検索キーワード： 著者 "Ellis Carron" すべてのカテゴリー

Claire Dempsey once lived in the water. A Division-I distance swimmer, she was within reach of Olympic Trials—until the race where everything stopped. Eight seconds into the NCAA championship 400-meter freestyle, something inside her broke. She climbed out of the pool and never competed again. Seven years later she manages the morning swim program at a small-town recreation center on the edge of Harmon Lake. The water is still there. Waiting.

When a championship race ends in a dead heat, two runners are forced into a decision neither of them wants to make. Maya Santos and Vanessa Chen cross the finish line at the exact same time—down to the hundredth of a second. According to state rules, only one runner can advance. With everything on the line, their coach orders a series of time trials to decide who moves forward. Maya is the rising junior with momentum on her side.

Ethan Mercer hasn’t fought in years. He runs a gym, works steady hours, and believes in discipline above all else. He teaches fighters how to last—how to protect themselves, how to avoid unnecessary damage, how to walk away when the risk outweighs the reward. Then Caleb shows up. Raw, aggressive, and hungry, Caleb wants more than survival. Under Ethan’s guidance, he sharpens quickly—his footwork improves, his defense tightens, his control grows. On paper, everything is working. But when real openings appear, Caleb hesitates.