Lucky Break Read Free

engine revving, zoomed past the open field in a flash of fire and blinding speed. The convertible—top down, unusual for this time of year—dazzled for an instant before disappearing in a screeching cloud of dust. The vibrant red sports car caused a commotion in Stewart, Massachusetts, a sedate New England town consumed with getting ready for tonight’s Annual Fall Festival, always held the weekend before Halloween.
    Jason Corwin glanced toward the heavy thrumming sound. His heart rate picked up speed, much as it had before a snowboarding race, until he deliberately clamped down on the unwanted reminder of his previous life. A life where he’d had the more expensive Carrera. A life of excitement and a constant rush of adrenaline through his veins. A life that was over, he harshly reminded himself before turning back to the more mundane task of building a tarot card booth for tonight’s big event.
    â€œI wonder who could be so determined to make an entrance,” Clara Deveaux pondered aloud.
    â€œCouldn’t tell you.” Jason hammered the last nail into the sign for Clara’s booth.
    But considering the brightly colored exterior of the car and the deliberate way the engine had been revved up full throttle, the driver had definitely wanted people to notice.
    â€œI’m sure we’ll find out soon enough,” Clara said. “So are you almost finished?”
    He nodded. “As a matter of fact, I am.” He’d agreed to help with setup for the festival, but since Clara was a friend of the family, Jason had also helped to build and decorate her booth and bring over supplies.
    As owner of Crescent Moon, a New Age Wiccan gift shop she’d recently relocated to Stewart, Clara was sure to be a success, her booth filled withpeople who wanted their future told. After all, this town believed in spells and curses. As a Corwin male, direct descendant of William Corwin and, some might say, recipient of the infamous Corwin Curse, Jason wanted nothing to do with witchcraft.
    But Clara insisted on doing a tarot reading for him as thanks for all his hard work. And Clara didn’t take no for an answer.
    â€œGreat!” She seated herself in front of him and pulled out an oversize deck of cards. “Shuffle.” Her bangle bracelets clinked against one another as she handed him the deck.
    With a feigned groan, he did as she asked, shuffling under her watchful eye.
    After four months in a relationship with his uncle Edward that no one in the family could define, Clara was obviously here to stay. Jason liked the woman. It was her do-gooder tendencies that drove him nuts. Clara, like Gabrielle and Amber, his cousins’ wives, pushed and prodded him to get out of his present funk.
    He could understand they were sick of his attitude. He was pretty sick of it himself, which was why he’d humor her and let her read his cards.
    He handed the deck back to her.
    â€œThis deck is my personal favorite,” she said as she turned over one card. “Knight of Pentaclesreversed. You’re a hard worker and can take care of yourself, but something recently happened to turn your world upside down.”
    Jason held back a snort. The whole town knew his goal of winning Snowboarding gold in the winter Olympics had gone south after he’d tested positive for steroids at the World Championships. He’d never touched an illegal substance in his life, but the IOC had banned him from competition for two years. His appeals had been denied, leaving him out of the upcoming 2010 Olympics. With no sponsors to support him, he’d lost the income that enabled him to practice and compete.
    Unable to prove his innocence and the fact that he’d been drugged, Jason had no choice but to concede defeat. He’d maintain his innocence forever, but snowboarding was in his past. The winter Olympics this February in Vancouver would take place without him.
    â€œI see that skepticism,”