A last-minute Friday Reads post! I’d decided to skip writing today, I’ve picked mushrooms for nine hours, and it’s been a crazy week so I hadn’t even started reading anything. But, I sank down on the sofa, had my youngest empty a flower pot over me so I got to vacuum a little, then I searched the Amazon short fiction lists.  I’m a bit crazy when it comes to lists, and on my to-do list it says Friday Reads post, leaving it there unchecked makes me break out in hives, so here we go…

Today I’ve read Just Like in the Movies by Clare London. It’s a short read, will only take you a few minutes, and it’s free so you have nothing to lose. Baily is a negotiator so sometimes situations can turn a bit tricky. He figures if he ever gets shot it’ll be just like in the movies…it isn’t, not quite.

I enjoyed this story, it has a few smiles in it, and it’s short and easy to read – perfect for when you’re exhausted. I was rather surprised, the cover made me think it’d be a silly YA story and I’m never good at reading blurbs, but it was a pleasant surprise for me.

books2read.com/JustLikeInTheMovies

All Bailey wants is to be a good negotiator, and to impress his boss and teacher, the legendary Drew Fletcher. He admires Fletcher for his skills in the field, but that doesn’t stop him admiring the man for other, more romantic reasons as well. In a tense hostage situation, it’s pretty unlikely Bailey’s usual, rash behaviour will cover him in glory, but in his dreams, it’s all going to happen just like in the movies.

When he finally acts to protect his boss, it doesn’t go the way he hopes — or does it? Will Bailey get to play the hero and get the guy of his dreams?

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This week I’ve read No Place Like Home by Kim Fielding. Had I paid attention I might’ve known it’s #1.5 in the Love Can’t series, but I wasn’t. It was the only story I had downloaded on my phone (I don’t usually read on my phone), and my phone was all I had when I started reading. It didn’t matter though, this story works just fine as a stand-alone short story.

Stephen has moved back into his mother’s house after she has passed away. He often walks to the library even though his knee hurts, he talks to his neighbours and spends some of his days painting. One day a note falls out of a book he’s borrowed and he calls the number written on it. On the receiving end of the call, he finds Max.

I liked this story, loved that Stephen is 58 and Max a little older yet. It’s a nice break to read about men who have been around for a while.

Grab it for free here!

This short story is available now as a free download from the author’s website. If you’ve read Love Can’t Conquer, you might enjoy meeting Stephen Walker, a resident of Bailey Springs, Kansas. He was mentioned briefly in LCC.

This story originally appeared in the Dreamspinner Press anthology Snow on the Roof, but has been lightly edited.