by Mari Carr
Text copyright ©2016 by the Author.
This work was made possible by a special license through the Kindle Worlds publishing program and has not necessarily been reviewed by Erin Nicholas. All characters, scenes, events, plots and related elements appearing in the original Sapphire Falls remain the exclusive copyrighted and/or trademarked property of Erin Nicholas, or their affiliates or licensors.
For more information on Kindle Worlds: http://www.amazon.com/kindleworlds
Going Too Fast
A Big Easy/Sapphire Falls story
Mari Carr
Dedication
This story is dedicated to Erin Nicholas.
Not only has she created a beautiful world called Sapphire Falls,
she’s made my world brighter as well through her friendship and support.
Chapter One
“It’s about time you got your ass to Sapphire Falls.”
Tacy Bradford grinned over her cup of coffee and resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Her friend and former babysitter, Lauren Davis—Bennett, now that she was married—had been going on and on about her new hometown of Sapphire Falls for years, begging Tacy to come for a visit.
Unfortunately, Tacy’s crazy travel schedule with the U.S. women’s national soccer team had kept her too busy to ever squeeze in a stopover. Of course, all that changed when she blew out her knee during practice three months earlier. Now she’d been forced into early retirement and possessed only a skeletal plan of what the hell she was going to do with her life from this point on.
Actually, the entire plan included just one goal, this trip to Sapphire Falls for their annual festival. After that, she had no more direction than a feather in a tornado. She figured she might be more upset about that fact if she weren’t with Lauren. It was sort of hard to be down in the dumps with Lauren around.
She’d checked into the Rise & Shine Bed & Breakfast shortly after her dawn arrival in town. Tacy had taken a red-eye flight from L.A. to Omaha, rented a car and pulled into Sapphire Falls at first light. She suspected the sleepy town would have been more…well…sleepy if it had been a regular week, but this was festival week and the place was jumping. Even at eight a.m. on a Sunday.
So far Lauren had introduced her to her husband, Travis, and adorable baby girl—all three of whom had been waiting at the B&B to welcome her—and at least ten more people since they’d sat down to breakfast.
After Tacy stowed her luggage in her room, Travis took the baby back to the farm and Lauren took charge, dragging her to Dottie’s Diner, where she’d met so many people her head was spinning. She hoped there wasn’t a quiz later because apart from recalling that the redhead was Phoebe, and Mason was Lauren’s business partner, she couldn’t remember anyone else’s name or what they did.
Tacy wiped her mouth with her napkin, fairly certain she’d never eaten better home fries. The grease-to-potato ratio was spot on. Flying made her hungry, so she’d splurged, ordering a western omelet, home fries, wheat toast and orange juice. “So what happened to your big-city lifestyle? I thought Chicago was supposedly your paradise? Or was it D.C.?”
Lauren grimaced, though she didn’t look all that upset. “I guess you can take the girl out of the small town, but you can’t take the small town out of the girl. Mason moved a big chunk of IAS to Sapphire Falls and I fell in love.”
“With the town?”
“And Travis,” Lauren added with a grin. She and Mason owned a world-renowned agricultural engineering company that had broken ground on so many scientific advances, Tacy had lost count. Not that Tacy had been surprised by her former babysitter’s success. Lauren had always been super smart and creative. Plus she had an inner drive and go-getter personality that basically made it clear to everyone she met that she was a force to be reckoned with.
“How are your folks?” Lauren asked.
Tacy shrugged. “The same.”
Lauren chuckled. “In other words, they’re driving you insane.”
“Yeah. Since the whole knee thing, they’re scrambling, trying to figure out the next way I can find fame, fortune, glory and—Oh my God. It never ends with them.”
“I assume you aren’t planning to settle down back at home.”
Tacy snorted. “Hell would freeze over first before I made Longview my permanent address. My stuff is there for now, but I’m keeping the visits short. It’s been easy to get away with that, considering my doctor and the rehab are all happening in Los Angeles. Of course, that’s winding down now.”
“All better?”
Tacy nodded. “Yeah. Pretty much. Which means it’s time to make a move. And I have only one requirement for my new life. There must be no less than eight hundred miles between me and my parents.” She added a sinister tone to her voice when she referred to her parents.
“You’re an adult now, Tace. And the world is your oyster. You don’t have to do everything your parents tell you to.”
When Tacy looked back on her childhood, there was no denying the times she’d spent with Lauren were some of her happiest moments growing up. The only child of two overzealous, extremely strict parents, Tacy’s life was one long string of violin and dance lessons, soccer practices and games, cotillion classes, and study hours as they pushed Tacy to succeed in everything. When it became apparent she had a talent for soccer, the other interests fell away and her parents focused most of their time, energy and money on making her the world’s greatest player.
The only times Tacy broke free of the structured, rigid routine were when Lauren came to babysit. Those were the nights she got to stay up late, stuff her face with too much pizza and watch R-rated movies. Lauren was the coolest teenager ever, and for some strange reason, she thought Tacy was cool too. It went without saying Tacy had always adored her. They’d remained in touch through email and phone calls over the years, but they hadn’t managed an actual face-to-face visit in nearly six years. If Tacy had to find a bright spot to the whole career-ending knee injury, seeing Lauren again was definitely one.
“Oh, I know that. And believe me, I’ve stressed that fact to them too. The problem is I don’t really have any idea what I want to do now, so dear old Mom and Dad feel like they need to figure it out for me. Their current plan is for me to pursue a job in coaching. If my dad has his way, I’ll be the head coach of the next World Cup champs.”
“But you prefer no more soccer?”
Tacy wrinkled her nose. “Not if I can’t play.”
“So pick something else.”
Tacy sighed but didn’t reply. She had been thinking of something lately, but when she’d mentioned it to her parents, they’d looked at her like she had spouted a second head. While she knew Lauren would be more supportive, she still felt funny talking about what she really wanted to do.
She should have realized Lauren wouldn’t let the subject drop.
“You have no aspirations? Dreams? Hopes? I find that hard to believe,” Lauren pressed.
“I’m only twenty-six. I thought I’d have at least five more years with the team. Hell, Hope Solo is thirty-four and still going strong, and Abby Wambach made it to thirty-five before she retired.”
“Stop dodging. There’s something rattling around in that pretty head of yours, I can tell. So pretend you’re thirty-five, my age. What was your plan for life after soccer?”
Tacy stopped hesitating. She needed to talk to someone about her aspirations. Someone who wasn’t her parents. “I want to go back to school to study landscape design.”
Lauren’s brows rose. “Still like playing in the dirt?”
Lauren was clearly pleased that she’d been able to share her love of something with Tacy. “I’ll hire you to work for IAS. You can plant in Haiti.”
Tacy appreciated the offer, but she wasn’t tempted. “Thanks, but I’m more interested in creating flowerbeds, not growing food. And I’m finished with travel. The next roots I put in the ground are going to be mine.”
“Did you tell your folks about wanting to go back to school?”
Tacy grimaced. “I did. My dad said it was a waste of my God-given talents and abilities.”
Lauren tilted her head. “What did I just say about—”
Tacy raised her hand to cut her off. “I know. I know. I’m not giving up on the dream because of that.”
“Then what’s holding you back?”
Nothing. Not really. Except the fear of failure. Going back to school after so many years was sort of terrifying. Plus, aside from the tinkering she’d done in the flowerbeds in her parents’ backyard, Tacy didn’t know if landscaping was more hobby than talent. She’d been raised on the precept that you only pursued something if you could be the best. “Me, I guess. What if I start the classes and can’t do it?”
Lauren’s eyes filled with sympathy. Her former babysitter was probably one of the few people who had ever really seen what Tacy’s childhood had been like. “Then you’ll pick something else. This is your time, Tace. Try a bunch of different things. Fail, succeed, quit, try again, do whatever feels right to you. You know, all those things that make you human.”
“Human.” This was why Tacy loved Lauren so. She walked through life without fear of making mistakes. Tacy wished she had even a quarter of her friend’s courage and self-confidence.
“Can you afford to go to school?”
Tacy had saved nearly every penny she’d made playing soccer, plus there had been some nice-size royalties from endorsements. It would take all her money, but she could swing it. If she could find the nerve to take that risk. “Yeah. I could.”
Lauren lifted her hands as if all Tacy’s problems were solved. “So there you go. Just do it.”
“Just do it? Go to college. Anywhere in particular?” Tacy joked, amused by Lauren’s Nike philosophy.
“You get a map and you circle the spot where your parents’ house is in Longview, Nebraska. Then you measure out eight hundred miles in every direction. Any school outside of the circle is fair game.”
Tacy laughed. “I think it speaks to my present state of mind when I say that actually sounds like a pretty solid idea.”
“Glad I could help.”
Tacy leaned back and sighed, feeling more carefree and happy than she had in months. She wasn’t sure her life was as settled as Lauren seemed to believe, but Tacy was willing to pretend they’d sorted out her future for a little while. She was tired of stressing out about it. She’d come to Sapphire Falls because she needed a break from her anxieties, her waning self-confidence, and her folks—not necessarily in that order.
“To be honest, my aspirations for this week aren’t much bigger than overindulging on caramel apples, kettle corn and deep-fried Oreos. Tell me about this festival of yours. Given the number of booths already set up in the town square, it appears to be a pretty big deal.”
“Oh, around these parts, it’s huge. There’s all kinds of stuff going on—rides, a kissing booth, a haunted house.”
“Haunted house? In June.”
Lauren nodded. “Yeah. It’s weird, but whatever. Just embrace the crazy and you’ll get along fine this week.”
Tacy giggled, but Lauren lifted a finger in warning. “And don’t accept any invitation to that haunted house from the local boys.”
“Why not?”
“Lots of dark corners. Fellas around here have learned how to take advantage of that with their girlfriends.”
“Would you happen to be one of those girlfriends?”
Lauren flipped her hair over her shoulder and shrugged. “No comment.”
“Which is all the answer I need.”
They both grinned as Lauren continued her list of festivities. “There’s also a dunk tank, petting zoo, beer garden—”
“Beer garden?” Tacy interjected.
“With craft beer, Tace. Not that cheap-ass shit you drink.”
Tacy took another bite of her omelet, silently deciding to eat breakfast at this diner every morning she was here. The food really was incredible.
Lauren continued her list. “There’s a 5K mud run too.”
“That sounds fun.”
“Can you do that with your knee?”
Tacy shrugged. “Maybe. If I take it easy. Might actually be good for me to give it a little workout.”
“And there’s a dance auction tonight to kick things off. I was hoping you’d let me sign you up for that.”
“Me?” Tacy asked. “Why?”
“Because I can list at least a dozen guys in town who would love to dance with a World Cup champion.”
Tacy narrowed her eyes. “I thought we agreed you were going to be low-key about my past profession.”
Lauren looked completely unrepentant as she confessed to breaking that deal. “It’s a festival. We like celebrities and you definitely qualify.”
“Seriously?”
As if on cue, they were approached by a tall, beautiful blonde who claimed a seat at their table without invitation. “Hey, Lauren,” she said, her gaze locked on Tacy.
Lauren grinned. “Perfect timing, Hailey. Feels almost like you were eavesdropping on us.”
Hailey rolled her eyes. “Even if I was, it took you long enough to get to the point.” The woman extended her hand toward Tacy. “I’m Hailey Bennett, Director of Business Development and Tourism in Sapphire Falls.”
“Bennett?” Tacy asked, looking at Lauren.
“For better or worse, Hailey is my sister-in-law. She married Travis’ brother, Ty.”
“Ah.” Then Tacy recalled the rest of Hailey’s introduction. “Director of Tourism?”
Hailey nodded. “There are a lot of wonderful things about Sapphire Falls that we hope will draw tourists, and the annual festival is certainly one of the biggest events. Folks who grew up here, but moved away as adults, often return to visit at this time of the year. Lots of people from surrounding towns take part in all the fun stuff we have going on—it’s sort of a nice kickoff to summer. And let’s face it, all of that is good for the local businesses because it increases sales in the shops, fills the rooms in the B&B, and sends lots of patrons to the bars and restaurants.”
Tacy looked at Lauren. “Is there a reason she’s telling me all this?”
Lauren laughed loudly. “Not really. Hailey’s just fond of the sound of her own voice.”
Hailey didn’t appear offended. “Bite me, Lauren.”
Lauren took a sip of her juice and then lowered the boom. “Some marketing may have gone out, advertising the fact that World Cup Soccer Champion Tacy Bradford would be attending the festival, in addition to Chase Hamilton and her husband, Ty, of course.”
“Ty?”
Lauren pointed her thumb at Hailey. “Ty won a silver in the Olympics, and Chase grew up here then became a famous actor.”
“Wow. That’s awesome. Those guys seem like much bigger celebrities than me.”
Lauren grinned mischievously. “Yeah, but Chase is trying to be incognito—like that will work—and Ty’s old news around here.”
Hailey snorted. “I’m going to tell him you said that.”
Lauren didn’t look worried as she continued speaking to Tacy. “You’d be the new celebrity this year.”
“And what exactly would that entail?” Tacy didn’t like the idea of riding around on some float and looking like a fool doing the queen’s wave. Lauren hadn’t
mentioned a parade, had she?
“Oh, don’t worry,” Hailey said in a tone that didn’t reassure her. “Lauren said you were here for a relaxing vacation, so we didn’t fill your schedule with too many events.”
“My schedule?”
Hailey pulled a piece of paper from her handbag. “It’s pretty much the stuff Lauren already mentioned to you.” Hailey’s comment revealed she had been eavesdropping on their conversation, as she continued to explain their plans. “We were hoping you’d take a go in the dunk tank one afternoon, be one of the judges in the apple pie baking contest, pose for some pictures with people at the photo booth and participate in the dance auction. Other than that, you can just mill around and enjoy yourself.”
Lauren added to Hailey’s list. “I’ll warn you that there are quite a few people hoping to get your autograph. Would you be okay with that?”
Tacy nodded. She hadn’t been a star player on the team, so while she had signed the occasional autograph, she hadn’t spent much time in the limelight. Part of her was sort of pleased that anyone would even consider her a celebrity. She certainly didn’t see herself that way. “Sure. Why not? It sounds like fun.”
“Wonderful.” Hailey rose. “Hate to dash off, but there are a million things to do to get ready for the festival kickoff. It was nice to meet you, Tacy. I’m looking forward to hanging out with you this week.”
Hailey was gone before Tacy could respond.
“Is she always like that?”
“A whirlwind?” Lauren asked. “Oh yeah. Hailey has one speed—fast-forward. She’s actually pretty great. I think you’ll like her.”
Lauren looked around the diner. “In fact, chances are good you’ll like everyone here. Come to think of it…” Lauren pulled her phone from her purse and started tapping away in search of something.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m trying to see how far it is from here to Longview. It’s gotta be eight hundred miles. You can do online classes and stay here with us forever.”
Tacy laughed. “Forget it. You may have given up on your big-city aspirations, but I have not. Wherever I settle, it’s going to be a place with countless malls, restaurants, bars and an airport within spitting distance. Might help if it has a warm climate year-round so I don’t have to curtail my dirt-digging activities because of snow and ice. I don’t know how you can stand living so far away from civilization after making your break from Longview.”
