Lady Luck (Lucky You Book 2 1) Read online

  I can get her out of mind. With her dark hair, all the natural waves dancing among her shoulders. I wish I could pull her strands, twirl them between my fingers, the softness I can only see from the shiny weightless texture.

  There’s something about her. Maybe I should invite her over sometime. She helped me with the leak last week, at least to a point that I don’t have my house falling in on me. I haven’t a clue as where to start with this whole thing, but I know the kitchen should probably come first and I know she’ll know what direction I should take. I’m in over my head with this remodel.

  Shutting the door abruptly in my face, I hear her feet galloping down the hallway, away from me. Guess I scared her away, but not for long. Sure I didn’t mean for her to find me in this state, but who knows she may be intrigued, and may want to explore me in detail. I wouldn’t mind, as long as I could return the favor. I want to see what she has hiding beneath those tight blue jeans.

  Addie

  When I opened the bathroom door, I was surprised to see a fit torso, beautiful sculpted abs, pecs, and a scattering of dark hair, merging down his torso. A sweet trail leading from his navel down to...oh my Holy mother of God, he’s huge! I have zero experience but seeing him I know he’s definitely larger than I had ever imagined. He’s beautiful. Holy Fuck!

  I guess that night out in the fields didn’t do him justice. Seeing him in the light changes everything. I thought I could look the other way when he’s near, but now I can’t seem to look anywhere else.

  "See something that caught your eye?"

  I’m still unable to respond. There’s a knot is stuck in my throat. I can’t place any words to mind. I feel the heat of my face, and know that it’s blushing red. I’ve been caught staring and all he has to do is call me out? How embarrassing?

  "I’m enjoying the hell out the beautiful shade coating your cheeks lady. And that gorgeous innocent smile lights a fire in me, please don’t be shy, I have nothing to hide."

  Fuck! What do I do? What do I say? I’ve never been in this situation.

  "Sorry. I’m ...I’m...umm sorry." Closing the door, I turn and high tail it to the kitchen. A smile still glued to my face. I seriously have no shame. Was he really flirting with me? I mean, look at me and look at him. What did he mean by, my gorgeous smile? What the fuck just happened in there?

  My moment is shattered when I’m found out. I thought I could run and hide but apparently luck isn’t on my side. Jax is in the kitchen. Oh God, let’s hope he doesn’t suspect anything.

  "Addie, what’s up? You are beaming. Why?" My brother is always on the lookout for me. He’s always observant. I cant pull a fast one on him, he knows me too well.

  "Umm. Nothing, just thinking about something Jere said. Don’t mind me."

  "No. No. No. You aren’t getting away with that. Tell me. Please. " I purse my lips. I’m not discussing this with him. Oh no. I may fess up to Jessa but not my brother. Jax and Jeremiah are friends and that would be weird for us both. I notice the two formula bottles ready on the counter, I see he’s loading the dishwasher, so I wait while he turns to the sink, then I grab the bottles and head to the nursery. Making my quick get away.

  Upon entering their room, I hear both of the twins screaming at their momma.

  "Hey girl, thanks for bringing those up. Jax is taking too long. Doesn’t he understand when its time to eat, ITS TIME TO EAT? Jeez."

  "He was loading the dishwasher. Men ugh!"

  "What? Daddy’s in trouble. Ugh! So tell me. Have you decided if you’re gonna try and persuade Jeremiah again he will let you help him with the house?"

  "No. What’s the point? He doesn’t take me seriously. He jokes around, and today, just ten minutes ago. I walked in on him about to dry off after a shower. To say its beyond weird between us would be an understatement. "

  'What? Oh no I forgot to tell you, he’s using our shower downstairs while he figures out the plumbing, something about the kitchen faucet leaking. "

  "Anyway sorry I didn’t tell you. I know you’ve deemed that bathroom yours to freshen up, and your more than welcome to it, but you’ll have to share for a while. I think he’s nearly ready to start on the demo of the kitchen. So tell me.... does he have a nice body or what?"

  "Jessa! You’re happily married to my brother."

  "That doesn’t mean I don’t have eyes. I can look but not touch, what’s the harm. Anyway. Tell me. I’m dying to know. He wore a tight shirt the other day and holy hell. I was panting and it got very hot in the kitchen and I was standing in front of the open refrigerator door."

  "Stop! No more. All I will say is he’s definitely chiseled and packing."

  "You saw, his-?" She says pointing to her crotch with bulging green eyes.

  "Oh Yeah I did." The blush and the grin sell me out.

  "Damn! I mean darn."

  "I know. Anyway-." Jax enters the room, interrupting me. He’s carrying a laundry basket full of pink and blue, neatly folded blankets and a stack of onesies. I’m so glad he barged in when he did. I thought I was ready to talk, but maybe that’s not such a great idea. Jessa may have conflicting feelings.

  I hand over Jordan, he’s still devouring his bottle, and Jax kisses his head inhaling his scent. It’s such a drastic change to witness.

  "Hey guys, I’m gonna run home to check on my baby. I’ll see y’all later. Maybe dinner?"

  "Sure sis whatcha cookin us tonight?"

  "I’m thinking stuffed apple-wood smoked bacon pork chops. Potatoes...maybe roasted, spring salad and cookies or pie. Well see."

  "Yes!" Jax chimes, which startles Jordan who has already sucked down his bottle and had fallen asleep. "Whoops."

  Rocking him, like only a professional daddy could, Jordan is settled and asleep a minute later. Now that’s skills. My brother amazes me in his new role. It fits him well, married life and parenthood looks good in him.

  "Love y’all."

  "You too Addie."

  I’ve just let my dogs out to potty, when my phone buzzes from my back pocket. I pull it out and see Jeremiah has sent me a text.

  Jeremiah: Hey, I hope things aren’t going to be weird around us. Clearly we have some type of attraction for one another. I hope we can work together, I really need you. Please text me back.

  Oh my God, he’s clearly attracted to me? He said so himself.

  Me: I’d be more than happy to help you. Let me know of a day and time and I’ll see what I can do.

  Jeremiah: How about tomorrow morning? I’d like to get started on the remodel of the kitchen and bathroom so that I can start taking showers and cooking in my own home.

  Me: tomorrow’s fine. I’ll see you en la manana.

  Jeremiah: Huh?

  Me: in the morning

  Jeremiah: k. thanks.

  CHAPTER 5

  Addie

  I’m bringing Jeremiah breakfast before we begin demo on the kitchen this morning. I knew he wouldn’t have much food, if any in the house and a good worker, starts with a good breakfast.

  I made bacon and blueberry muffins and fresh orange juice, everything was prepared last night, but it’s all-fresh from local farmers.

  "I knew you probably wouldn’t eat, so I brought you fuel. I’m going to work you hard today. You’re going to need it!" I say sweetly.

  "Oh really? How hard are we talking?" He nearly growls back at me. Which is not the response I was hoping for, until I register that he’s smiling back at me.

  "Blood, sweat and tears." I can play this game all day.

  "Bring it, lady." He winks back at me. Okay, he’s definitely in a flirtatious mood this morning.

  I give him a smirk, while unloading the food. Handing him a plate and a cup of juice he smiles back at me. For the first time ever I notice he has a dimple on his left cheek. How sexy? I cant believe this is this first time I’ve noticed it.

  "What are your plans for later?" I ask him, hoping he doesn’t take it as me being forward to ask him out. I don’t think I’d ever be a
ble to ask a guy out. I wouldn’t know the first thing to say. Uh, would you… uh take me… to dinner? No, never going to happen for me. I’m not that type of girl.

  "Not much. Probably hanging around here with Charlie. Why?"

  "Well we’re having a poker game at Jax and Jessa’s. Would you like to come?"

  "I’m game. What time?"

  "7:00pm. We’ll have finger foods but its b.y.o.b."

  "I’ll bring whatever, but I want some more of his moonshine. Who all is playing?"

  "Jax, Jessa, Ryan, you and me."

  "I’m impressed. I didn’t know you two girls could play."

  "You’ve got a lot to learn. Us girls may teach you a lesson about playing cards."

  "I’ve been playing since I was ten. I know every trick in the book."

  "Tricks." Ha-ha. I laugh, turning to face him dead on. Meeting his eyes. They're dark, but so mysterious. He gives me a sexy smile that wakes the butterflies, who begin fluttering around in my belly. "Its all a game of skill and luck. You may have tricks, but tricks don’t always win. I’ll see you on the green felt.”

  I walk casually past him, to the kitchen; armed with my 15 lb. sledgehammer I named Thors thunder. With it comes the destruction. I let out all my pent up energy. All of my feelings that I’ve held back, stuck dormant in a closet.

  I love this stage of the remodeling process, but not as much as the end. In the end I know I’ve completed my goal. I wanted to redo this house my entire life. And now I’ve got the chance. It may not be mine in the end. But hopefully Jeremiah will still let me come around and enjoy the fruits of our labor.

  He enters the room, his eyes immediately lock on mine. He’s holding his wireless Bose speaker, with the Foo Fighters blaring from the speakers.

  “Thanks for the breakfast. It was delicious. Did you make the muffins?”

  “Of course, everything I make is homemade, never store bought. I bake with love”

  “Well you should think about switching careers. You should open a bakery instead.”

  “Nah. I’m good. I’m happy with design.

  “So.... What’s on the agenda? Do we just start smashing stuff?” He asks, skirting around me to check out what I’ve started on.

  “Pretty much. Let out all your frustrations. And start trying to imagine what you want it to look like afterwards.”

  “Is that what you do?”

  “I picture the faces of all those who tried to bring me down, and then I start smashing things. Its the best form of therapy.”

  “Therapy huh? You sure Ryan isn’t rubbing off on you? Its sounds like something he’d say.”

  “It might have come from him. He’s talked me off the ledge numerous times. So have at it. Its customary to savor that first blow. After its done, the damage is done. There’s no goin’ back”

  He swings his arm and dismantles the cabinet door.

  “Keep it up. After six hours your arms are gonna hate you.”

  “Oh I bet they will. But its nothing I can’t handle, I enjoy the burn.”

  “Lets get this kitchen cleared.” I pick up Thor and join him. I punch out the countertops and remove it in pieces. Then I start on the upper cabinets. Disassembling them a half hour later.

  “Hey could you bring me the trash can from outside Addie?”

  I turn around and notice he’s already piled the scraps up in the corner.

  “Sure. I could use a mini break.”

  “As your boss, I’m telling you not to slack on the job now. Get back to work.” He says it so cockily and with a demanding tone. I’ll take orders from him but I’m not the type to back down and cower.

  Damn. Could he be anymore condescending?

  “I’m going. Geez. I storm off, hurrying back to his side after grabbing the large canister.”

  “I wasn’t trying to boss you around. I realized that might have come out wrong. I was only trying to joke around with you. I am your boss though, because this is my house.”

  “I know it is. But you don’t have a clue as what to do around here. You need me. So.... I suggest you get used to taking orders from me.”

  “Really? Well let’s see about a challenge we’ll do this room together, and then we can split up and go to separate rooms.”

  I butt in. “Whoever clears the room the fastest wins.”

  “And what do I win?”

  “You win a poker night with us.”

  “And what about you?”

  “I get full reign on design of one of the rooms.”

  “Hmm.” He contemplates

  “Deal. Now lets get to it. I’m ready for a cold beer.”

  “It’s 10am and we have work to do, so no.” Geez, I wonder if he realizes he’s becoming an alcoholic. He depends on it more than I thought.

  We knock out the rest of the kitchen. Finding rats nests all behind the cabinets and in the walls. We had to use a shop vacuum to clean up the mess. Lucky for him I came prepared with everything needed for this overhaul, including the vacuum. I swept up the rest of the Sheetrock and glanced in his direction. I catch him staring at me, as I’m bent over in front of him, and he’s clearly checking me out, judging by the smile on his face at least. Honestly it catches me off gurard. I’ve never felt this way from a guys reaction to me wearing my working jeans, with cowgirl boots and my signature red flannel. No one ever gives me a second glance and here he is checking me out and I haven’t a clue has to how to handle him.

  “Catching flies Jeremiah?” He closes his mouth and he appears confused? Yeah buddy I caught you. “See something that caught your eye? “I go on teasing him.

  “Lets get to our designated rooms and get this overhaul started.” He snaps back into his commanding tone. “Ladies first, take your pick.”

  “Hmm. I chose the bedroom above the front room.”

  “Good choice, my lady”

  “And which one do you choose?” I ask him, curious which room he will claim.

  “You’ll just have to wait and see.”

  Jeremiah

  My plan was to let her win. No guy ever would let the girl suffer defeat, when what he really wanted was to win her over.

  Wait is that what I’m trying to do here? Even I may need to be checked out in the brain. As I think about it more though, yes that’s what I’m trying to do. I’m joking around and being playful. I want her play with me too. It’s kind of fun. It’s making me feel free of all the baggage I carry around. I’m reaching out on a limb, even if it’s all in my head. It’s my own personal sign that life goes on, after heartbreak.

  I waited until she carried her sweet little behind upstairs to the room she decided need the destruction the most. My plan was to sneak out the back and feed Charlie, maybe clear off the back porch a little bit, then I could head back to demolish something.

  Taking her advice I reach the butcher pantry and try to imagine what I could make it into.

  I can see a center island complete with cookbooks, and shelves upon shelves of dishes and food and pantry items lining the walls. I wonder what the designer upstairs would say about my vision.

  I begun by demolishing the shelves and cabinets toward the back and now I’ve moved on to work on the island in the middle of the space.

  She finds me after being dormant upstairs for four hours.

  “Hey, so what have you been up to? In a room this small how could you only have half the space cleared so far?”

  “I’ve been around doing other things too. How did it go up there?”

  “Jeremiah, I feel like you just used me. Anyway, it’s done, the room is cleared, as is the bathroom that attaches. I do believe I won the bet. So I will choose the kitchen which will also include this room.”

  “I’d love to see what you have in store for in here. I was just imagining an island with bar stools in here with shelves and pull out drawers for better organization.”

  “How about we talk about it at the poker game later?” She says. “I will bring my designs to show what I had map
ped out, and you get ideas from there. You’re still going to come?”

  “Yeah, I’m coming. I mean I wouldn’t miss an opportunity to hang out with my best friend and my designer at the same poker table.”

  “This will be interesting.” She says.

  *****************************

  “I’d like to place a wager on this game, since we’re heads up, If you win, I will let you design my entire house however you want, and if I win, I get to take you out for dinner and dancing. What ya say?”

  “You’re on, I already have the plans, I’ll show them to you later. Good luck Jere.”

  “You too. Lady Luck.”

  We’ve passed our chips back and forth, hand after hand for more than an hour. We both play for keeps. She really knows how to play me, but I wonder if I can fool her.

  My hand shows I have suited king, jack diamonds. The board reads King of hearts, two of diamonds, and King of spades. I immediately know I have three of a kind. Shifting in my seat, and then fidgeting with my chips, I try to stack them, and then proceed to shuffle them, but they end up colliding with each other and fly in all different directions.

  I glance up to her, forgetting to sit and stare at her, because that’s what you do in poker, you stare them down. You try to make them scared to play with you, you want them to call, to take them out, but you don’t want them to end up taking you out instead.

  She hit the nail, dead on, it’s really all a game of skill and luck. There’s really not a right or wrong way to play, as long as you’re smart enough to win. Tricks wont always hold out in your favor either.

  Addie announces, “I’m all in.”

  I have three of kind, kings with two on the board and one in my hand. I know I’ve got her. I can’t imagine what set she’s playing. She’s got me covered in chips, so if I call, and she wins, I’m done. She wins it all. Game Over.