My Lucky Days: A Novel (6 page)

And then I met Peyton and Skylar. My roommates. And my first long-term friends. A year later, we left the dorms together and rented a little house not far from campus. For most students, the move to college felt temporary. For me, it felt like home.

It was perfect.

They were the sisters I never had. The best friends I had always wanted. And the stability I had craved. They were both a little over-the-top in their own ways and I was their Katie.

I was sensible. Reliable. The one who made sure the electric bill got paid. Katie.

And last night, I had let them push me into being more like them. Something I didn’t allow to happen very often. As I crawled out of bed, the image of his face slipped into my thoughts. And then I was smiling before I even realized I was smiling.

Lucky.

I wondered what he was doing this morning with his brother. I didn’t know how he could even see straight today. My own head was clouded with exhaustion as I walked into the kitchen. I needed food. Good thing my Friday class was canceled and I didn’t have to stumble across campus.

I got out a new package of bacon and a skillet. Placing the slices across the bottom, I cooked the meat until it was crispy and then made a sandwich. I cleaned up the mess and then sat at the table, eating in silence. Being alone. I’d learned to handle it over the years. Not that it was ever really easy. But I knew how to function.

After finishing my sandwich, I washed the plate off in the sink. I really needed to do homework, but I was pretty tired. Going into my bedroom, I got my box of candles and brought them to the living room. I placed the little glass jars in precise rows across the coffee table. Lighting each wick, I watched the flames take hold and the wax gradually melt. I sucked in a deep breath. Nothing was more relaxing than the scent of lavender and vanilla.

Old habits were difficult to give up.

I liked candles. Something simple that could be purchased in any town or city that gave a familiar smell to a new place.

I wrapped up in a blanket on the couch, flipping through daytime talk shows before stopping on the local news. I wanted to see how cold it would be next week.

About an hour later, I heard my phone ding in my bedroom. Climbing out of my cozy cocoon, I retrieved it from my nightstand. I walked back into the living room, staring at the screen.
Lucky.
The sweet thrill of anticipation shot through me as I opened the message.

L
UCKY:
It’s after 12. You awake?

M
E:
Yes.

L
UCKY:
Good. Just saying hi.

I smiled, picturing that grin on his face.

M
E:
Hi?

L
UCKY:
Working tonight. Won’t be able to call until late. Or maybe tomorrow.

M
E:
Okay.

L
UCKY:
I didn’t want to forfeit my kiss by you thinking I wasn’t going to call.

I laughed out loud.

M
E:
No worries. You still have 1 credit.

L
UCKY:
Good because I’m planning on using it.

That time, I didn’t laugh. The warm flutters filled my chest.

M
E:
Stop flirting and get back to work.

L
UCKY:
For the record, I can text and use a saw at the same time. But Colt said no. I might lose a finger.

M
E:
THEN STOP TEXTING ME

L
UCKY:
Fine. But I’m still thinking about kissing you.

I laughed again. He was impossible. Curling up under a blanket, I flipped through the channels, soaking up the smell of lavender. And I found myself thinking about kissing him too.

Peyton stumbled through the door a few minutes later. “Why the hell am I in this class again?”

I smiled, seeing the traumatic look on her face. “Because you want to graduate.”

“
Ugh.
” She fell on the couch next to me. “Graduating is overrated if it requires crap like this.”

“You do realize that once you graduate, you’ll have to get up even earlier every day.”

“No. I’m not taking a job like that. I’ll find a different one. Like where I work ten to two.”

I laughed. “Good luck with that one.”

“Or a rich guy. Then I won’t have to work at all. I’ll be a real housewife of some place fancy like Miami or Malibu. I can sleep until noon and have a butler named Harold who brings me breakfast in bed before I meet the other rich wives at the country club and we talk about how much money we have while drinking cocktails in fancy dresses.”

“I hope that works out for you.” I rolled my eyes, knowing she was dead serious about the idea. She was a complete mess sometimes.

Peyton pulled part of the large blanket off me to cover herself up. “I love it when you have a lavender séance. So cozy.” She twisted around, getting situated. “So tell me about last night. I’m getting
excited
just thinking about him again. He was hot. Like normal-guy hot. But damn. Seeing him on stage. He’s like sexy hot. So tell me. I want details.”

“Well, we ate dinner. He’s funny. Made me laugh a lot. And he flirts. Like
a lot
. But it’s not in a bad way. He’s actually pretty sweet. He called me last night after he dropped me off. Sang to me on the phone.”

“What? You’re kidding, right?”

“Not kidding.”

Peyton grabbed me in a hug, shaking both of us around with her excitement. “This is freaking awesome. Now does he have any friends because I want a sexy country singer too.” She fell back against the couch. “One who sings me sexy songs in the middle of the night. I wonder if he sleeps naked because that would be so hot. Just his bare ass on the sheets. Singing. You should totally ask him that.”

I couldn’t help but laugh at the dreamy look on her face. “I am not asking that, Peyton.”

“Well, those jeans were pretty tight last night so I don’t need to use that much imagination to picture how he’d look wearing nothing but a guitar. That guy’s packing.”

I turned three shades of red, which happened frequently when she got worked up. Some of her moments came out as whimsical hypotheticals and some were the real deal—true stories from her life.

Since she was the youngest of six kids, I think her parents were just too tired to control her. So Peyton sneaked out and sneaked off more nights than she was at home. The girl had hundreds of sordid and true stories before she ever became my roommate. Some made me laugh while others made my skin crawl. And some made me curious, although I would never admit it to her.

“Hey, Katie.” Her silly grin faded a bit. “Don’t get scared, okay? Give him a chance.”

I nodded, feeling the weight swirl around in me. “I’m trying.”

“And no matter what happens with Lucky, you’ve always got us. I’ll take him down. You know I can. I’ll burn his guitar on his porch. Or slit his tires with pieces of his guitar. Just say the word.”

I burst out laughing, seeing the serious expression in her eyes. She often had a touch of redneck in her. “You are crazy, Peyton.”

I went to bed at eleven after spending the afternoon on homework. Peyton and I had ordered Hideaway pizza for dinner. She stayed home and watched a movie with me instead of going anywhere. Sometime around one, I woke up to the sound of my phone pinging with a text message. In a bleary haze, I pulled it off my dresser, seeing his name on the screen.

I figured he was saying good night, but then I read the message.

L
UCKY:

Staring into your green eyes.

Watching them change with your smile.

Wanting to kiss your lips,

’Cause I need to taste them for a while.

I fell back against my pillows. He was doing it again. I let out a deep breath, reading the lines for a second time. I sent a reply as those feelings started to simmer inside me.

M
E:
I want to hear it.

A couple of minutes passed and then my phone rang. I answered without saying anything and waited for him to start singing. His voice came through, deep and sexy, making me smile. As he said the last word, I wished for the song to be longer.

“I liked that,” I whispered.

“I like you.”

My eyes closed. I liked him too, but I wasn’t going to say it. Not yet. We listened to each other breathe for a few minutes.

“I bet you’re tired, Lucky. You should go to bed.”

“I am in bed.”

“Me too.”

I smiled, remembering Peyton’s question from earlier. My mind wandered down the path of her dirty thoughts. Was he naked? In boxers? Or maybe he was a t-shirt guy in sweats.

In my half-asleep stupor, I went for it. “T-shirt, boxers, or commando?”

“Huh?” He paused, and then I heard the faint chuckle. “Boxers.”

I felt the heat in my cheeks. “Nice. My roommate wanted to know.”

“Sure she did.” And then silence filled the phone line. “Well?”

“What?”

“Well, I’m picturing you in bed. And I need to know if you are a t-shirt, boxers, or commando kind of girl so I get the image right.”

I laughed. “I think it’s too early for you to know that about me.”

“You don’t play fair.”

I grinned. “Sometimes.”

We continued talking for a little longer until our voices slowly faded out from exhaustion. “Go to sleep,” I whispered.

I heard him yawn through the phone. “I will soon. But I wanted to see if you were busy tomorrow night.”

“I’m free.”

“Can I pick you up at six?”

“Yeah.”

“Okay. Night, Katie. Try not to dream too much about me in my boxers.”

I laughed, feeling the embarrassment spread through my whole body. He hung up before I could even respond. And just like the night before, my screen filled with his words.

L
UCKY:

A glimpse of your smile

Won’t be enough.

’Cause my heart keeps telling me.

I need more of this stuff.

A
t exactly six, I heard a loud knock at my door, causing me to jump. It had been a long and anxious day as I watched the clock. I wanted this. I was ready for this. At least that’s what I told myself.

The truth about me was less accurate. If fairytales were real, I would never be cast as the princess. Nor would I be the ugly stepsister, the ghastly villain, or dressed like someone who stole the heart of the hero and led him down a road of seductive debauchery. That wasn’t me either.

Normally, I would be Extra #5, walking across the street in the background while the camera panned to the handsome guy as he dipped the beautiful girl into some epic kiss. I would be nameless and forgotten by those who watched in the audience. I would be background filler.

I would not be going on a date with the star of the show.

Closing my eyes for a second, I gathered my thoughts. I could do this. He was just a guy. And I was just a girl.

Opening the door, I saw Lucky standing at the bottom of the steps. He smiled, letting the left side of his mouth tilt up just a little more than the other.

I waited for him to talk, but he didn’t say anything for a few moments as he watched me. “It’s Katie. Remember? You forced me to eat tots and ranch because ketchup is like a bloody massacre.”

He laughed at my joke. “Sorry, I got distracted thinking about how pretty you look tonight.”

A warm flush spread under my skin. “Maybe you should put that in a song. It might make you famous.”

“Maybe.” He grinned.

Shutting the door behind me, I came outside, feeling the brisk evening air. Lucky stuck his hand out and I grabbed it as I walked down the steps. He smiled at me, letting his gaze rest on my lips before dipping lower. “I like this sweater.”

“Thanks.” I had stressed over what to wear since he had only seen me in that black dress from the other night. I was glad that I had decided on the sweater made of soft cashmere. It went well with my dark skinny jeans and brown boots.