Unlucky in Love ( Lucky #1) Read Online Free

totaled?”
    “I’m afraid so, ma’am. With the recent weather we’ve had, the water in the creek was pretty high, and the car was slammed into some rocks.”
    “Did . . .” She swallowed. “Did the man who stole it . . . ?”
    “He jumped from the car before it hit the water. We have him in custody. He’s bruised up some but alive.”
    “My purse? My things?”
    “Sorry, ma’am. It looks like most of what was in the car floated away in the water. We’ll keep an eye out for it as we pull your car out of the water, but so far, we haven’t recovered any of your belongings. If I was you, I’d still cancel all your cards, just in case.”
    “Thank you.” She rubbed her hand over her temple and desperately wished for some aspirin.
    She hung up and then opened her eyes to see Amy holding a bottle of pills in front of her. “I don’t have any water, but we can stop somewhere and get some lunch so you can take some of these.” She shook the bottle of Tylenol. Kristen choked, “It’s gone.” Then chuckled at the ironic joke her life was. It was worse than an Alanis Morissette song. “Upside down in a river.”
    “Oh!” Amy reached over and took her hand. “I’m sorry, sweetie.”
    She shook her head. “Don’t be. It’s better this way.”
    Amy pulled her car into a fast food restaurant parking lot and then turned to her. “Promise me one thing.”
    She turned to her friend. “Anything.”
    “This time, when the insurance cuts you a check, let me know before you do anything drastic again.”
    She accepted her fate and nodded her head quickly. “You’ve got it. I am never jumping into anything ever again.”

CHAPTER THREE
    Aiden Scott wasn’t the type of man who jumped into anything. He prided himself on weighing risk versus gain in every situation in life. Years of running his own business had taught him that lesson, but years of dating women who knew how to get what they wanted had honed his tendency toward caution.
    So, when he was asked by two of his stepfather’s best friends to look into buying out their company, he wanted to know everything he could about the business.
    Row and Stein Architecture Firm had been in business for over thirty years. Steven Row was one of his stepfather’s best friends from college. The man had practically lived with his stepfather the first few years after he’d started his business. Actually, it was Steven Row who had initially gotten Aiden interested in the development field.
    Aiden’s stepfather, Eric, had introduced Steven to Paul Stein, who bought into the small firm several years later and turned the business into what it was today.
    One of the top architecture firms in Denver, they not only restored a lot of the older buildings downtown but also designed some of the newer office buildings and lofts that were popping up around the metro area.
    Aiden had been very surprised when Eric had asked him to sit down with Paul and Steven to discuss the possibilities of a business deal where he would absorb the successful business into his own.
    “I’d like to spend some time at your offices,” he said as their meeting in his own building wound down.
    “Um, sure,” the older, silver-haired man agreed. “Anytime. You’re always welcome.”
    “I’d need some office space, and I’d like to look over your books.”
    “That’s Paul’s area.” He gestured to his business partner.
    “I’ll make the arrangements.” The heavier man nodded.
    “Good. I’ve got a few things to tie up here first. I can start in two weeks.”
    The men glanced at each other. “How soon could you make a decision?”
    “In a hurry?” He frowned.
    They both shook their heads. “No, not at all. It’s just we have a few big projects coming up and . . .” Paul sighed. “We were sure hoping for some extra help.”
    Aiden replied, “Once I get my foot in the door, it should take me only a few weeks, maybe a month, to make up my mind.” He thought about his schedule and