Lucky Star
Luvluck Novellas Series, Book 3
K.L. Shandwick
LUCKY STAR © 2020
K. L. Shandwick– The author of the book
The author has asserted their moral right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988, to be identified as the author of this work.
All Rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, copied, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior written consent of the copyright holder, nor be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.
Disclaimer: This book has mature content and explicit reference to sexual situations. It is intended for adult readers aged 18+.
This novella is a work of fiction; names, places, characters, band names and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or names are used within the fictitious setting of the story. Any resemblance to actual person’s living or dead band names or locales are entirely coincidental unless acknowledged as the artist.
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Also by K.L. Shandwick
Chapter 1
“C'mon Catrina, you know you want to! You and the boys will love it. I promise you’ll have the time of your life. Dubliners are so friendly, it’ll be amazing. What else are you going to do? If I’m not with you, it’ll be boring. Trust me, the boys will feed into that vibe and stop hanging around. Do you really want them out there in other people’s homes instead of celebrating the festive season with you?”
My sister had been so dedicated to her boys after the breakup of her marriage, she’d rarely thought of herself.
I worried about her because, Ryan and Nick were due in college. With one due to go in the summer and the other after a gap year, before starting as well. Once that happened, she’d be living alone for most of the year.
“Of course, I’d love it, but first with Thanksgiving and now with this, you’re forcing us upon Daisy for the Christmas holiday. The poor girl will think she’s dating all of us. It's a nice thought, but you and your girl need some time together to let your relationship grow.”
“Daisy won’t have a lot of time for me with running the pub, besides, the way I feel about her, she’s already part of our family. I think the boys will jump at the chance of a trip to Ireland. It’ll broaden their horizons to live like local people and not like tourists. It’s a different way of life.”
“They’ll get all that when they go to college,” she replied.
“Some of that, yes, but think of the cultural exchange of learning how other people live, mixing with people because they have to communicate, not gaining favor because of who I am. Everyone in their social circle knows I’m their uncle. In Dublin they’d have to work harder at being themselves.”
“Okay,” she agreed, somewhat reluctantly, but nevertheless, I still heard a smidge of excitement in my sister’s tone.
Previously, I’d invited them to come and spend time with me when I’ve been on the road. When I’d been somewhere I had thought Cat would love, I’d brought them to visit me for a few days when tours allowed. Having the lifestyle I had was worth nothing if I couldn’t share it with anyone.
“I want you to talk to Daisy first, though. If she agrees, then I’ll discuss it with Ryan and Nick. You know Ryan has a crush on her? You’re going to have to talk to him too. He’s sent text messages to his buddies saying check out Daisy, my Uncle Jamie’s smoking hot Irish girlfriend.”
“Fuck, he didn’t?” I snapped. So far, Daisy and I had managed to contain who knew about our relationship. Deep down I knew it could only be a matter of time before the press got wind of it, but we had tried to preserve our anonymity while we made a more solid footing to our relationship.
“Yeah only to Presley and Nelson. I already had a word about not telling anyone else, but that may need reinforcing.”
I felt somewhat relieved about who knew because the boys in question had a famous Mom, Wynona Lynton, the Country and Western singer. Those boys also knew the price of fame, so I figured my secret was still safe...ish for the time being.
I realized I was smiling while saying this of course, because my nephew had great taste, my girl was smokin’ hot. “I’ll have a chat with him about keeping his hormones under control around my girl, but I can’t disagree with his assessment… he has inherited my taste in women.”
“Somehow I knew that would be your response,” she laughed. “Jamie?” Her voice rose in question.
“Yeah?”
“She makes you happy, doesn’t she?”
“Happiest I’ve ever been,” I replied without hesitation. Before she could deepen the conversation, I wrapped up the call. “Alright, let me talk to Daisy tonight and see what she says, but I can tell you now to pack your bags, you’re going to Ireland for Christmas.”
Leaving Cat on her own at Christmas hadn’t sat well with me, I felt relieved to have won her over because it meant I could relax and focus my attention on Daisy. After concluding the call, I checked the time to see how long it was before I could check in with Daisy. I was still stateside, but I knew she had a break between three and five each afternoon, and I’d planned to call her then. A tight feeling gripped my chest when I saw I still had fifteen minutes to wait.
Although I’d gone back to Ireland with Daisy after the Thanksgiving break, I’d only been able to spend four days with her before I’d had another band commitment. Time flew by too fast whenever I was with her and there was never enough of it until I had to leave again. Since I’d traveled back to New York, I’d Facetimed most days, only missing one day, but spoke on the phone instead.
During the previous couple of calls I sensed some stress creeping into her tone, and she had hurried our calls. Even as we spoke, I had felt as if she were distracted and not really focusing on our conversations at all.
Another thing I’d noticed was that there hadn’t been one time when she had initiated the calls. I had been doing all the running with Daisy, but that was part of the attraction of being with her.
Finally, at 3.01 p.m., I hit the call button on my phone and the line connected on speed dial.
“Daisy’s phone,” Terry answered in a rapid fire broad Irish accent, answering her cell.
“Hey, Terry, Daisy there?” Frustration laced my tone that it wasn’t my woman’s sweet voice.
“Well, not here, no. She’s in the cellar at the moment. The delivery driver was late due to a flat tire. Can I get her to call you back when she comes back up?”
“Sure,” I replied, sounding deflated. I hung up before Terry could say anything else.
I reminded myself she ran a bar, she had responsibilities like she said, and being me, I knew how that felt to have others depend on me and not just be able to do what I wanted, when I wanted. However, I’d never said I’d call a girl before and not had her answer on the first ring.
In front of me, Daisy acted like I was her celebrity crush, but at the same time, treated me like the normal man she was in love with. She had tried not to let the celebrity side of things impact her daily life, until now. Only a very small circle of people within her pub clientel
e and friends knew who she was dating, and I found that secrecy around our relationship intoxicating.
In the past, most other women I’d known, even if we went out for casual drinks or a meal, had been quick to spread their connection to me. Daisy didn't even use my name in phone calls, only ever referring to me with the nickname she’d given me, Barney. Had I known that would have happened I’d have insisted on a much cooler nickname for the front man of DistRoyed.
A whole hour passed without her calling me back, and I wondered if Terry had even given Daisy my message. Deciding there was a distinct possibility he’d forgotten; I rang the landline number for the bar.
“Hey, Daisy, it’s Barney for you” Terry shouted out, not a hint he’d passed on my message and sounding as if we hadn’t spoken previously.
“Finish stacking those bottles would you,” I heard her say to someone, probably Terry, as her footsteps grew louder as she neared the phone.
“Hey,” she said, a little breathless.
“Hi, baby, I called you earlier. Didn’t Terry tell you?”
“No, but to be honest we’ve been rushed off our feet. We had an unexpected bus party of old sailors drop in at lunchtime. It’s pelting with rain here, so they took cover in my bar,” she replied. “Oh, boy can they drink,” she chuckled.
“Bad time?” I asked, managing to sound sensitive to her needs and hide how pissed I felt that a bus party of tourists had cut into my time on the phone with her.
“No, it’s calmed down now. They left a few minutes ago. I was just replenishing the coolers before the evening shift.”
“Good, apart from being busy, how are you doing beautiful?” I asked, raising my voice over the sudden background noise of my band members arriving for rehearsals and the instant twanging of strings our lead guitarist, Oscar, made as he tuned up his guitar.
“It’s been heaving with people here all day and we’ve got a function on tonight. The rain has brought all the Christmas shoppers in as well. I’ve got three bartenders on and it's not enough. Plus, as soon as I get a chance, I’ve got to brave the cellar again because a couple of the barrels have just gone off.”
“So, now's not a good time to talk,” I asked, disappointed.
“As much as I love you, no, it’s not. This is like me ringing you up to have phone sex while you’re doing an encore in front of ten thousand fans. Can we do this after closing?” she said, softening her stern reply.
I half chuckled; half scoffed because of how much I’d been looking forward to talking with her.
“Of course,” I said, my frustration almost choking me while I tried to sound empathetic toward her situation. My chest tightened and I immediately hated that our jobs dictated how much I could see her and that we lived so far apart.
“Great, I knew you’d understand. Ring me after closing at 1:00 a.m., but don't be late as I will probably fall asleep, I’m straight up knackered.” Daisy hung up on me without another word.
“Fuck,” I muttered as I chucked my phone on the small wooden shelf in the rehearsal room. Taking my wallet and car keys out of my jacket pockets, I placed them beside it, shrugged out of my jacket and wandered over to my bandmates.
“Trouble in paradise?” Paddy asked, raising a brow.
“Right, hit me with something fast and heavy, I’m in that kind of a mood.” I told him, ignoring his jibe. Paddy immediately gave me a fast and furious round of percussion on his drum set.
“Damn, sounds like Jamie needs to reacquaint his cock with his hand. Frustrated, are we?” he asked, with a lazy smirk on his face.
“A few weeks in Dublin is what I need,” I replied. “Two more days and all will be right in my world. Meanwhile, let’s get some practice in,” I said, considering if Daisy was to become a permanent fixture in my life. There had to be a way to get her out of working so hard, with such long hours.
The rest of the day dragged as I rehearsed with one eye on the clock while my mind struggled to engage fully with my band. Eventually the guys called it time and I headed back to Catrina’s place with a bottle of Scotch. After ordering take out Chinese from an app on my phone, I counted the hours until it was time to call Daisy back.
Chapter 2
“Wow, are you telepathic or do you have one of those tiny micro spy cameras hidden inside this room? I’ve only just locked the doors after the last punters left, and my cell rang the moment I set foot on the stairs,” Daisy said when she answered.
“Damn, now why didn’t I think of that the last time I was there?” I asked in reference to the camera. “No, you said don’t be late and I always come on time where you’re concerned,” I said, chuckling because she could take that both ways.
“True,” she agreed, chuckling back and I figured she’d gotten the double entendre.
“I miss you so much. I can't wait to see you.”
“Ditto, Mr Hottie. When will you get here?” she asked.
“Probably not until the morning of the twenty fourth.”
“Christmas Eve? That's cutting it fine, with flight delays, cancellations and bad weather on your side.”
“That's one of the reasons I needed to talk with you.”
“Don’t tell me bad news. I’d have to put my arse kicking boots on if you let me down.”
“Oh, baby, no. I’m definitely coming. The charter slot is scheduled. I’m bringing Paddy and Bernie across as well. They’re going to her parents for Christmas.”
“Alright, as long as you’re not letting me down, I can take whatever else it is.”
“I hope you don’t mind but I’ve invited Catrina and the twins to Ireland as well.”
“Oh, wow,” she replied, less enthusiastic than I’d expected her to be. “Wait… where am I going to put everyone? There’s plenty of room at my parents… but I’m not sure I want my wee sisters around the twins.”
I snickered at her thought, I’d completely forgotten about Poppy and Bluebell, Daisy’s twenty and eighteen year old sisters. The previous time I’d spent with Daisy had been all consuming with each of us barely mentioning our siblings.
While I’d stayed in Dublin, Daisy had gone to visit her parents alone one time when I’d gone to met Paddy after his honeymoon. Therefore, I hadn’t met her parents or either of her sisters who were living temporarily in the UK whilst at college.
“Agreed,” I replied, snickering. “I’d already anticipated your answer and know that space is tight in the pub. I’ll contact my management company about accommodation. I just wanted to run it past you before Catrina agreed to their trip.”
“So, I had a choice?” she asked, amused.
“Of course, you did. I knew you’d say yes though. I could tell you and Catrina hit it off. Anyway, back to the arrangements. Contingent to your agreement, I already had my PA pull some possible places for them to stay. There’s a hotel in Ballsbridge, which sounds like an interesting place name.”
“Ah I know it, looks quite stately home-like and set back from the main road?”
“That’s the one. I figure my comings and goings won’t get much notice there.”
“Right, that’s settled then. Look, I love you, but I need to head to bed because some of us have work to do in the morning. I don’t have the luxury of lying in bed while the royalties pour into my bank account.” I nodded to myself, disappointed again that our time was so short.
“Okay,” I answered, reluctantly, “Love you as well,” I said back. Daisy hung up and left me to contemplate how to make sure we didn’t waste a minute of the time we had together, when I landed in Dublin.
Chapter 3
Being chauffeur driven through the private terminal to my plane felt like the best perk in the world. It meant not having to deal with the hassle of holiday crowds and fans in the main terminal, and this alone, made the expense of the jet worthwhile, in my opinion.
My plane never sat idle. Whenever I wasn’t using it, there were a few select celebrities and businessmen I chartered it out to as well. The quick trips bet
ween New York and most states it was used for justified the two pilots’ salaries I kept on retainer when I wasn’t touring.
Once she knew Daisy was on board with the visit, my sister’s reluctance to accept my invitation was quickly forgotten. She and the twins were excited to be taking the trip.
Since Nate, her husband, went MIA with his secretary, I had funded the twins’ schooling, bought Catrina a home and met their day to day expenses. But at her request, apart from the house, it had been all low key. She insisted on no fancy or extravagant gestures, as she had wanted to keep the boys grounded.
I admired that she’d wanted her boys to make their own way in the world, rather than use my money and fame as a crutch. So, apart from attending a few concert venues and trips abroad to see me, this was Catrina’s and the twins’ first real insight into how I now spent my time when I wasn’t with her.
I’d never taken them to fancy hotels, preferring to rent a moderate house where Catrina would be able to relax. Knowing her well, I hadn’t wanted her to feel any place was too fancy that her boys were going to break expensive items that I’d have to replace.
The boys, Ryan and Nick, didn’t share their mom’s reservations and revelled in any VIP treatment they received on account of who I was. I suppose having been brought up with me as their famous uncle since the age of six years old, they had taken my celebrity status in their stride.
As we boarded the plane, Paddy and Bernie arrived and we all exchanged hugs.
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