Lucky Streak (Lucky 2)

But by that point, Mike had been making a decent living and deposited money monthly into his father’s bank account. By silent agreement the men never discussed it, although Mike knew his father used the money for necessities like food and clothing. If he was also bankrolling the odd purchase of voodoo paraphernalia or other items, Mike preferred not to know about it.

“Get in the car. I’ll drive you back to the house,” he said to his father. He didn’t look at Amber, afraid to see the horror in her gaze.

For some reason he didn’t want to own up to yet, he cared what she thought of his father.

Edward opened the backdoor and climbed into the seat.

“He’s descented, huh?” Amber asked.

“Who’s she?” Edward asked Mike.

“I’m Amber. Does he bite?” she asked.

Mike shrugged. “Last time I checked, no. But he didn’t have a skunk last time I was here, either.”

Amber laughed, the light tinkling sound that had enchanted him in Vegas did so again now. “I meant the skunk, not your father. Does Stinky Pete bite?”

Knowing his father wouldn’t talk to her, Mike glanced in his rearview mirror. “Dad, does the rodent bite?”

“No.”

Against all common sense, at least to Mike’s way of thinking, Amber turned around in her seat and faced Edward. “Can I hold him?” she asked.

Any sane woman would have run screaming by now. Any rational human would have insisted they leave immediately.

Amber took the skunk from his father’s hands.

And Edward let her.

Then he did the unimaginable. He invited her inside the house.

Nothing inside the old cape-style structure had changed since Mike’s mother had moved out except the clutter. Mike was used to it.

Amber excused herself to use the bathroom and Mike jumped on the opportunity to discuss the reason for his visit. “Dad, Derek called and asked me to talk to you. He and Gabrielle appreciate your concern for them, but they’d really like for you to stop…” How did he put it politely? “Stringing crap up over their door and sprinkling fairy dust on their walkway.”

“Someone’s got to ward off evil spirits. They’re tempting fate. So who is she?” Edward waved a hand toward the doorway Amber had gone through.

Mike didn’t pretend to misunderstand. “Her name is Amber Rose. I met her in Vegas.”

“I thought what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas?” his father said, cracking a joke for the first time in…well, longer than Mike could remember. “Yet you brought her home with you?” Edward’s gaze narrowed.

Mike knew there w

as no way around the truth. Besides, who was he going to tell? “We got married,” he muttered.

“Married!” Edward shouted. “Are you out of your mind? The curse is going to get you yet. Unless…You don’t love her, do you?”

Mike shook his head. “I don’t even know her.”

“Well, praise be, there’s hope for you yet.” Edward raised his hands in the air, then ran to the nearest cabinet and returned with a jar of red dust.

“Don’t come near me with that stuff,” Mike ordered in his sternest voice.

Edward frowned and placed the jar on a table. “You aren’t in love with her, you barely know her, and you just met her this weekend so you wouldn’t know if she was knocked up. That means you married her because she’s hot. Sexy hot.” Edward nodded, seemingly talking to himself and satisfied with his own answers. “That makes sense at least. No love, no curse. Then again, remember your cousin Derek’s first marriage? The curse kicked in there anyway.”

Mike rolled his eyes. “Derek was a workaholic and he wasn’t in love with his wife. That’s a recipe for disaster any way you look at it. There was no curse needed. But back to Derek. Will you promise me you’ll leave Derek and Gabrielle alone? Quit trying to protect them from the damn curse.”

“What curse are you talking about?”