Luck of the Draw by Kelley Vitollo Read Free Book Online

days.
    Meow.
    Ace understood. Breck sat, reached a hand into the cage, and pulled her to his lap. He sure as hell hoped Rowan wouldn’t mind if he let her free in this room. After Taylor, he hadn’t wanted to leave the little girl behind.
    “What do you think about this whole situation?” He knew he was lonely when he started asking Ace life questions. At least he didn’t have to worry about word getting out. Cats were good at keeping secrets.
    He still couldn’t get over the fact that it had been Rowan opening the door to him today. He’d been close to passing out himself. What were the odds?
    He thought about how it had felt to laugh with her that night. Just to talk with her. Breck had never really had that. It had eased a bit of the ache inside him. He loved his life, being on the road and feeling free, but he missed laughing with someone too. Rowan had brought that out in him.
    But then she’d walked away from him—had he really expected anything different? Bailey, the only woman he’d ever loved, hadn’t wanted him anymore. Enter a long string of meaningless affairs and a stolen cat. No, he hadn’t been lying when he told Jace he wasn’t going there with another woman. Especially one who’d want more than he could give. Bailey had wanted that—and he’d wanted nothing more than to give it to her—and things with her turned out worse than they did with anyone else.
    “What’s wrong with me, Ace? I’m over here fretting like a teenage girl.”
    Breck heard a car pull up out front and grinned to himself. He gave Ace one more rub and put her back in the carrier. He thought about how good it felt giving Rowan hell. Challenging her to something as stupid as tying a cherry stem. He wanted that feeling back—even though it would only be temporary.
    “It’s show time.”
    …
    The second the headlights from Sidney’s car pulled away from Rowan’s large, white, Victorian-style home, she heard footsteps walking around the side of her house. She’d know the sound of Shakes coming from anywhere. Despite her mood, she felt herself smiling at the thought. Even Shakes’s walk always sounded different.
    She’d been hearing it her whole life. When she was young he always brought treats for her. Now just visiting with him was enough. Everyone in Shamrock Falls felt that way about the older man.
    “Rowan?” his wobbly voice sounded as he got closer. He wasn’t named Shakes for nothing. The man always had a bit of a tremor to him. It got even more pronounced when he was excited.
    It took him a bit to reach her. He wasn’t getting around as well as he used to.
    “Hey old man,” she teased as gray hair and a smile shown under the porch light.
    “Hey, kid.”
    Rowan signaled toward her bench, but he waved her off. “How are you?” she asked.
    “The sun shined today. Birds were singing. I’m alive. Life is beautiful.”
    It was such a Shakes answer. Forget that it had been typical Washington State gloom outside. In Shakes’s world, it was always sunny. She counted on his sunshine whenever she was feeling lonely.
    He winked at her and it suddenly hit her that she needed to count her blessings like he did. Life hadn’t been easy on Shakes. He’d never had much money. His wife left him, but he never let it get him down.
    “How do you always make me feel better?” she asked.
    He shook off the compliment. He’d always been like that. Back when her parents were around and he would spend time with them, he always had time for Rowan when no one else did. But to him, it was nothing.
    “You don’t need me for nothin’, kid.”
    That wasn’t true at all. Shakes helped her get a fishhook out of her foot when she was twelve. He always offered a helping hand to not only her, but everyone. “This whole town needs you. Now what are you doing? Did you stop by for dinner?” She often cooked for him. Everyone in town took turns, since it had become harder for him to do it himself. Shamrock Falls was all he