Page 9 of The Glass Dolphin

Eloise suddenly looked unsure. “It’s not really something I want everyone to know.”

“You don’t have to tell us,” Robin said, but that was totally code for,Tell us and we won’t breathe a word to anyone.

She wouldn’t either. She valued her friendship with Eloise, respected her, and wouldn’t betray her confidence. “But you also know if you swear us to secrecy, we won’t say a word.” She cut a look over to Alice. “Right, Alice?”

“I won’t even tell Arthur,” she said.

“It’s a little crazy,” Eloise admitted. “Just…seeing AJ and Asher, and now Kelli’s pregnant…” She shook her head, her brown bob bouncing along her chin. “Aaron and I are trying for a baby.”

Robin leaned back in the booth, surprise streaming through her veins where her blood should be. The only noise she could make right now would reveal her complete shock, so she kept her mouth closed.

“That’s great,” Alice said, and she sounded genuine and normal. “I mean, I wouldn’t want to do it.” She gave another of her light, elegant laughs. “But I see why you do.” She reached across the table and took Eloise’s nervous hands in hers. “You are an excellent mother.”

“Those girls aren’t mine,” Eloise whispered.

“They are too,” Robin said, glad she’d finally found her voice. “Billie and Grace adore you, and they know what a mother is—and it has nothing to do with blood.”

Eloise nodded, untucked her hands from beneath Alice’s, and swiped at her eyes. “It might not happen.”

“But Kelli and AJ,” Robin said, leaving the thought there. She also did not want a baby at her age, not when her youngest had just turned fifteen and her oldest was away at college. The very idea made her ill. She loved babies—holding them while they slept, feeding them, and rocking them while they babbled—but she wanted to give them back to their momma’s when they got fussy.

“I think it’s great,” Robin said. “I hope it goes well for you.” She realized what she’d said a bit too late, and she looked up as their drinks thankfully arrived.

That didn’t stop Alice from saying, “I’m sure with the police chief for a husband, it’ll go fine.”

“Alice,” Eloise said in a scandalized tone, but she laughed afterward. Robin reached for her wine glass the moment the liquid had been poured, and she swirled it around as her minor embarrassment faded.

They put in their food orders, and then Alice sighed. “We better talk about Charlie and Mandie.”

“We better?” Robin asked. “Why?”

Alice pierced her with a dark, sharp look. “We know what dating leads to.”

Robin’s eyebrows lifted. “You think they’re going to get married?”

“I don’t know,” Alice said. “Charlie won’t say how serious they are.” She took a long drink of her seltzer water with lime. “But I know if they get married, he won’t finish school.” Alice’s eyebrows went up. “Will Mandie?”

Robin waved away Alice’s concern. “They’re not going to get married.” But somewhere in her stomach, a tiny needle pricked at her. Mandie hadn’t said anything about her relationship with Charlie, other than, “Yeah, we’re dating. We go out, and see each other.”

Robin hadn’t felt the need to question her further, because Mandie was an adult. Barely, but still an adult.

She didn’t want today’s lunch to be filled with worry. “Only good news,” she said next, giving Alice a slight glare. “What else is going on? Kristen said her dinner last night went well, right?”

AJ stayed home with her fifteen-month-old, writing freelance articles on the side. Laurel had quit the police force to do the same, but her baby was only two months old.

Before anyone could say anything, a beautiful blonde appeared at the end of the table.

“Maddy,” Alice said, jumping to her feet. “Can you sit with us?”

“No.” But she glowed with light, her blue eyes as radiant as the summer sky. “But look.” She thrust out her left hand, where a diamond the size of her knuckle sat.

“Oh, my goodness,” Robin said as the air left her lungs. Alice shrieked, and even Eloise got caught up in the engagement joy. That was just the kind of good news Robin wanted, and by the time they all settled back into their seats and Maddy had to get back to work, she’d forgotten about her barely-adult daughter dating Alice’s barely-adult son.

Almost.

It’s fine, she told herself. She couldn’t control Mandie, and she and Duke had gotten married young too. They’d made things work, bonded together to fight against the world, and learned to love each other more deeply through their challenges.

She wasnotgoing to be the kind of mother hers was, and that meant she needed to trust her daughter. She should. She could. She absolutely would.

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