Page 12 of Lost and Lassoed

“Are you busy right now?” Emmy asked.

“Just leaving work, why?” I wasn’t ready to tell her it was the last time I’d be leaving work—at least at the boutique.

“I need a favor, and you’re going to want to say no, so I’m reminding you how much you love me before I ask—you love me a lot, right?”

“Some might say too much,” I responded.

“Can you pick up Riley from soccer practice?” Emmy said quickly. “Gus got caught up on the ranch, and Luke and I are pretty far out of town right now.” Well, that wasn’t what I was expecting.

“You know he’s not going to want me to pick her up. I thinkhe’d rather have Riley get a ride home with a motorcycle gang than with me,” I said.

“Well, he put me in charge of finding someone to get her home, and I don’t know any motorcycle gangs,” Emmy said. “So you’re it.”

I didn’t mind picking Riley up. I loved that kid. Yeah, she was the spawn of Gus, but she was also half Cam, which meant she was at least half cool. “Fine,” I said. “Where is she?”

“The field behind the elementary school.”

“On it,” I said.

“You’re a hero. I’ll call you later. Everything okay? You sound a little…down.” I wasn’t expecting that, but I guess I should’ve. I hadn’t really talked to her in the past couple of days—a few texts that I answered, a few calls that I didn’t.

“Long day,” I said as an explanation.

“I’m sorry for making it longer,” she said, and she meant it.

“It’s okay. We can blame Gus.”

Emmy laughed at that. “Text me when you have Riley, okay? I love you.”

“Love you back.”

Chapter 6

Teddy

When I pulled in to the Meadowlark Elementary School parking lot, I could see Riley sitting on the bleachers in her pink soccer uniform. A woman with dark red hair and another girl in a matching uniform were with her. It looked like they’d been there awhile.

I got out of my truck, and when the door slammed, all three heads turned toward me. I waved, and Riley got up to run to me, but the red-haired woman, who I recognized as Nicole James from school days, blocked her with her arm.

“Hey,” I called out. “I’m here to grab Riley.”

“Hi, Teddy!” Riley called and waved.

“Hey, kid.” I smiled. Riley was the perfect mix of her mom and dad. She had Cam’s dark, curly hair and thick eyebrows and Gus’s dark green eyes. She also had a set of dimples that matched her dad’s, but Gus didn’t smile a lot, so I wasn’t convinced they were still there.

“Teddy Andersen, is that you?” Nicole asked. She was older than Emmy and me—maybe Wes or Brooks’s age—I couldn’tremember for sure. She was younger than Gus, though, and he was ancient at thirty-six or fifty—however old he was.

“Yes ma’am,” I said. “Hi, Nicole.”

“You’re here to pick up Riley?” she asked. She was still blocking Riley with her arm for some reason.

“Yep,” I said. I popped thepfor emphasis, considering I’d already said that.

“I called her father, and he didn’t mention that you were coming. He said he’d be coming to pick her up.” Did I detect a hint of disappointment in her voice? Oh god, did this woman have a crush onGus?

Yuck.

“He got caught up, but I promise I’ll get her home safely.” I gave Riley a “C’mon” nod, which she understood. She ducked Nicole’s arm and ran over to me.

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