Page 14 of Roll With The Punches
Chapter Four
Wednesday afternoon, Brandon left work early enough to make it to the pool for Emma’s meet. He rarely missed one, and ever since Jeff and Stuart had moved in, if Brandon couldn’t make a meet, one or both of them went in his place.
The pool was attached to a large community fitness center that also had a gymnasium, workout equipment, and outdoor courts for tennis and other sports, along with holding classes such as yoga and spinning.
He’d just pulled in when Stuart’s truck turned into the parking lot.
God, I love those two men.
Jeff wouldn’t be able to make it today since he’d be missing enough work as it was because of going out of town to help his sister. But with the three of them living together, Jeff and Stuart made a point of trying to get to as many of Emma’s meets as they could.
Brandon got out of his car and waited for Stuart to park and cross the lot to join him. “That was perfect timing, Sir,” Stuart said as Brandon leaned in for a kiss.
“Sure was.”
Emma’s car sat parked in the lot, meaning she was likely warming up already. The two of them headed inside to walk to the door leading out to the pool deck.
It only took Brandon a moment to spot Grace in the bleachers, and they joined her there. Since Emma was usually her ride after school, if there was a swim meet, Grace was there by default.
Despite sitting in the shade, she wore a large, floppy-brimmed hat and dark sunglasses that fit over her regular glasses. She was pale with freckles, her fair skin prone to burning easily. “Are we taking bets if her mom shows up?” she snarked.
“How’s Em doing with that?” Brandon asked, hoping his daughter’s bestie might give him a little more info than he currently had.
She shrugged. “She’s not talking much to me about her, either. I have to tell you, Pop, that woman’s a piece of work. I think Em’s afraid to get her hopes up. Again.”
He’d always felt a little uncomfortable with Grace calling him “Mr. Ziegler” when she was like a second daughter to him. Likewise, she hadn’t felt comfortable calling him by his first name. When Grace had come up with the nickname for him, he’d been secretly pleased by it.
“I can’t blame her,” he said.
“Neither can I.” At the sound of Stuart’s dark tone, Brandon reached over and patted his thigh before lacing fingers with him. Stuart didn’t exactly have the best relationship with his family. Tracey’s poor relationship with Emma was definitely an emotional trigger for him.
“You’ve got us,” Brandon told him.
“Yeah,” Grace said. “And me, if I count.” She grinned.
Stuart managed a smile for her. “Of course you count. You’re family, too, kiddo.”
“Oh, Mom and Dad told me this morning to ask if you guys want to come over for dinner Saturday night. Dad’s trying out a couple of new recipes and needs guinea pigs.” Her father, Bill, was an amateur competitor in barbecue contests.
No way would Brandon turn down an offer like that. Even the man’s fails were delicious.
“Sure,” Brandon said, “but Jeff won’t be there. He’s going out of town tomorrow.”
“Oh, that’s right. Em told me. Well, Mom said seven, bring your appetites, and wear your stretchy pants, because he’s going to grill up a storm.”
The meet was five minutes from starting when Brandon spotted Tracey walking onto the pool deck.
“Oh, boy,” Stuart muttered when he saw her. “Here we go.”
Tracey walked over to them. “Can I join you?”
“Sure,” Brandon said. There was plenty of room, so it wasn’t like they could stop her from sitting close by.
Brandon knew it was better to take the high road. In less than two years, Emma would be eighteen, and then any troubles she had with Tracey wouldn’t really be his troubles anymore. Whether Emma patched things up with his ex-wife or cut her out of her life entirely, Brandon would still have his relationship with Emma, and he’d support her either way.
Emma, standing on the far side of the pool deck with some of her teammates, spotted her mom and finally lifted her hand in what looked like the most noncommittal wave Brandon had ever seen in his life.
From the way Stuart nudged him, he knew it wasn’t just his imagination.
