The Bride Collection - 7 Rapid Romance Short Stories

I enjoyed this, but felt it was, like several others in this collection, cut off too short. I wanted to see where Jed and Lizzy eventually ended up. She was treated badly there and concluded it would be the same everywhere, so she basically ran home with her tail between her legs, and Henry let her. Well written, but the ending left a bad taste in my mouth. I received a copy of this book for review through NetGalley. May 01, Julia Wilson rated it it was amazing. The Backcountry Brides Collection is a delightful set of eight unique Christian tales set in the mid eighteenth century.

The stories are bound by settings and themes. There is distrust of others who hold different values. There are conflicts between the Loyalists and the Patriots. In spite of war, love can flourish if you know where to look. Shenandoah Hearts by Carrie Fancett Pagels is a delightful The Backcountry Brides Collection is a delightful set of eight unique Christian tales set in the mid eighteenth century. Shenandoah Hearts by Carrie Fancett Pagels is a delightful tale about families, first love and the faithfulness of God.

Life in the mid eighteenth century was precarious with conflicts. Families bonded together and supported each other. Those who were lost, were found and God restores the years the locusts have eaten. Heart Of Nantahala by Jennifer Hudson Taylor is a delightful tale with a modern woman at the centre of a man's world. She faces opposition and discrimination as well as sabotage but keeps going to preserve memories. Family is at the heart. Her Redcoat by Pegg Thomas is a story of faith and belief in God. A God who answers prayer. Who knows if we are here for such a time as this?

A delightful story based on historical fact. It is best to try to live side by side in peace with all men. A desire to educate the Native Americans so they can make their way in the ever more dominating white man's world is a strong theme. Rivalry reminded me of Cain and Abel but love will conquer hate. There is the theme of the sins of the fathers but a generational curse can always be halted. War makes us cherish what we have. As loss follows loss, love still manages to bloom. Family members are not always good and someone has to take a stand against evil.

Downtrodden by family, we need others to build us up. We need faith, hope and trust in God. A name change signifies a change in circumstances. Love's Undoing by Gabrielle Meyer is a delightful tale about priorities. For some it is family first. For others it is wealth, riches and status. The tale explores how beautiful love can be.

It is far better to live with love in a shack in the wilderness than in a palace in town but lacking in love. There is racism that judges by the colour of one's skin that contrasts with those who can see the heart. True love and family first. I received this book for free from Net Galley. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.

Apr 10, Terressa rated it really liked it. Loved the different stories. Mar 01, Tina rated it it was amazing Shelves: We are taken along the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia Charlotte Town, South Carolina Fort Niagara of New York We meet strong women of the backcountry who are looking for love Men who are prepared to face attacks by Indians, the fierceness and harshness of nature, unforeseen dangers and challenges or even the possibility of depleted supplies to protect their families.

Can these rugged men and woman overcome the elements thrown at them and find love in the midst of it all? They overcome challenges and hardships, tense situations, sorrows, grief and pain and share joys and humorous moments I love the historical aspects of each novella and the way the authors incorporates those details within the fictional story-lines.

Shenandoah Hearts by Carrie Fancett Pagels Heart of Nantahala by Jennifer Hudson Taylor Her Redcoat by Pegg Thomas Fort Niagara of New York. Sapling Grove settlement on the Holston River of Tennessee. Across Three Autumns by Denise Weimer Charlotte Town, South Carolina.

View all 4 comments. Mar 30, Jenelle Hovde rated it it was amazing. This is a continuation of a previous novella The Highwayman , though it stands alone. There is plenty of exciting action and wonderful romance. Jed is chivalrous and sweet. Lizzy, whose heart has been broken plenty by the men in her family, can't help but reach out to the kind stranger.

Shannon McNear is an author I'll be following. I was provided a copy by NetGalley for review. My opinions are my own. Aug 18, Marguerite Gray rated it it was amazing. What a diverse way to explore the historical colonial frontier with 8 short stories from Each one has a distinct flavor and adventure. I would read another collection by these authors.

Mar 07, Bonny Rambarran rated it it was amazing. May 09, Lucy rated it it was amazing. A great history lessons amid eight novellas written about Colonial America. These authors bring to life a time period that captures how difficult life was for Backcountry Women. Carrie Fancett Pagels lets her unique style of writing shine in Shenandoah Hearts. Her heartfelt prayer, spoken in German, went beyond that which Magdalene had offered up.

But she knew in her soul, that God heard even the unspoken requests. With characters that jump A great history lessons amid eight novellas written about Colonial America. With characters that jump from the page into your heart you will quickly turn the pages to see the outcome. Well researched and great characters. She is strong, independent, spunky, and weary of men who want to marry her for the lumber mill.

She is a force to be reckoned with. Her Redcoat by Peg Thomas, who is a new author to me , is a tender, heart touching account. Motherless and isolated in a cabin for months, Laurette is drawn to an injured Redcoat. A Heart So Tender by Debra E Marvin is so descriptive you can imagine the style of clothing and feel the heart palpitations as the different tribes converge at Fort Niagara. Will Miss Kimball be able to keep her promise to herself to never marry? A Worthy Groom by Angela K Couch deals with an abused widow who is weary of her new husband arranged by her father in law.

Add the mystery of things disappearing and other occurrences and you have the makings of an outstanding novella. Across Three Autumns by Denise Weimer is a sure fire winner. Jenny White is brought to life and leaps from the pages into your heart. She is respected for her strength and ability to care for others, but sees herself as the wallflower compared to the beauty of her sister. The Counterfeit Tory by Shannon McNear is a tale of pretense for the sake of war and a brave young lady who learns to trust a stranger over the strong handedness of her family.

She is brave and strong in the face of danger. It is a story of prejudices and finding yourself amidst the cruelties of them because of your skin color. Each story brings light to the times and troubles of this Era. It is a compilation of strong women in difficult times and lets you see history unfold through their eyes. An outstanding Barbour Collection. I received a complimentary copy from the author. The honest review and opinions are my own and were not required.

May 10, Fiction Aficionado rated it liked it Shelves: Soldiers and Indians and forts, oh my! If that sounds like your kind of thing, then you should check out this collection of novellas set in the second half of the 18th Century. With stories covering a span of almost forty years and eight different locations from Minnesota, Michigan, and New York then down the eastern coast to Georgia, there's a good variety to be found. As is often the case with these kinds of collections, I found some of the stories to be stronger than others based on the writin Soldiers and Indians and forts, oh my!

As is often the case with these kinds of collections, I found some of the stories to be stronger than others based on the writing style and the way the story developed in the shorter format. I'll just mention my two favourites here: There is an Ojibwe man who would like to make her his wife—and he's the brother of her best friend, no less—but then she meets a convalescing Redcoat who agrees to teach her to read. The relationship developed believably for the space of time it had available, and I loved the tension for Laurette as she struggled to decide which direction her future lay in.

A Worthy Groom features a young woman who has just buried her abusive husband only to find that her equally abusive father-in-law now insists she marry his nephew in order to keep the land in the family. The story is built around Marcus' struggle to overcome his anger—in relation to one family member in particular—and Lorinda's struggle to trust her new husband. Again, I thought the tensions were handled well and the relationship developed believably for the time period. One part of the story resolved a little too neatly in my opinion, but overall, this was also an enjoyable read.

I received a copy of this collection from the publisher. This has not influenced the content of my review, which is my honest and unbiased opinion. May 04, Suzie Waltner rated it really liked it. Welcome to the backcountry where women hard working and filled with an admirable strength. Eight stories highlight these courageous women as they find love amidst battles with nature, Indians, and British soldiers during the Revolutionary War throughout the states. While I enjoyed all the stories in this novella collection from Barbour Publishing, read one or two new-to-me authors, there were definitely a couple that were my favorites.

Until a cousin shows up to marry her. Abi McCrea has lived her life with her fur trader father and Indian mother but longs to see and experience life in the city.

When a man from Montreal comes to deliver a message to her father, via Henry Kingsley, she sees her opportunity for a life she longs for. Each novella is the perfect length to read one in an evening and still have time to make dinner and put the kiddos to bed before you get lost in the backcountry. Aug 07, Joyful rated it it was amazing. This amazing collection of novellas is written by eight gifted writers.

The 8 strong women of the backcountry are looking for love, husbands who are strong, rugged men with skills and abilities to survive living in the rustic frontier land, who are prepared to face attacks by Indians, the fierceness and harshness of nature, unforeseen dangers and challenges or even the possibility of depleted supplies to protect their families.

Can they overcome the elements thrown at them and find love in the midst of it all? The couples overcome challenges and hardships, tense situations, sorrows, grief and pain while sharing joys and humorous moments, family, hope, integrity, love and faith. The authors incorporates historical aspects and the details within the fictional story-lines into each novella and notes regarding the historical aspects of her story. I love reading Christian historical fiction, I find something new and enjoyable about our history.

Apr 25, Ashley rated it really liked it Shelves: Susannah and Arch were opposites and seemed to have differing views on almost everything. It was great watching their friendship develop and romance bloom. There was a lot of trying to overcome things in this story — overcoming fears, overcoming prejudices, overcoming bad experiences — which was great to read about. All in all, another fantastic story from Debra Marvin. These collections are so great. They're an awesome way to find new authors and when a beloved author is included as well, that's an added bonus.

The Backcountry Brides Collection has a good mix of new-to-me authors and some of my favorites. I hadn't read many stories set during this time period, so I found this collection to be very interesting — something different to me for a change. I'm not as familiar with this time in history as I probably should be, so I felt like I learned a lot by reading this.

If you're a fan of this time period, you're sure to love this collection! I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and comments are my honest opinion. Apr 27, Debbie Mitchell rated it it was amazing. Adventurous, heartfelt stories Another wonderful collection written by some talented authors.

If you love adventurous tales of romance, look no further. The Backcountry Brides collection will have your heart stopping, cause you to catch your breath many times and then make you smile and sigh. So much to overcome before true happiness can begin. With these short stories, you can enjoy 8 adventures in no time at all. And what better way to be introduced to new-to-you authors? I highly recommend thi Adventurous, heartfelt stories Another wonderful collection written by some talented authors. I highly recommend this collection and any collection put out by Barbour Publishing.

I was given a copy of this book by one of the authors and was under no obligation to give a positive review. Sadly, I have to rate it a mere two stars. Sadly because there was so much potential there..

Category Archives: Short Stories

Sep 15, Amy Alvis rated it really liked it. This is book 4 in the Redcakes series. Dougal Alexander has been sent to find Lady Elizabeth Shield. After a year of looking for her, he has finally tracked her down. Before he can collect her and take her back to her family, she is taken by white slavers and he must rescue. Elizabeth is thankful that Dougal has saved her from the slavers, but she is not going back to her family. She doesn't belong there and they will never accept the baby she has taken as her own. Will Dougal get Elizabeth back t This is book 4 in the Redcakes series.

Will Dougal get Elizabeth back to her family or will their time together convince them both that they need something different than they thought? This was an enjoyable short read. I was still just as confused as to who was who during the story as I was when I read His Wicked Smile I must find time to read the other books in the series!!!

I liked that Elizabeth wasn't afraid to get out of her comfort zone a pampered young miss and get a job to support the baby that she had taken in as her own. Definitely more depth to her than other girls in her position in life. I liked Dougal too. He liked what he did and he wasn't ashamed to work for a living. If you are looking for a quick enjoyable read, this is the book for you!!

Thanks go to Kensington Books via NetGalley for a copy of the book in exchange of an honest review. Sep 16, eyes. A Victorian romance with a difference! Scotsman Dougal Alexander, younger son to the Baron of Alix, spends his time as a private detective, occasionally assisting the police with their enquiries. He was good at solving problems and finding things.

Dougal has been hired by Lord Judah Shield to find A delicious read! She disappeared without a trace over a year ago. Dougal has tracked Lady Elizabeth to the stews of Edinburg and the flat of one Manfred Cross, a jewel thief. The problem is that Cross has been apprehended and is now in Newgate. There is no sign of Lady Elizabeth, or was there?

The Marquiss of Hatbrook, Elizabeth's older brother reminds Dougal of someone he's recently met. It's the blue eyes that are familiar. So it's back to Edinburgh and a renewed effort. An exceedingly determined young woman, white slave trading and love found! All are intertwined into a diverting story. Only seven chapters but a delightful read! Sep 15, Chelsea rated it liked it Shelves: I haven't read the Redcakes series, and I think that might have been detrimental to my enjoyment of this romance.

Now, the love story itself didn't seem to require any extra knowledge and it was more or less insta-love, with the main characters not really interacting until nearly a third of the way into the novel. All the action around that romance though? Lots of references to characters from the previous books, and a lot of pre-existing relationships and connections that I had to either disr I haven't read the Redcakes series, and I think that might have been detrimental to my enjoyment of this romance.

Lots of references to characters from the previous books, and a lot of pre-existing relationships and connections that I had to either disregard or really quickly untangle. Other than the insta-love which may or may not be a problem for you , the story is well-written. I just wish it had been a little longer to allow for more of a connection to build between the love interests and that I had read the other books in the series first.

Received via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Sep 03, Cas H. The Kidnapped Bride by Heather Hiestand was a intriguing book. Dougal Alexander is hired to find a sister, who went missing a year ago. She was last seen in a bad part of town. He must find her as soon as possible. He meets her, when she appears as a maid at the home of Manfred Cross in Edinburgh, but does not realize it until he sees her borthers. He puts their faces together and realizes that he has just missed her. He takes a train to go pick her up, only to find that she is not in residence an The Kidnapped Bride by Heather Hiestand was a intriguing book.

He takes a train to go pick her up, only to find that she is not in residence and that the police have no clue who she is, and that they suspect that she was taken by white slavers and is set to be shipped off very soon. Dougal goes down to the docks to rescue Lady Elizabeth and in finding her, he finds a whole lot more then he bargained for.

She is spirited and is ready to take on anyone for her freedom and the freedom of another. I liked this book. For a short story, it was well written. I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars I recieved a free copy of this book in return for my honest opinion. Jul 15, Arshia rated it liked it. Short and cute, this story packs a lot of adventure in a few pages. Lady Elizabeth Shield ran away from home a year ago, miserable in her old life she runs off after one of her sister-in-law's brother thinking he'll marry her.

However, she's unwed a year later with a young charge, a neighbor's child. Douglas Alexander was charged with two cases, one to find the young lady and the other to find the young man who is a suspected thief. Much to his surprise he finds them together and while he appreh Short and cute, this story packs a lot of adventure in a few pages. Much to his surprise he finds them together and while he apprehends the young man he doesn't connect the young maid to Lady Elizabeth.

After that all the adventures begin. It was a entertaining story, I was a little lost with all the family connections but I kinda ignored them for the bigger story. I liked Elizabeth, she was feisty, independent, a little naive, and ready to admit when she made a mistake. A quick, fast paced tale with a few twists and turns. I read it in one setting. Passion, a kidnapping, white slavers, thievery and romance makes this a delight to read. The hero and heroine will capture your heart but leave you longing for more.

An enjoyable and satisfying read with e 4 in the "Redcakes" series, but can be read as a stand alone. An enjoyable and satisfying read with engaging characters and a well written storyline. Sep 17, Teresa rated it it was ok. Definitely glad I got this one from the library. First off, I didn't know this was part of a series until after I started reading and realized that I was supposed to know who all these people were.

It was not written well to stand alone. Also, it just wasn't written very well period. Some of the language was more convoluted than it needed to be, and I frequently lost to whom the author was referring, or who was speaking. The plot was pretty weak, and the author didn't make me care about the char Definitely glad I got this one from the library. The plot was pretty weak, and the author didn't make me care about the characters. Some of this could be because it was such a short novella, but I probably won't be trying any of this author's other works.

Aug 15, Mariel Hoss rated it liked it. Dougal saved this book for me. He was interesting, complex and relatable. She did redeem herself eventually by surviving what "REAL" life threw at her and managing to overcome dire situations. A good read but nothing earth shattering. A young man with a carefully rehearsed canned presentation walked off 20 yards in each direction from the equator sign, each time dropping match sticks into a funnel filled with water which ran into a pail.

He then repeated the act directly at the sign. Clockwise…then counter-clockwise…then no spinning at all. We were given written certification documenting our attendance at this scientific feat. I could now live out the balance of my life fulfilled, knowing that I finally had direct, empirical knowledge regarding the answer to one of the age-old mysteries of the cosmos. Our time in vehicles was spent as much off the roads as on them, and when we were on the roads, it actually felt more like being off.

Our roads north, as is true with most in Kenya, could best be described as appalling. Despite this country having enormous natural resources, corruption throughout the government has resulted in a seriously deficient infrastructure. At many times, our drivers were actually better off driving on the shoulder of the so-called road for substantial distances, since the actual highway was in such a sad state. They would have to make choices on which potholes to drive through, as avoiding them altogether was impossible, unless one had a hovercraft. Riding five hours in Kenya is roughly equivalent to spending five hours on the back of a bucking bronco with hiccups, and it is a miracle that we had only one breakdown and two flat tires during our month cruising around East Africa.

Organizations such as the IMF, World Bank and the various international aid agencies are now extremely reluctant to loan or donate money for development in Kenya, since they know that virtually all of what they give eventually ends up in a Swiss bank account of some dirt bag politician, rather than being spent on providing something of benefit for the 30,, people of this country.

And democracy has been somewhat of a sham more often than not. Since Kenya gained independence from Britain in , there have only been two presidents, and the current one, Daniel Moi whose photo is displayed in all public places by law has been in power since , at times only due to the suppression and intimidation of political opponents and elimination of any opposition parties. It is hard to lose an election when you are the only party allowed. It is not hard for me to understand why violence so often flares around election time in Kenya and other African nations.

The level of frustration must be gigantic among the people. And through it all these people manage to carry on with a magnificent spirit and, almost without exception, a lightless of heart and genuine kindness to all who visit. There are supposed to be elections scheduled later this year in Kenya and Moi has announced that he is stepping down. This is such an unbelievably beautiful country with many extraordinarily resilient and determined people within it. Not at all, and not in spirit. But in reality the lives of many are hard, so hard.

I asked several people about how they felt regarding the upcoming elections and almost unanimously they expressed hope that things would change for the better. We can only hope so and that better days are ahead for the people of Kenya. He teaches and leads groups in various treatment and recovery settings, as well as in series classes, workshops, retreats, conferences and conventions. Eddie is now co-authoring a manual for treatment centers which focuses on integrating mindfulness practices with stages of addiction recovery.

No sirens behind them, nobody coming up on them. You were a doubter. Keep it out of sight. Or, you know, it could have one of those exploding things, an ink bomb. Jordan had been out of work two weeks before Sami got her pink slip.

The Kidnapped Bride (Redcakes, #4) by Heather Hiestand

They drove up the mountain, four hours, spectacular scenery, endless blue sky. They charged a motel, had dinner at some place that served octopus and pork belly. That was their mistake. And they got too many people involved. The next day they drove around town scoping out places, seeing how easy it would be to get in and out of them, whether the parking lots lent to quick getaways.

On Monday, they made their bi-weekly pilgrimage to the unemployment office. Sami used to think that everybody down there would be bums and hobos but found out they were all just like herself and her husband. You had to have been employed before you could be unemployed. Still, it surprised her. How she saw it was that, unless they found work, which seemed more and more unlikely, they were going to have to seriously cut back on their standard of living.

Sell the house, for one. So, we need more income. Any diddly part-time job, making seven bucks an hour, whatever, they just take that off the top of the your unemployment check. Even so, you do it right, you can get away with it. It increases your take. It should be a bank out of town, of course. Asheville seemed like a good place. Unlikely to see anyone who knew them.

Nobody to whom they might have to explain their absence for a day. They went up one more time, scouted the place. At a party store back near home they found realistic wigs, and a beard and mustache for him. They decided on a branch of a regional bank. Drove up that morning, parked at the back of a convenience store where he removed the license plate, put on the disguise.

He wore extra layers of clothes under overalls to make him look bigger, heavier-set. At the bank, she idled the car in a space with the front of the car facing the building, near an exit onto a side road. She had on her wig, sat smoking a cigarette, the motor running. But once he started, five minutes took forever, and was over before he could think. Nobody gave him any shit. Just gave him their money, like Sami said they would.

The getaway was a little hairier. He came out walking fast, hopped in the passenger side, as another car pulled in front of them leaving the parking lot. The other car took off headed to the highway. They went the other way. He pulled a heavy gray plastic bag from under his seat, put the money in it and returned it to the space out of sight.

When they were confident no one was on their tail, she pulled to the side of the road. He re-affixed the license plate, undid the cover over the spare, removed the tire. Sami threw the cash into the empty well. He replaced the cover, put the tire on top. They put the disguises in a paper bag.

Sami pulled up to the dumpster at the first gas station they came to. Jordan hopped out and tossed the bag in. They took lesser traveled roads until they hit Waynesville, where they stopped to eat. They talked about whether to go on to Cherokee. Big casino on the reservation. Play a few nickel slots, stay in the hotel. We park in the garage, our little Honda looks like a million others parked in a sea of cars. She called her mother from their motel room. Had to get out of town for a little. Played some nickel slots. Jordan won fifty bucks. If we see that money, we might decide we can afford to sit at some of those tables, you know, play a little blackjack or something.

What do you think, six-two, two-hundred pounds? Long hair and beard that may or may not be his own. What was the take? Little gray sedan, Honda, Toyota, whatever. You talk about they all look alike. I bet it does now. Maybe even its own. Although not professional, either. As soon as they got back in the house, they split up the money, counted it, then did it again.

Sixty-two hundred and seventy. The next night, over dinner at the Pizza Palace, while he was on his third beer, she asked if he thought he could cut down on his drinking.

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I want to hear you tell your mother that. I was making twenty an hour. He waited for a smart-ass reply. But we need to go somewhere else. Instead of making a separate trip to reconnoiter the place, they went up early on a Thursday and scouted the town.

She wore a black wig, a shapeless, floor-length cotton dress, boots with lifts, a wide-brimmed straw hat. It was another clear day, but windy, and she had to hold on to her hat, afraid it and the wig would blow away. The getaway went better than the first time. No one cut in front of them in the parking lot. At the first convenience store they came to, Jordan slid open the door on a green bin when a voice behind him said,.

Jordan walked back to Sami, stuck his head through the open car window. They shared a joint on the way out of town. Cops might want to poke around, see what else there was in the car. He was anxious to count the haul, hoping to head straight back to the city. She wanted to do Cherokee again. We can have a little fun.

Or, we can just sit around waiting for our unemployment checks, I suppose. That what you want to do? They were approaching the split in I where they would have to choose. He moved the car into the left lane, which would take them north, away from Atlanta. I still think we ought to move to Colorado. But if they stop us for something else. I know mine can be a bitch.

Jared Robley at the Asheville PD. But a lady instead of the gent. Probably North Carolina or Tennessee or Georgia plates. Pretty soon the bills they snatched are going to show up. Spread the wealth, so to speak. He was ready to go. He got another beer, his third. He went back to the slots. The man was probably in his forties, nice looking, better dressed than a lot of the people here who had arrived by bus from some small mountain town.

After getting a queen to follow a seven and a six, David was out and when the dealer busted at 22, Sami scraped in the chips. He found his way to a food court, got a burger and fries, had another beer. Thought about the bank robbing business. Thought he probably should work harder at getting a real job.

He got another beer and wandered back onto the gaming floor. Sami and David were shoulder to shoulder when he arrived at the table. Sami looked up, straightened. She never, hardly ever, drank anything but one beer. A security person, who had apparently been standing near him since the dealer had warned him, said,. It was the end of the day before Special Agent Burgess got the full report of the Chattanooga robbery. Not a bad haul for that size bank. The robber had intimated that she had a gun under her dress although she never showed one.

He figured her for five-six, five-seven, a hundred and thirty pounds. The parking lot view was no better except to confirm that a gray mid-sized car had driven away with what appeared to be two people in it. The only things she touched, like the guy on the previous caper, were probably the doors. Not a lot to go on. Talking to the detectives in both Asheville and Chattanooga, they all agreed that those towns would probably never see the perpetrators again.

When he woke up, the clock showed 9: Dark out, must still be night. Where the fuck was she? He went into the bathroom, peed, splashed water on his face and went back downstairs. He checked out the restaurants. There they were, in one of the pricier places, being lovely-dovey in a booth. He held her arm, gently pulled on it.

Maybe see you again. Sami fell asleep almost as soon as the car started moving. He hit the flashers, went around and helped her out onto the ground on her knees. She unloaded, and kept unloading until there was nothing left and she was dry heaving. All of a sudden, blue lights came on, flashing. The trooper held her up as Jordan opened the door. Jordan went around to the other side, the trooper helped her sit down. Jordan reached in and pulled her along the seat until she was stretched out. But I am going to have to test you. Jordan gave the guy his ID, his registration, did the vision thing with the finger in front of your eyes and showed he could keep his balance.

He told Jordan to wait a minute. These roads are treacherous, especially in the dark. Written by Michael F. It was the final stop on his route.

Fred M. White

Randy had been to the house before for after-hours pick-ups and deliveries. The place always gave him the willies. He had never seen a lighted window here. What did they do in there anyway? And there was no doorbell. Instead, a rusty chain hung just out of reach. Randy gave a short unenthusiastic leap to grab it, then let gravity do the work of ringing the soundless bell somewhere in the depths of the building. After a long moment, the summons was answered in the clank and click of latches and bolts being thrown open.

A darker shadow materialized in the already dark entranceway. Are you the butler? No hello, no thanks, no civility. Just a European accent dry as a shed snakeskin. They are tuxedos, not suits. Put them on my bill. It tore loose from the staple. The evening breeze flapped it in his hand like a wounded butterfly. There was no answer from the sepulchral figure standing in the cave-like doorway, its arm extended rigidly to retrieve the freshly cleaned tuxedos and stiffly starched dress shirts.

Randy shuffled his feet. He preferred to be hollered at and know what was wrong rather than being studied silently. He plowed on, arranging his body to allow for more light from the van. It was a dinner engagement. The door remained open, but it was impossible to make out anything inside, the furnishings, the size of the room beyond. Randy felt a sudden chill inside himself despite the summer evening. Something strange was here that went well beyond the scope of his delivery job. It tangled in his legs and tumbled him to the gravel driveway. He stood again, his scratched palms dripping blood onto the bag, regained his balance if not his composure, and approached the darkened doorway.

Any color you want, too. This cape has been a tradition in my family for generations. It is important to my personal identity. Whatever you think best. I could tell you the history of my family. Randy checked his watch. But just for a few minutes. Michael has been a writer all his life. He has worked as a musician, photographer, dive master, attorney, layout artist, editor and magazine publisher. All kids love stories no matter how old they are.

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My mom and dad always laugh about it every time when they talk about it. Well they met at this real estate closing and the whole time the the princess kept batting her eyes, flirting and smiling at the young prince. He was so entranced by her beauty that a couple of times he forgot what he was doing and had to start over and then kept repeating himself. Such a scandal, these two unmarried youth flying off to marry in a foreign land.

To be married at a chapel in Tahoe and not married before God in a church. The people were outraged. But the real reason was that the people felt cheated out of a royal wedding feast, wine and song. They were adults and could make their own decisions and they flew into the sunset to beautiful Lake Tahoe. The princess, trying to accommodate the wishes of her king and queen parents, who wanted them to have a church wedding, tried to find a minister to wed them. But alas none could be found. Oh, what would she do? She would have to be married in one of those cheap and cheesy wedding chapels after all.

This place is cursed. Mickey Rooney has been married at least an unlucky seven times. Order a number four, pay at the window, get married by the cashier-minister and drive away married.