Terminal Velocity: The Freefall Trilogy, #2

By Sadie Mills

In this standalone story, we pick up the budding romance between chocolatier, Lucy Simkins, and skydiving instructor, Joshua Snow.

One month on from her tandem jump with Josh, Lucy is back at the dropzone. She wants to become a fully fledged skydiver and learn to fly on her own. She's been placed in the more than capable (if somewhat indiscreet) hands of Joshua's fellow skydiving instructor, Froggy, AKA Jeremy Fisher.

Froggy is a wee, wiry Scotsman, who does hopping mad like nobody else.  But he has a big heart and he's got Lucy's back. Student and instructor build up a bond. Froggy makes a startling revelation regarding Joshua's past that rocks their relationship to its foundations. 

Lucy discovers that in skydiving, life can turn on a dime, and the world can drop away from your feet at any second. A twist of fate leaves not just her relationship with Josh, but Lucy's life hanging in the balance.

The Sadie Mills Freefall Trilogy is a series of novellas. These fast-paced romantic comedies are each set within the space of a single day. In this action-packed adventure, Sadie Mills grabs the unsuspecting reader by the handholds, drags them to the door, and pulls them out of the plane with her, giving a glimpse of a world surging with adrenaline (not to mention insanely hot men) rarely explored in literature.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sadie Mills
• Release date: Feb 20, 2014
• ISBN: 9781497733381

Sadie Mills

Sadie Mills is an author of dark romantic comedies. She lives in Devon, England, with her Maine Coon cat. Sadie has worked in the legal profession for over fifteen years. She has also worked as a canine beautician and wedding chauffeur, as well as living in a restaurant for over two decades. In her spare time, Sadie enjoys scuba, travelling in the Middle East, and skydiving. She doesn't get much spare time, admittedly. Which is probably just as well. Sadie is currently available for weddings and bar mitzvahs. To contact Sadie and keep up-to-date with her latest releases, visit sadiemills.co.uk or follow on Twitter and Facebook.

Book preview

Terminal Velocity

The Freefall Trilogy, Volume 2

Sadie Mills

Published by Sadie Mills, 2014.

This is a work of fiction. Similarities to real people, places, or events are entirely coincidental.

TERMINAL VELOCITY

First edition. February 20, 2014.

Copyright © 2014 Sadie Mills.

ISBN: 978-1497733381

Written by Sadie Mills.

Also by Sadie Mills

The Freefall Trilogy

Freefalling

Terminal Velocity

Last Flight From Paris

The Freefall Trilogy (Complete Collection)

Watch for more at Sadie Mills’s site.

Table of Contents

Title Page

Copyright Page

Also By Sadie Mills

Dedication

Parachutes and Pep Talks (The Freefall Trilogy, #2)

Further Reading: Parachutes and Pepto Bismol

Also By Sadie Mills

About the Author

For Sean, with love.

(Sorry I broke your skateboard.)

'Good morning, Simkins!' boomed Froggy in his thick Glaswegian accent as Lucy stepped through the manifest door.  He was sitting cross-legged on one of the sofas with a clipboard in his lap, peering up at her, raising an eyebrow. 

'I trust we're all rested and recuperated and ready for another busy day?'

Lucy caught the smirk and flushed, looking down at the linoleum floor.  Josh slipped his arm around her shoulders, steering her up to the counter to sign in. 

'Leave it out,' Josh warned him over his shoulder. 

Froggy's hoots of laughter bounced off the walls. 

'I don't suppose it would do to keep your instructor waiting,' Josh grumbled in her ear as she added her swirly signature to the others.  Lucy giggled nervously, blue eyes rolling up to green.  Josh cupped her face, leaning down, kissing her gently.  Lucy's heart fluttered: a little taster of the night before.

Froggy groaned.

'Put her down lad, for heeven's sake.'

One last show-stopping grin and Josh stepped back, watching Froggy lead her away.

Froggy was a curious fellow.  A wee, wiry Scot; all messy black beard and dreadlocks, punctuated by dark, fiery eyes.  He looked like a miniature Captain Jack Sparrow.  He didn't sound like one though.  He sounded more like Begbie from Trainspotting.  He scared the crap out of Lucy on the first day.

divider.jpg

'You must be Lucy.  I'm Jeremy.  You're here for the AFF course, raight?'

The words blurted out like machine gun fire, voice loud, accent harsh - lots of rolling Rs.  Lucy just stared at him. 

For a little guy, he was very imposing.  He had enough presence to fill Albert Hall. 

Joshua watched her, trying to stifle a smirk. 

No distractions this time around. 

She wasn't going to argue with her new instructor like she'd tried to with Josh.  Truth be told, Froggy could even make him a bit edgy.  Josh watched Lucy accept Froggy's outstretched hand, soon jostled by a firm shake.

'Why do they call you Froggy?' she asked timidly, scraping her short blonde corkscrew curls behind her ears.

Josh grinned at her telephone voice.

'The surname's Fisher,' Froggy told her impatiently.  'You know.  Beatrix Potter and all that.'

'Oh.'

Froggy shot Josh a look.

'I dunny know what y're smirking at, lad.  I take it y've told her y're middle name?'

Lucy turned to Josh, frowning, cocking her head.  His smile disintegrated.  A triumphant grin parted Froggy's lips. 

You dare... thought Joshua, narrowing his eyes at Froggy.  He turned and skulked away.

divider.jpg

'You did brilliantly yesterday, Lucy,' Froggy told her as they reached the training room.  'Keep it up, and we'll be finished by teatime.'

Lucy stared at him, wide-eyed.

'What?  Even the consolidation jumps?' she said doubtfully.

'So long as the weather holds,' Froggy nodded. 

His eyes glittered.  He grinned, tilting his head to one side. 

'That's if you're not too tired...' 

Lucy flushed.  Froggy felt a pang of guilt and relented, holding the door open, squeezing her shoulder.

'Aye,' he said reassuringly, guiding her inside. 

Lucy had waited a month to start the Accelerated Freefall course, since bouncing up and down in excitement after her tandem jump with Josh.  The skies had opened up - it had been rained off three weeks on the trot.  It began to seem like it just wasn't meant. 

Yet here she was, facing the possibility that tomorrow she could be a fully fledged skydiver, able to jump on her own.  Lucy's stomach lurched; she didn't know how to feel.  She didn't like the idea of doing it without Froggy. 

She'd jumped with him four times now - they had built up a bond.  Despite the gruff exterior, he was kind; he had her back.  He was always supportive, even after that awful first jump.

divider.jpg

As she knelt at the door of the plane, breathing in that familiar choke of diesel, the wind rushing at her face, Lucy looked down at North Devon again.  It felt different this time around.  The leaves were turning, it was changing colour - it wasn't that.  She wasn't frozen by fear.

Martin knelt to her left, Froggy to her right - she had to land the parachute herself today - Josh couldn't save her.  And yet in spite of that (or maybe because of it, maybe Lucy liked control), she felt calmer this time around.

She fought her way up onto her feet by herself, Martin holding the handhold of her blue jumpsuit, edging out of the door, holding onto the bar.

'Ready?'

There were wisps of cloud below them, high above the higgledy piggledy patchwork.  The wind rushed at her face. 

She