Lucky Me!: Lucky Me, #1

By Amanda Vint

Book One in the Lucky Me! series.

It started with a coffee, and ended in disaster.

When a handsome American takes over the women's magazine she works for, Ava doesn't realise that her life is about to change in more ways than one. Her luck has never ran that smoothly, and after a drunken encounter at the office party, she wakes up with more than a hangover.
Her life was ticking along nicely before Hayden, the gorgeous boss, took over; and Rupert, the pesky, but annoyingly suave ex, came back.
Men are like buses, and after being single for the past couple of years, two are now vying for her heart. Is this a blessing or a curse? And what secrets are both men hiding? Luck seems to masquerade in the strangest sense, and after being swept off her feet in more ways than one, it's down to earth with a huge, two-left-feet thud.
But with a little help from her best friends, Leon and Lucy, everything will be okay; right?

Love, laughter, friendship, and drama await, in this story of mishaps - and trying not to wear your heart on your sleeve, too much - British comedy.

When one door closes, Ava will probably walk into it.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Amanda Vint
• Release date: Mar 11, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201752279

Amanda Vint

Amanda Vint started writing romance novels in July 2016, self publishing her debut novel "Live and Learn" in the October of the same year. Following on from the positive feedback that the first book prompted, it then went on to become a series; with the next books "Twists and Turns" and "Clarity" being published. Specialising in the romance genre, she also uses her educational background in the field of psychology to incorporate a darker side to some characters, thus adding dramatic plot twists to the storylines. Amanda loves to connect with her readers and has a Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/AmandaVintBooks) and blog (www.amandavint.com) dedicated to doing so.

Book preview

Contents

Chapter One - Day In The Life

Chapter Two - Lucky Me

Chapter Three - Friday

Chapter Four - The Aftermath

Chapter Five - Highs and Lows

Chapter Six - Offers and Snubs

Chapter Seven - A Weekend to Remember

Chapter Eight - A Different View

Chapter Nine - The Visit

Chapter Ten - A New Day

Chapter Eleven - The Music

Chapter One - Day In The Life

The buzz of the coffee shop milled around us, as we sat down at the table nearest the window with our bagels and cappuccinos in hand.

How’s tricks? I haven't seen much of you this weekend. How’s it going with that guy? I leant forward in anticipation, to hear the latest from my wonderful friend, Leon. 

Meh. He chuckled, as he placed his woven shopping bag down on the floor. Is the sky bright yellow with pink polka dots?

I could imagine that Leon would’ve been overjoyed if it was, but I decided to bite my lip and play along.

No, why? I asked, putting on my best dumb-face.

Because Y is a crooked letter and you can’t straighten it, he huffed.

Leon’s love life was along the lines of the Titanic – everything went down and then it all ended tragically.

Turns out he was married. What is it with married men thinking they can have the best of both worlds?

Maybe he’s bisexual? You know, not everyone is as confident about coming out to the world. Although I do feel sorry for his wife.

Sorry for her? She ended up catching us!

What?! I screeched.

Oh yeah, he invited me back to his place. We were getting it on, and his wife came home! Turns out she was supposed to be away for the weekend!

Oh my word, that’s awful!

It was! She got me by my hair and threw me out of the door! I was screaming and everything!

I’d actually meant it was awful for his wife, but I think Leon had gotten the wrong end of the stick. Images of him being dragged out by his hair did make me do an internal chuckle.

Leon was definitely more of a stroppy lover than a fighter, and that definitely had something to do with the fact that he was probably more feminine than me. Bless, he couldn't fight his way out of a paper bag, but he’d give scratching its eyes out a good go.

What happened then? I asked in awe, imagining Leon’s weekend spectacle.

This was my source of entertainment, because even though his love life was a disaster, it was better than mine, which was non-existent.

Well...

Sipping my coffee, I was just about to hear the next episode in Leon’s life, when Lucy came crashing through the doors of the café, looking flustered.

Hey Luce, I interrupted, while Leon spun around to witness the usually calm-and-collected blonde, coming in looking like she’d started a fire somewhere and then done a bunk.

Oh guys, you will not believe the morning I’ve had! she exclaimed, bustling her way toward us through the people who were trying to sit at the next table.

Why, what’s happened? Leon asked, eyes and ears on stalks.

You know Cherise has retired, she began, as she took a seat next to us and flung her coat over her lap, I found out this morning that the new buyer of the magazine will be joining us today.

Really? I didn’t think anything had been confirmed? I wondered.

This was not going to be an average morning.

It wasn’t supposed to be, but I had a call at the crack of dawn saying that he was dropping by to see how things were running.

Who told you that? Leon asked, leaning forward.

Margo. She was in just as much of a panic about it because he wants to look through everything. Apparently he’s making some changes, and wants everything to be running his way.

He can’t do that! It’s a women’s magazine. Surely he doesn’t know the first thing about ladies’ stuff? Does Cherise know about this? I asked.

And what am I? Leon pouted.

Oh, you know what I mean, I shooed toward him.

Geez, Leon knew more about make up products than I did, and that was exactly why he always ran the beauty features. 

It’s out of her hands now that she’s retired. I’ve heard stories about this guy...

Lucy was always the first to know about all the goings on, as she was the receptionist at our magazine headquarters, Flirt. The magazine had been going for years, and after university, I’d been lucky enough to land a job as a temp there, and eventually being taken on full-time by our old boss, I loved it.

Ooh, talking of guys, look who just walked in. Leon smirked, eyeing the door.

Feeling my cheeks flush pink, the hottest guy in our office, James, breezily wandered through the door. I’d liked him since always, and Leon in particular, liked to tease me about it whenever he was around.

Leon, shut it, I mumbled, feeling about sixteen-years-old and hiding behind my cappuccino cup.

Ava’s in lurve, he began, while breaking into muted laughter.

Really? James? Lucy eyed, being the next to stare at him and then at my reaction.

I’m not in love with him, I murmured, rolling my eyes. I just think he’s nice to look at.

So do half of the women in the office, Lucy stated.

Yeah, but her and James got a little lippy at our Christmas party, Leon blurted.

I could’ve killed him sometimes.

You didn’t? Lucy gasped, eyes on stalks and immediately turning back to me.

My cheeks were red hot in this present moment, and I could’ve reached over and finished the job on behalf of the wife of Leon’s latest escapade.

Thank you so much, for bringing that to everyone’s attention. I sarcastically stated, before glaring at him and turning to Lucy. We had a little, minute, tiny, not-even-worth-talking-about kiss, at the Christmas party. But, we were both drunk, and he hasn’t looked at me since. It was stupid because work relationships are never designed to last. I have a slight attraction to him, but it’s ridiculous, because as you say, a lot of the other ladies we work with are the same around him.

Why didn’t I know about this sooner? I wish I would have been able to make it to that party. You kept that one quiet! Anyway, your secret is safe with me. Lucy grinned.

A part of me wondered whether that was really true. I loved Lucy, but a part of her was a massive gossip. On the other hand, she was one part of this best-friend-trio, so I trusted her to keep shtum.

Anyway, can we please just get to the office now? I cringed, grabbing my purse and bagel, and abandoning all hope of finishing my cappuccino.

Why, are you worried he might see you blushing? Leon chuckled as he was the next to stand up.

Er, yeah, actually. Ooh, he’s paying now, get your things, I urged, hurrying them both up.

Hastily, they did as they were told, and I left the coffee shop with Lucy and Leon following behind me, giggling away like a pair of teenagers. I knew what would happen if we didn’t vacate the premises – Leon would make some remark as James walked past us, he would turn and see my flaming cheeks, and I would look like an idiot – again. James wasn’t interested in me, and I think Leon was the one who couldn’t grasp that idea. 

I wasn’t sure what it was, but James was hot in a really cute way, and my hormones decided to up their game whenever he was around. It was a stupid crush, yet my knees did turn to jelly in his presence. I was a grown woman! That sort of reaction should be physically banned over the age of twenty-one.

Heading into the Flirt premises, Lucy split off into the direction of the reception desk in the foyer, while me and Leon took the elevator to the third floor. While usually on a Monday morning I was always eager to start on my workload, running up a couple of flights of stairs beforehand was never part of the agenda, so was therefore avoided.

Darting out of the elevator and through the double-doors to the open-plan office, there was a huddle of staff in the centre of the room, with Margo, our editor-in-chief-bitch, stood at the front. She shot us both a look as if to tell us there was no way she was starting her speech again, so the pair of us nervously joined the back of the group to listen in to the rest of whatever it was she had to say.

Guys, he’ll be here in less than half an hour! First impressions are always the ones that last the longest, so let’s do this, okay?! Margo shouted, trying to drum up enthusiasm in a somewhat subdued crowd.

Everyone nodded and vaguely smiled in agreement, as the group split off in their separate directions – me and Leon still stood there like a pair of spares at a wedding.

What do you think she said before we came in? Leon muttered in my direction.

I’ve no idea. I turned to start walking toward my desk with him following on. Perhaps she said that our new boss is a tyrant who’s going to lynch us all at the first sign of trouble, I joked, yet a part of me dreaded that that may have indeed been said.

Oh, Ava, don’t. Leon sighed as he fanned himself with his hand. I knew I should have worn my lucky shirt today.

Your lucky shirt is what you use for pulling on a Saturday night. Why on earth would you need that today? I laughed as I sat at my desk and switched my computer on.

Because if he’s going to lynch me, then I may as well be lynched in style! The cut is really good on that shirt... it’s not lucky for nothing.

Smiling to myself, he gracefully parked his backside into his own chair and we both started sifting through the never-ending emails, which were part and parcel of this job.

Leon was the go-to guy for fashion and beauty, and sometimes I wished a part of that would rub off onto me. Maybe that’s why I sat next to him at work – all in the hopes that style and grace were contagious.

I couldn’t help but not pay a blind bit of attention to the emails, as my mind wandered over the prospect of what this new tyrant would be like. Our old boss, Cherise, was great. Cherise’s rule was one of glitter and pizzazz, and when she was retiring, we were all fully expecting to have another lady come into the fore.

Flirt was one of the girliest magazines you could buy, and the thought of a man calling the shots on it kind of made it lose its sparkle. What would he know about PMT and HRT?

Sifting over female hormones and cellulite – MTFBWY, buddy.

The time had obviously escaped my notice, as the next interruption came in the form of all hell breaking loose. Lucy had sent word up from reception that the new boss had arrived, and ructions had broken out.

Papers were flying about the place; Margo had emerged from her office and was waving her arms about, Leon had darted up and was arranging some of his beauty highlights on a flip-chart behind him from the previous week’s edition, and what was I doing? Sat there, dumbfounded.

It seemed the prospect of chaos ensuing had turned me into a vegetable, sitting there and watching the scene unfold.

Anyway, it was probably best that I hadn’t moved, as about a minute later, everyone turned into weird looking mannequins pretending to look like they were working, as all eyes shifted toward the double-doors.

Time seemed to stand perfectly still, as the doors opened at a snail’s pace, and as if by some form of magic, a gust of air blew through the office and the boss walked in looking like something out of a Bond film.

Sorry, that damn fan, Leon grumbled, as he’d hit the switch to the studio fan and it had given off a blast of air.

But I don't think myself, or anyone else had noticed that much, as the six-feet tall, black haired, blue eyed God, wandered into our office space. Without looking, the sound of jaws falling open could’ve been heard if you strained your hearing a little. This man was certainly not what I was expecting.

Someone hand him a Diet Coke.

In a gorgeously tailored suit, he looked like one of the models that we used for photo shoots, and for a second, I did wonder whether that was the case.

Mr. Lockhart, how nice to meet you! Margo greeted, wandering through the ream of flailing staff, pointing out her hand in his direction.

Margo, nice to finally meet you in person, he offered in his American accent, shaking her hand in return.

Shall we? She smiled in her pompous way, ushering him into the direction of her office.

He politely made his way through, and gawping through the glass walled confinements, I watched him as he took a seat on the opposite side of the desk, and unbuttoned his jacket to make himself more comfortable.

I had absolutely no idea what was occurring around me, until I heard:

Earth to Ava...

Spinning my head around, there was Leon, waving a hand in front of my face and laughing.

Er, sorry, did you want something? I asked, still half in trance mode.

Nice, isn’t he? And American, too. Leon grinned. If he’s gay, I call first dibs.

Rolling my eyes, I laughed, until Sex-God-Number-Two walked by clutching his coffee – James.

Wow, is it hot in here? I chuckled, removing my suit jacket and placing it on the back of my chair.

It would seem there’s a heatwave today, Leon jested, migrating his way back to his desk.

Our laughing trailed to a halt, as James himself, stopped in front of mine and Leon’s desk.

Who’s that? he asked in either one of our directions, with his eyeline in the direction of Margo’s office.

I looked at Leon, who looked at me, and neither of us knew what to say. James, generally, when not in a drunken stupor, never even glanced in our directions. As one of the best journalists here, he really didn’t need to. He was firmly under the wing of Margo, and we never got a look in.

That would be the new boss, Leon uttered toward him.

Oh right, I see, James muttered, before taking himself and his coffee off in the direction of his own workload.

Leon leaned in toward me. What do we owe the honour of that little visit? He chuckled.

I have no idea. Maybe he likes you. I winked.

"Darling, he’s so straight, he’s got a poker as