The Funny Thing about Love: Feel Good Sweet Romance stories

by Laura Burton

  “Perhaps the point is to make amends for something you did that hurt someone you claimed to love?” Pat prodded.

  “Sorry, then,” she said ungraciously, clearly hating it.

  “Say it again when you mean it,” Pat said.

  Virginia had had enough. “I’m not going to hang around here while you tell me what to do,” she muttered. “I was hoping things would be different, but you clearly have your sights set on someone else, so I’m wasting my time here. She doesn’t deserve it,” she added, anger in her tone.

  “I’m sorry you feel like being here has been a waste of time,” Pat said. “I love living here.”

  “I’m going back to the city,” Virginia announced. “This place is a little backwater. You call it living? There’s nothing here!”

  “Well, in that case, I hope you find whatever you’re looking for,” Pat said graciously.

  Virginia looked at him coldly. “Goodbye, Pat. Have a nice life, out here in the middle of nowhere. I’m off to the city.” She stalked over to the staff lockers, retrieved her belongings and walked out the door without looking back.

  Pat stood watching her go. It was a bittersweet moment; he wished she’d been able to bring herself to give him a meaningful apology for the way she’d treated him. The selfishness that had been in her heart during their marriage had grown much stronger since then, leaving little room for the things he’d once loved about her to flourish. He was sad for what might have been. But this moment was also a turning point for him. He felt free now, completely cut loose from the shackles of history. There was no hope of resurrecting the past; it was time to look forward to the future. With a smile, he walked down the hall to the staff room. To Jennifer.

  “This weather is perfect!” Jennifer exclaimed as they set off along the nature trail. Her breath came out in little puffs of steam as she spoke; the air was crisp and clean. The sky was clear and blue and some of the trees still held onto their fall foliage, scattering the forest with shades of red, orange, yellow and brown. It was wonderful to be alive.

  Pat took her hand. “I couldn’t think of anything else I’d rather be doing,” he said, smiling at her.

  Her heart still skipped a beat when he looked at her with such tenderness in his blue eyes. She couldn’t believe that she was dating such an amazing man.

  “Are you sure?” she joked. “Wouldn’t you rather be riding down the river in a sabotaged giant pumpkin?”

  Pat pulled a face. “No thanks,” he chuckled. “This is all the adventure I need today,” he added. “Hey, guess what?”

  “What?”

  “I was talking to one of my surgeon friends yesterday. He told me that Virginia has started dating another surgeon that we both know. I have no idea why; this other surgeon has had a string of affairs, and she knows that.”

  “I guess she figures she’ll get the most out of it while it lasts,” Jennifer said lightly. “It’s her choice to live her life as she sees fit.”

  “You’re right. I’m glad things worked out the way they have,” Pat said.

  “Why is that?”

  Pat turned to face her. “Because now I have you,” he said. He took her hands in his. “You’ve made my life beautiful again.”

  “Oh, that’s such a sweet thing to say,” Jennifer exclaimed, feeling a little emotional.

  “It’s the truth,” Pat told her seriously. “You’re a wonderful woman, Jennifer.” He leaned down and kissed the tip of her nose, then straightened up and looked into her eyes. “I love you,” he whispered tenderly.

  She put her arms around his neck and he pulled her close. “I love you too,” she whispered back. “I thought my life was fine before I met you. But then you came along and turned it upside down, and now I can’t imagine going back to the way it was before.”

  “So, you don’t want to swap me with the other Pat?” he teased.

  She shook her head. “Never!” she exclaimed.

  He grinned. “And you aren’t going to burst into tears again because I’m a man?”

  She groaned. “No.”

  “Would you get in a giant pumpkin and race down the river with me again?”

  She drew back and looked at him. “If it brought matters to a head and allowed you to find closure to your past, then yes, I would.”

  “But we don’t need to do that a second time.”

  “I’m thankful for that,” she said, snuggling her face against his chest. “I don’t need to deal with snapping turtles or pumpkin hijackers in the future. I’ll be quite happy if you don’t have any more spiteful ex-wives lurking in the background, too.”

  “One is enough,” Pat grinned. “She wasn’t all bad, you know. She did have some good qualities.”

  “She just hid most of them while she was here,” Jennifer said.

  “Something like that. Anyway, enough about her. Let’s enjoy being us.”

  Pat took her hand and they continued on their walk. Jennifer still couldn’t believe how he’d turned her life upside down so completely that she didn’t even mind the chaos he’d caused.

  “You know what?” she asked, pressing her cheek against his shoulder.

  “What?”

  “You cause chaos wherever you go. And I love it.”

  He slipped his arm around her waist. “That’s good,” he murmured. “Because I plan to stick around.”

  The End

  Author Page

  Did you enjoy Jennifer and Pat’s story? Why not check out Mayhem At St Matthew’s, Book 2 in the Medically Yours series?

  They are falling for each other. But some people don’t like it. Can love survive a crafty gang of romance exterminators?

  Laura Sanders has finally found her happy place. After ditching her bossy sister’s pristine clinic, she’s started working at an aged care home, where she can finally give the residents the time and care they deserve. And they love her.

  When their doctor retires, no one knows what to expect. Certainly not his replacement, Dr Ronan King, who is not only drop-dead gorgeous, but is also thoughtful, caring, and funny. Every woman in the place is smitten. Ronan notices Laura, and it isn’t long before all eyes are on every move they make.

  But not everyone is thrilled with the idea of a blossoming romance. Laura’s popularity with the staff and residents already irks Betty; now she has to endure watching her rival snag the hottest doctor they’ve ever met.

  Meanwhile, old Tom is sure that this new doctor is going to steal their beloved Miss Laura, and take her away from them. He convinces several of the other residents to join him in stopping any romantic notions in their tracks. Against her better judgment, Betty is persuaded to help them. What could possibly go wrong?

  Between a gang of wily old residents and a nurse with a grudge, does true love stand a chance? Can Ronan and Laura find a way through ambushes, grievances and scheming old age?

  About the Author

  Kaitlynn Clarkson is a debut author who dreamed of spending her days writing ever since she was a little girl when she would get into trouble for reading instead of doing her chores. Now that her dream has become a reality, she loves every moment she spends at her keyboard. She enjoys writing sweet, clean stories that make people feel good.

  When she’s not dreaming up new adventures for her characters, Kaitlynn is dealing with the real world. This includes life on a farm on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales, Australia, where she lives with her husband and two children. She loves to play the piano and trombone in her spare time, and thinks that there’s never enough time to read all the books she wants to!

  You can find Kaitlynn on Facebook, Goodreads, and Bookbub.

  To join Kaitlynn’s newsletter (and receive a free book!) follow this link.

  When a Pretend Wedding is a Real Problem by Rimmy London

  Chapter 1

  The evening was going to be hot, like plum pudding out of grandma's oven. The scent of baked raisins wafted by at the thought, and Talia took a breath to cool her insides with
the mental image of frost settling on hot cement.

  "Just start unloading equipment down the center of the deck," said her barely twenty boss, gesturing to the crew of a couple dozen whose cheeks were flushed in the noon sun. He was an energetic guy, right down to his tan shorts and a backward baseball cap. "We'll start at the far end with setup and finish here." He smacked his hand atop a rail at the end of a luxury superyacht.

  It was going to take the rest of the afternoon and most of the evening to get things set up for the top-name wedding, even though it had mostly been planned and assembled at the event center showroom.

  Talia sighed, wishing her first job didn't have to be a wedding. She dreamed of being far away on another continent, somewhere green and wild. But at least she had work, even if it was temporary, and the location was gorgeous. She gazed across the Lake Powell water, enjoying its rich aqua color. An Arizona treasure. The shaded pools of blue were deep and cool, and the thought had her swallowing convulsively and reaching for a water bottle from the mini-fridge.

  Her boss had left her and the rest of the setup crew to it, likely heading off to lineup more events. Business was booming for the young entrepreneur, and she was proud of him. She remembered back to a time when he was struggling to get things started, armed with only dreams and piles of motivation. She'd lent him a good sum of money to get going. Besides, she believed in his dreams… and he was her little brother. There was that too.

  But now baby brother Kevin was the one helping her out. He'd never even asked about the painful month she'd trudged through, just wrote her a check and told her when to show up. She was grateful for his nonchalance sometimes.

  It had been far too long since she'd put in the effort to actually talk to people, especially non-related people. She made a promise to chat with every single member of the setup crew, resolving to find her social, bubbly personality from wherever it had shriveled away to.

  She glanced up to see two guys struggling to balance white poles and strings of café lighting. "I'll help," she offered, jogging to their rescue and taking the largest cord of faux antique lights. They were a beautiful contrast to the sleekness of the modern yacht. She treated them delicately, unwinding them from a reel while handing them up to a bronze-skinned young man balanced on a stepladder.

  He looked like he would be tall even without the ladder, but it was hard to tell with the way he was perched above her. He had a clean-cut, sun-loving style that she appreciated. Light fabrics in casual patterns that complimented an athletic build, although she could also tell he was paying a lot for those casual logos… They were spendy brands. She wondered if he had a second job.

  "Thanks," he said, pulling her from her thoughts while keeping his eyes on the top of the pole as he secured the cord.

  "Got it," the other man said, stepping down from another stepladder. He'd been standing in the sun, and it was obvious by the beads of sweat gathering on his face that it hadn't been pleasant. His mood reflected it, and he cast a glowering look across the deck.

  She glanced back to the other guy just in time. His foot had missed a step while he still held a bundle of lighting in his hands. For the first time, she saw his face, alight with surprise while he twisted in search of footing. But even in his moment of panic, he was startlingly handsome.

  Reaching up, she was able to hold on to the lights and grab his arm at the same time. He hopped to the side when he landed on deck, catching his balance and casting her a grateful glance, but his elbow jabbed into her ribs painfully.

  Talia hunched over, working to catch her breath. It felt like a vice was clamped around her middle, cutting off her air supply.

  "Oh my gosh." The man dropped all the lights to the ground, and there was a small crunch as one of them broke. He wrapped his arms around her and helped her straighten up, even though she would rather have curled up on the ground. But she was finally able to take a breath, and it made all the difference. Her lungs relaxed, and the pain began to ease. Except now, instead of the pain, a steady humiliation washed over her.

  "I'm okay, thank you." She patted his arm appreciatively and stepped back.

  "I feel like such a jerk," the guy said. "Here you come to my rescue, and I injure you!"

  The grimace on his face was adorable, and Talia worked not to smile at his discomfort. "I'm not injured, I promise. Just took my breath away for a sec, that's all."

  A smile graced his face. "Me too," he said quietly, looking back at her and holding her gaze so comfortably she had no desire to look away. His sudden attention was something she hadn't experienced in years. It had been so long since she'd flirted with anyone besides her fiancé… Well, ex-fiancé. Her smile faltered.

  "It's really getting hot. I think I'll help inside for a while." She scooted toward the cabin door, still gazing back at him and finding it nearly impossible to look away.

  He glanced around, but they were alone. Any other crew members had wanted to get out of the sun as well. "I'm Denver," he said in a low voice.

  "Nice to meet you, I'm Talia." She suddenly wished she'd ditched him sooner. Her heart was starting to expand in her chest, the longer he looked back at her like that. She shook his hand, reveling in the small connection more than she knew she should. But before he could respond, she turned and escaped into the cabin, crossing her fingers and toes that he didn't follow.

  It had barely been a month. One month! And here she was flirting with some strange guy. It had to stop. Obviously, she was suffering from some unusually gripping type of rebound syndrome. What else could it be? She was hardly ready for a heartbreaker like Denver… Wow, she really loved that name.

  Ahem.

  Maybe her attraction to him felt so strong because of how intense her pain had been. She felt slapped in the face by it—the memory of standing dressed in white, casting an adoring smile back at her family and friends, and even the minister, as butterflies fluttered through her.

  But when she'd looked into her fiancé Shaun's eyes, she saw something closely resembling horror. That look had sunk into her heart like a javelin, and the rest of the day was blurred by shock. Although if she was being honest, there were signs—signs she should have recognized. But instead, she'd taken the job he found her in Portland, ready to move across the country to be his wife.

  If there was one thing that moment should have done, it would be to protect her heart from times like this. Times when casual flirting could mean big trouble, and she'd had enough of that. Who knew what kind of guy Denver was, but as far as she was concerned, there was a job to do, and then they'd never see each other again. No reason to think of him. None at all.

  Chapter 2

  The day passed quickly, and Talia energetically chatted with everyone. The girl Leena with purple hair, who was going to school to be a nightclub manager, and the tall lanky teen who said dude incessantly. Everyone right down to the guy who walked across the deck in confusion before realizing he had the wrong yacht. Ah, the toils of the upper class. She'd sent him on his way with a good laugh between them. It had been a friendly day.

  But backstage from it all was Denver. He seemed always listening or passing by. His eyes found hers multiple times throughout the chatter and conversation, but she made sure to look away before her head could become a tangled mess of nerves. And mostly, it had worked.

  Except now, with the sunset an hour behind them, and twilight glowing along the crests of each cliff, she sank into sadness at the thought that he'd likely gone home, and she'd never see him again. Her plan to avoid him had worked, but all she felt was dismal.

  Most of the setup crew had gone, leaving only the task of a final run through with half a dozen management crew. Her brother had given her the title as well, probably just as an excuse to pay her more. But she hoped it was also because of his faith in her artistic eye. Everything was in its place, and after a quick meeting with a few other managers, Talia sank into the background, taking a seat aside it all.

  It was beautiful. Paper lanterns glowed,
casting the perfect ambiance and illuminating vases of white lilies, their perfume filling the air. The altar was a mass of deep green foliage and white flowers of every kind, and her eyes were lost in it, imagining again the day she wished she could erase from her memory.

  A camera clicked behind her, and she turned suddenly, catching sight of Denver. He had his back to her and was meticulously taking pictures of the set, but something told her he'd been watching. His timing had nearly matched her thoughts, interrupting her the moment she'd sunk a little too deep, like a lifeline in case she might need one, or a charming way to interrupt without interrupting.

  He turned around and smiled, his face sultry and glowing. Gads, but he was beautiful. She didn't even try to look away this time, but she also couldn't manage a smile. His lifeline had come a little too late, and she was still drowning in memories.

  "Hey there," he said softly, matching the calm night around them. He took a seat next to her and gazed out at the setup. "It's incredible."

  "Yeah, it is." Talia felt the caress of a cool breeze, and it lifted her spirits ever so slightly. Plus, she felt fortunate to have another chance to talk to Denver. His company was rejuvenating. "Are you helping with website images?" she asked, nodding her head at his phone.

  "Oh." He held his phone up with a shrug. "Not really. I've got kind of an unusual task today, I guess you could call it. Just taking a few candid shots for the…uh, clients."

  The purple-haired Leena walked up to them quickly, holding up a garment bag. "Yeah, this isn't gonna work for me," she said, nearly tossing it at Denver. He snatched it from her before it could fall to the ground. "I'm sure whoever the bride is, she'd want that dress to have nothing to do with these hips." She smacked Denver on the shoulder, pointing to Talia. "But looks like she'd fit just fine."