Page 29 of Drop the Mitts

André nodded. “Got it. Well, if you need?—”

“Hope’s birth mom filed a petition.” Country kept his voice low. “Wants to revoke the adoption.”

André stilled, his blood curdling.What the hell?“When?”

“This week. Grace came over. Before the meeting you went to with Heads Up.”

André replayed that morning in his head. How Grace had looked when he’d found her in the car. How she’d nearly been in tears. “Holy f?—”

“Share with the class, boys?” Mike reached out and mussed both their hair.

André was about to turn and shove him against the locker, but Country grabbed his arm. “All good.” Country dragged in an unsteady breath. “Probably good they all know because I’m going to be a mess for a bit.”

The locker room quieted as Country turned to face them. He announced the petition, then explained that Grace was working on it and they didn’t know what to expect.

There was silence for a long moment.

Ryan was the first to speak. “Shit, man.”

Country just nodded once. “Yeah.”

“How’s Jenna holding up?” Sean asked.

“Better than me, honestly.” Country ran a hand through his hair, then reached for his bag. “I don’t think she can afford to be worried.” He flexed his fingers. “It’d crush her.”

André watched him for a long moment. Then his thoughts shifted to Grace. “Was it a problem with the paperwork orsomething?” It was a roundabout way of asking if they thought she was responsible.

The look on her face when he’d shown up at her window snapped back into his memory. Her red-rimmed eyes, the way she’d tried to hide that she was emotionally compromised. It wasn’t only about the button.

Country exhaled. “It was a problem with the social worker. They didn’t document a conversation that needed to happen with the birth mother.”

André’s hands clenched. Grace had looked over that paperwork, hadn’t she? Even if it wasn’t her mistake, he could guess she’d been beating herself up for days. Plus, she didn’t have the same foundation here. She didn’t have family around or a social network outside of the people she knew on the Snowballs.

André stepped back and picked up his bag while the other guys moved in to offer gruff hugs and back slaps.

Sean’s voice was quiet. “You guys aren’t alone in this. Whatever you need, we’ve got you.”

Brett nodded. “Yeah. Anything, man. We’re in.”

Country’s jaw was tight. Keeping his emotions in check looked painful. When he was alone again, André picked up his bag and walked over. “I had no idea you were shouldering this on your own.”

Country shook his head. “I’ve had Jenna and our families. Polk’s been jumping in and helping so I have more time to be with Hope. Oh, and Grace. She’s working behind the scenes as our own Benny Cooperman. Searching through emails and texts. She’s slammed with work and her renovations, so I honestly feel the worst for her.” He slung his bag over his shoulder. “It’s not like I have any skills to offer, though.”

André nodded, his brow pinching. “I was thinking the same thing.”

“That I have no skills?”

“Oh, definitely.” He flashed a grin. “But also the whole Grace thing.” He schooled his face into a neutral, nonchalant expression before asking, “Do you have her address, by the way?”

Country’s brow furrowed. “Why?”

“She has something of mine. With everything going on, I thought I’d stop by and grab it instead of adding another thing to her list.”

Country’s eyes narrowed. “What does she have of yours?”

André held up his hands. “My coat. From the other night when she walked to her car after the game.”

“Your coat. That’s it.”

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