by Abi Josselyn
“You were asleep by the time I got home. I met the nicest hurdler from Phoenix and one thing led to another. I don’t have to tell you what happened but it was amazing and I have Ben to thank.”
“Ben, what about Ben?” Beth hadn’t heard most of Heather’s story but the name Ben caught her attention.
“Ben shut me down when I made advances so I guess he wasn’t up for having fun but he did introduce me to Cory. Ben has a stick up his ass and after he told everyone about you’re needing a shrink, I was lucky he turned me down.”
“Slow down Heather.” Beth laughed. “You’re talking a mile a minute and it’s 5am.”
“I’m just hyped about trials which begin 40 days from today. Can’t win a gold medal until you make the team and you never know if some nobody from Kansas is waiting to ambush our dreams.”
“I think by now the competition is laid out and it’s time to focus on nothing but the track. You may want to consider dialing it down a notch, not to sound like a mother hen but I’ve been there. international competition is a beast and it takes everything out of you.”
“I’m young Beth and you must forget what that’s like.” Heather trotted off to her room.
****
Beth walked onto the practice track, which was intimidating because she was surrounded by the best of the best. She saw Seth working with some young women who would be competing in the 4x4 relay, which was something she enjoyed until her accident. The American’s were counting on the four women that they had and there was no room for a 5th. Dixie waved from the other side of the track where she was practicing the hurdles. Dixies glided over the hurdles as if she were a gazelle. Beth found it hard to believe that she had recently given birth because she didn’t have an ounce of fat on her.
“Nice; on time. That’s a good start to our working together.” Seth smiled as he jaunted across the field to welcome Beth. “I’m a stickler for promptness as you’ve probably heard. Most of the gossip about me isn’t true but this is. I had a runner who was habitually tardy and I told her to run back to her room because she was not coachable. She’s here at Apex still but she’s somebody’s else’s problem now.”
“Yeah, I outgrew my tardiness. It’s selfish when you think your time is more important than someone else’s. I assume we’ll get started by setting a baseline and working from there.”
“Not really, I don’t want you working on speed until we get your form worked out because I hear from Jonathan that your stride needs tinkering.”
“It does, I guess because I run differently since the accident. I’m surprised that Jonathan even thought it was worth mentioning because I don’t consider it a drawback. It’s hardly noticeable.”
Seth laced his arms across his chest. “Did you get a head injury when you fell off your bike?”
“No Seth; my helmet was intact. I was just letting you know that it’s no big deal.”
“Have you forgotten that every single detail matters at this level. If you have no intention of winning, then you don’t belong here. We have to use everything we can because you’re not a youngster and don’t forget that making it to the games is only the first step towards Olympic gold. I would apologize for being a hard ass but I won’t because that’s how I coach my athletes. If you want to be handled with kid gloves, then head back to Oregon and you can win local races until you’re 90.”
Beth didn’t respond because she realized that it wouldn’t do any good. Seth was tough but that’s what she needed in order for her comeback to be successful. Beth knew that every second that she thought about Ben would take her focus away from running. He was just clearing the air by kissing her so they could pursue their goals – after all, Ben had Lizzie and taking away another woman’s man was not something she would do. It was frustrating because the feeling of being in Ben’s strong arms was all she could think of. The preoccupation with Elijah had vanished and all Beth could think about was Ben. Before she knew it, her workout with Seth was complete and it was time to head to the pool to be with Ben. Seth motioned her to come over.
“Nice job out there, Barker.” Seth said with a smile, which made Beth wonder whether or not he had a split personality. “Your form is not far from perfect so I was worried for no reason. I’m thinking of making a change to the 4x4 line-up and I want your feedback.”
Beth was elated because she missed running the relay and she thought if there was a spot open it would be hers. “You don’t have to say another word – yes, yes, yes.”
“You’re fast and clairvoyant.” Seth laughed. “I’m glad you saw what I saw in Heather Morgan. She got faster than I ever imagined during her time away from the sport. Celia Crosby has been dealing with some foot issues and I think Heather will blend nicely with the group.”
“Heather, oh, yes. My suitemate Heather. I thought – forget what I thought because it’s a great move.” Beth wished a sinkhole would appear beneath her feet and swallow her up. She tried hard to play along that she thought choosing Heather for the relay team was a good idea. “When are you going to deliver the good news?”
“I’m on my way over there if I can catch her. The girl’s always on the move and I think we may have a gold medalist in our midst.”
Beth wanted to blurt out – what about me? Or run away in tears but she did neither. “I have to meet Ben at the pool so I’ll plan on seeing you tomorrow. I’m anxious to see where I’m at with my 1500 time.”
“You mean the 5000 because we said you would end up running in the race where you were the most needed.”
Beth just shook her head and waved behind her back as she scampered away. She had to pull it together because next she would be in the pool with Ben where she’d have to pretend like nothing was bothering her. She would have to conceal her attraction to her physical therapist which wouldn’t be easy as they would be splashing around in the pool together. Hunky man in a Speedo brushing up against her in the water would be push the limits. Beth took a deep breath and walked into the facility.
Chapter Seven
Ben was sitting on the pool’s edge as he dangled his feet in the water. Beth stood back because it appeared he was on a face chat and it was probably Lizzie he was talking to because he was smiling and laughing. Beth saw Ben make goofy faces into his phone which she thought was silly in an adult relationship. Whatever works for them, Beth thought as she caught Ben’s eye. He stood up and sure enough he was wearing a black Apex issued swimsuit, which was the same one professional divers wore. Beth swallowed hard and looked away so he wouldn’t notice her gawking. His chiseled abs and developed calf muscles made it obvious that he hit the gym regularly. Ben no longer had a skinny runner’s body and he looked like a cover model for a fitness magazine.
“Seth sent me vids of you in action today. It looks as if I’ve got my work cut out for me because if you’re not sore after today then you’re superhuman.”
“I’m fine for now but I can’t imagine I’ll be singing the same tune in the morning.”
“Umm, are we cool after last night? I meant it as a sort of ice breaker.”
“You managed to break the ice Ben. You actually crushed it but it was just a moment and I’ve already pushed it to the back of my mind. There it will collect dust and disappear like all of the other regretful memories I have.”
“I’m sorry that you thought of it as regretful. I haven’t stopped thinking about it since I left your apartment, which is not what I intended. I had some residual feelings from years ago and I wish kissing you sucked. It would have been easier to push it back in my head as you easily did.”
“I didn’t say it was easy. I’m standing here in a bathing suit and I’m cold. You must be freezing in that banana hammock so let’s jump in.” Beth was trying to change the subject.
“I wear this thing for ease of movement. You weren’t admiring my goods were you Beth?” Ben joked.
Beth laughed as she swam around to get acclimated to water. “Do you miss Lizzie and wish she was here staying with
you?”
Ben attached a heart monitor belt around Beth’s chest, just below her boobs. “Yes, I miss Lizzie every day but she’s happy with my brother who provides her with everything she needs.”
Gross, Beth thought. It was beginning to sound as if he and his brother were sharing Lizzie. If that were the case, then she had misjudged Ben. He always seemed borderline geeky and by no means kinky. In fact, he didn’t even have a girlfriend that Beth knew of at CCU but it appeared as if he had changed drastically. If he had been into threesomes all along he sure hid it well.
“Beth, are you with me? You seem to be lost in thought.”
“No, I’m here, it must be this schedule, which is non-stop. I shouldn’t be complaining because I dreamed of a comeback as I was rehabbing. I shouldn’t be asking about Lizzie because she’s none of my business.”
“You might get to meet her if you want because my brother Monte is bringing her to Utah next week. It’ll be the last time I see her before the team heads to Oslo for the trials.”
“You and Monte are going to hang out with Lizzie together?” Beth asked.
“Yeah, that’s how we roll. We’re like a posse and trying to make the best of an imperfect situation. Lizzie’s happy and it’s all my brother and I care about.”
“I get ya Ben but I want to focus on this hydro therapy that you’re so excited about.”
“You worked hard today and your muscles will recover quickly just being in the pool because all of the weight is off your joints. As we’ve been chatting I’ve been monitoring your blood pressure and heartrate. Just being in the pool agrees with your body. I think you’re the ideal candidate for this type of therapy and I get the benefit of seeing you in a bathing suit.”
Beth chuckled. “Easy big guy; let’s keep this professional.”
“You’re right Beth but I won’t lie that it’s not easy.”
For an hour Ben led Beth through knee bends, extensions and pushes. It felt as if Beth was taking ballet lessons underwater as she held on to the bar. Ben brought in a weighted stepper and directed Beth to do exercises that she was never able to master outside of the pool. As Beth proceeded through the exercise routine it was hard not to notice Ben’s strong hands manipulating her body with his magical fingers. He applied the right amount of pressure and she even let out a moan at one point. Ben’s touch was like no other she had experienced. Beth was nervous because her crush on Ben was intensifying regardless of how hard she was trying to push it to the back of her mind.
“I think we’re good for today Beth. I didn’t even ask how you first day with Seth went. I imagine it was a breeze,” Ben said.
“Not exactly but I don’t want my therapy to be a bitch session about what happened. I have my first session with the head doctor tomorrow and I’ll address everything there.”
“I knew there was a reason your blood pressure was high when you got here. Don’t let Seth get to you Beth. He has a hard edge because winning is in his DNA; the guy has no off-switch. Seth is good at what he does and being coached by the man is worth it in the long run.” Ben said as he toweled off before they went into separate locker rooms.
“I know but being forced to run the 5000 when I’ve always run the 1500 is tough to take,” Beth complained.
“The competition has changed since the last Olympics and Seth is a master when it comes to looking at the big picture.”
“After you shower, I’ll escort you to dinner; if you haven’t already had enough of me.”
“No, I had better get used to you and it will be fun to watch Heather as she works the room.” Beth laughed.
“Yeah, that girl is on the hunt and she has a bevy of fit men to choose from. Heather’s hot but she’s not my type.”
“What is your type Ben?” Beth asked.
Ben shook his head and smiled. “I can’t believe you haven’t figured it out yet.” Ben disappeared into the men’s locker room.
Beth thought he meant that Lizzie was his type. She looked forward to sneaking a peak of the woman when she came to town. As Beth changed into the slightly wrinkled clothes she had in her bag she couldn’t help but think of Ben. While she was in college Beth didn’t give him a second look, which was turning out to be a huge mistake. He was fit, handsome and funny – someone that she was thinking about even when she wasn’t with him. Her bitchiness and feelings of self-importance were parts of her former self that made her cringe when she thought about them. Now Ben had found Lizzie and it was too late to make up for past deeds. It would have to be friendship between her and Ben which was better than nothing she supposed.
Chapter Eight
Pool workouts with Ben turned out to be the favorite part of Beth’s day. They developed a deep friendship in a short amount of time and realized they had a lot in common. One of Ben’s goals that he shared with Beth was running a marathon and they decided if it was convenient, they would run together.
“I think that I’d need a buddy to run with for motivation.”
“If neither of us is busy after I retire we should plan it. Everyone thinks that since I’m a track athlete then I can run long distances,” Beth said as she did under water lunges.
“I get the same thing when I’ve never run over 10 miles. You might have to carry me over the finish line Beth.”
“We can crawl across the finish line together and then drink beer and eat pizza.”
“Can I ask you a personal question?” Ben grew serious.
“Ask but I won’t answer if it’s too personal.”
“Why don’t you have a boyfriend or a husband? You’re stunning, smart and fun. This isn’t a come on and I don’t mean to embarrass you but I just don’t get it.” Ben was quiet for a moment when he thought he knew the answer. “You must not be into men. It all makes sense now and I can’t believe it took me this long; you’re a lesbian!”
“Wrong Ben. I’m not a lesbian.” Beth laughed. “Sometimes I wish I were because my luck with men has not been good. I was engaged to someone but he cheated. I dodged that bullet and then there was Elijah. He set me free when I moved to Utah but I think he was actually glad to see me go. You know when you’re more into someone than they are you. It’s embarrassing and that was the case with Elijah Maxwell.”
“Their loss is my gain – of a friend at least. I was lonely before you came to Apex and when I found out who you were, I was sure we’d be enemies.”
“I get that,” Beth said. “My bitchy past comes back to haunt me sometimes. I give you credit for giving me a second chance because it would have been easier to run. Seth would have reassigned you with no problem. I have my roommate and acquaintances here but you’re my only true friend – you are my friend right?”
“Your friend and your physical therapist. I don’t want you to overdo it on your first day so let’s move over to the Jacuzzi where you can continue telling me about the years since CCU. Tell me about the last Olympics and what it was like standing on the podium.”
Beth climbed out of the pool and shook her head like a dog. “It was idyllic except for the fact that my medal was the wrong color; don’t get me wrong, I know now how fortunate I was to even be on the podium. Being a track athlete, except for the relay is far from being a team sport. At the games there was a sense of comradery and national pride that cannot be felt anywhere else. It gives me goosebumps just talking about it. I left CCU early and missed out on dorm life and frat parties so the Olympics gave me that experience that I didn’t have.”
Beth and Ben were comfortable touching each other so she thought nothing of it when he started massaging her shoulders. Their relationship was evolving beyond just professional but it didn’t need to be discussed. It was natural and inevitable like a wave on the ocean. “Were you with your fiancé at the time?” Ben asked.
“No we had just ended our relationship. As I said, he was unfaithful but it was because I wasn’t emotionally available or physically when I think about it. It takes someone special to understand the intense focus of
a professional athlete. Trevor is a high school teacher and he couldn’t understand my 24/7 schedule. He has summers off and I was never there to relax when he had vacation or a weekend free. Enough about me and my horrible love life; tell me about you and Lizzie.”
“I’d rather not Beth. I don’t mean to stonewall you but I’m guarded when it comes to Lizzie.” Ben ran his hands dangerously close to Beth’s breasts and she arched her back. “Does that tickle? Sorry.”
“No, it’s good, very good in fact.” Beth looked back at Ben, smiled and shrugged her shoulders. Their desire was palpable but neither was going to make the first move for fear of where it might lead. “We should towel off before we both become prunes.”