Filthy Coach: An Older Man Younger Woman Romance

by Amy Brent

  They made a great team. Maya had always been around for Gillian more than her dad and she walked into the kitchen, making a big production of getting everything ready. Coffee was made before the toast so that she could think straight but the little girl was soon munching happily before running to her room to get ready. Maya looked around the quiet kitchen, taking in the peace before she had to get ready for work herself. She heard voices and walked into the living room with her cup to see both of them ready to go. Maya hugged and kissed Gillian and Brie goodbye, promising her sister that she had the afternoon handled.

  Maya was lucky that her job was flexible with her hours since they knew that she was helping out at home. She always made up her time on the days that she didn’t get Gillian and she did her job really well. She was surprised when they teamed her with Brandon, who was a pro at what he did and had just lost his partner to another company.

  She showered quickly, pulling on a purple shift with her ballet flats, throwing on a little make up to make her look less ghostly. Her hair was going to be crazy curly no matter what she did without a lot of work, so Maya just added some product and let it dry on its own as she grabbed a tie and slipped it over her small wrist. She grabbed a black cardigan and headed out the door to her old beat up Civic, starting it after she’d settled her bag on the passenger seat. It took a while some mornings and she backed out of the small driveway as it sputtered, pushing on the gas to get Bridget to move. She loved this damn car and never wanted to get rid of it, since it had seen her through most of high school and all of college, along with a few other memorable moments.

  Parking in the lot, Maya glanced over to see the woman on her floor slip out of a brand new SUV as she got her own purse over her body. She always looked so good, dressed very professionally and flawless in Maya’s eyes. She was clearly a bit older based on her appearance but still looked amazing and probably just a few years older than Maya’s twenty-four years.

  “Just stop dreaming. She’s a boss and way out of your league.” Maya told herself softly as she got out of the car. Different worlds. She met up with a couple other people from her floor, talking about their weekends as they gathered on the elevator. Maya saw the woman from the garage in the back, her brown eyes meeting green ones for just a moment before Maya forced herself to look away. She tugged her hair back into a low ponytail and laughed and joked with her friends as they took the short ride to their floor. Maya turned left to go to her little office that she shared with Brandon, knowing that she was the only one as all of the voices went right. Of course, there was coffee that way.

  Coffee.

  Maya put her purse into her small desk, since most of the office was set up for designing and planning. She turned on her computer to let it warm up, glancing at the door as Brandon walked in. If she was anyone else, she’d find him attractive. Dark hair and tall with some really stunning topaz eyes, Brandon got a lot of attention here at work. “Maya. Coffee before we start?”

  “Sure thing. Your weekend good?” Maya asked him, waiting for him to turn on his own computer.

  “I just hung out a lot. There’s some new bars in the city that are pretty great.” Brandon told her, Maya forcing herself to nod. She didn’t know too much about all of that, since she was with Gillian and Brie a lot.

  “I’ll bet.” She told him, turning into the break room and heading towards the row of coffee makers.

  “What did you do?” Brandon asked her with interest as she rolled her eyes.

  “Mostly hung out with my sister and my niece. It was relaxing.”

  Maya was getting her second cup of coffee in the break room, needing a moment away from the argument that she had going with Brandon. They weren’t seeing eye to eye on their ideas for a condom campaign and she pushed the button with a small laugh as she realized their different viewpoints on them. “Good morning,” said a voice from the door, making Maya blush as she looked over at the door to see parking garage woman looking curiously at her. She looked around the rest of the room with a shrewd gaze, assuring Maya that she had heard her laughing. To herself. In an empty room.

  “Oh. Good morning. I…I was just thinking of an argument I was having over a job.” She smiled awkwardly, glancing at the drink that was dumping into her cup under the spout. “I suppose that happens a lot in this field, yeah?”

  “Quite a lot. Is it anything I can help with?” The woman asked her, stepping forward with her own cup in hand as Maya stared into her face. Her skin was pale and flawless, though not as pale as her own. “I’m Ginny. Ginny Andrews. I supervise a part of the floor.”

  Not mine, unfortunately. “Hi, Ginny. I’m Maya James. I work with Brandon.” The women shook hands, both aware of the electricity that passed between them as they stared at each other and Ginny pulled away. She seemed flustered and Maya looked curiously at her as she tilted her head. “Are you alright?”

  “Of course. Brandon…he’s one of our best.” Ginny murmured, looking into her face before she stepped forward to another machine to make something.

  “Maybe not right at this moment, but he knows his stuff.” Maya said jokingly as she pulled her cup from the machine to stir her Chai tea latte. She stared over at Ginny as if to confirm that this moment was happening, seeing the flush on the older woman’s face. “Have a good day…Ginny.”

  Maya left the room, feeling a warmth spreading through her that she’d never known before. She was smiling when she got back to the office, watching Brandon give her a weird look. “Weren’t you irritated when you left?”

  “Coffee.” Maya explained simply, holding up her cup before she took a large sip. She leaned against the wall as she listened to him talk about how good the condom would feel and that it should be the focus of the ad while she thought that safe sex should also be added to it, at the very least. Maya argued that it was a dangerous world out there and that everyone should be safe, thinking of her niece at home that was the product of a one-night-stand where her parents weren’t careful.

  Not that she’d ever wish Gillian away…she loved her too much. She just hated seeing her sister struggle so much.

  “I guess I know who uses them.” Brandon said under his breath, making her stare at him in surprise.

  “I’m sure I would if I was into guys but they’re just not for me.” Maya shot back, her voice full of venom as he stepped back.

  “Jesus. I’m sorry for whatever I said to set you off. I got it.” He walked over to his computer as she flushed nervously, embarrassed that she’d lashed out like that. “I’m going to go for a walk around the block.” Brandon left with all of his Casanova attitude that he’d been lightly teasing her with, not realizing that it wasn’t going to work.

  Maya fell into her seat, her head falling forward as she took several deep breaths. There it was. There was everything that she was hiding thrown into the open in such a careless way. She calmed down enough to sip her coffee, slowly becoming aware of the noises in the building as she came back to reality. There was movement at the door and she looked over to see Brandon’s chucks at his desk. “I’m very sorry, Brandon. That came out of nowhere. I…I didn’t mean to take something out on you that you have nothing to do with.”

  “Are you okay, Maya?” Brandon asked, stepping closer to her slowly as she looked up.

  “Yes. I just really want to push safe sex somewhere in this ad. It’s important to me.”

  They came up with something that they both agreed on by lunch, with Maya seeing a major shift in Brandon as he spoke to her. She told him before she left that he could be himself with her, since she hated being treated like a porcelain doll. She grabbed her purse and stepped outside, taking out her cigarettes for a rare smoke as she sat on a bench far away from the building. Maya lit the end with a shaking hand, drawing deeply as she closed her eyes.

  Maya had not even told Brie about the night that her ex-boyfriend had forced himself on her. She was already under a lot of stress with having a kid and Brent had the decency of moving on
once he was done with her. It was just a night that went wrong and they broke up soon afterward. Maya had realized that she was attracted to women from an early age, but hadn’t really thought about it until that experience. She was still too shy and hesitant to pursue anything, but she knew that she was attracted to Ginny. She was mature and somehow soft, someone that Maya could trust.

  Maya finished smoking and headed to the corner sandwich shop to grab a quick bite before the half hour was over. She took short lunches most days since she split pick up with her sister, since Brie’s job as a nurse was a three long days a week. It was a job that her sister needed since it supported her and Gillian well and gave them the benefits that they needed. She washed her hands in the bathroom and popped some gum in her mouth to cover up the smell that she hated, only resorting to that when she was really stressed out.

  Maya carried her sandwich back to work and plopped it on her desk as she looked around to see that she was alone. She logged into their files to see what else was on the books for them, coming across a new ad for a dating site.

  “Just a Drink.” Maya muttered, shaking her head. “There’s already so many of these sites. What’s different about this one?”

  “It’s the new one based on the mystery of night. Public place, crowded and just a chance to talk.” Brandon said behind her, making her jump. “There will still be people that don’t follow that policy, but it’s not a bad theory.”

  “I suppose not. We got it for an ad campaign.” Maya glanced behind her as she unwrapped her sandwich. “I promise I won’t go psycho on you this time.”

  Brandon sipped his soda and seemed to consider her words, finally smiling.

  Maya picked up her niece at the aftercare building located in the same lot as her school, walking in quietly as she watched Gillian playing at a table with some other girls her age. She seemed happy here and not like a little girl who was battling for her tired mother’s attention and Maya smiled as she saw Gillian clap her hands and start to laugh. Brie had been worried about her daughter going to daycare but both of them knew this is what she needed and it was paying off, slowly but surely.

  Gillian looked up when the teachers asked if they were ready for snack, seeing Maya as she smiled and waved. Maya waited for the kids to get crackers and juice, chatting with the woman that ran the program as they discussed how well Gillian was doing there. Gillian ran over to her with her backpack and her pretty face covered with goldfish as she chattered about her day, making Maya and Miss Cindy both laugh.

  The girls left together, deciding to get some things at the store before they picked up a gooey cheesy pizza for dinner so that Brie would be able to relax when she got home. They laughed and shopped after the order was placed on line, picking up Brie’s favorite treats and everything that Gillian could want for easy breakfasts. Maya put the pizza in the trunk of the car to take it home, singing along to the radio with Gillian as she pulled up to a light.

  Glancing over, Maya saw Ginny and it looked like she was talking to somebody though the SUV looked empty. She leaned forward to see if anyone was in the passenger seat, noticing Ginny glancing into the rear view mirror before she looked over at Maya. “Shit…I mean, shoot.” Maya corrected herself as she smiled weakly and moved her eyes forward to look at the light. Maya glanced back at Gillian, who had been too into the song to notice her slip up and felt herself blush deeply. Maybe Ginny had a child of her own that she was talking too. Was she married? Maya’s mouth dropped open as she wondered if she imagined everything in the break room that day.

  The light turned green and the two cars pulled forward, the SUV moving faster as Maya held back. She switched lanes to turn right onto their street, set back in a peaceful older neighborhood that was perfect for Gillian. Maya parked in the driveway, telling Gillian that she’d get the pizza and to get a small bag from the car to take into the house. They helped each other and before too long, Gillian was munching on her slice as Maya poured a glass of wine and sat down with her.

  Brie wasn’t home until late that night, so the girls watched a movie and read some books until it was bath time. Maya heard her sister come in the front door after Gillian was sleeping peacefully, heading down the hallway in leggings and a sweatshirt. “Hey there. How was work?”

  “Long. I’m so glad that I’m home.” Brie replied, hanging up her purse and keys as she glanced around. “Gill sleeping?”

  “Out like a light. There’s pizza in the fridge if you’re hungry.” Maya knew that her sister didn’t always get a decent dinner and it showed tonight.

  “How’s the agency going?” Brie asked her, making Maya smile. Their mother had been gone for five years and Brie was like her mother at moments now.

  “Good. I got into it with my playboy partner today a bit, but I guess that’s advertising. We have different opinions.” Maya offered, making her sister smile as she asked if he was someone that Maya might be interested in.

  “No, I’m not ready for anything like that.” Maya admitted, sipping her wine as she thought back to Ginny at the light.

  They seemed to meet up the next day in the break room like clockwork, alone as Maya surveyed the room. “Good morning.” Her voice was nervous as she spoke and Ginny smiled at her as she set her cup on the counter to choose her drink.

  “Good morning, Maya.” Ginny greeted her, feeling the girl’s eyes slip down her body as she shivered. “Was that your daughter yesterday?” She’d seen the blonde girl in the back seat, smiling and having a great time; making her wonder if Maya was married as well.

  “No, Gillian is my niece. I help my sister with her a lot. Dad split town.” Maya replied, seeing something pass over Ginny’s face that resembled relief.

  “Oh…that’s very kind of you.” Ginny said, taken aback by how young and considerate Maya seemed. She pushed the button for coffee on the machine and looked to her left. Maya was looking at her hand, seeing that diamond ring that Phil had put on her finger almost ten years ago as Ginny pressed her lips together.

  “You’re married. Of course, you’re married.” Maya murmured, closing her eyes before she grabbed her cup and turned to go. “Oh my god…I thought that…”

  “You thought right.” Ginny told her, her voice low after a quick look around the room. “I mean, I am but it’s not good right now…and I feel something for…” Her voice drifted off as footsteps sounded outside and both women turned to work on making their coffee. Maya gave her a look before leaving the room, telling her to have a great day as Ginny pressed her full lips together.

  She knew now that they both had feeling for one another and that Phil was drifting further and further away. At this point, he was getting home later every night and Ginny didn’t even miss him. She was too busy with Riley and thinking about Maya after hours, trying to understand the strong attraction that she had towards the younger woman. She’d never felt this way before and the nights got longer as she thought more and more about her.

  Within a couple of weeks, they found themselves meeting every morning in the break room for coffee. They played it off when they spoke, but Ginny had reached out to Maya via personal email once she was given the green light and they planned on lunch over the weekend. Their innocent flirtation was quickly turning into something more, despite Ginny’s marriage and Maya’s fear of getting involved with anyone.

  Ginny wasn’t Brent and never could be.

  She didn’t tell Brandon, whom she saw every day nor did she reveal what she was doing to Brie. Her sister had Sunday off so the women planned for that day with Maya using the excuse that she had some errands to run.

  “Maya, it’s okay for you to have a life. Gill isn’t your daughter, she’s mine.” Brie assured her over dinner Friday, smiling at her sister. You’re twenty-four. You need to have some fun. I’m a washed up twenty-eight-year-old.”

  “Bullshit you are. You are going to find the strength to move on and you’ll be happy too.” Maya told her, smiling at Brie. She was so beautiful and full of life that
someone had to love her again. Gillian was finished with her meal and playing games in her room, so they were alone.

  Maya watched Gillian on Saturday, taking her to the movies and lunch to keep them both busy and herself distracted from the next day’s plans. The messages she’d exchanged with Ginny were sweet and flirtatious enough to heat her up just a little bit. They both knew that this wasn’t completely right but they seemed to both be getting more addicted by the day. They’d stay up late sending emails back and forth after Riley was in bed and Gillian was down for the night, comparing stories and talking about their lives.

  Maya understood that Ginny’s marriage was shaky and that their communication was very unstable right now. She knew that she shouldn’t interfere. She shouldn’t make Ginny deal with her insecurities as far as being with such a beautiful woman, drawing her into her past. As it was, she hadn’t gone too into detail because she was worried about what they would talk about over dinner.

  Maya was clearly nervous on Saturday night as the three girls ate pizza and watched movies, making Brie look curiously at her several times. “What’s with you, Maya?”

  “Nothing.” She dropped the slice that she was merely nibbling on and sipped her soda slowly.

  “You seem really nervous. Is something going on?” Brie pressed, glancing at Gillian to see her lost in the animated movie that was playing on the television.

  “Not really…not yet.” Maya admitted, as her sister set the plate down and leaned forward. “I have a lunch thing tomorrow. I don’t know what it is yet but it’s…something.” She glanced at Brie and nibbled on her lower lip.