Yours and Mine by Debbie Macomber

Author:Debbie Macomber
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: MIRA
Published: 2014-08-28T04:00:00+00:00

Nine

The pop music at the roller-skating rink blared from huge speakers and vibrated around the room. A disc jockey announced the tunes from a glass-fronted booth and joked with the skaters as they circled the polished hardwood floor.

“I can’t believe I let you talk me into this,” Joanna muttered, sitting beside Tanner as she laced up her rented high-top white skates.

“I refuse to be the only one over thirty out there,” he replied, but he was smiling, obviously pleased with his persuasive talents. No doubt he’d take equal pleasure in watching her fall flat on her face. It had been years since Joanna had worn a pair of roller skates. Years.

“It’s like riding a bicycle,” Tanner assured her with that maddening grin of his. “Once you know how, you never forget.”

Joanna grumbled under her breath, but she was actually beginning to look forward to this. She’d always loved roller-skating as a kid, and there was something about being with Tanner that brought out the little girl in her. And the woman, she thought, remembering their kiss.

Nicole’s friends were already skating with an ease that made Joanna envious. Slowly, cautiously, she joined the crowd circling the rink.

“Hi, Mom.” Kristen zoomed past at the speed of light.

“Hi, Mrs. Parsons,” Nicole shouted, following her friend.

Staying safely near the side, within easy reach of the handrail, Joanna concentrated on making her feet work properly, wheeling them back and forth as smoothly as possible. But instead of the gliding motion achieved by the others, her movements were short and jerky. She didn’t acknowledge the girls’ greetings with anything more than a raised hand and was slightly disconcerted to see the other skaters giving her a wide berth. They obviously recognised danger when they saw it.

Tanner glided past her, whirled around and deftly skated backward, facing Joanna. She looked up and threw him a weak smile. She should have known Tanner would be as confident on skates as he seemed to be at everything else—except slumber parties for eleven-year-old girls. Looking at him, one would think he’d been skating every day for years, although he claimed it was twenty years since he’d been inside a rink. It was clear from the expert way he soared across the floor that he didn’t need to relearn anything—unlike Joanna, who felt as awkward as a newborn foal attempting to stand for the first time.

“How’s it going?” he asked, with a cocky grin.

“Great. Can’t you tell?” Just then, her right foot jerked out from under her and she groped desperately for the rail, managing to get a grip on it seconds before she went crashing to the floor.

Tanner was by her side at once. “You okay?”

“About as okay as anyone who has stood on the edge and looked into the deep abyss,” she muttered.

“Come on, what you need is a strong hand to guide you.”

Joanna snorted. “Forget it, fellow. I’ll be fine in a few minutes, once I get my sea legs.”

“You’re sure?”

“Tanner, for heaven’s sake, at least leave me

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