Rapid Hearts

By Rachael Ruddick

Jessica, a kayaker, arrives in the Athlete's Village for the Olympics after a nightmare trip from Oklahoma to discover her ex-husband standing in her apartment! With the same last name and initials, their bookings have been merged, and with the whole town sold out, Jessica has no option but to share accomodation. As their chemistry instantly begins to sizzle, the room’s only bed begins to beckon!

The Games hold a special significance to the couple, as they’d met at the Opening Ceremony four years ago. Jessica, young and naïve, left Jake after a whirlwind romance to try to find herself, taking a devastating secret with her.

Now, reunited at The Games, Jessica falls straight back in love with the man she selfishly walked out on three years ago, and she struggles to keep her head in the game as the stakes get higher- both in the water and in her heart.

Can Jake forgive her for leaving? And will he trust her to stay forever this time?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Rachael Ruddick
• Release date: Feb 28, 2012
• ISBN: 9781465785732

Rachael Ruddick

After years and years of reading Rachael found a book that was everything she was had ever been looking for. On the spine it had two simple words that changed her life forever ‘Contemporary Romance’. Since that first introduction to the world of Romance she has never looked back, reading hundreds of stories that have delighted her as much as that first book.Rachael started penning her own romance stories when she discovered there were barely any out there with female athletes. Rachael is a keen sportsman, roping her husband into running their first marathon on their honeymoon. So far she has written two romance novels about female athletes and is looking forward to writing stories about her other passion, all things country.Her husband is her greatest supporter of her writing and has set up the desktop computer on the dining room table so that he has a chance to see her of the evenings, instead of her being locked up in the study.When Rachael isn’t writing she enjoys getting lost in the woods rogaining with her husband, or planning her next overseas adventure.

Book preview

RAPID HEARTS

Rachael Ruddick

Copyright 2012 by Rachael Ruddick

Smashwords Edition

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission in writing from the author.

CHAPTER 1

Jessica Gould grabbed her bag from the luggage carousal at JFK making a dash for the inter-terminal train. Huffing much harder than any Olympic athlete should, she reached the platform in less than three minutes and managed to squeeze through the closing doors onto the AirTrain. Letting out a sigh of relief, and sneaking another look at her watch, she dropped her heavy bag with a thud by her feet and reached up to scrape her long hair off the back of her aching neck. She had lost her butterfly clip sometime during the flight and it now fell in a nest of tangles around her shoulders, sticking to her sweaty neck. Wiping her tired eyes with the back of her hands she realized that her mascara was running. Just great.

The train pulled into Terminal 7, and picking up her duffel Jessica raced to the check in counter with only a few minutes to spare. An airline attendant ushered her to the front of the line, to counter three.

A woman who looked like the real-life version of flight attendant Barbie smiled at her with blinding white, perfectly straight, teeth.

Hi there, I’m Kiki, what can I do for you today?

I need to check in for an 8pm flight, Jessica said between breaths.

Oh, you only just made it. What is the name?

Jessica Gould.

Let me look you up.

Kiki started typing on her keyboard, with her long French manicured nails making a tapping noise as she went. Meanwhile Jessica bent down and rummaged manically through her red oversized handbag for her passport and itinerary that the National Association of Canoe & Kayakers had sent her. Kiki leant over the counter to see what she was doing.

Can I see your passport and itinerary please Ma’am?

Jessica jumped back up and bam, the back of her head connected with Kiki’s nose. Jessica grabbed the back of her head and they both let out very un-ladylike curses.

Oh crap. I’m sorry. I’m so, so, so sorry, she winced.

Kiki was holding her nose and Jessica could see her eyes watering up. She grimaced and with an apologetic shrug placed her passport on the counter.

After a few more moments, Kiki, who up until then had been sitting in painful silence, let out another curse and got up and walked away, mumbling as she went. Jessica turned around and saw a line of travelers staring at her as if she had just stolen a kids candy. Okay so right that moment she looked like a crazy woman with wild hair, panda eyes and crumpled clothes, whilst Kiki had looked immaculate and, well, gorgeous.

Eventually another lady from the airline, also a dead ringer for flight attendant Barbie, but with dark auburn hair, sat down and grabbed the passport and itinerary from the counter without a word. She started hacking away at her keyboard, throwing a few dirty looks into the mix here and there.

Kiki is fine by the way. Thanks for asking, she said haughtily.

Oh great. That’s good. I can be a bit of a disaster sometimes. Jessica said apologetically.

Kiki, is super nice, she would never hurt anyone. She takes in sick animals you know. Like lost puppies and stuff.

The couple standing at the next counter joined in with the dirty looks, and Jessica stared down at the floor, wondering what it would be like if the floor literally did swallow her up.

She sounds like a really great person, but really I didn’t mean to do it. It was an accident.

After some more hacking at the keyboard, the check in clerk tilted her head to the side before taking a closer look at Jessica’s passport. A small evil smile reached her lips before it was brushed away. Jessica wondered what that meant. She had checked three times that day alone that her passport was in date. The itinerary was right too, so why couldn’t they just issue her a ticket and put her out of her misery?

Hmm, interesting.

What’s interesting? What’s wrong? Jessica leant over the counter trying to see the computer screen.

Please wait a moment.

The lady grabbed Jessica’s passport and itinerary and went further down the counter and started talking to a colleague. Jessica leant further over the counter to watch the conversation. The lady pointed over at her several times and then they both looked something up on a different computer. This couldn’t be good.

She shifted her weight from foot to foot, looking around the terminal for signs to a bathroom. Perhaps they realized she was an athlete, on her way to the Olympics and they were going to upgrade her to first class. As soon as the idea entered her head she almost snorted out loud at her wishful thinking. They were both shooting her malevolent glances. Whatever was going on, it wasn’t an upgrade.

After what felt like an eternity, but according to her watch was only six minutes the lady and her colleague returned.

I’m terribly sorry for the delay.

Then why was she smiling? Jessica thought.

That’s fine.

Jessica plastered on her best smile, but a rush of cold prickles shot up her back.

Ma’am, this is Tony, the manager on shift.

Jessica felt her smile dim a little. This definitely wasn’t good.

Ma’am, I am terribly sorry but it appears that there has been an error made in the booking. It looks as if we only have one reservation for a JR Gould for this flight.

Jessica nodded repeatedly as horror spread through her. She had a terrible idea she knew exactly where this was headed.

And on our list it shows that a Jake Gould has already checked in for the flight. It is likely that because you have the same initials and it was under the same booking someone in Reservations must have assumed that it was only meant to be one seat and so has cancelled the other.

Okay, but I’m here and we are obviously two separate people. Two tickets were paid for right? So can’t you just re-book me in? She begged.

Unfortunately it is fully booked so we are unable to seat you on this flight. There is however a seat spare on the next service which leaves in 13 hours and will get in tomorrow evening, the Manager responded.

13 hours? There isn’t anything else?

Unfortunately no. With the Olympics and summer vacation, all of our flights are solidly booked. There is only the one seat available on the next flight, so we need to book you on to it as soon as possible if you want to take it.

Jessica pushed the heel of her palms into her eyes and wished that when she opened her eyes they would look at their screen and a seat will have magically opened up. But no, when she blinked her eyes open they just both stood there looking expectantly at her. What choice did she have?

Yep, sure, go ahead, book me in. Her voice was heavy with defeat.

Great. They both replied simultaneously. Tony signaled for her to follow him to another counter whilst the lady who had replaced Kiki signaled for the next in line.

"So Jessica, I have booked you in to flight 231 leaving at 9am tomorrow morning. Unfortunately I can’t check you in yet, but I can offer you some vouchers in the meantime. It is just so unusual that there