Mental Training
Page 1
Mental Training
(Yes Coach, Book 2)
S. B. Sheeran
Copyright © 2015 S. B. Sheeran
All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
Following The Events of the First Book in The Series:
Yes Coach
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Also by S. B. Sheeran:
The Daughter of The CEO Series
The Daughter of The CEO (Book 1)
The Daughter’s Bite (Book 2)
The Daughter’s Demands (Book 3)
The Missing Daughter (Book 4)
The Other Side of The Net Series
Rising Shot (Book1)
Second Serve (Book 2)
Break Point (Book 3)
Where the light Enters Series
The Woman Who Stopped Time (Book 1)
The Woman Who Healed My Heart (Book 2)
The Woman Who Made Me Sing (Book 3)
Table of Contents
Mental Training
Free Gift
Other Books By S. B. Sheeran
The Daughter of The CEO Excerpt – Chapter One
About The Author
Mental Training
CHAPTER 1
672 hours. That’s how many hours there were in four weeks and every second of those hours Olivia spent it in a state of confusion. She had figured that number out one day while thumbing through her recent calls, Gracie’s name at the very bottom of the list.
La douleur exquise. The exquisite pain of wanting the affection of someone you know you can never have. How true was that? She thought in aggravation and rolled over onto her back, giving up on the idea of sleep.
Olivia stared up at the shadows dancing along the slopes of the ceiling. She found her mind wandering, as it always did these days, to the memory of Olivia’s lips brushing along hers that one afternoon. How sweet and salty it had tasted to finally kiss her, to full fill at least one of her urges.
Extending a hand up, she searched for her iPhone somewhere underneath her pillows. Every instinct told her not to look, just to delete Gracie’s name and messages like she had done with Jack’s so easily. Her thumb moved on its own accord and brought up their previous messages. She scrolled up past the several ones she had sent over the past few weeks and to the last text message Gracie sent her: “Look, I’m confused. I don’t know why I kissed you and why I enjoyed it. This is all new to me and not to mention not right according to some people. I can’t see you anymore or train you. Please find someone else. I need some time alone to figure things out.”
Tears burned Olivia’s eyes. Despite the confusion she felt herself over her attraction towards Gracie, a part of her knew where Gracie was coming from. Their relationship wouldn’t be accepted easily and that was if they ever did decide to pursue a relationship.
“Stop it, Olivia.” She whispered, drying her eyes with the edge of her blanket. “Stop imagining things that won’t ever happen. Stop hoping.”
She kicked back the sheets and sat up in the middle of her bed. In need of distraction Olivia reached over to grab her Macbook. She settled herself comfortably against the pillows and accepted her fate tomorrow. Come eight o’clock she would be grumpy and tired for her new job as a assistant manager for a small company that sold ATVs, boats, and outdoor equipment.
The distinct buzz on Olivia’s mattress caught her attention. Heart pounding furiously in the caverns of her chest, she reached down to grab her iPhone laying besides her.
Gracie: Are you awake?
Olivia’s fingers shook violently as she texted back quickly.
Olivia: Yes. How are you?!?!
Gracie: I’m fine. How are you?
Olivia: Good...
Gracie... good. Can I call you? It’ll be easier through a call.
Olivia: Sure.
She shut her computer quickly and set it back on the bed stand before scrambling off the mound of blankets piled on her bed. Even in late summer she still insisted on sleeping with blankets. Olivia clicked the living room lamp light on right as Gracie called. She eagerly hit the accept button.
“Gracie?! Hi. How are you?” She breathed out.
There was a brief pause before Gracie answered in a strained voice, “I’m fine, Olivia. How are you?”
“Good.”
“That’s good.”
A awkward silence fell.
Olivia sat down on the edge of the couch. Her fingers plucked at a stray thread absently as she waited for Gracie to say something besides breath into the phone.
“So,” Gracie started, clearing her throat uncomfortably, “I think I owe you an apology for what I said a couple weeks ago.”
“You think? And it wasn’t a couple of weeks ago. It’s been over a month since I last heard from you.”
The frustration and anger from the past few months seeped into Olivia’s voice. She curled her fingers around the edge of the couch’s cushion to keep her fraying temper under control.
“I know, Olivia. I’m really sorry it’s been that long. I’ve just been busy with work and figuring things out.”
“You could’ve at least communicated that to me. You didn’t exactly spell anything out nicely.”
Gracie sighed into the phone in mild annoyance. “Jesus, Olivia. I’m sorry. Okay? I just wanted to call you and ask if we could meet up sometime tomorrow for lunch.”
The impulse to blurt out “yes” shot through her, but Olivia forced herself to remain cool. She had things to figure out for herself as well and bounced her legs nervously.
“Sure. I guess I can spare my lunch hour.”
She grimaced at how bitchy she sounded. When Gracie didn’t respond, she rushed on to clarify, “I mean. Yes, that’s fine. I have an hour for lunch starting at 11:00am.”
“Okay. Remember the coffee shop I took you to once?”
I try not to, Olivia thought, but swallowed the response down. “Yes, I remember. I can meet you there.”
“Alright. Get some sleep. I know you’re up working.”
Gracie hung up before Olivia could reply.
CHAPTER 2
Olivia tapped her foot anxiously on the floorboards of the coffee shop. She kept her eyes focused on the door, waiting for Gracie to walk through them at any minute.
What if she didn’t show up?
It wouldn’t be all that surprising or a big blow. They had gone a month without talking and their last conversation wasn’t exactly friendly. She sighed impatiently and began to tap a finger against the rim of her hot grey tea.
Dark hair shimmered through the glass window before the door pushed open. Gracie stepped into the coffee shop, dressed in a pair of frayed jean shorts and a paint splattered t-shirt. The strands of her black hair were gathered in a messy bun clipped to the top of her head and the faint smell of her sugar perfume filled the tiny coffee shop. A hesitant smile crept up on Gracie’s lips as she approached the table Olivia sat at.
“Hi.”
Gracie looked down at the chai latte Olivia ordered for her. A small smile tugged up the corner of her pink lips and she curled her fingers around the mug.
“Thanks for the chai.”
“No problem. I know it’s your favorite.”
Another awkward silence.
She missed the comfortable silences between them or the ability to talk to one another without reluctance. Olivia stared across at the woman who had captured her attention and been her closet confidante, closer than Darcie sometimes, and not to mention her biggest motivator. Now she felt like a stranger, a very tense stranger.
“So,” Gracie started, clearing her throat, “how are you? I heard that you’ve moved onto a different job.”
“Who told you that?” Olivia asked, surprised. Soon as she asked the question the realization hit her. “Let me guess, Darcie told you.”
“Yeah. After many threats of kicking my ass and trying to get me fired.”
Olivia smiled inwardly. She never put it past Darcie to threaten someone who could clearly take her out with one punch. “Sorry. Darcie’s harmless. She couldn’t hurt a fly even though acts like she can.”
“I’m not too concerned.” Gracie said, wryly. “So, where are you working now?”
“At a small business that sells outdoor equipment and things like that. I’m the assistant manager there.”
“Why’d you leave John? Seemed like you two were the dynamic duo.”
“We were.” Olivia shrugged, sighing. “I guess he’s going to move out of Springs and go somewhere in Wyoming. Retire basically.”
Gracie sipped at her chai latte. “Why didn’t you take over the business? You had a real knack for it.”
This was what Olivia missed, the easy conversation. It hit her then how much she missed Gracie’s presence. She studied the other woman discreetly, noting the bags under her eyes. The selfish part of Olivia hoped it was because of her.
“I don’t know, but what did you want to talk about? I have to get back to work in thirty minutes.”
“Right.” Gracie tapped her polished fingernails on the side of her mug. Her chocolate eyes focused on the table top and for the first time since their meeting a nervous tremor filled her voice, “I’ve been thinking about what happened. You know? The, uh, kiss and everything else that happened afterwards.”
Olivia’s heart skipped a beat and she leant forward in her chair, torn between eagerness and her own nervousness. She gesticulated for Gracie to continue when she looked up to catch Olivia’s eyes.
“I’ve never been with a woman before, but that kiss...I don’t know how to explain it besides that it has made me want you. I want to be with you.”
There it was. The admission of feelings. How many people in the world got to hear that? She felt special thinking of those statistics and her past relationships.
“That’s what I want too.” Olivia whispered, reaching across the table top for Gracie’s hand. “We can get through this together if you’re open to being with me...”
Their fingers twined loosely. A passerby would think it was two friends holding each other’s hand in comfort, but to them it was so much more. It was the timid recognition of their feelings toward one another.
“I am... At least I think I am. This is going to be tough, Olive. I don’t know if you’ve thought about it like I have.”
She had thought about it intently for the past four weeks. Their tight knit community would undoubtedly look down upon them and there was no telling how their families would react. Darcie had been the only one in Olivia’s corner supporting her attraction towards Gracie.
A sudden thought struck her.
“What about your boyfriend? You’re still with him.”
Gracie’s eyes went back down to the table top, guilt shimmering in them. She slid her hand away from Olivia’s and leant back in the chair, smoothing a hand along her face. “I haven’t talked to him yet.”
Just like that reality crashed down over Olivia’s shoulders. Tears stung the surfaces of her eyes and she had to blink several times to regain control of her composure.
“I’m sorry. I-”
“What do you want from me?” Olivia snapped. She motioned a hand between them, “What do you want from us? Have you even thought about leaving Derek?”
Gracie’s pink lips thinned into a straight line. “It’s not that simple, Olivia.” She said, shaking her dark head. “He wants to get married to me.”
The words were a sucker punch to her gut. Olivia dragged a trembling hand through the tresses of her hair, snagging them on a knot. She yanked through it and ignored the flash of pain on her scalp.“Then get married to him. It’d be the right thing to do.” Olivia said.
She grabbed the strap of her purse from the back of her chair and went to stand, but a tanned hand stopped her. Gracie’s eyes glittered with several emotions and it was hard to read them. “I asked you to come here to figure out a way for us to be together. Now, sit down. Please. Let’s figure this out.”
Olivia warily lowered herself back down in her chair, still clutching the strap of her purse. She tried to ignore the tingly sensation of Gracie’s soft and slightly moist fingers on her skin.
“I want to be with you, Olive. I really do. I think we could make this work if we both agree to stick it out, the good and bad. It’s not going to be easy. It’s not going to happen overnight either. We both have lives that could be changed forever and we could lose people we don’t want to lose. We have to decide if it’s worth it or not. That’s why I want it to go slow. It’s not only new to you, but it’s new to me.”
There had been so many times that Olivia forgot to remember that Gracie had weaknesses, fears, and doubts too. Beneath the strong muscles and confidence, she still had her flaws and that was what love was all about. Loving another person for their good and bad.
“Okay. Let’s figure this out.” She reached up to touch the fingers gripping her arm. “We’ll figure it out together.”
CHAPTER 3
The following afternoon Olivia visited Darcie at the new house she shared with her boyfriend of the month. She tried not to gag at the dirty dishes cluttered on the kitchen counter and the smell of rotting fruit in the kitchen as she followed Darcie out through the sliding glass door.
Darcie caught sight of the look on Olivia’s face and laughed. “I promise my house is not always dirty. We had a party last night and it got a little crazy.”
Sitting down on the little couch of a lush back yard that was barely the size of Olivia’s living room floor, she crossed her arms. Darcie sat alongside her on the couch and raised a eyebrow at her bouncing knee.
“So, what’s up? What’s got you all nervous?”
Olivia kept her eyes on the ground, already knowing what Darcie’s immediate response would be. She just needed to talk to someone who’s not a part of the situation and Darcie had a real knack of speaking opinions without holding anything back.
“I had coffee with Gracie yesterday.”
“Olivia!” Darcie groaned loudly in dread. “Why? Why would you talk to her after what she said and did?”
“I know. I-” she paused, burying her head in her hands, “I just wanted answers on why. You know how that feels after being ignored for so long.”
“Yeah, I do, but you don’t deserve being treated like a secret or option. Not after what you went through with Jack.”
A watery smile graced Olivia’s face at the sincerity in Darcie’s voice “Thanks for that. We just talked about things.”
“Oh?” Darcie raised an eyebrow expectantly. “What did you two talk about exactly?”
“You know,” she said, shrugging her shoulders nonchalantly, “about what happened and about how we want to pursue a relationship with one another.”
“Relationship? You two
are actually committing to a relationship?”
It was hard to translate Darcie’s tone and her eyes were equally guarded. Olivia swallowed thickly, nodding her head. “Yes. What’s wrong with a relationship?”
“Don’t get all defensive. I’m all for it that’s what makes you happy. It’s just-” Darcie paused, chewing on her bottom lip in thought. “It’s not going to be easy. Are you gonna be able to handle it?”
Olivia frowned. “I can handle being in a relationship. I have before.”
“That was different though.”
“How?”
“Listen,” Darcie reached out and placed a soft hand on Olivia’s twisting hands, “I’m all for you being with Gracie. I hold no prejudice, but some people aren’t going to be so accepting. Springs isn’t exactly gay friendly. What will your family think?”
She hadn’t even thought about that. Olivia grimaced at the thought coming out to her family. Not because they were strictly religious, but because they would flood her with a million questions and doubts.
Darcie watched the emotions dance across Olivia’s face. “That’s what I thought. Maybe you should talk with Gracie some more and really see if the both of you can handle it. Being in a relationship is hard enough, but having tons of people question it will make it even harder.”
“I know...”
Tears surfaced at the back of Olivia’s eyes. She blinked them away before they spilled out and focused on the grass tickling between her toes. Why did things have to be so complicated? More than anything she wished it was simple like a love song. I want you, you want me, and that’s all that matters. Not the rest of the world.