Her Lucky Love

by Carrie Ann Ryan

They’d offered to help her with the bills from time to time, but she’d said no. The town of Holiday was small enough that anything like that would spark rumors that would be hard to pat down. Plus, even though she’d said she’d lost her pride, she still had that fragile hold on the last bit of it.

  Her job as a waitress at the town diner could support her family if they lived leanly, and it had worked.

  So far.

  She had her family, and the Uncles Cooper were amazing with her children. Justin had even saved their lives last Christmas during the accident on the ice pond.

  Yet, Brayden had stepped up even further. He’d been there for everything she could ever need, and she knew she relied on him too much.

  From the way her kids looked at him and the way their excitement filled the car at just the mention of his name, she knew she’d gone too far.

  She’d have to back off and slowly break some of the ties that held Brayden to them. He couldn’t be the steady rock they needed.

  That was her job, and she didn’t trust anyone else to be part of that.

  What would happen when Brayden found a wife and had children of his own? She couldn’t let her children go through that disappointment.

  A sharp pain hit her at the thought of Brayden married to someone else, watching his wife grow round with his child.

  No, she didn’t need to feel that or be jealous.

  Brayden Cooper wasn’t hers.

  He would never be hers.

  Someone rapped on the glass beside her, and she jumped.

  Her kids laughed and waved as she turned to see Brayden’s handsomely chiseled face at her window, a worried and cautious look on his features.

  Yet even as relief swept through her that he was there, that annoying little sense of pride that she’d thought she’d lost flared.

  Damn it, she didn’t want to lean on him.

  Maybe she’d just learn car repair. She was already the cook, maid, seamstress, police, and kid wrangler of the house. What was one more talent?

  She put on a smile and got out of the car, doing a quick glance over her shoulder to let her kiddos know to stay in the car.

  “Hi, Brayden, thanks for coming,” she said, her voice sounding huskier than usual.

  Oh, that’s just great. Get turned on by a man you can’t have.

  Great going, Allison.

  Brayden did one of his side smiles, where only a corner of his mouth lifted, but even so, it always seemed to make her melt.

  “I’ll always come for you, Allison,” he drawled, his voice, low, deep.

  Images of every single innuendo that statement could conjure assaulted her.

  Dear. God.

  “Uh, yeah, thank you.”

  That sounded smooth.

  Brayden smiled and waved over her shoulder. She turned as her kids climbed over the seats to see him. She noticed that they carefully stayed in the car like they were supposed to.

  Barely.

  “Hey, kiddos. Looks like you guys ran into trouble,” Brayden said, kneeling so he was at eye level with Lacy.

  Lacy wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek.

  That little annoying tick in her heart thumped even louder at the cuter-than-cute sight. Damn, Brayden loved her kids as much as they loved him.

  Allison was pretty sure she loved him too.

  Not that she’d ever admit that fully.

  She couldn’t put herself in that situation again. Love wasn’t for her. She’d accepted it. Well, she’d accepted that she had to accept it.

  “Mommy said bastard,” Lacy tattled, and Allison watched as Brayden held back a laugh.

  “I don’t think you’re supposed to curse or tell on your mom, Lace. But, I’m sure your mom had a reason to say it.”

  Lacy nodded, completely absorbed.

  Well, if Allison were honest, so was she.

  Cameron smiled and patted Lacy’s shoulder. “But, you’re here to help us, right?”

  Brayden nodded. “Yep. Let me take a look at the car and see if there’s anything I can do right here, though since your mom called, I’m pretty sure that’s probably not an option. If that’s the case, I’ll get you all in the truck and tow your car behind me.”

  For some reason, the fact that he trusted her opinion of her situation warmed her.

  Damn the man.

  Brayden strolled over to the front of the car, his lean hips and strong legs making him look damn sexy.

  Okay, Allison could admit she loved the way Brayden looked, not just the way he treated her and her kids.

  He was taller than her by a good five inches or so, even though he was the shortest of his brothers at six feet. His blue eyes always seemed to follow her every movement, even though she’d tried to ignore it. His black hair was longer than any of his brothers and just brushed the collar of his shirt.

  He looked like the rough-and-tumble Cooper brother. He always had grease on his hands, though she’d personally seen him wash his hands more than every one of them.

  His body was muscular from working with his whole body on cars and using his hands, not from going to the gym.

  Oh, yes, she could imagine just how good he was with his hands.

  “Ally?”

  She swallowed hard and forced her gaze from his body to his face as she blushed.

  “Yes?”

  Brayden gave her a knowing smile, and she held back a curse.

  Great, he’d caught her looking. Though she’d caught him looking at her daily when he came in for his cup of coffee, so fair was only fair.

  “There isn’t anything I can do here. In fact, I’m not sure there’s anything I can do at my place either beyond getting you a new engine.”

  He whispered the last part to shield it from her kids as he crushed her hopes.

  Damn it. She didn’t have the money for a new car. She didn’t even have the money for repairs as it was.

  “Okay,” she whispered, her voice surprisingly steady.

  “We’ll work it out,” Brayden said as he lowered the hood.

  She just smiled and went to get the kids out of the car along with anything that might be valuable, not that there was much.

  They all piled into the extended cab, the kids in the back and her up front, as Brayden finished attaching her vehicle to his.

  When he got in beside her, she could feel the heat of his body in the close quarters, and she blushed.

  “Okay, Malones, let’s get you home,” he said as he pulled away from the side of the road.

  Aiden and Cameron talked to him as they drove while Lacy just watched, her eyes filled with their usual brightness when Bray was near. Brayden was patient, answering every question and asking a few himself.

  He was so good with them.

  Good with her.

  The man had never asked her out, yet he’d always been there.

  He didn’t love her.

  And she couldn’t love him.

  She just wasn’t that lucky.

  Chapter 2

  Brayden Cooper got out of his truck and stretched, his back aching like a man older than his years. Though, in reality, he wasn’t as young as he used to be.

  He’d dropped off Ally and her kids at their apartment then took the car to the shop. When he’d left the Malones’, the kids had protested. Lacy, though cute as a freaking button, had pouted, her eyes filling with tears.

  He hated leaving them, but he had a job to do. And, frankly, he couldn’t stand watching Allison move away from him every time he got a bit closer. It pained him like a swift blade piercing his heart every time her smile gave him an inch or hint of invitation just before she stepped back as soon as she’d realized what she’d done.

  He didn’t fault her for it. She was a mom of three who’d been through more hell than he could imagine. He didn’t know exactly what happened, but he knew it’d been bad with Greg.

  Allison couldn’t trust another with her family, not when she had to prove to herself she could make it on
her own.

  It hurt like fucking hell, but he understood that.

  It didn’t mean he had to like it though.

  He knew the town thought he had no idea he loved Allison Malone. But, they were dead wrong.

  Brayden loved that woman with every breath his body had, every ounce of everything his soul possessed.

  He loved the way she stood tall in the face of adversity. He loved the way she treated her family, cared for them above all else, including herself. No, most importantly above herself. He loved the way her auburn hair fell from its bun after a hard day’s work, trailing down her neck in a slight curl.

  He loved her big green eyes that held the pain she fought so hard to hide. He loved the creamy milk of her skin, the softness that begged for his hands even though he’d never touch her unless she told him to.

  Though he knew she never would.

  He’d loved her for ten years. He’d loved her when she’d been married to another man and had three babies with him.

  He’d loved her all this time, but that didn’t mean he could have her.

  He’d long since resigned himself to the fact he’d be the uncle to the kids he loved like his own. He’d stand on the sidelines, helping where he could because he loved Allison more than just a quick glimpse into a flirtation that would amount to nothing more than hurt.

  He loved her too much to be with her and take away her independence.

  Brayden wasn’t lucky enough to be with someone like her.

  He snorted at that last thought.

  Well, he was damn lucky at everything else he did. It was just too freaking ironic that he couldn’t be lucky at the one thing he most desperately needed. But, that was the life he’d chosen for himself, and he’d have to learn to live with it. No, he hadn’t chosen who he fell in love with—that was Ally’s doing. But, he had chosen to let her be the best mom she could and stand aside throughout the years. He’d chosen to watch her with another man and watch those kids grow up without him other than just a friend.

  Brayden shook his head and walked into Eddie’s, the town watering hole where he’d said he meet two of his brothers, Jackson and Tyler. Though the Coopers weren’t fans of the place, as they’d rather hang out and drink at Jackson’s, the old Cooper place where he’s grown up, sometimes variety was a necessary evil.

  According to his brothers, his current routine was a little too stale for their tastes.

  Going out to a bar was apparently the way to end that.

  Sure it was.

  Jackson and Tyler were already in a booth in the back, away from prying eyes. Well, as away as they could get. Considering they were Coopers, they were fodder for town gossip no matter how hard they all tried to stay out of the spotlight.

  Considering all that had happened these past few months, they really hadn’t tried all that hard. His youngest brother, Matt, had been a ghost haunting the old Marlow place for eleven years, yet no one had known about it until he found a way to break the curse. Matt’s wife, Jordan, was a witch, and she’d had to deal with the stigma of being different in a small town.

  His brother Justin was one of Santa’s executives. Yeah, that Santa. And Justin’s other half, Rina, was a freaking elf from the North Pole. Tyler was a cupid while his soon-to-be-wife, Abby, was a harpy.

  Yes, their world was a little bit weird, and the town knew some of it and guessed about the rest of it. There was no hiding from them. None at all.

  But, they tried, so Brayden made his way to the back booth and slid in beside Tyler since Jackson liked his space more than anyone he’d ever met. Considering his brother lived in a sprawling home by himself, he took that need to the core.

  “It’s about time you got here,” Tyler drawled as he took a sip of his beer. “Thought you’d flake out on us.”

  “I don’t flake,” Brayden said as he signaled Eddie, the bartender and owner, for a beer. There was no use telling the man what kind he wanted. He’d get what Eddie felt like drawing from the tap, as it was in some small towns.

  “No, you’re the reliable one,” Jackson said as he narrowed his eyes.

  Damn brother, always knowing what was on his mind.

  Yes, Brayden was the reliable one. The one that did everything for everybody without wanting a thank you. He’d always been that way. Even as a kid he’d help out when needed. Not that his brothers were jerks or anything. The Coopers always helped out when needed, but Brayden seemed to be the one needed most.

  But, he didn’t have a choice.

  It was his penance.

  After all he was the lucky one…right?

  Absentmindedly, he traced the coin on a leather strap around his neck, feeling the magic warm and spark under his touch.

  Jackson scowled and tilted his head. “You gonna tell us what that coin is any time soon? You’ve had the thing for years and haven’t spilled the beans.”

  Tyler nodded and elbowed him in the gut as Eddie brought over his beer. Brayden gave him a quick nod and took a sip. Nice, crisp with a little bit of hops to make it tingle. Perfect. Eddie knew what the hell he was doing. That’s why he and his brothers never fought over what to drink. Eddie always had it right.

  “Stop thinking about your damn beer and tell us what the hell is going on,” Tyler said as he looked over his shoulder.

  Brayden sighed and did the same. The place was pretty empty, and they were alone at least for the moment so whatever they said would be private for now.

  “I don’t feel like talking,” Brayden said and took another sip. Maybe if he just kept drinking, they’d leave him alone. He’d kept his secret for longer than Tyler or Matt had kept theirs. He didn’t feel like sharing it now, even though he knew the weight of secrets pushed down on them all. Time moved forward, and new people were entering their tight-knit group, changing the dynamics beyond a mere brotherhood.

  “You don’t have a choice right now,” Jackson said smoothly, and then he took another sip. “You see, we know you’ve been hiding something, but we’ve let you keep it secret since you don’t seem to be in pain. However, things are changing. Ever since Greg died, you’ve been acting differently. Like you’re waiting on something that could actually happen now, instead of watching from the sidelines.”

  Brayden held back a wince at the bastard’s name, even though Jackson wasn’t that far off.

  “That brings us to the second reason we’re here,” Tyler said. “All of this comes back to Allison, and we’re going to talk about that. Deal?”

  “Since when did we become a group of women who talk about our feelings?” Brayden asked.

  “Since always, you ass. We talk more than most, so get over yourself,” Jackson scolded.

  Brayden drained the last of his beer and signaled to cut himself off. He needed to drive later, and he didn’t need to drown himself in liquid courage.

  “Where do you want me to start?” Brayden asked, resigned.

  “How about with the coin around your neck? Come on. We’ve been asking for years; you’ve been avoiding for years. Based on everything that’s been happening in the past few months, it’s time to spill. What are we in for here?” Tyler asked.

  “It’s my lucky coin.”

  Jackson blinked. “And? That really doesn’t tell us anything. Plenty of people have lucky coins, yet yours seems different. And considering this is Holiday, where all things holiday and paranormal seem to be collected, and the fact we’re Coopers and can’t seem to get away from the blasted things, that can’t just be a lucky coin.”

  The anger and bitterness when Jackson talked about holidays and paranormals surprised Brayden. Considering Jackson wasn’t a fan of change, it made sense that he hadn’t liked how their family had been turned upside down in recent months.

  “I’m a lucky man,” Brayden explained. At his brothers’ stares, he continued, “I’ve always been lucky. At least since I was five and I found the end of a rainbow.”

  Tyler and Jackson’s eyes widened, and Brayden chuckled.


  “Yes, an actual rainbow.”

  “But, you can’t find the end of one,” Jackson said. “Rainbows are just refracted light like a prism. The position changes as you change your position. That’s the whole point of your eyes and perception.”

  Brayden loved when his dentist and science-driven brother got technical.

  “Sometimes, Jacks, the science of it all gets skewed when magic enters the fray.”

  Jackson cursed. “This is why I miss things the way they were.”

  Tyler frowned. “I don’t, not really. It’s because of magic that I got Abigail and Matt got Jordan and Justin got Rina. I don’t think I could give up the magic in exchange for losing any of that. Not even a little bit.”

  Jackson rolled his eyes. “If you all had been meant to get together, then you would have. Magic shouldn’t have been a part of it. That’s beside the point. Ignore me and my old man crankiness.”

  “Always do,” Tyler said. “So, Brayden, you found the end of a rainbow. And you say you’re lucky…so are you a leprechaun?”

  Any other time and place, or any other family, that question would either have been a joke or one that would have landed any one of them in the loony bin, but not in Holiday, not anymore.

  “No, but I met one.”

  “So, what did he look like? I know elves aren’t short little people, but what about him?” Tyler asked, excitement on his voice.

  Who knew his tough sheriff brother would be so excited about all this?

  “He looked like a cranky old man hording his pot of gold. He told me that only a lucky few are destined to find the end of a rainbow. And, because I was special, I got a coin that would prove me lucky.”

  “You know, any other time, that old man would seem a bit creepy,” Jackson said. “I mean, an old man drawing in a little boy with a promise of trinkets?”

  “Way to make it gross, you idiot,” Brayden said and threw a peanut at him.

  “What? I wouldn’t want my kids finding old men in fields or wherever the hell you were.”

  “Oh shut the fuck up,” Brayden said and ground his teeth.

  “I still have no idea why people think you’re the nice one,” Tyler said.

  “Because I am fucking nice. Now are you going to let me finish my story? Or are we going to let Jackson taint a memory for me?”