Lady Luck (Lucky You Book 2 1) (3 page)

It may be best that she left me when she did. I would rather her leave, than to continue pretending a fake relationship with me. Did she ever truly love me? What was I to her? It may be morning, but I’m ready for a drink just thinking about her.

       Opening my eyes, and searching the room for Charlie, I know he may need to be let out for his morning duties.

When I look to see if he’s in his bed, or in bed with me, I don’t see him anywhere.

HMMM... Where else could he be? I whistle for him to come to me. But I don’t hear the pitter patter of his paws. After a few tries, my heart races into a panic.

Normally, he wakes me up in the morning, letting me know when he needs something. Springing from the bed, I hear water dripping.

Funny, I don’t remember leaving the water on. That can’t be good.

    Following the sound of the drips, I head downstairs, and upon entering the living room, I find the mother of all messes, the ceiling has caved in, dropping plaster all over the hardwood floors and Charlie’s licking the water, as it cascades down from the pipes leaking above us.

    “Oh Holy Shit!” What in the hell? How? Fuck me sideways to Sunday.

Thinking fast, I grab the dog, and rush to the kitchen to get my phone.

I know Jax or Ryan will know how to fix this problem, and although I’ve been reluctant on allowing someone to help me. I’m at a loss, I have no fucking clue how to make these repairs, or even how to turn the water off, really where the fuck do I start? I need reinforcements, NOW!!

     I dial Jax first, since he’s closest to me. But it goes to voicemail, and then I call Ryan but his phone goes to voicemail too, dang, guess I’ll try his sister. Hopefully she can help me figure out where to start, and know what to do.

I’m totally a virgin at home repair. I grew up in the city, I know how to paint, change a tire surprisingly, do small home repairs, but nothing of this magnitude. I’m a little scared how much this is gong to cost to fix.

Since I’m remodeling this house, all on my own, I want to do the repairs myself, to save money.

I took a huge pay cut when I moved here and went independent, selling my designs. I design web pages, and I’ve dabbled in graphic design. My online business has been created. I just haven’t received any clients as of yet. I need to do something soon to start making money or else I wont be able to eat until I do.

My parents are supportive of the decisions I’ve made, especially by staying down here. It might actually be good for me. I won’t have to accidentally run into her, like I probably would if moved back.

Our parents have been friends since we started grade school. Which is the reason we were so close, because we grew up together.

And now, I need my own space. I need to prove to myself that I don’t need her, that I can make a life for myself by myself and that’s what I’ve decided to do.    

    Addie answers on the third ring,

“Hey, I have a major problem at the house, can you come by and give me that tutorial you promised me a while back?” I ask her, I hope I haven’t scared her too far away that she hates me. Not only did I steal her dream house, if you want to call it that, but I also have made a huge fool of myself recently with my drinking philosophies.

    “I’m next door playing with the twins, while Jessa grabs a shower, Jax is working for John today, otherwise I’d tell you to call him.”

   “ I already tried to reach him, but he didn’t answer. I may need both of you though. It’s pretty bad. I’m not sure where to start.”

    “Tell me what happened.” She says candidly. I can hear the cheerfulness in her voice.

    “I woke up this morning...." She starts laughing hysterically.

    “You mean this afternoon. Its one o’clock.”
Man, she always keeps me on my toes
. I can’t decide if it’s a love-hate relationship we have going on. That’s the reason I tried Jax first, because I wanted less drama.

    “Yeah, ok, afternoon, I woke up to a giant mother
effin mess. The guest bathroom upstairs is flooded, the pipe is busted, and the ceiling of my living room is in a plaster-wet mess all over the living room floor. It’s a fuckin’ rainfall coming down. And last but not least, I found Charlie drinking the water pouring from the ceiling. Like I said I’m lost. I need some help. So, just get here when you can.”

    “I’ll be over in ten, Jessa just walked back to the nursery to help me out, we have to change their diapers and then I’ll stop by. Don’t worry we’ll fix it. That house is falling apart left and right. It doesn’t surprise me though, I knew going into renovating that house, that it would need a full gutting. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

    “Yeah.” How could I ever forget? Sometimes I wish she had purchased this house. I would’ve never bought it knowing I’d end up this way.

CHAPTER 3

Addie

         Over the past seven months, I’ve learned a few hard lessons. I’ve made mistakes, but I’ve learned from them. Every day that I’m alive, I should live it to the fullest. Make every moment count, don’t hold back, don’t back down. Ha, taken from one of my favorite songs. I live by that motto everyday.

     I’ve been trying to get my life back in control after I fatally shot the aggressor who was trying to kill my sister-in-law and the two angels that I adore. I regret what happened and at the same time, I’m glad I still have my sister and my sweet little niece and nephew. I can’t change the past. I can only work towards my happiness in the future. I have to live with the knowledge knowing I took someone’s life away from her, but at the price of saving the lives of those who now mean a lot to my family and me. I couldn’t imagine my life without those two kiddos and my best friend. And Lord knows
, I would’ve lost my brother too, because all his happiness would’ve died alongside them.

    I still live and breathe the nightmares of that night. I just remember the horrible pain of seeing red flash before your eyes, the sudden change in the eyes of the person you have shot, and then it dawns on you that you’ve killed them.
Their body floating to the ground in dead weight. In the moment I only knew I needed to save my family, and I didn’t want to go down knowing I didn’t do what I’ve always been taught to do. Fight.

I haven’t paid attention to what he just said, zoned out in my own world, until I hear him call my name.

     “Thanks again Addie. I don’t know what I’d do without you and your brothers advice.” Oh my God, he sounds so sweet. How can he be so cocky and condescending and then so sincerely sweet?

     “No problem, I’ll see if I can track down my brother. If not I’ll grab my cousin.” I’m sure I could handle the situation all on my own, so I’ll call both of them, but either way I’m headed over there, with or without my guys.

     “Hurry up and get here, its really bad.” He yelps back at me. Whoa. I could hear the desperation in his tone.

He must really need help, if he’s so desperate he called me, mind you I’m sure I was the last person on the face of the earth, he’d want to call in a crisis, but non the less, he still called me and all out begged me to help in some state of panic. That definitely has to say something. Right?

As soon as we get off the phone, I’m kind of in a daze. Even Jessa notices something different about my expression.

“Girl what’s that look for?” She nudges my arm, and then rubs Jades bald little head, whose falling asleep by the second in my arms.

“Nothing, I just… I knew this would eventually happen. Poor guy has no clue what he’s doing with that old house and instead of making the repairs a.s.a.p. he put it off and now he has a major leak and is freaking the eff out because he doesn’t know how to handle it. I’m going to skip out on girls’ day and help him, since Jax and Ryan are both busy today. I’m not sure what time I’ll be done. If you by chance talk to either of the guys send them over, I’m going to need all the help I can get.”

“I’d help out, but I’ve got the babies and no sitter, sorry girl.”

“I’d never ask you to help out with something like this, no offense.” I try to joke around with her.

“Go, get out of here. Anyway, he needs you and maybe just maybe you can help him out in other ways.” She winks at me.

“What’s with the wink? I’m not playing his rebound girl. When I’ve clearly never dated before. Besides, what makes you think he sees me as some hot bombshell, like his ex was? I’m a country girl, with simple taste, and I dress comfortably for me, not for anyone else. I’ll see you tomorrow. Love you.” I say as I’m headed out of house, I didn’t bring my car over, since it’s a short walk to and from the house. Jeremiah’s house is actually a shorter distance than Gramps’. So I begin the trek up the hill to the gate installed along the property line. Jeremiah’s property is overgrown with tall stalks of grass and weeds. He’s definitely let this place go. Lucky for him, Jax has cleared a pathway with his tractor, enabling a trail from the gate to jeremiahs door. I can only image what awaits me on the other side.

I turned the water off as soon as I got inside. As we walked through the house, I examined the pipes in the bathrooms upstairs, and the kitchen.

An hour later, at the end of my assessment, I tell him, “You’re going to need to tear out all the old plumbing. I would suggest, leaving the water off until you can install all new stuff. You can repair just this bathroom, but the entire house may start having the same issues as well, so I strongly recommend you put in al new lines and drainage. You can you go with what is considered standard plexi or go with copper, however the cost is much more than what you probably could afford. I also would put in a new water heater, in my opinion what I would’ve done had it been me in your shoes, I’d put in a tank less water heater, it saves money, and energy and you have endless hot showers. No matter if the dishwasher and washing machine and someone else in another room is taking a shower too.’”

“Okay, slow down, you lost me after standard and copper, and tank less, can we get together later or another time to figure out my options.”

“You can, but you will have to do it without water. If I turn it on, theses pipes will leak again and then you’ll have a wet dog and wet living room.”

“Fine, how about you get me an estimate for the standard plexi system, and tank less thing, and we can get together later to discuss my budget.”

“I can do that.”

CHAPTER 4

  Jeremiah: A week later

My plumbing is still turned off while I’m contemplating my options for new water lines and drainage to be installed because mine are apparently rotted out and below grade.

Jax offered me his downstairs guest bathroom to use for the time being until I can get things solved. So at least I have a good neighbor who cares whether I’m clean and can take a dump when I need to.

I’ve just finished rinsing my body of soapy suds and as I’m drying off one leg, someone barges through the unlocked door and it sends me frozen in place.

Its Addie, and maybe because its coming from a very single, more than gorgeous girl, I have no shame, there’s nothing for me to hide. I present her with my smile and then I flex my pecs and tighten my biceps, dropping the towel a little for her benefit. I want her to see what I have going on down south. I just hope she doesn’t get scared of it. I’m sure its nothing she could ever imagine before.
      

I notice her face take on the heat turning into a dashing shade of red, even with her darker skin tones I see it. Her face shows confusion, and then it fades to a heart-stopping smile.

The innocence I see in her eyes, its clear she’s never seen a naked guy before and possibly not one as ripped as I am.

I may have a desk job but my physique means a lot to me. It’s one of the only things that is going right in my life. I see her take me in, from my head to my cock, and like the light hitting darkness he wakes. I cover myself, because JJ is growing.

The towel tents out in front of me. I have to say something. And what comes to mind is her innocence. I joke around with everything else between us. Why not tease her some more? Some would say I’m flirting, putting the moves on her. She obviously liked what little she saw. Maybe I am flirting. Whatever you want to call it, I’m having fun. I’m starting to feel more whole.

These new friends of mine are growing on me every day, especially the blue-eyed girl with long dark hair.

Addie, a sweet southern thing, I consider her a cowgirl lady. She enjoys many of m favorite hobbies. She doesn’t mind getting down and dirty, and enjoys many girly things, but chooses not to dress girly. I’ve heard stories of her wearing a dress, but I’ve only seen her in wranglers and flannels. I kind of like it that way, I’d love to see her legs though.

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.