Page 60 of Roll With The Punches

Almost like Jeff was trying to prove he was feeling okay despite Stuart’s instincts telling him something was really wrong.

Wednesday afternoon, Jeff and Stuart rode to the pool together. Emma and Grace were just getting out of Emma’s car when the men pulled in. Emma had her swim gear bag slung over her shoulder and Grace was in her ever-present floppy hat and sunglasses. They waited for them at the front entrance, giving them hugs when they walked up.

“Thanks for coming, guys,” Emma said.

“We wouldn’t miss this,” Jeff said

“I have to go change and get ready.”

“We’ll see you out there,” Jeff said.

There were already some parents there. As Grace and the men debated where to sit to keep her most out of the late-day sun, Stuart was looking at the bleachers when Jeff turned.

“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” Jeff muttered.

Stuart turned, saw where he was looking, and then spotted what Jeff was looking at.

“Oh, for fuck’s sake.”

Jeff arched an eyebrow at him. “I already said that.”

“I was agreeing with you.”

“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” Grace darkly muttered.

They both turned to her, and she shrugged. “Everyone else was saying it.”

Tracey was walking toward them. Alone, thank goodness.

She hesitated, then approached. “Hi.”

Stuart and Jeff both crossed their arms over their chests. “Hello,” they said in unison.

Stuart would later swear that Grace growled under her breath when she crossed her arms, but she didn’t actually say anything.

Stuart let Jeff handle Tracey. If he did it, he was likely to tell her to go fuck the fuckity fucking hell off, and to mightily fuck herself while in the process.

She looked around. “Where’s Brandon?”

“Work trip,” they said, again in unison. Jeff glanced down at him and Stuart decided to also let him handle the talking.

Tracey relaxed a little. “Oh. That’s right. Okay. I just wanted to watch.”

Jeff nodded. “Free country.”

Tracey’s face turned dark red, which Brandon had told them was one of her tells. “I’m really sorry about what happened. That was not my idea, I swear.”

“Doesn’t really matter whose idea it was,” Jeff said. “Still a shitty thing to do.”

Grace growled again, louder that time.

“Where’s Emma?” Tracey asked.

“Locker room,” Jeff said. “Changing.”

She offered them a hesitant smile. “Do you mind if I sit with you?”

Stuart was tempted to say yes, they fucking minded, but Jeff apparently anticipated that and reached out with a hand gripping Stuart’s shoulder to keep him quiet. “Sure, that’s fine.”