24 Hours of Adrenalin Mountain Bike Race- Conyers, GA: 3 months earlier

Jim Connor took a long swallow of PowerAde, and wiped his chin with the terry cloth on the back of his cycling gloves. It had been a long 24 hours, but he and his team of three had done well, placing second in the endurance race. His gaze wandered from the awards podium to the small group of women queuing up for the womens solo awards. He was a veteran of these events, traveling from his home in Los Angeles all over the US with two of his buddies to ride mountain bikes for 24 straight hours on sweet single track. It was a surprisingly small community, and the blonde woman he was now openly watching, was quickly becoming a well-known face.

And what an attractive face, he thought. He felt himself flush as he remembered seeing the long-legged blonde warmly embrace a brunette racer at a previous event. He found himself asking questions, and confirmed that she, indeed, was a *****. Why am I always attracted to women I cant have?, he thought glumly.

He shook his head and focused again on the podium.

First place in the womens solo awards, riding 15 laps, a total distance of 120 miles, goes to our very own Sadie Thompson!. A spattering of applause met the blonde as she slowly moved up the steps to claim her award and check. She broke into a big grin as she held the trophy aloft.

Jim sighed quietly, and moved forward. She would fit nicely into his plans. As she stepped from the podium he touched her elbow. Sadie, may I speak with you for a moment? I have a business proposition for you.

LA: current day

Sadie snorted as she looked around. For the millionth time she wondered what in the ***** she had been thinking when she agreed to move to Los Angeles. I was either delirious from exhaustion or high off an endorphin rush, she muttered to herself, as she made her way down the stairs. She was not known for making major changes in her life. What the *****—you only live once!, she thought as she unlocked a door at the bottom and pushed it open. She had only gotten a quick look at the bicycle shop the night before. The familiar smell of chain lube and tires greeted her as she wandered across the floor. The layout was a little cramped, but she could work with that.