How I Met My Other: True Stories, True Love

Description

Learn about all the twists, turns, and fun of falling in love with this unforgettable true story anthology.

People find the warmth of love in Antarctica. An obsession with blondes lands the big one. Squashing a guitar case leads to a blanket fort date. A soldier works to snag a sassy WWII nurse.  A revenge date gets serious. Spaghetti reels someone in and they never go home again. And much, much more!

Love can come at the most surprising times and in the most unexpected places. In this short story collection, fifteen authors share their incredible, heart-warming, and often hilarious true tales of how they met their other.

**A Closer Look into Some of the Stories** 

A Rose Frozen in Time, by Michelle Tweed - In the constant darkness and cold of Antarctica, Michelle is busy with work at McMurdo Station and doesn't have time for any distractions. That is until she meets Brandon and the two go on a beautiful journey among the snow-covered volcanoes and crystallized ice formations.

Love in Marabella, by Racquel Henry - Michael knows exactly what he wants, one of the beautiful Revanales sisters, Deborah. But in their religious culture in Trinidad, he is not allowed to date her. He soon devises a plan to have Deborah work for him and hopes that her disapproving mother won't keep them apart. Michael must figure out how to woo Deborah and make her his while facing mounting opposition. 

Cute Hat Boy and the Weird Girl, by Paige Lavoie- Paige has always thought of herself as awkward, but never more so when she sits on the cute boy's guitar case, crushing his instrument. Somehow the pair still connect and he invites her over to try artichokes, a food Paige has never eaten and is sure to make a fool of her, again. Paige must figure out how to play it cool but still be herself when the date progresses to its grand finale: blanket forts.

Eddie and Me, by Bob Bellam - After a crushing heartbreak, Bob is determined never to commit to another man so easily again. But then the sun shines down on a gorgeous man on a cruise ship and Bob is drawn like a magnet. Eddie is fun, smart, and caring and spends months showing Bob how deeply he feels for him. When a sudden medical emergency stops Bob in his tracks, he is forced to confront what really matters in his life. 

All I Did Was Open the Door, by Melody Groves - Blonds. Melody's obsession takes center stage while she is living on base overseas, enjoying the plethora of soldiers. Then the perfect blond man walks through her door and she will do whatever it takes to have him as her own, shoving aside all the competition.

Out of the Park, by Tim and Arielle Haughee - The first date was terrible. They'd waited years to go out and were surprised with the disappointment, especially considering how great they'd always gotten along. Somehow Tim and Arielle decide to try again years later, wondering if the connection they felt before can be rekindled. 

In the Cards, by Cheryl Dougherty - After losing her beloved husband, Cheryl thinks she will never want another man again. When her support group starts dating online, she initially thinks it's a dangerous idea, but when she finds herself missing companionship she gives it a shot. She's in for a big surprise when she realizes who is her best match. 

Never Feed Spaghetti to a Stray, by Valerie Willis - Valerie is sick of guys who aren't interested in the real thing when Justin stumbles into her life. She offers him spaghetti and he loves it so much he doesn't go home that night. In fact, he keeps coming back for more every night. But what does all that mean? Is it real love?

Amazing Grace, by John Hope - Bud wakes up in a military hospital to find himself under the care of sassy nurse, Louise. When he sneaks out to a bar one night, he is delighted to find her there but she isn't so easily swayed by the rule-breaker. Bud must show his genuine care for Louise or she will think he's just another Joe chasing the nurses.

Introduction ......................................................................... 1

How Sweet It Was ................................................................... 2

A Rose, Frozen in Time by Michelle Tweed ........................ 5

Love in Marabella by Racquel Henry ................................ 23

A Heart Guarded by Chelsea Fuchs .................................. 35

How Funny It Was: Part One ................................................ 58

Cute Hat Boy and the Weird Girl by Paige Lavoie ............ 61

Eddie and Me by Robert Bellam ....................................... 75

All I Did Was Open the Door by Melody Groves .............. 93

How Timely It Was .............................................................. 104

Out of the Park by Tim & Arielle Haughee...................... 107

Reacquainting by Greg Hill ..............................................131

In the Cards by Cheryl Dougherty ................................... 147

How Funny It Was: Part Two.............................................. 168

Never Feed Spaghetti to a Stray by Valerie Willis ........... 171

Die Laughing by Fern Goodman ..................................... 189

City Nights by Kerry Evelyn ............................................ 207

How It Lasts Through the Ages .......................................... 222

Amazing Grace by John Hope ......................................... 225

Two Hungarian Doves by Jasmine Tritten ..................... 247

The Gift of Gossamer by Arielle Haughee ....................... 261

Book Club Discussion Questions ................................... 286

Meet the Authors ............................................................ 289

A Sneak Peek… ................................................................ 299

Sujets

• Friendship
• Marry Me
• Forever Love
• Meet cute
• Falling in love
• General officer
• Health
• General
• Loving
• Engagement
• First Impressions

Informations

• Publié par: Orange Blossom Publishing
• Date de parution: 01 février 2019
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781949935011
• Langue: English

Extrait

How I Met My Other
True Stories, True Love
Edited by Arielle Haughee

 
 
© 2019 by Arielle Haughee.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise), without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the publisher of this book, except by a reviewer who wishes to quote brief passages in connection with a review written for insertion in a magazine, newspaper, broadcast, website, blog, or other outlet.
 
Published 2019 by Orange Blossom Publishing
Maitland, Florida
[e-mail]
www.orangeblossombooks.com
 
Cover Design: Red Raven Book Design
Interior Formatting: Battle Goddess Productions
 
Print Edition ISBN: 978-1-949935-00-4
Digital Edition ISBN: 978-1-949935-01-1
Hardcover Edition ISBN: 978-1-949935-02-8
LCCN: 2018965386
 
 
All stories are based off true events. Some names and locations have been changed for privacy purposes.
 
Dedication
To Jean Baker,
Thank you for being my biggest cheerleader and for giving that pesky guy a chance years ago.
-Elle
Acknowledgements
I, first and foremost, would like to thank my husband, Tim, who gave us a second chance after that lousy first date. Thank you for making my life possible and encouraging me every step of the way. The happiness you have given me was the seed for this book. Thank you for all your volunteer hours with all things legal in relation to this project and for listening to me as I talked through every big decision. I was blown away when I asked if you wanted to co-write a story, something you’d never done before, and you said yes. You are generous, loving, hilarious, and all things beautiful in the world
I would also like to thank my grandmother, Jean Baker, who told me her story and let me share it. You’ve had an amazing, inspiring life and I am thrilled to give people a window into the wonderful person you are. And also, to my mother who answered dozens, maybe even hundreds, of questions relating to the story, thank you. Your help and support mean more to me than I could ever express.
To all the talented authors who share their stories here, thank you for giving me the gift of your words and for the time you spent crafting them. This book would not have happened without your hard work.
A big thank you to Racquel Henry, my editor, and more importantly, my friend. You are always there to listen and help whenever I need you and I am so lucky to have you in my life. Thank you for assisting me with this project and all the others I’ve sent your way. Your expertise and encouragement have been crucial to my journey.
To Fern Goodman, I appreciate your enthusiasm, patience, and understanding. Thank you for your part in this project. And to Dawn Bell, thank you for taking the time to give me the big picture and encouraging me to go for it. You gave me the push I needed to get started.
Last, to Valerie Willis, thank you for the hours and hours you spent guiding me through this process and being my personal guru. I am not sure how I would have done this without you. You are a generous and knowledgeable friend and I appreciate everything you’ve done for me.
Table of Contents
 
Dedication
Acknowledgements
Introduction
How Sweet It Was
A Rose, Frozen in Time
Love in Marabella
A Heart Guarded
How Funny It Was: Part One
Cute Hat Boy and the Weird Girl
Eddie and Me
All I Did Was Open the Door
How Timely It Was
Out of the Park
Reacquainting
In the Cards
How Funny It Was: Part Two
Never Feed Spaghetti to a Stray
Die Laughing
City Nights
How It Lasts Through the Ages
Amazing Grace
Two Hungarian Doves
The Gift of Gossamer
Book Club Discussion Questions
Meet the Authors
A Sneak Peek…
Connect with Us
How Did We Do?

 
 
Introduction
Love is a mischievous, clever little sprite.
It can sneak up on us when we least expect it, when we are too busy for any of its nonsense. It can hide in the strangest places, oftentimes right in front of our very eyes. It can jump out and tackle us, taking over our entire world.
It also likes to play little jokes, pushing us towards someone we already said no way to, insisting we get together. It makes us figure out how to make the impossible work far, far away. It forces us to try over and over and over again when it would be much easier to walk away.
But she gives us a honeyed ambrosia, a bottomless happiness and sense that everything has fallen into place in the world. We are where we belong.
To the lovers, I hope you find reflections of your own story in the words of this book.
To those searching for love, I hope the wide array of how things came to be encourage you to never give up. The sprite never rests.
Arielle
 
 
How Sweet It Was
 
A Rose, Frozen in Time
The Story of Michelle and Brandon
Year: 2001 By Michelle Tweed

S
houlder to shoulder and knee to knee with my fellow passengers, I try again to find a comfortable position. I stagger my feet with the woman across from me to stretch a bit. Easier said than done with me in my Pac Boots and her in her bunny boots. At least my red parka adds some cushion to the netted cargo seat. Our group of about one hundred makes do the best we can to pass the time on the five-hour flight to Antarctica. Some read, some listen to music, some sleep.
Most all of us will have different jobs once we arrive—everything a little town of one thousand will need. We’ll have plumbers and welders, recreation staff and hairdressers. Our jobs exist to support the scientists who will also be on station.
“We almost always end up on the same flight, don’t we?” the owner of the bunny boots says to me, leaning forward to take a sip from her water bottle.
Her name is Sarah, and she has made this trip many more times than I have. Her long, silver-blonde hair flows over her blue, fleece jacket as she leans back into her seat.
“Yes! This is my seventh trip down, and I think you’ve been on at least four of my flights.”
I smile back at her then reach under the seat for my water bottle. I also pull out the brand-new journal I’ve brought along. This will be my longest contract ever. Instead of my normal five months, I will be staying a full year, and I want to write about it. Taking a sip of water, I settle back into my seat. I try to find the words to describe how I feel as I stare down at the blank page.
October 2, 2001
I’m filled with so many emotions today. Just three weeks ago I watched the attacks on the World Trade Center from a TV in the waiting room of the Emergency Department. It was my last day of work there, and I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Fear, uncertainty, and sadness have filled these last few weeks, and I wondered how it might affect my trip. Could I leave my family and friends behind? Would one of my flights end in the same fate?
Now, here I sit on the last of six flights after leaving my home in Minnesota a week ago. I’m hopeful for the year ahead. Sad for saying goodbye to family and friends back home. Excited to see friends who will be returning to the ice. And a little nervous for the year ahead. I wonder how much of a toll the winter months will take on me mentally.
Even with all of this weighing on me, I have a feeling deep within that I’ve never had before. I don’t know what to call it. An awakening, an awareness, a realization…. I’m not sure. But I have a new joy. I feel God is working in me and I hope and pray that I will be brave enough to listen to His plan and follow it. Maybe it’s something very simple, I don’t know, but whatever it is, it is strong and deep within me.
I’m going to take this year to work on me. And even though I’ve been single for a while, I don’t plan on dating anyone. This is a year of growth. No distractions. Besides, I don’t have to worry about passing up “Mr. Right.” I’ve said for years the man I’m going to marry will give me my first red rose. My friends and I have joked about this for so long, that I’ve actually started to believe it, and hope it will come true. And since there are no roses in Antarctica, I won’t have to worry about that.
Laughing a little to myself, I continue to write and stay lost in my thoughts, wondering what this year of growth will bring, and what this new feeling means. I can’t help but feel my life will soon be changing direction.
The plane hits turbulence, and I am jolted back to reality. An Air National Guard crewman announces over the loudspeaker that we have begun our descent and to prepare for landing. Everyone around me begins to put their cold weather gear back on.
There are no windows near me, so I have no idea how low or how close we are. It’s a guessing game as to when we will touch down. After roughly half an hour of anticipation, the wheels hit the ice and the powerful rush of the airplane throws us all a little sideways in our seats. The plane comes to a stop, and the door is opened. A blast of cold, dry air rushes through and burns my nostrils. Blinding light floods in from the nearby door, and we all stand and start to shuffle in that direction. Squinting, I grab my sunglasses from the top pocket of my parka. All I can see is white snow and blue ice.
Walking down the stairs, leading from the plane to the sea ice, I pass a man wearing brown bibs, a brown jacket, and a knit purple hat. He points to a line of passenger vehicles and yells over the engine noise to keep moving and not to stop for pictures.
I hear him repeat this several times until his voice drowns out in the distance. A thin layer of snow squeaks like Styrofoam under my boots, while a slight breeze stings my face and fills my nose with the scent of diesel exhaust.
In the near distance, just beyond the row of busses, there’s a line of a