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Acknowledgments
Thereissomethinguniquelythrilling about being able to put your thoughts and words to the page. There is also something uniquely terrifying about sharing that story with others. This story gripped me one night with manic glee, and didn’t rest until I had the first sloppy draft written and no idea what to do next. Enter a group of the most supportive, honest, and truly wonderful human beings I could ever ask for. This book would not be in this form, and I would likely still be curled up on my kitchen floor agonizing over it, without their guidance.
My first thank you is to my mother. She may prefer the classics and less romance, but that has never stopped her from reading and enjoying my work. Thank you for every phone call to detail plot, every email for basic proofreading, and for every hour you spent entertaining my kiddos so I could write. Thank you also for skimming the parts I warned you to skim and never mentioning chapters 8, 15, 18, and 19. Ever.
To my husband, I know that I basically spend all my limited free-time parked in front of a word processor, but thank you for giving me the time and space to devote to this project. I know you aren’t a reader, and the idea of doing what I do sounds like the ultimate form of torture, and all that just makes it so much more meaningful when you watch the kids so I can write, talk to me about plot holes, check out 50 million cover iterations, and try not to heave when I tell you how much publishing costs. I love you beyond compare, and Mac wouldn’t exist without you to inspire him.
Thank you to my brilliant critique partners Bailey and Stellina. Thank you for believing in Maggie, adoring Mac, and helping me find all the places my book could be stronger. Bailey, this book would be much shorter, a lot tamer, and significantly more boring without you. Thank you for kicking my butt when I needed you to, and for pushing me to dig deeper with my characters, my plot, and my story. Also, my life. I don’t know how I would have gotten through this process without you. Stellina, your advice on fandoms, your adoration of Mac’s nerdy side, and your insights into Dean, Audrey, and Cal were invaluable. I cannot express how wonderful it was to wake up to new comments and suggestions from you!
To my beta readers Stephanie, River, Sierra, Markie, Jeneane, and Tiffany, who both hyped me up and found all the little holes that needed fixing. Thank you for taking the time to read my story and help make it the best it could be. To Casey and Gen, I will never not send you my novels. Your feedback is thorough and constructive, and your love and support are uplifting. I know you will both love and understand my characters and point me in the right direction for rewrites.
To my editor E, thank you for not only making my words and story stronger and smoother, but for mentoring me through so much of this process. Your support and kindness went above and beyond and I feel so much more confident putting my book out into the world with your guidance.
And a special thank you to the authortok community. I cannot imagine a more supportive group. No matter what the question, someone on there has an answer that they are willing to share with the newbies like me.
Excerpt From BLIND LUCK
Evenbeforeherdatearrived, Jenna Andrews knew her third blind setup of the year was going to be the worst one yet. First, she had already caught her cashmere sweater on the exposed brick wall to her left. Second, the barista had asked her to repeat herself twice when she ordered a rooibos tea with honey and she’d had to settle for green. Third, it was only the second week in January and she was preparing to make odious small talk with a relative stranger. Again.
It was probably time to tell Clem that she wasn’t interested in meeting anyone right now, but Jenna’s friend had found love and it was now their mission in life to make sure everyone else found it, too. Jenna tucked her slick dark hair behind her ears and tapped her blunt fingernails on the lacquered top of the cafe table. According to her watch, the one she synced to the NIST-F1 atomic clock in Boulder, her date was already five minutes late. That alone was enough to darken her mood. She didn’t need to factor in the slush coating the streets, slicking the sidewalks, and soaking
through her nicer pair of black boots.
“Green tea for Jen,” the barista called, holding up her paper cup.
Jenna snorted a breath out through her nose, lips pursed together. She’d even spelled her name out when she placed her order. When no one else stood to take the cup, Jenna pushed her chair back and slid her legs out from under the table. Her black tights snagged on a splinter at the side of her wooden chair and she could feel the run up the back of her left thigh. Well, that was just great. She would grab her tea and go back home. This was karmic justice for allowing Clem and Frankie to play matchmaker when she wasn’t interested in another relationship. Jenna ran her hands down her black suede skirt, smoothing the nonexistent wrinkles.
The cafe was straining at capacity. Between the bass line of conversation, the melody of “Frankie’s Greatest Hits” playing over the speakers, and the harmony as the bell dinged every time the door slammed open and shut, Jenna didn’t hear someone walk up behind her.
“So you’re Jenna.” The man leaning against the counter had sandy blonde hair and laughing eyes the same color as his hoodie sweatshirt.
“Lucky?”
His smile was lopsided, favoring the right where a deep dimple creased his stubble-covered cheek. He looked down at the emerald green sweatshirt where peeling white vinyl letters spelled out LUCKY HILL CONSTRUCTION.
“Luca.” He held a hand out for Jenna to shake. “Luke.”
Luke’s hand was broad, with long blunt fingers tipped with short nails. Small round calluses marked the fleshy part where his fingers met his palm. She’d been staring too long. Luke pulled his hand back and wiped it down the front of his sweatshirt.
“Sorry.” His grin showed straight white teeth.
Luke extended his hand again and Jenna slipped hers into his. She aimed for an air kiss of a handshake, the kind where she’d already been pulling back before he managed to get a real grip, but his hand was warm and his palm was dry and her own hand looked tiny wrapped in his even though Jenna was not a tiny woman. Her fingers flexed against his and the calluses she’d seen before rasped against her skin, sending a small shiver down the back of her neck.
Small lines appeared at the corner of Luke’s eyes and Jenna pulled her hand back.
“I have a table over here,” she said and turned on her heel, not caring if he followed her.
“Thanks,” Luke said, keeping pace as she walked across the cafe. “I was a little late, I know, but it looks like you’ve been having fun without me.”
“Excuse me?” Jenna glanced at him over her shoulder.
“You’ve got a hole in your tights. I assume you got it by hopping a fence or playing Red Rover while waiting on me.”
“No,” Jenna said and slid into her seat. She forgot about the sharp edge and snagged her tights again. There was not enough tea in the world to drop her heart rate.
Luke dropped into the seat across from her, his
denim-clad legs stretched out on either side of the table. He wasn’t invading her
