Page 43 of Drop the Mitts

André whistled, and her head shot up. She followed his gaze to see a woman with dark curls and round spectacles standing just inside the door. Her coat was buttoned to her chin.

“Did you just whistle at your sister like she’s a dog?”

André grinned. “We’ve done it since we were kids.” He stood and waved her over, but just like at the hockey game, Grace picked up on his false bravado. He was all smiles, but his fingers fidgeted, first with the hem of his sweatshirt, then with the pocket of his jeans.

Elodie wove through the tables, her mouth pinched. “André.”

“El,” André crooned in a “fancy-seeing-you-here” kind of way, as if they were running into each other by coincidence. He pulled her into an embrace and kissed both her cheeks.

Elodie gave him a tight smile, then glanced at Grace. “What did you do to get him to show up on time?”

André raised an eyebrow, and Grace looked away. Do not say“accidentally showed him my bra the other day and got his hopes up.”He grinned. “Promised a man bacon.”

Elodie’s mouth twitched in a small smile. “You’re not Kosher anymore?”

Grace’s eyes widened, and André laughed out loud. “She’s kidding. El, this is Grace Fairbanks. I think you’ve already spoken on the phone.”

Elodie nodded as they shook hands. She sat beside André and unbuttoned her coat. “How do you two know each other?”

“Hockey,” Grace replied just as André said, “We’re dating.”

Grace’s eyes nearly bugged out of her head. “We arenotdating.”

“I mean, we’re?—”

“Not dating,” she repeated.

Now Elodie was grinning. “I see you haven’t changed much.”

“She’s a hard sell.”

Elodie pulled off her coat, and as she turned her head, Grace noticed the resemblance between them. It was in their jawline, posture, and the cadence of their voices.

“Get whatever you want,” André said to both women. “My treat. And before you argue—” he pointed a finger at Grace then Elodie, “it’s necessary.”

“So you can make good on your prior statement?” Elodie scanned the daily specials.

André grinned. “If I’m paying, it’s a date.”

Grace scoffed. “With your sister.”

“I don’t think she’s opposed to threesomes.”

Elodie smacked André’s chest, and Grace couldn’t help but like her instantly. Elodie hadn’t been short or unkind with her on the phone. She just hadn’t given her what she wanted. She couldn’t hold that against her.

Their server approached, and Elodie promised she’d decide fast if he started with Grace. She ordered something simple—eggs, sausage, sourdough toast, and coffee with almond milk. Elodie went for a chia pot with berries and peppermint tea. André, predictably, ordered the greasiest breakfast on the menu and added a cinnamon bun on impulse.

Grace and Elodie shared a look that saidHow can men get away with crap like this and look like that?Although, if she wasworking out on the ice four times a week, maybe she could do bacon, sausage, and corned beef smothered in green chili, too.

That only made her think of the locker room. Which wasn’t helpful.

Grace crossed her legs. “I want to be clear, I’m not here to pressure you or your patient, or question your ethics. I’m only trying to figure out what made Amey change her mind. I’m convinced the adoption followed all required procedures, even though the ten-day window wasn’t officially noted, which is problematic. The social worker’s notes are thorough, and there’s no documented coercion or miscommunication.”

Elodie exhaled. “Listen, I get it. I do. But there’s not much I can do to help. You’ll have to see if Amey will talk.”

Grace nodded. “I’ve tried. Through her lawyer. Through follow-ups. I’ve been stonewalled at every turn. And I’m telling you, it doesn’t add up. If something new triggered her decision, I want to understand it. Not to undermine her—just to be sure this is necessary.” She leaned back against the padded booth. “I don’t know, something feels off. Maybe I’m making it up, but I don’t think I am.”

Something about Elodie sitting across from her made her open up more than she’d planned. Maybe it was the thought that a therapist could see through any attempts to talk around the issues? To pretend she was seeking something she wasn’t?

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