Soaring with Fallon Read online

  Soaring with Fallon

  By Kristen Proby

  A Big Sky Novel

  Soaring with Fallon: A Big Sky Novel

  By Kristen Proby

  Copyright 2019

  ISBN: 978-1-948050-49-4

  Published by Evil Eye Concepts, Incorporated

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination and are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or establishments is solely coincidental.

  Book Description

  Soaring with Fallon: A Big Sky Novel

  By Kristen Proby

  From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Kristen Proby…

  Fallon McCarthy has climbed the corporate ladder. She’s had the office with the view, the staff, and the plaque on her door. The unexpected loss of her grandmother taught her that there’s more to life than meetings and conference calls, so she quit, and is happy to be a nomad, checking off items on her bucket list as she takes jobs teaching yoga in each place she lands in. She’s happy being free, and has no interest in being tied down.

  When Noah King gets the call that an eagle has been injured, he’s not expecting to find a beautiful stranger standing vigil when he arrives. Rehabilitating birds of prey is Noah’s passion, it’s what he lives for, and he doesn’t have time for a nosy woman who’s suddenly taken an interest in Spread Your Wings sanctuary.

  But Fallon’s gentle nature, and the way she makes him laugh, and feel again draws him in. When it comes time for Fallon to move on, will Noah’s love be enough for her to stay, or will he have to find the strength to let her fly?

  About Kristen Proby

  New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Kristen Proby has published more than thirty romance novels. She is best known for her self-published With Me In Seattle and Boudreaux series, and also works with William Morrow on the Fusion Series. Kristen lives in Montana with her husband and two cats.

  Also from Kristen Proby

  Click to purchase

  The Big Sky Series:

  Charming Hannah

  Kissing Jenna

  Waiting for Willa

  Kristen Proby’s Crossover Collection:

  Soaring with Fallon: A Big Sky Novel by Kristen Proby

  Wicked Force: A Wicked Horse Vegas/Big Sky Novella by Sawyer Bennett

  All Stars Fall: A Seaside Pictures/Big Sky Novella by Rachel Van Dyken

  Hold On: A Play On/Big Sky Novella by Samantha Young

  Worth Fighting For: A Warrior Fight Club/Big Sky Novella by Laura Kaye

  Crazy Imperfect Love: A Dirty Dicks/Big Sky Novella by K.L. Grayson

  Nothing Without You: A Forever Yours/Big Sky Novella by Monica Murphy

  The Fusion Series:

  Listen To Me

  Close To You

  Blush For Me

  The Beauty of Us

  Savor You

  The Boudreaux Series:

  Easy Love

  Easy With You

  Easy Charm

  Easy Melody

  Easy Kisses

  Easy Magic

  Easy Fortune

  Easy Nights

  The With Me in Seattle Series:

  Come Away With Me

  Under the Mistletoe With Me

  Fight With Me

  Play With Me

  Rock With Me

  Safe With Me

  Tied With Me

  Burn With Me

  Breathe With Me

  Forever With Me

  Stay With Me

  Indulge With Me

  Love With Me

  Dance With Me

  The Love Under the Big Sky Series:

  Loving Cara

  Seducing Lauren

  Falling For Jillian

  Saving Grace

  From 1001 Dark Nights:

  Easy With You

  Easy For Keeps

  No Reservations: A Fusion Novella

  Wonder With Me

  The Romancing Manhattan Series:

  All The Way

  All It Takes

  An Introduction to the Kristen Proby Crossover Collection

  Everyone knows there’s nothing I love more than a happy ending. It’s what I do for a living–I’m in LOVE with love. And what’s better than love? More love, of course!

  Just imagine, Louis Vuitton and Tiffany, collaborating on the world’s most perfect handbag. Jimmy Choo and Louboutin, making shoes just for me. Not loving it enough? What if Hugh Grant in Notting Hill was the man to barge into Sandra Bullock’s office in The Proposal? I think we can all agree that Julia Roberts’ character would have had her hands full with Ryan Reynolds.

  Now imagine what would happen if one of the characters from my Big Sky Series met up with other characters from some of your favorite authors’ series. Well, wonder no more because The Kristen Proby Crossover Collection is here, and I could not be more excited!

  Rachel Van Dyken, Laura Kaye, Sawyer Bennett, Monica Murphy, Samantha Young, and K.L. Grayson are all bringing their own beloved characters to play—and find their happy endings—in my world. Can you imagine all the love, laughter and shenanigans in store?

  I hope you enjoy the journey between worlds!

  Love,

  Kristen Proby

  The Kristen Proby Crossover Collection features a new novel by Kristen Proby and six by some of her favorite writers:

  Kristen Proby – Soaring with Fallon

  Sawyer Bennett – Wicked Force

  KL Grayson – Crazy Imperfect Love

  Laura Kaye – Worth Fighting For

  Monica Murphy – Nothing Without You

  Rachel Van Dyken – All Stars Fall

  Samantha Young – Hold On

  Acknowledgments from the Author

  I’d like to dedicate this book to KL Grayson, Laura Kaye, Samantha Young, Rachel Van Dyken, Sawyer Bennett and Monica Murphy. Thank you, each of you, for trusting me with your worlds, and for six incredible love stories to add to the Big Sky world. I will always treasure them.

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  Table of Contents

  Book Description

  About Kristen Proby

  Also from Kristen Proby

  An Introduction to the Kristen Proby Crossover Collection

  Acknowledgments from the Author

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Epilogue

  Kristen Proby Crossover Collection

  Discover 1001 Dark Nights Collection Six

  Discover the World of 1001 Dark Nights

  Discover More Kristen Proby

  Special Thanks

  Chapter One

  ~Fallon~


  “Namaste.”

  “Namaste,” my class repeats. Some of them jump up immediately to get on with their days, and some sit quietly for a few more minutes.

  Summer yoga is my favorite. I get to teach classes every morning at the Lodge on the lake, for tourists and locals alike. Some days, we’re overflowing with newcomers. And some days, like today, it’s mostly familiar faces.

  The sun rises early in this part of the world during the summer months, so a start time of seven a.m. is perfect to get the blood moving through our veins, outside in the fresh air with the lake shimmering behind us.

  “Sorry I came rushing in late, Fallon,” Nina Wolfe says with a smile. She’s rolling her mat. “I can’t believe I overslept.”

  “No worries,” I reply. “It happens to all of us. I’m just glad you made it.”

  She sighs and walks over to me, her mat slung over her shoulder. Nina is a pretty blond woman with an athletic body and a happy smile. She moved to Cunningham Falls, Montana, just a few months ago to be closer to her brother.

  Who happens to be Christian Wolfe, the hottest Hollywood actor in the world.

  Of course, he’s married to another client of mine, Jenna.

  “How long have you lived here, Fallon?” Nina asks.

  “Oh goodness, it must be almost two years now.” I blink rapidly, realizing that this is the longest I’ve stayed in one place in more than five years. “Wow, time flies.”

  “Was it hard for you to feel like you fit in? To make friends? I mean, I have Christian and Jenna, and I have acquaintances, of course, but—”

  “I get it,” I say, nodding. “Small-town life is different. There’s not a lot of people here, and it feels like there are a lot of cliques.”

  “Yes,” she says with a relieved nod of her own. “And most everyone I know is originally from here, so they have that network in place. I just wanted to make sure I wasn’t going crazy.”

  “You’re not,” I assure her and pat her shoulder. “And it does get easier. You’ll recognize faces and make friends.”

  I frown as I think about my good friend, Penny, who recently moved to Seaside, Oregon. I miss her.

  “Why don’t we go get some drinks or coffee or something sometime?” she asks. “I’ve been coming to your class for months. We’re friends, right?”

  “Sure.” I reach into my bag and pull out a card. “My cell is on here. Just text me, and we’ll set it up.”

  “Awesome.” Nina grins and takes a step back. “I also might have some professional things to discuss with you. Pick your brain.”

  “I’m always happy to have my brain plucked.” I wink and sling my bag over my shoulder, walking toward my car. “Have a good day, Nina.”

  “See you!”

  I climb into my Jeep and drive toward my house, which is just a couple of miles away. Sometimes I walk to class, but I ran late this morning.

  And I admit, I like the feeling of the sun beating down on me, the wind blowing through the Jeep as I drive.

  After the long Montana winter, summer is just what the doctor ordered.

  I’ve just stepped through my front door when my phone rings. I grin as I answer.

  “Hey there.”

  “Hi yourself.” Claire, my friend from back home yawns in my ear. “Whatcha doing?”

  “Just got home from class,” I reply as I brew some tea. “It sounds like you just woke up.”

  “I did.” I can hear the smile in her voice.

  “Does that mean someone just left?”

  “He left a while ago,” she says. “And I don’t think I’ll be seeing him again.”

  “What’s wrong with this one?” I carry my tea out to my back patio and sit at my outdoor dining table. This spot is what sold me on renting this house. The trees and bushes are in bloom, making it feel like a magical garden.

  “He moans weird,” she says, making me laugh. “Like an old man bending over to put on his socks.”

  “Not sexy,” I agree.

  “Too bad, too. He had a nice body. Ah well, there are about a billion more out there.”

  “With nice bodies? Maybe not a billion.”

  “You’re right. Are you dating a hot cowboy yet?”

  I grin and trace the Drips & Sips logo on my mug. “No. It’s a small town, Claire. Not a lot to choose from.”

  “So when are you going to move on to the next place? Or come home?”

  I sigh, thinking it over. I don’t think I’ll ever move back to Chicago. Now that my grandma’s gone, I don’t have any family there, and Claire is my only tie to the city. I’ve been roaming around the country, living in my bucket list towns for the past five-plus years.

  “I like it here,” I reply.

  “You’ve been there longer than the others.”

  “I know. I just realized this morning that it’s been almost two years. I like the community. I’m making friends. Although, Penny just moved away.”

  Claire scoffs in my ear.

  “What was that for?”

  “Fallon McCarthy, you don’t make friends. You make acquaintances. And even then, getting to know you isn’t easy.”

  “I know,” I murmur. That’s the way it’s always been, my whole life. I’m an introvert. I enjoy my own company more than I like being with others. “People exhaust me.”

  “Maybe that’s why you’re better in a small town,” she says. “Fewer people.”

  “That’s definitely a plus,” I agree. “What are you doing today?”

  “I’m going in to work for a bit.”

  “On a Saturday?”

  “Hey, you worked today.”

  “For an hour. I don’t have any other classes today.”

  “Well, I have some accounts to work on. What are you going to do with the rest of your day?”

  “I think I’ll go on a short hike,” I reply. “It’s a beautiful day today.”

  “Like, on the treadmill?” she asks. “A simulated hike?”

  “No, city girl, a real hike. In the woods. On a path.”

  “Do you, like, have hiking boots?”

  I smile and tip back in my chair, enjoying my friend. “I have hiking shoes. They’re not boots.”

  “Huh. Well, whatever floats your boat, my friend. Have a good day.”

  “You, too.”

  I hang up, go inside to rinse my mug, and put on the hiking shoes that will need to be replaced soon, and drive across town to my favorite hiking trail.

  One of the things I like best about Cunningham Falls is all of the outdoor activities here. There are miles and miles of hiking trails that the city keeps groomed and safe for hikers. Last week when I came to walk on this particular trail, it was closed due to mountain lion activity.

  That gave me pause.

  But I carry bear spray, and the only animal I’ve ever seen on the trail is a deer.

  Halfway up to the lookout point, I get a text.

  Nina: Breakfast tomorrow? 9:00 at Ed’s?

  I grin and type a quick reply.

  Me: Sure, see you then.

  Claire’s right, I don’t make friends easily. I wouldn’t even consider Claire my best friend. She’s a close friend. But the sad thing is, she and Penny are probably the best friends I have, and even they don’t know everything about me.

  I don’t even have a bunch of baggage in my past that would cause my lack of trust in others. No one has betrayed me. Or bullied me.

  It’s just my nature to hold back. To be the observer and soak everything in.

  And because of that, I am sensitive to moods and emotions, and that’s exhausting.

  So, instead, I’ve made a habit of being a loner. It suits me fine.

  But having breakfast with a new friend sounds fun, too. Maybe I’m just evolving as a person. I’m only thirty-two. A person can change.

  I come around a corner and shift to the side of the trail so a runner can zoom past me. He nods in thanks and keeps going.

  Nice ass, I think to myself
and grin.

  I set off again, about to head over the ridge to the overlook. It’s a great place to sit and breathe, to watch the lake and the boats floating on it, not to mention the gorgeous Whitetail Mountain above it.

  But a rustling in the bushes catches my attention. I reach for my bear spray, just in case, but then pause and squint, trying to see what’s going on.

  “It’s a bird,” I mutter, stepping closer. A white head pops up, and I gasp. “A bald eagle. Hi there, sweetie. Are you hurt?”

  One wing flaps, but the other doesn’t move at all.

  The poor thing’s hurt.

  “Crap, I don’t know what to do about this. I’m not ready for this.”

  I look up and down the trail, but there’s no one close by. The runner is long gone.

  So, I pull out my phone from my pocket and call Penny. She grew up here, she’ll know what to do.

  Unfortunately, she doesn’t pick up, so in my panic, I call Claire.

  “Did you get eaten by a tiger?” she asks.

  “There are no tigers in North America, Claire. But I did find an injured eagle. I don’t know what to do?”

  “Why did you call me?” she asks.

  “Because I don’t know what to do. Tell me what to do.”

  “Call animal control?”

  I frown, watching as the poor thing struggles. “What are they going to do? Fine it?”

  “I live in Chicago, Fallon. I don’t know. Call 911. Call the sheriff. Call anyone but me.”

  “Thanks a lot.” I hang up and take a deep breath. “Who do I call for you?”

  A veterinarian!

  I Google vet offices in Cunningham Falls and call the first one on the list.

  “I’m on the Bear Mountain trail, just outside of town, and I found an injured eagle. What do I do?”

  “Oh, you’ll want to call Spread Your Wings,” the receptionist says. “They’ll come help you.”