short Story

      Love & Marry

      (Originally Published in 2012)

      Marry Markham wheeled her new, red organizer luggage through the revolving doors of the beachfront resort and waited her turn in the check-in line.

      Next, the clerk called out.

      Marry Markham, she told the clerk. That’s Marry with two ‘rs’. My parents’ sense of humor. I was born on their anniversary.

      The dark-haired young man didn’t laugh.

      I didn’t think it was funny, either, she said. But it’s a good gimmick for my wedding planning business.

      The clerk seemed to ignore her while tapping the touchscreen on his computer. She looked around the luxurious lobby. Glass tiles, marble floors and soothing pastel colors all led up to a serpentine shaped staircase and elevators beyond. It had the feel of being on a cruise ship.

      You’re in room 432, the clerk said. You have an oceanfront balcony, queen-sized bed, and Jacuzzi tub.

      Wow. Mom spared no expense. Sounds wonderful, she said to the clerk.

      And here is the schedule for all of the week’s activities, he continued. "Including the Meet and Greet Breakfast tomorrow morning, the bachelor auction tomorrow evening, and of course, the Looking for Love in All the Right Places seminar taught by talk radio personality, Dr. …"

      Marry stood back and held up her hands. "Wait a minute. Bachelor auction? Love seminars? What kind of place is this?"

      A shocked expression registered on the clerk’s face, and he pointed to the mural that decorated the wall behind him.

      "Encontrar el verdadero amor en La Luna Resort, she read in her best tenth-grade Spanish accent. It’s been twenty years since I took Spanish. Could you translate?"

      The clerk continued to point to the sign as he spoke. Find your true love at La Luna Resort.

      "So you’re telling me that this is some kind of matchmaking resort?"

      The clerk shrugged his shoulders. If you want to call it that.

      And there would be no mistake about that in any of your advertising?

      He shook his head. La Luna is advertised as a resort for singles looking to meet other singles.

      Mom! She took a deep breath and weighed the positives. She’d always wanted to see Puerto Rico, and she desperately needed a vacation after all of the hours she’d been working.

      Thank you, she said and pushed aside the schedule. But I won’t need this. What I’d rather have is information on touring the island.

      Of course, he said and pointed to the rack of pamphlets and brochures at the end of the counter. Feel free to pick up brochures on whatever interests you. I’ll get a bus schedule and riding pass for you. Most of the tourist sites have buses that pick up and drop off at different times during the day.

      Good, I won’t have to rent a car.

      After collecting her bus schedule and pass, she headed for the elevators and was almost tempted to stop in for a stiff drink at the bar located across the lobby. A margarita would definitely take the edge off. What was Mom thinking? Silly question. She knew exactly what her mother was thinking. Marry is thirty-five and running out of time to give me grandchildren.

      The elevator dinged and the doors opened onto the fourth floor. She’d expected to emerge into a darkened, narrow hallway. Instead, she stepped out into bright sunshine emanating from floor-to-ceiling windows in a well-appointed lounge area. She stepped over to the windows to take in the view of the resort gardens below, rich with blooming foliage and paths that led to private nooks and gazebos. It couldn’t be more idyllic, she thought.

      Beautiful day, isn’t it? someone in close proximity said.

      She turned and looked at a tall stranger with clean-cut brown hair, a friendly smile and nice build from what she could see in the loose shirt and trousers he wore. The guy was just her type if she had come to La Luna Resort looking for a man, which she hadn’t.

      Hi, I’m Dr. Love, he said.

      Marry couldn’t restrain herself. She laughed out loud. Well, of course, you are, she said.

      No, really, he said. "Dr. Allen Love."

      Oh, sure, as if a good looking doctor would need to come to La Luna to find a mate. She gripped his extended hand and recalled his name from the schedule-of-events flyer that the clerk had shoved in her face. Heat flushed her cheeks, and she broke off the handshake.

      You’re the seminar leader, aren’t you?

      The one and only, he said, and then laughed. Oh, I’ll bet you thought my introduction was a lame pick-up line.

      Marry shrugged one shoulder. Well, yes. It’s kind of funny.

      He laughed again. He has a nice laugh, Marry thought. Warm and inviting like an overstuffed recliner at the end of a hard day. Her eyes darted down to his left hand. No wedding ring—not that she was the least bit interested.

      When I first started my couples’ therapy practice, the name thing didn’t occur to me, he said. Then when I went on the radio, my publicist thought it was a great angle. You know how publicists are. Always looking for an angle.

      She smiled and nodded, even though she wouldn’t have a clue how publicists are or what they do.

      And who do I have the pleasure of conversing with? he asked.

      Marry, she said. With two ‘r’s, and I’m a wedding planner, so I guess I know something about angles, too.

      I guess you could come up with all kinds of catchy slogans, he said.

      She shook her head. There had to be a better slogan than the one her ad rep at the newspaper had thought up. Marry, Marry How Does Your Wedding Go.

      I hope I’ll get to see more of you during the week, Marry, he said.

      Actually, you probably won’t see much of me. I’m not here for any of that singles stuff. I’m here by mistake.

      He shoved his hands into his pockets and shook his head. "I’m afraid you have me at a loss. The reason people come to La Luna…"

      I know that now, she said, interrupting him. I thought my mother had given me a regular vacation for my birthday. I only found out when I checked in that this is a singles resort. She reached down and grabbed the handle of her luggage. So, I plan to just keep to myself, enjoy the island and get a tan.

      Suit yourself, he said. But you might miss out on some fun.

      She tossed him a sideways glance. I’ll take my chances, she said. By the way, do know which direction I go in to find Room 432?

      He smiled and pointed to the right. That way.

      Thank you. It was nice meeting you, Dr. Love and good luck with your seminars.

      She wheeled her luggage off in the direction he had pointed. Luckily, she didn’t have to go far. Marry slipped her key card in the slot while reading the placard on the door, The Sunshine Room and also in Spanish "La Sala del Sol". When she opened the door, she understood the name. The decorating scheme was composed of yellows, creams and muted oranges, and an obstructed view of the ocean.

      Wow! she said aloud. Have I died and gone to heaven?

      She went straight for the balcony doors and slid them open to reveal a semi-circular balcony with two lounge chairs—not the cheap plastic stuff, either. It looked like teak and had padded vinyl covers that matched the colors in the room. She walked to the railing, looked out on the clear blue water and inhaled the scent of ocean air and surf. A cruise ship sailed into the nearby harbor while a speedboat darted through the waves. Just what I needed, she thought. Seven days and six nights of paradise. She dropped down onto the lounge chair, kicked her shoes off and closed her eyes. The sound of the surf lulled her until she dozed off.

      Marry’s eyes popped open. Was that a man’s voice she heard? He sounded as if he could be a just a few feet away, and

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