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    Ever After
    Ever After
    Ever After
    Ebook164 pages2 hours

    Ever After

    By Samantha Chase

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    About this ebook

    Legend has it that any couple who spends the night in the Christmas Cottage shall have love everlasting...

    Ava Callahan wants desperately to believe in love everlasting. But when Brian McCabe walks back into her life and upsets her carefully organized world, her commitment to perfection makes it hard to accept the love that's right in front of her. Will it take a night in the Christmas Cottage for Ava and Brian to find their happy ending?

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherSourcebooks
    Release dateFeb 23, 2013
    ISBN9781492616207
    Ever After
    Author

    Samantha Chase

    New York Times and USA Today Bestseller/contemporary romance writer Samantha Chase released her debut novel, Jordan's Return, in November 2011. Although she waited until she was in her 40's to publish for the first time, writing has been a lifelong passion. Her motivation to take that step was her students: teaching creative writing to elementary age students all the way up through high school and encouraging those students to follow their writing dreams gave Samantha the confidence to take that step as well. When she's not working on a new story, she spends her time reading contemporary romances, playing way too many games of Scrabble or Solitaire on Facebook and spending time with her husband of 25 years and their two sons in North Carolina.

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      Book preview

      Ever After - Samantha Chase

      Thank you for purchasing this eBook.

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      Ever After copyright © 2013, 2015 by Samantha Chase

      Cover and internal design © 2015 by Sourcebooks, Inc.

      Cover design by Dawn Adams/Sourcebooks, Inc.

      Cover images © Getty Images

      Sourcebooks and the colophon are registered trademarks of Sourcebooks, Inc.

      All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems—except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews—without permission in writing from its publisher, Sourcebooks, Inc.

      The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious or are used fictitiously. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.

      Published by Sourcebooks Casablanca, an imprint of Sourcebooks, Inc.

      P.O. Box 4410, Naperville, Illinois 60567-4410

      (630) 961-3900

      Fax: (630) 961-2168

      www.sourcebooks.com

      Contents

      Front Cover

      Title Page

      Copyright

      Prologue

      Chapter 1

      Chapter 2

      Chapter 3

      Chapter 4

      Chapter 5

      Chapter 6

      Chapter 7

      Chapter 8

      Chapter 9

      Chapter 10

      Chapter 11

      Epilogue

      An Excerpt from Made for Us

      About the Author

      Prologue

      It was hard to stand there feeling sorry for yourself when everyone around you was so damn happy.

      On what was supposed to have been her wedding day, Ava Callahan willingly relegated herself to the role of maid of honor due to a last-minute substitution of the bride and groom in the form of Ava’s brother and her best friend, Lacey. While she could admit there was some lingering sadness at the breakup of her engagement to Mason Brooks, her primary emotion was relief. She hadn’t really loved Mason; she’d loved the idea of getting married and having her fairy-tale wedding.

      A wedding that was now being celebrated by another bride and groom. Looking across the room at the happy couple, Ava couldn’t help but smile. Dang it! She’d always known Lacey had been in love with Ean, and seeing them dancing together now, Ava did envy them just a little. Not in a green-eyed-monster kind of way, but in a wistful, can’t-help-but-sigh kind of way.

      They hadn’t seen each other in a dozen years, and yet in less than two months Lacey and Ean were so in love that it was obvious to anyone who was in the room with them. How did one find that kind of love? How do you find your soul mate? Was there even such a thing?

      Ava took a long sip of her champagne and looked around the room. Everyone was happy, everyone was smiling. Occasionally she’d catch someone looking at her with a little sadness, a little pity; she could understand why and didn’t hold it against them.

      Earlier in the day, when she and Mason had decided not to go through with the wedding, it had all been very civil, very dignified. She guessed that’s how it went when neither party felt overly emotional about the other.

      How had she missed all the signs? When had she and Mason gone from being in love to being just two people planning a wedding? When had they fallen out of love? Ava wracked her brain, trying valiantly to remember the last time she had actually felt anything resembling love for the man she almost married, and was shocked to realize that she couldn’t.

      That wasn’t a good sign.

      In the last couple of months, she’d immersed herself in wedding planning and ignored the now obvious signs that something was wrong with their relationship. The chance at having her fairy-tale wedding, including her night in the famous Callahan Christmas Cottage—a place that promised love everlasting to any couple who stayed there—was too strong of a draw to slow her down enough to see reality.

      She didn’t love Mason and he didn’t love her. End of story.

      They both had an agenda: Ava’s was to get married, Mason’s was to have a wife to help cement his image in his law firm. In the end, Ava realized that the kind of wife Mason wanted was never something she was capable of.

      Thank goodness they had come to their senses before walking down the aisle!

      As the wedding had drawn closer, people tried to warn her, especially the now happily married Lacey and Ean. Unfortunately, Ava’s stubborn streak refused to let them be right. When she and Mason had finally come to an agreement earlier in the day, it turned out he’d had people warning him as well.

      Particularly vocal on that end was Mason’s friend and former best man, Brian McCabe.

      A shiver ran down Ava’s spine at the thought of Brian, and she could feel a blush creep up her cheeks. She turned to look out the window just in case anyone had noticed. Looking out at the wintry landscape, she vowed that no one, not Mason or Lacey or anyone, would ever know Brian had come to see her last night or his reasons why he was so opposed to her marrying his best friend.

      I’d like to make a toast, someone yelled from across the room, and Ava turned, a genuine smile on her face, her glass raised. To Lacey and Ean! May you have a lifetime of love and happiness and may your fairy tale never end!

      Everyone raised their glasses and cheered as the happy couple sipped their drinks and then kissed. Ava sipped her own champagne before turning to look out the window again, wondering When will my fairy tale begin?

      Chapter 1

      You’re doing it again.

      Doing what?

      You’re looking.

      Looking at what?

      The bump.

      Ava rolled her eyes. You are almost eight months pregnant, Lacey! Stop calling it the bump!

      Smiling, Lacey ran a hand over her rounded belly. Doesn’t change the fact that you were staring at it. What’s up with that?

      Why can’t you just call it a baby?

      Now it was Lacey’s chance to roll her eyes. Because your brother is making me crazy! When I refer to it as a she, he reminds me that we could very well be having a boy. Then he gets suspicious that I’ve had some secret ultrasound he wasn’t invited to and that I actually know the sex of the baby! I don’t know who’s going to be more of a handful when I give birth, the baby or your brother!

      So because you can’t say anything gender specific, you’ve decided it’s better to call it ‘the bump’? Ava asked. That’s just weird.

      No, what’s weird is watching an intelligent, grown man trying to wrap me and everything around me in bubble wrap so I don’t get hurt.

      Ava had to agree on that score. He loves you and he wants to make sure you’re okay. I think it’s sweet.

      Oh, it is, and believe me, I love him more every day because of it. I just wish he’d relax a little bit.

      Ean doesn’t know how to relax. You’ve known him your whole life and you married him. Clearly this can’t be news to you?

      It’s not, Lacey sighed, but it’s exhausting, too.

      Ava would have been worried, but Lacey’s tone held nothing but affection. As much as she might be griping, there were no two people more in love than the expectant parents. It was enough to make a person sick.

      So, you invite a pregnant woman who cannot have caffeine to a coffee shop, Lacey began as she inhaled deeply. This must be important.

      He’s getting married.

      Who?

      Mason.

      Lacey was glad she wasn’t drinking anything because she surely would have spit it out. How did you find out?

      I ran into him.

      Where?

      Here.

      Knowing Mason wasn’t here at the moment, Lacey still couldn’t stifle the urge to look around. Is this the first time you’ve seen him?

      Since the wedding?

      Lacey nodded.

      Yes, it is, Ava replied, finally taking a sip from her own now-cool latte. It’s weird because we used to come here all the time, and to not run into Mason once in eight months seemed unusual.

      Was he alone or was he with…her? Lacey asked cautiously.

      Geez, you don’t have to be so dramatic, Lace. I was in line and Mason walked in, alone, and it was a little bit awkward but we got our drinks and sat down and that’s when he told me.

      Lacey waited to see if there was going to be more to the story, and then got tired of waiting. And?

      And what?

      Talking to you is painful sometimes, Ava, you know that?

      Her name is Melissa. She’s a paralegal at his firm. They met three months ago. Funny, but it didn’t even bother her to say those words out loud.

      "Wow, how very When Harry Met Sally of him."

      Ava’s brows furrowed. What?

      Oh, come on! Remember the movie? When her ex announced he was getting married to the paralegal?

      "Seriously? You think now is the time to go quoting romantic comedies to me?"

      Immediately Lacey felt remorseful. Sorry, I was just trying to lighten the mood. Are you okay?

      The thing is, I’m fine. I really am. I thought I would be more upset. It’s just that—

      Are you still upset that you didn’t marry Mason?

      Oh, gosh no! No, I realize that would have been a huge mistake. It’s just that—

      Are you upset he found someone so quick?

      Ava almost growled in frustration. No, I’m not upset that Mason found someone else. I want him to be happy. It’s just that—

      Was he unkind? Did he gloat?

      "For the love of it, Lacey, if you would just shut it for one minute I could tell you exactly what it is!" Ava’s tone was a bit loud and several heads turned to stare at them.

      Sorry, Lacey mumbled and sat back in her seat.

      It’s just that I thought I’d be married by now. What’s wrong with me that I’m not on my way to being married? Am I that horrible?

      Lacey reached across the table and grabbed her friend’s hand. Oh, sweetie, that’s not it at all! You aren’t a horrible person. You’ve taken the time to pursue your education and you’re getting your degree in less than a week! Don’t focus on what you don’t have, Ava, think about all that you do!

      Well, a library sciences degree is not helping me get down the aisle or start a family.

      Dramatic much? Lacey asked, her light sarcasm bringing a smile to Ava’s face.

      I’m twenty-seven. I’m just beginning to doubt that it will ever happen for me, Lace. I was so wrapped up in reaching the goal of getting married that I almost married the wrong man!

      But you didn’t! You came to your senses, and although your timing was a bit off, you knew Mason wasn’t the one for you.

      I guess.

      Look, falling in love is not something you can arrange or mark on your calendar. It just happens. It’s going to happen for you, she said and then paused. You do realize that would mean you’d have to actually start dating again.

      Ava frowned. I was afraid you’d mention that.

      It’s been eight months. Enough time has gone, by and it’s time for you to go out and meet some people.

      I meet people all the time, Lacey.

      Right. Other students, in the bookstore where you work. All very safe. How’s that working for you?

      Gosh, you’re annoying when you’re right, Ava mumbled. I hate the dating scene! That’s what was great about Mason, he struck up a conversation with me in a coffee shop.

      I think you need therapy. You spend way too much time in coffee shops…

      So what am I supposed to do, huh? Online dating? Place an ad in the personals? You’re right, there’s no one at work I’m remotely interested in. I’m telling you, Lacey, dating is hard work. The hair, the makeup, the fake giggle… It’s not me!

      Who says it has to be? Why can’t you just strike up a conversation with a man you find attractive—even if it is here in a coffee shop?

      Ava looked around and frowned. "There’s no one here, Lace.

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