My Lucky Days: A Novel (45 page)

Lucky backed away from the mic and launched into the heavy guitar solo—fingers flying over the strings as the sound filled the auditorium, filled our theater room, and every other television across the country. He was still so talented. No new artist had even come close to topping him when it came to his guitar abilities.

The video eventually came to an end, and the stage went black again. The audience cheered loud until a car dealership commercial filled the screen. And I let out a deep breath, feeling the adrenaline still coursing through my veins.

He was back.

And they loved it.

The sun was just starting to rise in the sky as I cooked bacon and mixed up pancake batter. I felt a set of arms circle around my waist. I jumped slightly. “You scared me.”

His lips found my neck, planting a kiss right below my ear. “Good morning, beautiful.”

“I didn’t think you’d be back yet.” I turned around, running my hands over his chest.

“Perk of having my own plane.” He kissed me softly. “I missed you.”

“I missed you too. So you didn’t stay for the parties?”

“Well, they started dancing and I decided to come home and ask my wife to dance with me instead.”

Before I could reply, his hand was on my waist and we were moving. My head fell back in laughter as Lucky spun me around in a circle. He pulled me against his chest as his hips swayed back and forth. “There’s no music.”

“Since when do we need music to dance?” He grinned. “But if you want some.” I heard his voice as he hummed a song, moving me around our kitchen in a country two-step.

“
Feet Don’t Touch the Ground
. Stoney LaRue.”

He kissed me, letting his lips linger for a moment. “I can’t even stump you anymore. Not even with Red Dirt music.”

“Nope.” I smiled as our feet began to move again. I heard Sam climbing onto the barstool and looked over.

“Hey, buddy.”

“Hey, Dad.” His eyes were suddenly bright and cheery. “You were awesome last night.”

“I was nervous. But I think it worked.”

“Yeah?” I looked up at him. I felt my body going into another twirl before he pulled me back to his chest.

He grinned. “They want to release them both. And CMT thinks
Cool Creek Water
might be their showcase song of the summer.”

“Oh, wow. That’s
so
cool.” Sam reached over to the plate by the stove, getting a piece of bacon. He chewed on it while Lucky and I continued to dance. Strange maybe to some. But this was us.

“Mom, can I have chocolate chips in my pancakes?”

I nodded, looking over at Sam. “Sure. And can you go get your sister and we will eat?”

“Okay.” He climbed off the barstool and looked back at Lucky. “Can we go fishing this morning? I’ve got a bunch of worms already dug up.”

“You bet. But let’s eat first.”

“Yes!” Sam went running off to the other side of our enormous and ridiculous house. Our home.

I knew Lucky was exhausted. But it didn’t matter. He would say yes. He would
always
say yes. No matter how late or early he came in from a show. He would not miss out on the little things. They were important to him.

Laying my head against his chest, I felt the beat of his heart against my cheek. I heard his voice singing the words again as we continued to dance.

“This never gets old. Dancing with you,” I whispered.

“I love dancing with you, Katie.” And then he kissed me. His lips were soft and gentle.

Sunnie came running across the hardwood floor in her pajamas that were printed with pink bunnies. “Daddy!”

“I missed my little Sunshine.” Lucky scooped her up, planting a kiss on her cheek. He continued to dance with her as I went over to the stove to make chocolate chip pancakes.

This was it. The life I had always dreamed of.

And I loved it.

If this were a movie,

The credits would roll.

And this song would play.

“Feet Don’t Touch the Ground”

Stoney LaRue

Without readers, there would not be books. So thank you for reading
My Lucky Days
. And I hope you liked the song lyrics. For me, those words made Lucky Evans seem more alive and real. I have loved country music my whole life. So this was a fun project for me. And that’s what I needed when I started this book—a love story like Lucky and Katie’s. I hope you liked them too.

And now I get to publicly thank as many people as possible.

The book bloggers! You get top billing. You read, you promote, you review, you organize events, you love books, you love authors—and we love you! From the bottom of my heart, thank you for keeping the dream alive for indie authors. Without you, this would not be possible.

My husband John who has always encouraged and promoted my books. You love me even when you walk through our house, seeing book stuff scattered in every single room.

Kelli Boland. My number-one beta reader, unofficial PA, book signing assistant, and book bestie. Whenever I need a writing pick-me-up, I can send you a few paragraphs and your excitement for the story always gets me back on track.

My editor Shayla at Curiouser Editing. My book ninja. Without you, nobody would be reading this book. I’m a terrible speller and a little eccentric at times. Thanks for pulling it all together for me. You rock!

Tracy Justice and Ginger Scott. My wonderful author friends who have fielded so many book questions and beta read my scary unedited copies. Thanks, ladies!

My Lucky Days
beta readers! Your feedback is always so helpful, and I’m sure the readers thank you too. Anne Woodall, Beth Cochran, Bonnie Polak, Brittney Lam, Ginger Scott, Jenny Sager, Kelli Boland, Olya Clark, Patty Tate, Tracy Justice, and Trisha Rai.

My Lucky Days
proofreaders! Anne Woodall and Jessica Helm.

And my wonderful agent Kimberly Brower for all of her time and feedback.

And as always, thank you, God, who makes all things possible. I always like to put a verse here at the end that ties to the story.

“The daughter of Levi . . . gave birth to a son . . . She hid him for three months. But the time came when she could hide him no longer. So she took a basket made from grass, and covered it with tar and put the child in it. And she set it in the grass by the side of the Nile. His sister stayed to watch and find out what would happen to him.

Then the daughter of Pharaoh came to wash herself in the Nile . . . She saw the basket in the tall grass and sent the woman who served her to get it. She opened it and saw the child. The boy was crying. She had pity on him and said, ‘This is one of the Hebrews’ children.’

So the woman took the child . . . And he became her son. She gave him the name Moses, saying, ‘Because I took him out of the water.’” —Exodus 2:1–10

SD Hendrickson received a Bachelor’s of Science in Journalism and Public Relations from Oklahoma State University. She lives in Tulsa with her husband and two schnauzers. Currently, her days are spent teaching computer software to oil and gas companies.
The Mason List
was her first novel and it was a 2015 Goodreads Choice Award Semi-Finalist for Best Debut Author.

Visit
www.sdhendrickson.com
for more information on upcoming projects or follow on Facebook
www.facebook.com/sdhendrickson
and Instagram
www.instagram.com/sd_hendrickson.

O
THER
B
OOKS

The Mason List

Waiting for Wyatt

The Mason List

“An epic love. An epic hate. An epic story that would last a lifetime.”

Today, 8:15 p.m.

I hurt. I hurt so deeply, I felt the pain searing in my bones and jabbing like a hot poker into my heart. I knew nothing would make it better as the memories pulled from the crevices of my mind, detailing the bad and the ugly, filling my thoughts with regret as I slipped into the darkness. . .

When I was eight, my mother was dying of cancer, my father lost his job, and the bank kicked us out of our house. I was forced to move to the strange town of Arlis, Texas where my father and I slept in our car in the hospital parking lot. Desperate and hopeless, we lived on fumes of our former life.

Then one night, everything changed forever. A knock on the car window brought a family into my life that I only wanted to shut out. I hated charity and I hated the Masons. Well, except one. He made it impossible to hate him.

Jess Mason had the biggest blue eyes and ornery smile of any boy I had ever seen. He was a ray of sunshine in my dark world. A boy full of adventure, dragging me across the meadow of Sprayberry Ranch; a beautiful Texas paradise full of horses and tree houses that got us into more trouble than anyone ever imagined.

Jess was my everything as a kid until we grew up and the rules changed. Instead of living happily ever after with a boy full of love. . . I destroyed it.

-Alex Tanner,
The Mason List

Waiting for Wyatt

“The dogs that deserved a chance, the guy who needed a second, and the girl determined to save him.”

My name is Emma Sawyer.

I met Charlie and Wyatt on the same sultry, summer day. It was unexpected, leaving a feeling in the pit of my stomach like the time I drove too fast over Beckett Hill. The moment happened out of nowhere, all fast and quick and a little strange. Or maybe that was just Wyatt’s personality.

It was Charlie that brought us together. Little Charlie with those ridiculous ears. I found the dog, waiting in a pool of his own blood. Waiting for someone. Waiting for me.

Now Wyatt, he wasn’t waiting for anyone. At least that’s what he said, except I saw something different in the broken guy all alone out in the woods. I knew he needed me before he knew it himself.