Ever & Always Read online

Ever & Always

  “You can do this. I want you to skate alone around the rest of the way.”

  “No, I’m scared.”

  “Trust me, Maddie. You’ve got to trust me. I’ll be right behind you.”

  “What if I fall?”

  “I can skate faster than you can fall,” he whispered, and Maddie closed her eyes against the shiver that enveloped her body. He gave her a little push and she began to skate, dreading the moment he would let go. And of course, he did let go, hanging back to give her room to skate ahead.

  The girls at the window were rapt, whispering and giggling quietly as they watched their hero skate with his new girlfriend. Even some of his teammates stopped near the locker room door to watch the arena and the attention Jack was paying to the pretty girl in the pink sweater.

  Maddie could barely breathe.

  God, I have to do this. Trust Jack. Don’t let me fall!

  Slowly, carefully, Maddie took the curve at the far end of the oval rink, concentrating on looking smooth and capable. She didn’t dare wonder if Jack was still behind her, or how far away he was. She kept her eyes on the exit door. She was doing fine until the sound of an engine, a loud sound akin to that of a giant lawnmower, pervaded the rink and startled Maddie from her ice exhibition. Abruptly she turned her head in the direction of the sound, and the break in concentration disrupted her momentum, making her off-balance and wobbly.

  Instantly she looked down at her skates, trying to get back into rhythm, but it was too late. She tried to remember how to drag the toe of her skate to brake, and in doing so made herself even more insecure. Terror filled her head. Oh no, I’m going down!

  The thought did not even fully cross her mind and Jack was with her, his arms not merely grasping her waist but wrapped fully around her, the heat of his chest warming her back and shoulders. Looking forward, Maddie realized they were only a few feet away from the rink door.

  They slowed to a stop, but still he held her, his lips close to her ear.

  “Now, is there anything more I can do to earn your trust?” he whispered before kissing her neck briefly. He waited patiently for her to catch her breath, to calm down from her scare.

  Maddie closed her eyes. Jack’s show of affection was not lost on her, but she hesitated to acknowledge it for fear that she was over-reacting. Perhaps it was only in sympathy, a consolation for her pathetic performance. Taking a deep breath, she mentally forced aside the exhilarating feel of his lips against her skin. But she could not begin to slow the wild flutter in her chest.

  “Just tell me, who is Sam Bony, and what is that awful noise?”

  What They Are Saying About Ever & Always

  “A good mystery romance that keeps the reader guessing for most of the story. [Ever & Always] is rich with turmoil, and ties up all the loose ends.

  “Ms. Carter had done an excellent job. It is rare to find a hero as believable as Jack, and a heroine as true to life as Maddie. Their trials are real life and their fears and anxieties something every reader can relate to. Ms. Carter’s story is funny, touching, and poignant. A true pleasure from beginning to end.”

  --Tamara McHatton,

  Rhapsody Magazine

  “Maddie Tyler has no idea what she’s setting in motion on the day she speaks to the man who was her first high school crush. Maddie is married, with a teenaged son, but her marriage is floundering, her heart is vulnerable, and Jack McKenzie is by all accounts a wonderful man. Maddie’s husband wants a divorce, and Maddie realizes she doesn’t love him. Soon she’s falling in love with Jack. Her life is looking just about perfect. But life is not done with Maddie. Behind the scene, someone is watching, someone who has a vested interest in how Maddie’s life turns out.

  “Anne Carter writes competently about life and love. Her characters are real with flaws as well as heroic qualities. [This] is Maddie’s story, and following her sometimes mundane, sometimes turbulent life, is fascinating. 4-1/2 stars”

  --Rickey R. Mallory,

  Affaire de Coeur