Asher’s POV

I tried then failed at stifling my yawn as I ran a hand over my face.  

We had gotten here far too early and I’m not sure how Zane is awake right now. Ryan had gotten back from dealing with my club last night and didn’t bother stopping at his apartment when his flight landed. Instead, he burst through the locked front door with a key I had made for him and demanded it was time to party. 

I figured Zane would be tired from his gym lesson earlier that morning. Cade had worn him out in every possible way but even I could tell he was holding back a bit. I had sat him down like Cade suggested and tried telling him to be more careful but caved rather quickly when tears pooled in his eyes.

“I didn’t mean to hurt him,” he whined as he brushed the tears away, his breath picking up slightly.

“I know you didn’t and Cade knows too; we just have to be more careful. I don’t ever want to see you get hurt.”

“Is Coach mad at me,” he asked, those blue eyes staring at me. All I could see was his mother’s eyes, tears brimming in her eyes as she looked down at the pregnancy test on the counter. She had been so scared and those were the same eyes staring at me now even though she was gone.

“He’s not mad,” I promised, “I think he’s just worried. He doesn’t want you getting hurt either and sometimes when people get scared, they seem angry. Anger is easier to feel than fear but he’s not mad at you. Do you want to go back? You don’t have to if you don’t want to.”

“I want to try again,” he said with a small pout. “But if I make him mad again I want to stop. I don’t like him being mad at me.” That made two of us.

The next morning after the lesson, Cade called both of us into his office.

He sat down behind the desk with a light groan as he rolled his ankle and Zane frowned at him, asking if he had hurt the coach again.

Cade had rolled his eyes.

“I’m old,” he’d said easily. “I creak and groan. It’s what we do.” Zane hadn’t looked all that convinced when he nodded. “What are the two of you doing tomorrow?”

“Saturday is a lazy day,” I shrugged. “Maybe find a park, watch a movie.”

“So no solid plans?”

“Not as of now,” I said as I gave him a skeptical look. He nodded and looked at Zane rather than the parent who tended to have the final say in these things.

“How would you like to see a competition up close?” That’s all he had to say. Zane’s eyes had lit up and I knew there was no way I was getting out of this.

Not that I wanted to. I was happiest when Zane was happy but I knew this was going to make bedtime impossible. He was never good at calming his racing mind when something exciting was planned for the next day.

I had gotten into the routine of not telling him anything until we were in the car, headed to our destination just to avoid him running around and refusing sleep. 

“I can go watch?”

“Of course. I think it would be good for you to see what it’s like before it’s your turn. Will you be there?”

“Yes,” Zane had all but screamed, already talking about all the cool things we were going to see. Cade’s eyes slipped over to me, raising an eyebrow.

While I would have preferred to have this conversation without Zane, I was still glad that he allowed me to have the final say. From what I had seen of Cade if I had said no, he would have leveled Zane with a look that made it clear the topic was no longer open for discussion and would not be brought up again. 

It didn’t matter though. I had made my decision the second Zane’s eyes lit up.

I gave him the barest nod and Cade smiled.

Not a smirk that I had seen only a few times when he got the last word in on rude parent. Not a half smile I had ripped from him with a lousy joke. But a real smile. 

It started slow, as if the movement was foreign, just the twitch of his lip before the other side followed. His teeth didn’t show but his lips were full and barely there dimples covered his cheeks. I decided at that moment that I would get him to smile at me more.

It wasn’t a big smile, like the ones he got when his students landed a move perfectly after several failed attempts but it was a start and beautiful all the same.

Cade reached behind him and pulled out a black jacket from a small box on the floor. His eyes were glued on Zane as he held it out for my son.

“A jacket,” he asked with a tilt of his head but gripped the thin material like it was precious. Cade and I only watched as he turned the jacket around. There, in red letter stitching read ‘Cade’s Gym’.

“All of my students wear them during competitions. Lets other gyms know you’re taken so they don’t try to pouch you from me. Also shows that we’re a team. You won’t compete this time but you’re still part of us for however long you want to be here.” Zane hadn’t said a word as he slipped the jacket on and turned his back to show Cade.

The man’s smile didn’t fade but his voice grew a bit more serious.

“Don’t you get that dirty. I won’t have my kids looking thrown away,” he scoffed but Zane was practically jumping up and down.

“How much do I owe you for that,” I asked in a low voice as we watched Zane put his shoes on. Cade waved a hand.

“Don’t worry about it.”

“I have money.”

“Good for you,” Cade scoffed, that smile now so far away.

“I can afford to get my son a jacket.”

“I’m sure you can but this isn’t about you. This is a gift from me to Zane and I would be deeply insulted if you tried to take that from me.” I huffed but let it go. 

The second Ryan had slipped through the door, Zane twirled around the living room, showing off his new jacket. Ryan had whistled and assured Zane that he looked like a professional athlete.

Getting Zane to bed was always easier when Ryan was around and after he had gone to sleep, the two of us drank long into the morning. It was a miracle I had managed to get us out the door this morning. 

I forced back another yawn as I figure sat down beside me.

“You look like shit,” Ryan said with a proud smirk. I glared at him and Zane gasped.

“Swear jar!”

“There is no jar,” Ryan answered, outraged. I held my hand out and he scoffed before placing a twenty in my hand. “I should drink this myself,” he spat but placed the hot cup of coffee into my hand.

“I don’t think you have the nerve.”

“After seeing that grumpy face, you might be right.” He had fallen asleep on my couch last night and yet he seemed far more rested than I did. I decided at that moment that life wasn’t fair.

“Why did we agree to come here,” I asked, leaning into Ryan’s side as I closed my eyes.

“Because Zane wanted to,” Ryan answered with a smirk. I groaned but forced my eyes open when a voice filled the air.

“Welcome to the fifth annual Champ Gym Competition!” A blonde woman stood in the middle of the mat with a microphone in hand. She wore an expensive-looking dress and though she smiled, it was clear this was the last place she wanted to be on a Saturday. “We’re so happy all of you came out to support us today and we hope everyone has a great time whether you’re watching or participating. The concession stand is now open and if you want to continue to support us, make sure to stop by. And with that, we’re going to go ahead and get started! We’re going to start with ages 9 to 11, girls on my right and boys on my left.”

“They separate by gender,” Ryan whispered into my side. “Seems pretty sexist.”

“Girls do different skills than boys,” Zane whispered back like it was obvious before putting a hand on Ryan’s mouth. “Sush, I’m trying to listen!” Ryan raised an eyebrow at me but I only smiled as Zane kept his hand pressed firmly. 

Things moved quickly after the judges were announced along with their credentials for judging. My eyes had gone a bit wide when one of the judges claimed to have an Olympic title but I kept my mouth shut in fear of getting the same treatment as Ryan.

Cade never left the girls’ side. All of his students pooled around him, cheering on everyone but screaming especially loud when they wore the same jacket as him.

I had thought it would be a blood bath, filled with screaming and backhanded comments but there was none of that. I wondered if it was just because this was one of the younger groups or if this was how every competition was.

I looked around the bleachers and noticed a few sneers and glares at Cade’s back. Okay, so maybe it was only the kids who were good sports.

Pass after pass I watched the kids tumble. Some looked like they had been doing these skills since they started walking and it made me nervous for Zane. Others were shakey and seemed rushed. I don’t miss the way Cade’s shoulders tensed every time those kids went, only to sigh in relief when they landed. 

“I’m going to get more coffee,” I sighed when I noticed none of the kids from out gym were in the next line up.

“Get me some too,” Ryan whispered.

“I want a cookie,” Zane said with a wave of his hand to get my attention but his eyes never left the mat.

“Do you see any of those kids eating cookies?”

“Well no, but I still want one.”

“Is that how we ask for things?” He tore his eyes from the floor to look at me.

“Can I please have a cookie?”

“Yes, you can. Thank you for asking.”

“And a KitKat?”

“Sure.”

“And maybe a hot chocolate?”

“I think that’s a bit much. How about some water?” He groaned but nodded and looked back at the mat.

“You spoiled my kid,” I said with a glare down at Ryan. 

“And I have no regrets,” he said with his head held high.

I rolled my eyes before walking down the bleachers. The second I made it down the first row, I was stopped.