Forever's Embrace (Forever In Luck Series Book 2) (28 page)

J. Darling

FOREVER IN LUCK SERIES

Book 1: Forever’s Promises

Book 2: Forever’s Embrace

Book 3: Forever’s Affection

Book 4: Late 2014

FOREVER’S
AFFECTION

Copyright © J. Darling, 2014

First Edition

This is a work of fiction. Names,
characters, places and incidents are products of the author's imagination, or
were used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to
actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely
coincidental. All rights reserved. The republication or utilization of this
work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic or mechanical or other
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STORY
DESCRIPTION
:
The rough around the edges Kris Albrecht is the love them and leave them type.
Busy with running a farm and engaging in all things manly, he has no time for
the interests and needs of a woman or child. That is until the beautiful
Danielle Reed gallops into his life and captures his attention. Looking for a
fresh start, a no nonsense Danielle settles in Luck, Wisconsin, where she soon
finds herself saddled with issues beyond her control requiring her to return to
the life she’d hoped to leave behind. Will the self-professed bachelor earn her
trust and win her love? Can they hold onto what is near and dear to both their
hearts or will they be torn apart? Find out when you read the epic drama in
Forever’s Affection, book three in the Forever In Luck series.

This book is dedicated to those who have had

the courage to love another, flaws and all.

PROLOGUE

Standing
in his parent’s living room, Kris Albrecht, waited while his mom straightened
his tie and coat.

“Mom,
stop,” he said, stilling her hands. “It’s fine.”

“I
can’t help it. It’s a mom thing. I just want you to look your best.”

Putting
his arm around her, he leaned in and gave her a kiss on the cheek. “Thank you.
It’s good.”

“You
got the ring?” his dad asked, coming to stand behind his mother.

Patting
his coat pocket with a sweaty palm, he felt for the little box. “Yep, right
here.”

“You
sure you two are ready for this? You’re both still pretty young.”

Kris
nodded. “It’s not like we just met yesterday, we’ve been together for three
years. The time feels right. I hate that she’s off at college and imagine we’ll
wait till she’s done, but I think we’re ready for this.”

“When
did she get into town?”

How
much longer is this going to take, he really wanted to get going. “Ah, I talked
with her a couple hours ago, she was in Minneapolis.”

“Maybe
you should wait and give her some time with her family before going over there.”

Oh,
hell no. Kris shook his head. “Nah, she said to come over. She wanted to see
me, spend a little time together before they leave tomorrow for Thanksgiving at
her grandma’s.”

His
mom put her arms around him and gave him a big hug. “My baby, all grown up and
going to get married.”

Kris
laughed. “Mom, let’s wait till she says yes first.”

Getting
in his truck, Kris sped to Vanessa’s house, anxious to see her again. It’d been
three months since she left for college in Iowa, and it was the first time
they’d ever been apart. So he was real happy she was home, and this time when
she left, she’d have his ring on her finger. He smiled, liking that idea a lot.
Man, the next four years couldn’t go fast enough.

As
high school sweethearts they’d been inseparable. Her a cheerleader, him the
football quarterback, her homecoming queen, and he the king. They were each
other’s everything and the envy of all others, and they knew it. That was okay
though, they didn’t gloat, but they were in love and weren’t afraid to show it.

Pulling
in her driveway, he looked around for her car. Not there. Getting out of his
truck, he started for the house. The front door opened and she stepped out,
pulling on her pink jacket as she did. Smiling wide, he headed towards her.
Still pretty and petite as ever, with her feathered frosty, blonde hair, light
green eyes, and pink everything. She loved pink.

Jogging
up the steps, he grabbed her and pulled her into a big bear hug. “Hey, babe,”
he said, picking her up and twirling her around. “How’s the prettiest girl in
town? I was worried you weren’t here when I didn’t see your car.”

She
smiled, a little. “I got a ride from a friend.”

Strange,
she hadn’t mentioned that. “Really? Kiss me.”

Leaning
in, she gave him a quick peck on the cheek.

Ah,
not quite what he had in mind. “That’s it? I want a real kiss. Give me a kiss.
I’ve missed you.”

She
looked down. “Kris…”

Something
wasn’t right here. “Kris, what?”

“Um…well,
I, ahhh…”

Just
then, a loud rumble started down the street and she pushed out of his hold.
“Kris, it’s over,” she blurted out quick.

“What?”
he asked in confusion. He couldn’t have heard right.

Rolling
her eyes in annoyance as she let out a deep sigh, she answered him with a shrug
of her shoulder like it was no big deal. “It’s simple, it’s the freshman turkey
drop.”

“Huh?”

A
loud, souped up black car with orange flames running along the hood and fenders
pulled up in front of her house. The window went down and the guy behind the
wheel leaned and yelled, “Get a move on sugar, I got us a room and I’m hungry.”

Turning,
she skipped down the stairs and headed towards the waiting car. Barely in, and
with the door hanging open, the guy took off with a squeal.

CHAPTER 1

~Nine Years Later~

Zzzzz…
Zzzzz… Was the sound coming from Kris’s drill as he set screws in the sheet
rock.

“You’ll
be moving in before you know it,” his youngest brother Nik said, as he held up
the building material for him.

Nodding,
he answered, “Yep. Nate and his dad finished the plumbing and heating bit
yesterday, and with the electrician done with his part, I’ve called for the
taping and mudding crew, so I need to get this done tonight.”

“Well…you’re…almost
there,” Nik added, hefting another piece of sheet rock up against the wall.
“You’ve done good. This will be a nice little place when you’re done.”

“Little
my ass, it’s bigger than I planned on.”

Nik
nodded, then smiled. “Nothing wrong with that, guess you’ll need to get
married, have some kids, fill ‘er up.”

His
brother was jerking his chain. “Not happening.”

“Ahhh,
come on,” his other brother, Jake, chimed in, “being married is great.”

Kris
shook his head. “Not interested, no wife, no kids,” he growled.

“Why
not?” Nik quizzed. “What’s wrong with settling down and starting a family?”

Kris
snorted. “Can’t count on a woman, that’s why.”

“Vannie
was immature,” Jake responded, discrediting his answer, “not ready for the
commitment, plus that was nine years ago. You should be thanking your lucky
stars you didn’t end up with her. There are a lot of good women out there who’d
make a good wife and mother.”

“Spoken
by a true romantic,” Kris answered with a sneer. “I don’t see it like that.”
More drill sounds, some banging, and up went another piece of sheetrock.

“You
just haven’t met the right one,” Jake continued, “because when you do—he
chuckled—watch out.”

“Haha,
laugh all you want, it’s not happening. They’re all the same, fickle, giggly,
flighty, and manipulative, and they all want to be waited on hand and foot. I’m
not into it.”

Nik
jumped in. “They’re not all like that, Linnie and Jules aren’t like that. Well,
maybe a little giggly, they do know how to have a good time. You just need to
find someone who has interests similar to yours, one who’s strong, strong enough
to take you on when you’re in one of your moods, which is pretty much all the
time by the way.”

Both
his brothers laughed.

“What
the hell is that supposed to mean?” he snapped in irritation. “What mood?”

 
That made them really laugh. “It means you can
be a crabby, bossy, arrogant son of a bitch at times. Women pick up on that
stuff right away, you attract them and then inadvertently make them act the way
you’re describing by being so moody. I mean, how else do you deal with a
someone like you other than being…what did you call it, flighty and
manipulative. Then when they’ve had it with your shit, they become fickle.
They’re interested, but then when they get around you, they get mixed
messages.”

Kris’s
phone rang. Looking at it, he answered it with a growl, then listened. “Yeah
probably,” he replied, none too happy. … “I don’t know, it’ll be late… Because,
I’m in the middle of things, that’s why… Nooo, I’ll get there, when I get
there… Fine.” Snapping his phone shut, he shook his head as he scowled.

“Charming
as usual. You just proved our point. Who is it this time?” Jake asked, raising
an eyebrow.

“No
one you know.”

Nik
smiled. “What’s her name? She cute?”

Kris
shrugged. “She has her attributes.”

Nik
chucked. “I bet. You need coverage? You don’t want to be without.”

“No,
I got it, I never, ever go without. No kids remember. Let’s just get this
done.”

*****

Passing
through the Village of Luck, Dani looked around. Not much to it, she thought,
the main highway being on the outskirts of town. All she could really see was a
couple gas stations and a grocery store, a small little mall with some
nondescript business, a hotel, a church, and then a bunch of nothing, houses,
farmland, cows, cows, and more cows. No horses, just cows. Hmmm, works fine for
me, she mumbled, everything I need, food, fuel, peace, and tons of quiet.

She
wanted quiet, boy did she. She’d spent the last two years talking, and talking,
and talking, and she wanted to be done with the talking. It’d taken “beating a
dead horse” to a whole new level, and quite frankly she’d done all she could
do, or wanted to do, with it all. Rubbing her forehead, she felt the ache of
exhaustion that came with just thinking about it.

That
she was here, figuratively and literally, was, she supposed, amazing. People
like her, and people who’d been through what she had, didn’t do change. It was
too unpredictable, and being in control was the name of the game. She smiled.
The two or three people that knew what was going on had great reservations
about her coming here, raised plenty of objections, but in an interesting way,
she felt that her decision to leave everything behind was, in her own way, a
means of taking back the control she needed to actually move on with her life.
When she’d presented it that way, they had no choice but to agree.

What
if she wouldn’t be able to move on? What if she was stuck in a time and place
so distant—Stop. Breathe. This is right, she told herself, you know it, it’s in
your heart, remember?

She
couldn’t explain it, but she felt an overwhelming, compelling draw to this
place, and when the opportunity presented itself to her, it was like there was
a shifting in her universe. One that felt like all that was wrong was now going
to be right, a feeling so profound it left one hopeful and excited that
something wonderful was about to happen. She didn’t ignore it, she jumped at
the chance, and hoped to never, ever have to look back, only forward.
  

Heading
north of Luck, to the intersection of 280
^th
and Highway 35, she was
to find the ranch on the left hand side of the road. This sure is a far cry
from the rough and tumble state of Wyoming, she thought, still looking around.
Thank God. She didn’t care if she had to live in the barn with her horses and
eat from a trough if it meant she could get away from the dysfunction she’d
been bred from.

Passing
the light green house on her right, she started watching her left for the
ranch. Finally, there it was, a nice big sign with a shamrock fashioned from
horseshoes on it, blowing in the wind. Putting on her signal, she waited till
her way was clear. Turning into the driveway, she bounced along the pitted
road, and laughed. Well, this part’s just like Wyoming, she thought, I feel
like I’m on an old wagon trail. The horse trailer hooked to the back of her pickup,
tugged and dragged with each bump and rut. Responding to the whine on her
right, she said, “Hold on boy, we’re almost there.”

Coming
to a stop outside the barn, she took a moment to look around. Not bad, small
compared to what she was used to, but perfect for her and her needs. Old barn,
pasture, corral, house, it all looked promising, nice. “Come on boy, let’s
check it out.” Getting out of the truck, she waited for Coco, her Australian
Shepherd cattle dog, to jump from the truck. “Good boy! Let’s go.” Heading to
the barn first, Coco happily explored.

Removing
the padlock and pushing the door open, Dani stepped inside and walked along the
alleyway to a small arena in the back she hadn’t seen when pulling in. Nice,
very nice. Needs attention, she thought, but doable. I can make this work.

Heading
to the house, she gave Coco the command to stay, then stepped into the porch.
Putting the key in the lock, she turned the knob and entered the living room,
then on to the kitchen, dining area, and down the hall to the bedrooms. Back in
the kitchen, she stopped, reached and plugged in the refrigerator, then
listened. It started right up. Nice. She turned the knobs on the stove and
could feel the burners heat up. Perfect. Then to the sink, and…she had water,
hot water even. Excellent.

Back
outside, Coco personally oversaw the unloading of the truck, barking when he
saw his food and water dish, then his blue ball. “Yeah, I’m happy too boy,”
Dani said, as she pulled a saddle out and threw it over a fence rail. Going to
the trailer, she opened it and unloaded Topaz, her golden Palomino Quarter
horse. “Hey girl, how’s one of the best horses in the world, hmmm?” she asked,
soothing Topaz with her hands and words. She was rewarded with a snuffle and a
huff. “You want to work out some kinks after that long ride?” Another snuffle,
and some shifting from hoof to hoof. “Alright, let’s saddle up and ride the
perimeter, we’ll check out the fence, okay?”

With
a hop, Dani was up and through the open gate and into the pasture. No sagging
lines, no gaps, secure, but old wobbly posts that needed replacing. Stopping in
the center of it all, she took a good look around her and smiled, giving it all
a nod. She loved it, all of it, and with her heart full, she couldn’t help but
think…she was in Luck, and she was home.

After
finishing the unloading and putting away of things, she pulled out her phone
and dialed. Putting it to her ear, she leaned against her pickup and waited.
“I’m here.”… “It looks good, yard and pasture need attention, new fencing and
mowing mostly, barn needs some work too, house has some furnishings left in
it.”… “Nah, not really, some cleaning and elbow grease mostly.”… “I’m fine. I
like it. I’ll get it put together for you.”…“Yeah, we made it alright, no
troubles. Topaz and Ricochet are in the pasture now, Coco’s rolling in the
dirt.”… “I should be ready in a few days, week tops, then send some my way.”…
“Will do, bye.”

*****

“Mmmm,
nice. You’re good. I want this all the time. We’ve been doing this a while now.
Why don’t you move some of your things over and make this more permanent. We’re
good together, lover.”

Rolling
onto his back, Kris shook his head. “I don’t do permanent, remember? I told you
that in the beginning.”

“Why
not?” she pouted. “I’m good to you, I let you have it anytime, all the time,
any which way.”

“That
you do, and I appreciate it, but this is the way it is.” He knew where this was
going and started searching around for his things. After all, the breaking in
period and novelty phase was wearing off.

“You’re
sleeping around, aren’t you?” she accused more than asked, her voice going up a
few notches. Then turning hard and edgy, she continued, “Screwing whatever you
can, I bet.”

He
shook his head again. “Nope, only you.” Yikes, he probably could’ve softened
that up a bit. Maybe Jake and Nik were right.

“Get
out!”

Grabbing
his pants and pulling them on, Kris felt around for his shirt and boots, not
able to see much in the dim candlelight. So much for the relaxing romantic
ambiance.

“I
said, get out!” she shrieked.

“Yeah,
yeah, yeah, I’m working on it,” he said, with a shake of his head as he pulled
his keys from his pocket. “You did call me, remember?”

“Drop
dead!”

Something
flew past his head and fell to the floor with a thud, a shoe maybe. Whatever.
“Bye-bye.” Well now, wasn’t he polite? Stepping out of the house, he headed for
his truck. Another one bites the dust. Oh well, this was why he’d never commit
himself to a woman. They were too unpredictable, and you sure the hell couldn’t
trust them, that was for damn sure.

Lightening
flashed as he turned onto the main road. Good thing they’d gotten the crops in
the ground. Now if they’d just get a little rain it would work out nice. They
sure the hell didn’t need a deluge though. They’d already gotten a late start
because of a long winter and spring flooding, and he didn’t want to lose that
seed and have to plant again. His pickup swayed when it was hit by strong
winds. Great, they didn’t need the wind to blow the seed away either. Big fat
raindrops began to fall and splat onto the windshield.

“Women,”
he growled aloud to no one but himself. He liked them, but he sure the hell
didn’t love them. Always out to manipulate and change a guy. Well, forget it,
he wasn’t changing for any woman, and he told them that straight up. Not
getting married, no kids, no commitment, just get together and have a good
time. Period. That’s the way it was, and they’d go for it, hanging all over
him, fawning, dolling themselves up and making a spectacle to keep his
attention. Then it was always the same when they realized they couldn’t change
him, they’d kick his ass to the curb. Oh well, he wouldn’t do commitment again,
had no reason to, because in his book, all the women he’d ever met were all the
same.

Turning
down 280
^th
, he stopped when he heard a loud high pitched whine, then
a loud crack. Hmmm, tree must have fallen, he’d check it out tomorrow. Stepping
on the gas, he crossed over the Gandy Dancer Trail and headed towards the farm.
Coming upon the end of the driveway, he could see all the lights on in the barn
and outside. Heading into the yard, he pulled up as his dad was coming out of
the house.