Lucky
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Lucky
Synopsis
Winning the lottery is the best thing that’s ever happened to Serena Evans. Gone are the days of living paycheck to paycheck. On her own and fully funded, Serena’s excited to open Pet Posh Inn. She can’t imagine a more fulfilling dream than caring for and being surrounded by animals.
Gabrielle Barnes can’t understand why anyone would dump millions of dollars into a pet daycare, but if she wants to prove herself worthy of a partner position at Arnest & Max Architecture, she’s going to have paste on a smile while designing the ridiculous waste of space.
Serena’s kindness and big heart draw Gabrielle in, but her stubbornness drives a wedge between them. As the design builds, so does their attraction.
Was Serena’s luck really about money, or is she about to get lucky in love?
Praise for Kris Bryant
Temptation
“This book has a great first line. I was hooked from the start. There was so much to like about this story, though. The interactions. The tension. The jealousy. I liked how Cassie falls for Brooke’s son before she ever falls for Brooke. I love a good forbidden love story.”—Bookvark
“This book is an emotional roller coaster that you’re going to get swept away in. Let it happen…just bring the tissues and the vino and enjoy the ride.”—Les Rêveur
“People who have read Ms. Bryant’s erotica novella Shameless under the pseudonym of Brit Ryder know that this author can write intimacy well. This is more a romance than erotica, but the sex scenes are as varied and hot.”—LezReviewBooks
Tinsel
“This story was the perfect length for this cute romance. What made this especially endearing were the relationships Jess has with her best friend, Mo, and her mother. You cannot go wrong by purchasing this cute little nugget. A really sweet romance with a cat playing cupid.”—Bookvark
Falling
“This is a story you don’t want to pass on. A fabulous read that you will have a hard time putting down. Maybe don’t read it as you board your plane though. This is an easy 5 stars!”—Romantic Reader Blog
“Bryant delivers a story that is equal parts touching, compassionate, and uplifting.”—Lesbian Review
“This was a nice, romantic read. There is enough romantic tension to keep the plot moving, and I enjoyed the supporting characters’ and their romance as much as the main plot.”—Kissing Backwards
Listen
“Ms. Bryant describes this soundscape with some exquisite metaphors, it’s true what they say that music is everywhere. The whole book is beautifully written and makes the reader’s heart to go out with people suffering from anxiety or any sort of mental health issue.”—Lez Review Books
“I was absolutely captivated by this book from start to finish. The two leads were adorable and I really connected with them and rooted for them…This is one of the best books I’ve read recently—I cannot praise it enough!”—Melina Bickard, Librarian, Waterloo Library (UK)
“The main character’s anxiety issues were well written and the romance is sweet and leaves you with a warm feeling at the end. Highly recommended reading.”—Kat Adams, Bookseller (QBD Books, Australia)
“This book floored me. I’ve read it three times since the book appeared on my Kindle…I just love it so much. I’m actually sitting here wondering how I’m going to convey my sheer awe factor but I will try my best. Kris Bryant won Les Rêveur book of the year 2018 and seriously this is a contender for 2019.”—Les Rêveur
Against All Odds
“Against All Odds by Kris Bryant, Maggie Cummings, and M. Ullrich is an emotional and captivating story about being able to face a tragedy head-on and move on with your life, learning to appreciate the simple things we take for granted and finding love where you least expect it.”—Lesbian Review
“I started reading the book trying to dissect the writing and ended up forgetting all about the fact that three people were involved in writing it because the story just grabbed me by the ears and dragged me along for the ride…[A] really great romantic suspense that manages both parts of the equation perfectly. This is a book you won’t be able to put down.”—C-Spot Reviews
Lammy Finalist Jolt
Jolt “is a magnificent love story. Two women hurt by their previous lovers and each in their own way trying to make sense out of life and times. When they meet at a gay- and lesbian-friendly summer camp, they both feel as if lightning has struck. This is so beautifully involving, I have already reread it twice. Amazing!”—Rainbow Book Reviews
Goldie Winner Breakthrough
“Looking for a fun and funny light read with hella cute animal antics and a smoking hot butch ranger? Look no further…In this well-written first-person narrative, Kris Bryant’s characters are well developed, and their push/pull romance hits all the right beats, making it a delightful read just in time for beach reading.”—Writing While Distracted
“It’s hilariously funny, romantic, and oh so sexy…But it is the romance between Kennedy and Brynn that stole my heart. The passion and emotion in the love scenes surpassed anything Kris Bryant has written before. I loved it.”—Kitty Kat’s Book Review Blog
“Kris Bryant has written several enjoyable contemporary romances, and Breakthrough is no exception. It’s interesting and clearly well-researched, giving us information about Alaska and issues like poaching and conservation in a way that’s engaging and never comes across as an info dump. She also delivers her best character work to date, going deeper with Kennedy and Brynn than we’ve seen in previous stories. If you’re a fan of Kris Bryant, you won’t want to miss this book, and if you’re a fan of romance in general, you’ll want to pick it up, too.”—Lambda Literary
Forget Me Not
“Told in the first person, from Grace’s point of view, we are privy to Grace’s inner musings and her vulnerabilities…Bryant crafts clever wording to infuse Grace with a sharp-witted personality, which clearly covers her insecurities…This story is filled with loving familial interactions, caring friends, romantic interludes, and tantalizing sex scenes. The dialogue, both among the characters and within Grace’s head, is refreshing, original, and sometimes comical. Forget Me Not is a fresh perspective on a romantic theme, and an entertaining read.”—Lambda Literary Review
Whirlwind Romance
“Ms. Bryant’s descriptions were written with such passion and colorful detail that you could feel the tension and the excitement along with the characters.”—Inked Rainbow Reviews
Taste
“Taste is a student/teacher romance set in a culinary school. If the premise makes you wonder whether this book will make you want to eat something tasty, the answer is: yes.”—The Lesbian Review
Touch
“The sexual chemistry in this book is off the hook. Kris Bryant writes my favorite sex scenes in lesbian romantic fiction.”—Les Rêveur
Lucky
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Lucky
© 2020 By Kris Bryant. All Rights Reserved.
ISBN 13: 978-1-63555-511-0
This Electronic Original Is Published By
Bold Strokes Books, Inc.
P.O. Box 249
Valley Falls, NY 12185
First Edition: June 2020
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Credits
Editors: Ashley Tillman and Stacia Seaman
Production Design: Stacia Seaman
Cover Design By Deb B and Sheri (hindsightgraphics@gmail.com)
eBook Design By Toni Whitaker
By the Author
Jolt
Whirlwind Romance
Just Say Yes: The Proposal
Taste
Forget Me Not
Touch
Breakthrough
Shameless
(writing as Brit Ryder)
Against All Odds
(with Maggie Cummings and M. Ullrich)
Listen
Falling
Tinsel
Temptation
Lucky
Acknowledgments
I have a lot to be thankful for in this life. I am a published writer, and I have a loving, supportive family and fantastic readers who make this dream a reality.
Always and forever, a giant thank you to Bold Strokes Books for continuing to publish my books and novellas. I love our family and how supportive we are of one another.
Thank you to Ashley for making everything I write sound better. I wish I could take all the credit, but she really has my back and is instrumental in my success. I also had the pleasure of working with Stacia this go-around as my copy editor. A big thank you to her for correcting all of my mistakes—trust me, there are always a lot because I can’t seem to learn.
My friends are invaluable, especially during the writing process. Thank you, Melissa Brayden, for pushing me to write in third person. I’m still scared of it, but now I can say I did it! Paula is the BEST at pumping me up whenever I start doubting myself so a big kiss and hug to you. Fiona, Jenn, Georgia, Carsen, Elle, Nikki, A, and the rest of the gang. Thank you for supporting me and always having my back. Britt & Avery—we have the most interesting talks. Thank you for always being in my corner, too.
Deb always creates the best covers and catches my billion mistakes before the manuscript even gets to editing. You’re wonderful and I appreciate your help every step of the way. Molly is my little furry heroine. Even with all the obstacles she has in her life, she is a fighter and never gives up. She finds joy in living. When I grow up, I want to have her courage and determination.
Thank you to everyone who picks up or downloads my books. Your support helps me continue to write and do what I love most.
To Mel
Thank you for being in my life.
Chapter One
“Just this hot dog, and can I get a lottery ticket?”
Serena Evans made a different choice that day. Digging through her purse, she managed to scrape up four dollars and eighteen cents. With a two-dollar hot dog in hand, she could’ve used her last two dollars on a large Diet Coke with extra ice, her go-to every time, but something made her ask Dougie, the Quik Stop cashier, for a lottery ticket instead. The jackpot was forty-two million, almost double the highest it had ever been in Colorado. People in town were talking about it and dreaming about the what-ifs if they won. Serena never played the lottery or gambled at all. Maybe it was the fear of missing out that made her buy one, or just the idea of having everything she ever wanted for the first time in her life.
“Good luck.” Dougie handed her the ticket.
She mumbled “thank you” and slipped the smooth piece of lime green paper in her back pocket without even looking at the numbers. It was a decision she instantly regretted. That Diet Coke would have been a real treat considering the hot dog wasn’t nutritious or even delicious. The only good thing about getting a Quik Stop hot dog was all the extras she could add. A thick line of ketchup paralleled a thicker line of mustard. She applied a generous amount of relish and nacho cheese under the scrutiny of Dougie, avoiding eye contact with him. She didn’t want to have to defend herself, but she was hungry and it was there for the taking. This meal would have to carry her over until morning, when her deposit showed up in her account and she could afford a trip to the grocery store. Serena lived paycheck-to-paycheck and budgeted every penny she earned at the Hooked Bookworm. She scraped by using two-for-one coupons and took advantage of supermarket sales on chicken and beef every Tuesday. Even though a huge portion of her salary went to a tiny studio apartment above an antique store, Serena couldn’t imagine living anywhere else.
Late spring in Vail, Colorado, was beautiful. Even though there was still snow on the ground, the sun was bright and warm and the crisp air was refreshing. Nothing beat the smell of fir trees and mountain air. Serena took a deep breath and two seconds to appreciate her surroundings, then quickened her step. The bookstore was four blocks away and she’d spent over half her lunch break walking to the gas station to pick up her cheap lunch. She cupped the flimsy cardboard boat that housed the messy hot dog with both hands and crossed in front of traffic, nodding apologetically at the drivers. She needed a few minutes to sit down and eat this before her lunch break was over.
“You have five minutes,” Mrs. Brody, busy with a customer, said over her shoulder when Serena slipped into the store. Her smile had a bite that Serena didn’t appreciate, but she tolerated it because she needed this job.
She rolled her eyes and closed the door to the ten-by-ten break room in the back of the store. It was windowless with faded yellow walls stained gray from old cigarette smoke and a wallpaper border that bowed out as if it, too, wanted to escape the dismal space. The long fluorescent bulbs hummed above her and flickered when she used the microwave. The room was a prison and she was sure it violated several safety codes. Mrs. Brody put so much love and care into the store, but was a complete slob behind closed doors. Serena had offered to paint the break room and hang pictures for her, but Mrs. Brody told her it would have to come out of her paycheck and be done after hours. As much as she loved what she did for a living, Serena wasn’t that invested in her job. It afforded her the luxury of reading for free, but she had to be careful not to bend the spines or crinkle the pages or that, too, would come out of her paycheck.
She wolfed down her lunch, but refrained from licking the cheese that settled and hardened at the bottom of the disposable dish. Even though she was the only one in the break room, she was technically still in public. Serena wouldn’t put it past Mrs. Brody to have hidden cameras in the vents or the smoke detector. She washed her hands and hit the floor with thirty-eight seconds to spare. She was good at budgeting not only every penny, but also her time.
“We have to move books around for today’s shipment. The new Stephen King book is out tomorrow and we want that front and center in the window,” Mrs. Brody said.
Serena knew that meant her. The other employee was Hunter, Mrs. Brody’s nephew, who sometimes closed the shop with her. He was cool, for a teenager, but also lazy. It was better if she got the work done before he came in. Then they could relax and have a good time instead of obsessing about who was supposed to do what before the next day.
“The books are late this time. Are they for sure getting here today?” Serena asked.
New books were shipped several days ahead of the release for stores, including the Hooked Bookworm, to set up massive promotional displays. Eight inches of fresh snow from the weekend had caused traffic delays that had a rippling effect on several town deliveries. It was a matter of waiting and stressing until the truck showed up.
“John said he was headed this way with the shipment. We can expect him by three,” she said.
That meant overtime for Serena, and she was fine with that. She worked ten to six Monday through Friday, and opened on Saturdays. Hunter closed on Saturdays and Mrs. Brody worked whenever she wanted. Serena waited until Mrs. Brody left for her lunch break before pulling out her phone to text her best friend, Chloe.
I feel like I didn’t get a weekend. How was the party?
I can’t believe you didn’t show. It was a good time. And no, Amber wasn’t there.
Serena was
forever running into Amber since they broke up over Christmas. Even though she lived across town, she was always in the area. Sometimes she would walk by the bookstore and wave to Serena, who almost always avoided eye contact with her. Serena knew she wasn’t the most exciting person, but she had a good heart, and if Amber couldn’t see it, then she wasn’t worth Serena’s time. At least that’s what Chloe always told her.
I just wasn’t feeling it. I’m sorry.
Truth was she didn’t have enough money for gas and didn’t want to show up empty-handed. She had the ingredients for sugar cookies, but who showed up to a party with cookies? Chloe and her wife would have expected wine or beer or even chips and dip. They never talked about money, but Chloe knew Serena struggled.
Nobody new for you but it was still fun. The usual suspects were there. Brian brought a new guy who was hot and very outgoing.
It sounds like fun. I’ll be at the next one, I promise.
Chloe had parties every month. She said it was good for morale since there was snow on the ground six months out of the year and people tended to hole up if they weren’t skiing.