Doc

By V.R. Paille

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is the art of folding clothes with people still in the clothes. I never expected my hearted to get folded up as well.

• Language: English
• Publisher: V.R. Paille
• Release date: Mar 15, 2022
• ISBN: 9781005061821

V.R. Paille

I write slow burn romance. I love falling in love, no "insta-love" here.I currently live in Texas with my husband and son. As long as it isn't pouring rain you can find me outside with a book, writing, or chasing my son around. I'm a blue belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and work with my husband in his gym. On our off days, we fish and day dream of one day sailing the world.

Book preview

Chapter 1: Loretta

Rhett, I need help up front, Liza calls from the doorway of our storeroom office.

I blink away the lingering computer screen glare and stare up at her. I glance at the clock. My head snapping in a double take. No wonder my body feels so stiff. I’ve been hunched over this laptop all afternoon. Where did all of that time go?

Rhett? she says again calling me back to focus on the present.

Sorry, I mutter and struggle up from my chair, joints and muscles groaning in protest. Note to self: don’t sit for hours after doing an insane Dave special workout. Everything just stops working. Liza barely contains a smile. I glare at her and ask, What do you need help with?

As we round the corner, I stop. Up front, near the door, is a man. Not the typical kind of guy we get in our gym. We’ve had everything from big, muscular, bodybuilding guy to the dad bods walk through our door. This guy is actually a little scary. His muscular form is clad in leather, denim, and tattoos. A chain hangs from his belt loop to his back pocket. A ball cap is pulled low to cover his eyes. His arms are crossed showing off sinewy and tanned forearms. From afar he looks menacing, like someone from Hell’s Angels. Liza swallows audibly before whispering, Him.

I hesitate a moment. My stomach rolling with anxiety and fear. Maybe I should call Chris. He is five minutes down the street. At least then there would be another adult up here, just in case.

Shaking my head at my own insecurity, I start walking up front. I have been training Brazilian jiu-jitsu for the last ten years of my life. I can handle a lot. Besides, he came into my place of business. He wouldn’t be patiently waiting up front if he meant us any harm, I hope.

I take a deep breath, hoping that it will steady my voice, as I walk up. Hi, I say in my most cheerful voice, I’m Rhett.

Hi, his voice is smooth and strong, I’m Doc.

I wait for him to ask a question. When it’s clear that is all I’m going to get, I ask, How can I help you?

He smiles and part of the fear I’m feeling suddenly dissipates. His smile is like the sun after a storm. It is bright, unexpected, and warm. I’m smiling back before my brain registers the gesture. He has just got one of those smiles. It’s impossible not to smile back at him. I’m looking for a good gym for some self-defense classes.

I can’t help the laugh that escapes my lips. You want to learn self-defense?

He rubs the back of his head in almost bashful manner. The move stretches his shirt and I can see a hint of toned skin on his abdomen. I pull my eyes away when he rumbles, Yes, for me and for some of the others.

You are welcome to join our classes. We offer a free trial class, so just come try it out.

Doc pulls out his phone and points to my profile. It says you are one of the coaches.

I nod, I’m only a brown belt, so I’m not a main coach or anything. I mostly help with kids and women.

I’m trying to find a place for my sisters to train, he offers, I want somewhere with good technique and good people.

Well, I’m a little biased but I think this is one of the best places around to train.

Doc crosses his arms. Why?

He doesn’t seem challenging, just curious. Trust me I can tell the difference. I’ve dealt with enough of both to be able to pick them out from a mile away. Doc just wants me to sell him on the gym. I can do that.

The owner of this gym started it because he wanted a place for his family to train. We listen to music but it will all be pretty PG. We keep things clean here and for that reason, lots of families train with us, including daughters and mothers. The owner created something really special here. But you don’t have to take my word for it. Show up for your trial class. Our people and our instructors prove this every day.

I like the pitch. Don’t believe me. Show up. It’s the best pitch I’ve heard all day.

So, you’ve been checking out the competition.

He smiles, You and I both know the other gyms in this area aren’t any competition, which is exactly why you can make that pitch and why you are the only gym that offers a free trial class.

I smile. It’s true. If he was just looking for something for him, even something more focused on mixed martial arts, boxing, or kicking, this wouldn’t be the place for him. He’s looking for his sisters to learn self-defense. We are the best gym within a hour drive for women’s self-defense.

How do I sign up for a free trial class?

I walk him through the sign-up process. He shakes my hand when he is done filling out the wavier. I’ll be back tomorrow.

Okay, I tell him. I hope I’m more prepared for him tomorrow.

Chapter 2: Doc

This is not my idea of fun. I don’t know anybody in their right mind who would want to spend all day driving around checking out every gym in a thirty-mile radius. I’ve always loved the solitude of the compound. It’s nestled in the hills of South Texas on a small acreage in a tiny town.

Right now, I’ve had to drive nearly two hundred miles today to see each gym in person. My mission is to find a proper gym without a bunch of knuckle dragging assholes for Mina and Ava to learn self-defense without a firearm. I spent a couple of days researching websites, instructors, and even deciding what type of martial art I thought would be best for the girls. A website doesn’t tell me much, except for if a gym is doing well enough to have their website professionally built or not. I gathered reviews from social media, but I’m a face-to-face person. I still believe in customer service and if the people at the gym can’t sell me in person, then there is no way I will be frequenting their establishment. I’m fairly well experienced in fighting from my time in the military. I was a testosterone filled teenage boy once, as well. So, going into a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gym is low on my priority list. I can take care of myself.

Anyway, Edge voluntold me, so here I am. Spending my free day, driving around interviewing gyms. So far, I’ve been unimpressed. I saved my personal favorite, the one with the best reviews and website for last. Rod and Staff Jiu-Jitsu is only about twenty minutes from the compound, faster if I ever let Ava drive. It’s the only gym in a shopping complex, not a warehouse.

It’s also the only one that doesn’t smell like the bottom of a gym bag. As the door shuts behind me, I see a ponytail disappear into the back. I wait, hoping the disappearing ponytail isn’t the one who was supposed to greet me. I’ve already said the gym smelled clean, but it is actually sparkling clean. No stray dust bunnies. Not even on the row of medals decorating the wall.

The door to the back opens and the woman from the website is striding toward me from the back room. The first thing I notice is that she approaches me with a confidence I don’t often see in women. Women come up to me all of the time with that fake, bubbling, giggly confidence that deflates the second they are rejected. This woman walks up to me with a self-assuredness that I don’t think I’ve ever seen before. She knows who she is and is completely comfortable in her own skin. It’s kind of hot and she isn’t even close enough for me to see the color of her eyes. Even though I don’t try to be, I get told that I’m intimidating.

She introduces herself as Rhett and reaches to shake my hand. Again, I’m taken aback. I’m surprised by the firmness of her handshake. I manage to tell her my name and then stare dumbly at her until she asks, How can I help you?

I smile at her, trying to cover my shock. She smiles back at me, no hesitancy about her. It’s a great smile, a real smile, not something she is plastering on to impress me. She gives me the same information on the website. Then, she sells me on the gym. She knows exactly how great her product is and how to pitch it in the best light. I’m pretty much ready to sign-up at the end of our conversation. I barely refrain. Most of the information she tells me I already read on the website. I do learn that I can start my free trial tomorrow.

After I leave the building, I sit on my bike for a few seconds. I knew she was hot from her picture on the website. I didn’t expect her to be so stunning in person. It’s not just her looks either. She radiates this humble confidence. I’m not sure how else to describe her demeanor. It’s like she knows she’s tough, but also that she’s not the toughest person walking the Earth. It’s refreshing to find a humble tough chick, not one full of false bravado. I guess I’ll see tomorrow, how tough she is in reality. I kind of can’t wait.

Chapter 3: Loretta

Tuesday is our busiest day. I’m not sure why, but everyone trains on Tuesday. I personally believe in never skipping a Monday. It throws my whole training schedule off if I skip Monday and not just as an athlete. Just as a regular business owner and college student, if I skip Monday workouts, then I will skip the whole week. I’ll also be hiding a pack of cookies and drinking way too much soda. I digress, though. For the everyday person or at the least the moms and dads who bring their kids, Tuesday is the day to train. I spend most of the class signing up new kids, helping parents buy uniforms, and answering questions for new families. I’m talking to a new dad when Doc steps in the door.

His eyes travel over the chaos. In a single instant, I know he’s seen the parents sitting on the sidelines rooting for their children, the younger kids playing tag in the small free space in front of the parents, the kids on the mat-training, and Liza in the back on her phone not actually helping me. He looks a little overwhelmed. I can’t say I blame him. Our kids classes are always a little chaotic. It’s barely controlled chaos, but it works for us. Most people are overwhelmed their first time in the gym. Doc’s face doesn’t betray anything he is feeling. His eyes meet mine and he nods before stepping aside patiently waiting for me to help him.

I tune out the new dad next to me. I shouldn’t. It isn’t professional, but the sight of Doc leaned against the wall is too tempting for me. He’s wearing basketball shorts and a t-shirt. It’s pretty standard gym attire, but there’s something about the nonchalant way he’s leaning against the wall that holds my gaze. The ease he’s portraying is not the full truth. His tattooed arms are crossed against his chest making veins and muscle pop from the barely veiled tension radiating from him. He’s definitely alert to everything going on around him. I answer all of the questions from the new dad. Delicately extracting myself in hopes that that he won’t see how eager I am to be with Doc.

Hi, I say hoping that my voice isn’t actually several octaves too high as I approach Doc.

I’m here for the free trial, he replies, as if there is any way I could forget him. Although, he does look completely different not covered in leather.

I know. Doc, right? I act like I can’t quite remember. So, I don’t come across as some desperate fool. Which I am if I’m worried about what Doc is going to think of me. He’s a potential student. The number one rule of business is don’t mix business and pleasure.

He grins at me, You’ve got quite the memory and you’re the front desk slash coach.

My stomach knots. He doesn’t remember my name. He has popped into my thoughts multiple times in the last twenty-four hours. I’ve imagined our second meeting several times and he doesn’t even remember my name. I’ve become one of those obsessive stalker chicks. I sink into myself feeling naïve and silly. When Doc snaps his fingers, Rhett.

I brighten a little, That’s right, follow me and I will help get you fitted for a uniform.

Turning my back to him I try to regain any semblance I had of composure. There’s no reason for my heart to be racing like I’ve been working out or for the embarrassment coloring my cheeks at how ridiculous I’m acting. Even though I try to give myself a pep talk, I’m still tottering on a full-blown attack of nerves. I start weaving through the crowd stepping over a very intense game of Uno. Doc chuckles. It’s always a good sign when new people laugh at the kids instead of complaining. I wasn’t exaggerating when I told Doc that Chris created something special here. He pictured the kind of gym he wanted for his wife and kids. When he couldn’t find one, he decided to build one. The rest, I guess, is history.

I open our office door and step inside, lost in my own thoughts. Doc follows me into the small space. If I hadn’t been so flustered, I would have told him to wait outside the door. There’s no room to turn in the small space with both of us. He’s so close, I can feel the warmth radiating off of him.

Uh, I stutter. I really need to get it together around him. I’m not usually at a loss for words and I definitely don’t stutter. Anytime he’s close, I’m transported back to my awkward middle school days and I lose all semblance of normal communication skills. I want to duck my head into a locker every time he looks at me. I’m not some middle school girl. It’s time to grow up. Wait outside, I’ll be right there.

Doc steps back out the door giving me a much needed second to reign in my raging thoughts. I mentally give myself a pep talk. There is absolutely no need for me to be so completely flummoxed by Doc. So what, he’s attractive. I just need to do my job. Feeling absolutely no better, I grab a gi and push it into his hands.

I don’t typically notice guys muscle tone, especially working at a gym. Guys come in all of the time that are super fit. It’s all gym muscle that is very showy, but not efficient. They may look strong but, on the ground, they won’t be any stronger than a normal man. Doc's muscle is different. His wasn’t meticulously sculpted in a gym. Doc has muscle from hard work. I never asked what he did for a day job, but clearly it is very strenuous.

He pulls the gi on over his biceps and I feel like I can breathe easier. I tear my eyes away from his body. He smirks at me and I can’t hide my blush. Of course, he caught me staring at him.

So, he says as bends over to put his gi pants on, Is Rhett short for something?

Loretta, my dad nicknamed me Rhett when I started jiu-jitsu and it just stuck.

Loretta, Doc repeats, A beautiful name for a beautiful woman.

Um, I stutter, embarrassed at how much I like him saying my real name, so let’s tie your belt.

I grab my own belt and start showing him how. I watch as he misses a step. Automatically, I grab his belt and undo what he just did. Under both, I reiterate as I feed the end under the wrapped belt. My hands brush against his hard stomach. I step back quickly, realizing suddenly just how close we are.

Sorry, I have no personal space issues, apparently.

He shrugs, unaffected, It is part of your job, right? Don’t be embarrassed.

Telling me not to be embarrassed, only serves to increase my embarrassment. I rush to finish telling him what he needs to know from me. Okay, well, we will get started shortly. You are welcome to stretch out on the mat until Chris lines us up. You will be at the very end of the line.

He nods in acknowledgement and I walk away. I start putting on my gi while I try to sort through my convoluted thoughts. He is an attractive man. That is a fact and there is nothing wrong with me noticing his handsomeness. I am around good-looking men all of the time. Doc isn’t any different, no matter what the butterflies are saying in my stomach.

Chris lines us up and training starts. As soon as my legs start jogging, I forget about Doc. Chris pulls him to the side to go over the drills we use to help warm up, leaving me to finish running the warm-ups. Afterwards, Chris shows a technique and people pair up. Chris motions for me and I realize he is going to pair me up with Doc.

I can do this, I repeat silently in my head. Honestly, I’m praying that if I say it enough the worlds will be true.

I lay down. Doc sinks to his knees next to me.

I am completely lost, he admits.

"Don’t worry about it, everyone is at first. You will catch