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We both watch as Brandon and Lindy race each other to the dock in front of us. Lindy falls on the leaves dramatically, huffing and puffing. “I refuse to accept that you’re in better shape than me.”
Brandon pulls each knee up to his chest, stretching out his quads, looking like he could easily go another ten miles. His shorts hang off lean hips, and a beat-up tee clings to his broad chest. I should probably feel bad about the filthy thoughts I’m having while I hold his niece, but I don’t. Not one bit.
Not when he walks over and drops a kiss to my head, then hers, and I pull him back in for another. Not when my daughter groans or his sister gags. I smile against his lips instead. “Missed you when I woke up.”
“Yeah. I needed to show Lindy football players are tougher than hockey players.”
Lindy finally shows signs of life and stands up with her hands planted on her hips. “I. Am. Not. A. Hockey. Player. I’m literally thrown through the air and expected to land on a single blade that, might I add, is less than half a quarter inch thick. Let me see a hockey player do that, and I’ll be impressed.” She looks away from him for a second. “Hi, Mads.”
“Hi, Linds.” These two and their nicknames.
“What are you two up to this morning,” Brandon asks us innocently.
Dumbass. His sister is definitely going to lay into him about skipping last night.
“Well,” Maddie starts. “I was just telling Ashlyn that Hudson knocked me up again.”
Brandon immediately pulls a tight face, horrified at the thought of Maddie having sex.
“I’m almost thirty and have two daughters, big brother. It’s not like you don’t already know what’s happening.”
Brandon’s horrified face morphs into something else, and he covers Lindy’s ears as the rest of us laugh, my daughter included.
“First, I can still hear you. And second, honestly, I know how babies are made, Brandon.” My girl may be a brat, but she’s a funny brat, and I’m pretty sure Brandon actually turns a little green, thinking about Lindy and sex.
Poor big guy.
Lindy wiggles out of his hold. “I’ve got to get a shower. Mom, are you taking me to ballet today?”
“Yes. Go shower. I’ll be in soon.” We watch her run into the house, and Maddie stands.
“She never slows down, does she?”
“Nope. She’s got a decision to make soon though. If she wants the Olympics, we may have to look into homeschooling.” My chest tightens at the thought. “I don’t want that for her. I want her to have a normal life, with normal pressures. But that’s her decision.”
Brandon leans down and scoops Aurora off me, then tucks her into his chest. “Come on, Mads. I’ll walk you home.”
I run my hand down Aurora’s back and squeeze Maddie. “Thank you for wanting to celebrate last night. I owe you one.”
“Oh, don’t worry. I’ll cash in at some point.”
Brandon shakes his head. “I’ll be right back.”
Then I hear Maddie groan. “You know I got married to move away from you.”
“Sucks to be you,” he goads.
Not a bad way to spend a Saturday morning.
* * *
Brandon
Maddie’s quiet as we walk inside her house, and I lay Aurora down in her bed. Maddie closes the door quietly, then turns and pokes my chest. “Really? You couldn’t stop in for a minute before you went back to hide in the house, you big bum?”
“Madison. Come on. I’m not a party guy. I’ve never been. You know this.” I wrap an arm around her, then stuff her head in my armpit, and she elbows my gut.
“I swear to God, if you wake that child up, I will junk-punch you so hard, you’ll be icing your balls for a week.”
