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Never Say Never

by Evaldas Vigelis

243 pages; quality trade paperback (softcover); catalogue #04-0569; ISBN 1-4120-2741-1; US$22.00, C$26.50, EUR17.50, £12.50

Before retracting with the word NEVER, think very well, so that something opposite would not happen, and you would not regret, or would not have to make assumptions every time, what would happened, if you had never said that. And what happened to Edith, the main character? You will find all answers, when you read this dramatic love story.

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About the Book      About the Author      Excerpts      Catalogue Information

About the Book

Edith Stevenson was one of those women who were proficient in their job, and, the most important, liked it. Yes, she was an independent woman, ambitious, self-confident, with her own opinion. She was appreciated by her colleagues, and loved by friends. She thought she was happy.

But her fortune challenges her on the last working day before Christmas, and the stillness of her life is disturbed. At that time, her colleague Roberta conveys to her the chief's order to leave for one-day's business trip immediately. It certainly does not make Edith happy. Not everybody would enjoy going on a business trip before holidays, particularly if they are planned. But the moment when Edith set her eyes on the driver who has to accompany them, her mood become nasty even more. Muscular and big men have always annoyed her. And this one was exactly like that... The first contact with the driver annoys Edith even worse, but she tries to suppress unpleasant feeling in her heart. But misfortunes of that day seem to have just started...

The blizzard covers all roads with deep snow, and the car cannot go any further... Once they find themselves in an unusual life medium, the both girls frighten, they try to protest, but the life breaks their obstinacy. The girls are forced to obey the driver and to seek a shelter in the forest hut. The first sprouts of love start shooting in the forest hut, but Edith denies this feeling hotly in the beginning. She cannot even think about falling in love with the driver. But love is powerful! It smashes all barriers of uncertainty, the passion overwhelms the body, and the kisses break through a cold shell of indifference.

The short trip is over, and the girls come back to their usual life. Will that strange incident in the hut change their lives? It appears that Edith can hardly live through one day. She decides to find her Romeo - Harold Scott. Will she succeed in confessing her love to him?

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About the Author Mr. Evaldas Vigelis was born and still lives in Palanga, a small holiday resort town located on the Baltic Sea coast in Lithuania. He has started his creative work path as a prose-writer. Later, Mr. Evaldas Vigelis made his turn to a much more difficult path of poetry creation by preparing for printing a selection of his poems called "Under the Mantle of Hope". Author has published his first novel "Red Roses" in 2003. Romance "Never Say Never" is the second book written by the litterateur from Palanga that the author is planning to have published outside Lithuania. Mr. Evaldas Vigelis is a man of tragic destiny. Since the age of fourteen, he had been actively going in for sports, which enabled him to reach perfect results in his sports carrier. As he was a Champion of Lithuania Youth Body-Building Sports and a Triathlon Champion, he did not loose his energy and desire to live, create and go in for sports even after he had been badly injured in a car-accidence at work and lost his leg. Mr. Evaldas Vigelis does not ever loose his confidence in people and sunny future. His motto is to get deeper into contradictory problems of a man's life and to disclose these problems in his creations. Romance "Never Say Never" is a romantic love story. It reminds a fairy tale, because the hero addresses her beloved as "princess". However, this princess has still to learn to love, has to learn to sacrifice, and to live not selfishly. Love changes Edith's character, a selfish princess turns into a loving and loved person. Those who are tired of brutal reality, lies, and deception will love romance "Never Say Never". Everyone who is in love and wants to experience love will love this book. Excerpts Edith woke up in his arms and even trembled of fear. Good God, she mumbled in her thoughts. Am I dreaming or hallucinating? She instantly withdrew from him, watched at his tender face and closed eyes still unable to perceive the joke. She even felt herself trembling. Edith tried to lie still not to wake up him and Roberta. As if feeling her eyes he woke up and looked at her with a sight of admiration and surprise. He smiled and sat up saying nothing. "What happened?" he asked silently. "Why don't you sleep? Are you being cautious of me?" "You have guessed my thoughts," Edith replied quietly and bitterly. "I've told you clearly, princess, that you can sleep without any worries," he whispered tenderly, screwing up his eye, "I'm not some perve "Do you?" she asked mocking and trying to hide her nervousness. "Then may be you could explain to me why you kissed me if you can control yourself so well?" He smiled by his eyes alone and the corners of the lips. "My answer is simple," he pronounced tenderly, "the one cannot order the heart. Are you satisfied with my answer?" Her face became bright red. Suddenly she felt a thrill of excitement running down through her back. It struck her that she could never imagine how exciting a couple of words can be. Edith had never felt such overmastering feeling like now. She tried to calm herself down but the turmoil of her feelings reflected an opposite reaction. "You know, Princess, sometimes it seems to me that you are pretending and scaring others because you're terribly afraid yourself. Tell me if I'm wrong." "You might be totally right," Edith said without hesitation. Strange, it didn't seem to her that he was faultfinding with her. He simply noticed and revealed her secret weapon. "I must admit," he said silently careful not to wake up Roberta, "I used to be the same like you, naughty guy, but at times of disappointment I would become a coward. You understand, I'm talking of my relationship with women." Edith waited for him to continue but he was silent and the pause took some time. I see, Edith thought, he is not a wild beast after all. He has some humor and tolerance. She felt sorry for him, when he was not talking any more. Now she hoped to hear his silent and steady breathing, but she didn't. "Are you asleep?" finally Edith asked carefully. "No." "That fact that I can't fall asleep drives me crazy. I'm so exited... It's hard to think that we are going to spend the New Year's Eve here in the middle of nowhere. The most irritating thing is I'm left alone without friends, music, and champagne." "I'm also exited but in a slightly different sense," he said tenderly. "What sense?" She felt his brown eyes fixed on her face. She herself was staring at the ceiling. "I madly want to kiss you but I know I won't succeed," he said calmly and added in a whisper, "I know what two grown up people can do when they cannot fall asleep." She decided to pretend she had not heard it. It was not because she did not want to be kissed, she wanted to keep this feeling of closeness‹the feeling, which was rising up from god knows where. The midnight conversation in low voices was exciting, intimate and open, coming from deep inside, from the bottom of the heart. "Were you really like me, or was it a joke?" Edith asked modestly willing to learn more about him. "Yes, I was really like you even more arrogant, but as I said, I was such a person when I was younger." "Are you telling me that now you have changed?" she asked without any modesty. "What is it? A cross-examination?" The dry his tone did not allow to understand whether he was joking or being angry. "I see no crime in a little bit of curiosity," Edith justified herself. "You seem to me mysterious and obscure." "Mysterious?" He really pricked up his ears. "In what sense?" "Well, I don't know," she replied but dissatisfaction was heard in her voice. Edith was already sorry that at a moment of weakness she had shown some interest in him. "It seems to me that you are now hiding your real face under a mask." The man pricked up his ears‹this girl is knocking into his heart. Would he let her in? He remained silent for a while and then started talking in nightingale sweet voice. "Does it really matter for you whether I'm wearing a mask or not?" Although she was still trying to demonstrate outside hostility, but her heart was not indifferent to him no longer. She simply refused to admit it. Fear suddenly ran over her heart from a thought that she might be falling in love. She was afraid the fact that those enchanting, scrutinizing brown eyes have broken through a thoroughly guarded door. "As for me you may be wearing a diving suit," Edith said calmly though it was not easy to pretend this time. She heard him breathing in deeply and understood succeeding to intrigue him. "So, you say I can be wearing a diving-suit?" Whether he felt her excitement, or guessed the rising feelings, but his words sounded almost tender. Then unexpectedly he laughed with a sneer. "Eh," she mumbled ashamed of his laugh, "I could not expect another answer." "Would you like to know why?" Now Edith was afraid to utter a word that he would not remember she was still there‹beside him. Now she was sure that it would be hard to escape his sarcastic demonstrations. Missing her answer the driver started talking again after a short pause, "Because you're a proud stubborn girl, the same like me. On the one hand, it's not bad, on the other‹the future will show. Am I right, princess?" Edith looked at his face, opened her mouth to say something, but then closed it again unable to answer yes or no. He noticed her confusion. A disturbed look and silence confirmed her feelings. He laughed artificially. "Hello, have you swallowed you tongue or have you decided to stop talking to me?" He laughed quietly again. "I can tell you that I've had a painful disappointment due to the features of my character. Laura, Laura... Where are you now and with whom? It happened some eight‹nine years ago. When I met her, I was still an inexperienced youngster. I liked her immensely and tried to win her heart at any cost." "At what cost?" "I acted as a dandy having a good time without shortage of money or adventures. I was successful in this play. She was not bored with me. As the time passed, by bit-by-bit, I became unsatisfied with the whole performance, so I decided to reveal myself and to show her who I really was. Once I took off my mask and she saw my real face, I was rudely rejected. It had hurt me a lot. That was the end of our relationship. Later I understood that it was for the better, otherwise I would have repeated my friend's mistake. "Was she beautiful?" Edith asked unexpectedly plucking up her boldness. Oh my God, she thought, why do I ask? I can't be jealous, she reproached herself. I wonder if he has suspected it. The man suddenly laughed. "She was considered the most beautiful girl in the town," he announced solemnly, "but in spite of our differences we would have been a wonderful couple, unhappy though." "And then you decided to become bachelor Don Juan. Is that it?" Edith asked provoking him. "Not really. I decided to be myself and never again pretend being somebody else. I decided to live for myself and try to change the world and the people at least a little to the better side. One of my main objectives is to help people to understand the meaning and the aim of their lives." "How about other aims? Does it mean you are not interested in one?" Edith interrupted him overwhelmed with curiosity. "Curious girl," he reproached joking and became serious again. Edith suddenly thought if she would have had the courage to talk about all this. He seemed to her a very closed and unpredictable person, stubborn and proud in addition. The fact that he started talking about himself proved that he trusted her. She had not experienced that before with him. Well, she thought, after all I'm also closed and unpredictable, stubborn and proud... Funny? May be he expected to see my reaction as if inviting to set on an adventurous trip? He has not mentioned it though. May be he expected to hear it from me, or may be he wanted to see my face? Edith doubted. She stealthily looked at him and their eyes met. Edith was confused. His eyes sent shivers over her back; they were flaming and tender at the same time. He slowly moved towards her and pressed his lips to hers. She wanted to resist but he continued kissing her and Edith surrendered to her passion. That was a benevolent kiss inviting her to trust him. She felt closeness that melted all the walls separating them a minute ago. He invited her to trust him and she agreed without resistance. He did not demand anything from her but his persistence exited her even more. She felt how softly his powerful breast touched hers, how his caressing tender hands excited her. She slowly embraced him and her joy sprang out of tips of her fingers, of sparkling eyes and hot lips. This time the rising up passion was not like a match burning in the rain that flashes of bright flames and inevitably dies out. No, this time her passion was born in the depth of her soul and shone all the colors of the rainbow, bringing in the odor of forest, indescribable and real as the time and the life. Every caress, every kiss getting stronger and longer woke up an ever-strengthening excitement. She quivered in an unspeakable sweet joy. His hand started sliding up her leg. This move caused a wave of emotions but the joyful moment was interrupted by a strange fear. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it," he said silently in a hollow voice. She understood that it was his reaction to her frightened startle. "I'm not angry only scared a little," she whispered looking at him with widely opened eyes that were full of trust in him. His look was attentive and a little confused. He withdrew his hands. His face reflected a whole range of feelings‹guilt, hopelessness and something else unutterable. Or perhaps she saw the things she wanted to? He moved away from her, and she grabbed his hand trying to hold him. "I'm not rejecting you. I don't know what made me scared," Edith pronounced in trembling voice. "It's all rather disgusting, really," he said hardly holding his temper like a teacher that is totally bored explaining the basic truths of life to a stupid pupil. It's absurd, a thought had passed his mind, when a man tries to seduce an innocent girl taking advantage of the situation that she is far away from home and cannot resist the temptations... "Please, don't accuse yourself, I'm not angry at you. Nothing has happened..." She wanted to admit that she is not indifferent to him but she had stopped at the last moment. Least of all Edith wanted him to be disappointed in her and think that she was a naive girl tortured by passion and willing to satisfy it. He got up from the floor and dressed up in silence. He did not even look at her, not even turned his head and silently went outside. Her hesitation changed into anger. Who does he think he is? How can he decide what is better and what is worse for me? May be he thinks I'm a little girl or a fool? Or may be both? Edith's self-love was insulted and did not let her sleep. She quickly dressed and hurried outside as well. It was about four o'clock in the morning. The midnight darkness was covering everything around. He was leaning against the wall of the hut and his breast was still moving fast. She came up to him and the insulted self-love vanished instantly when she saw his self-dissatisfied face. She touched his hand slowly and carefully. "Please come back inside, don't freeze here," she said carefully, "I'm responsible for my actions and besides, nothing horrible has happened..." "Nothing has happened?" he hurriedly interrupted her and quickly moved away. He looked at her with a guilty face and said after a pause, "What if something would have happened? What then?" Edith looked down. He cast an attentive look at her, but she kept silent like horse-whipped. "You even don't know what to say," he grumbled shaking his head. "Please, believe me, I'm not some savage that could hurt a girl that has a boyfriend and her own plans of live. I'm angry on myself for provoking the passion, though it happened against my will." Edith glanced at him again. She could not understand his face. Then he thoughtfully looked into the darkness and the trees. "Princess, don't give in to your feelings," he finally pronounced in a tired voice. "Please, go to sleep. You'll have a good sleep and forget everything like a dream. You'll not wish even to remember it. And don't forget that you belong to elite and I'm only a poor driver..." Edith felt insulted but managed to control herself. She watched him scrutinizing. "Do you know what I think?" "I'm in all ears." "I think it's you who wants to see those differences! And if I'm not wrong, the reason is your former girlfriend Laura. Probably, you're afraid to risk falling in love again, to open yourself, because you're scared of being hurt again! Yes!" Edith expressively made a helpless gesture, "I'm sure that's the case! Correct me where I am not right," she finished proudly. "Princess, leave me alone," he answered in a tired voice. "Go to sleep." "As you wish," she replied hopelessly, "I only wanted to open your eyes..." "Princess, please, I need to stay alone." She nervously turned her back to him and went to the door without saying a word. How I could open myself to him, she thought angrily. I do allow myself too much. He didn't even try to listen to my words. What has come over me? Why did I suddenly decide to help him to understand his feelings? Back in the hut, she buried her face into the coat. She felt crushed. On the one hand, the driver had rejected her, but on the other hand, the thoughts about the driver tickled her self-love. He was at least decent enough and has not used my weakness, she thought. It's better as it is. What bliss that he grasped disastrous consequences! Are there many men that would do the same? I think not. I'm sure most of them would have been unable to resist the temptation, would have given a lot of nonsense promises that are forgotten with the light of the morning. Another one would have used me. Edith sighed, tired and torn to pieces by her doubts. Really, why do I have to suffer so much? The morning is breaking up and the New Year is coming... and then home... Enough, she order in her thoughts, the car is coming soon and I'll have to go home... "That's what I was trying to achieve and wanted most of all," she pronounced aloud making herself believe it. "Edith! Are you suffering with sleeplessness or are you composing poetry at night?" Roberta asked her. Edith blinked her eyes and got rid of those thoughts. Roberta stared at her. One could see that she just got up from her sleep because she was still stretching her limbs. "No," Edith replied shyly, "I was only dreaming. But you gave me a good idea. Should I try to write a novel and print it out?" "Are you serious? Do you think you're capable of creating a novel?" Roberta asked totally astonished. Edith shrugged her shoulders and timidly stated, "Why not?" "I wouldn't be able to do it," her friend declared dryly and stretched herself again, "but you know what?" she asked with her eyes closed licking her lips, "Above everything I'd love to have a pica!" Edith looked at Roberta and swallowed the liquid in her mouth. "I'd love to have a chicken leg but most of all a hot coffee and a hot bath!" Edith moaned only at the very thought of it. "But there are many things that I don't miss at all though at the beginning I was longing for them." "What are those things?" Roberta asked mysteriously screwing her eyes. "I don't miss neither the television nor radio and the phone too," Edith assured her and added, "I wouldn't refuse from a good company and music though." "Well," Roberta sighed, "we are back in a couple of days and all of this will stay in our memories how we were dying in the tundra in those days." Suddenly Edith became serious and even sad. Two days, she thought, and she could feel as if a knife had pierced her hart. Edith glanced at the outside door understanding that it was the only barrier. But what is the use of it? I must be fooling myself, she thought. May be it was the thicket of the place that enchanted me, totally not him? Or may be it was the unusual adventures and the excitement of those days? May be everything wasn't so bad? May be it's even interesting? It's only good that all those events are so interesting, as if I've got into a beloved fairy tale and I would not like to go back. Suddenly she felt very naive and came back to reality realizing that the prince kisses the beauty and the happy ending comes only in the fairy-tales. In the real life, everyone has to fight for it. Edith looked at Roberta and was convinced that she was fast asleep. Edith did not want to sleep any more. She watched through the window sadly. It grew light but the driver still wasn't around. She could feel as if something squeezed her heart. Should I also have a look around outside, she thought. Where could he be? Why does he avoid me? Edith was dressed before she had even realized it. She was driven by the desire to see him. She went outside and looked around. The blizzard had quieted down. There was no sign of the driver even his footsteps were covered by snow. Edith walked in the yard restlessly thinking about the recent events. She did not need any company at this time in the nature. She did not want to share with anybody those secrets so precious to her heart, secrets that were destined to become memories. She already decided that those secrets would follow her everywhere and her life would never be the same again. "Princess..." Edith stopped, looked in the direction of the voice but could see nothing. Strange, she thought, am I haunted? In order to be sure she looked around one more time but again saw nothing. She felt uneasy and hurried to the hut. After a couple of steps, she froze with fear when somebody grabbed her by the shoulder. Out of fear, she stumbled and fell over into the snow before even screaming for help. "What happened to the princess, aren't you hurt?" The driver was mocking, laughing aloud and watching her scared face. Seeing just the driver instead of a mystical monster, Edith drew a sigh of relief. She got up clumsily and looked at him madly. "Nothing has happened to me!" she answered angrily. "Why do you laugh like cursed? I almost got a heart attack!" Edith was trembling of angry, and she mischievously wanted to take revenge on him. The driver became serious for a moment. "Believe me, I really didn't mean to scare you! I merely was prepared to present a little surprise to you," he justified himself and lack of self-control grinned again. "Jeer at me, jeer at me!" Edith threatened sparkling her eyes. "But I've also got a surprise for you!" She grabbed a handful of snow and instantly threw it to his face. He was caught in surprise and licked the snow around his lips. The smile on his face changed into a dissatisfied grimace. "Well? Do you like it?" Edith asked happily. He rubbed the snow from his face and glanced at her like a beaten dog. "Really, a lot..." he came closer, "I'm still licking my face from satisfaction." He instantly dropped the rucksack, seized her in his powerful hands and threw softly over himself. Both of them fell playfully into the snow and started playing there like teenagers. Neither of them would surrender: they threw snowballs into their faces, laughed and rolled in the snow. Suddenly they stopped and listened. "It's a wolf!" Edith screamed full of fear and pressed herself against his powerful breast with lightning speed. Her face was totally pale and her body shivered all over. She glanced at him to see a broad smile. What a strange man, she thought. The danger is threatening us and he is smiling! He's laughing like a senseless idiot thinking that the wolf is his friend coming for a visit... Catalogue Information Canada • USA • UK • Europe Contact Us | Privacy Policy | Terms of use | Author Login URL http://www.trafford.com © 1995-2007 Trafford Publishing, a division of Trafford Holdings Ltd.