Page 21 of Lost and Lassoed

She pulled out a pen with a chewed-on cap and a napkin from the coffee shop on Main Street.

“So, Gussy. Let’s talk compensation, shall we?” Teddy bit the cap off her pen and wrote something down on the napkin before flipping it over and sliding it across the table to me.

“Are you serious?” I said with a sigh. She just smiled at me with the pen cap still between her teeth. “You’re ridiculous.” I flipped the napkin over and saw the number she’d written down, which was not the number I’d told Emmy—it was at least double.

I looked up at Teddy, but before I could speak, she slid the pen over to me and said, “Write down your counteroffer.”

“Theodo—” I started to protest, but she cut me off.

“Write down your counteroffer or I walk, August.” God, her fucking cocky smile was driving me insane.

I grudgingly grabbed the pen and wrote the number—$500 a week—that Emmy and I had already discussed and slid the napkin back over to Teddy, who looked at it and said, “Is this your final offer?”

“You know that’s my final offer, Theodora.”

“That’s what you think I’m worth?” she asked.

“I don’t think you want to know my answer to that.” I sat back and folded my arms. I felt my jaw ticking.

“Asshole,” she breathed.

I pointed my finger at Teddy. “Watch your mouth around my kid.”

“You called Brooks—and I quote—‘the biggest fucking dumbass on the whole fucking planet’ in front of her like a week ago,” she said.

“I don’t see your point.”

“Has anyone ever told you that you don’t have great people skills?”

“Has anyone ever told you to shut up?”

“You, usually,” she said with an eye roll.

“Shut up.”

“See?” Teddy grinned, and it didn’t seem malicious—morelike amused. I didn’t like the way it made me feel, so I moved on.

“Five hundred a week, Monday through Wednesday, and no calling me an asshole around my kid. Do we have a deal?”

“Can I call you an asshole around you?” Teddy asked.

“As long as Riley’s not around, fine.”

Teddy reached her hand out. “Deal,” she said. I reached across the table and shook her hand. It was soft.

It was then that I heard a little voice coming from the hallway. “Dad?” Riley said, her voice still sleepy. She was wearing light blue pajamas with horses on them—a gift from Emmy—and holding a stuffed horse—also a gift from Emmy. Her curly hair was a disaster.

Cutest fucking kid on the planet.

“Hey, Sunshine, good morning.” Riley padded over to me, and I pulled her onto my lap. When she saw Teddy, she smiled and gave her a little wave.

Teddy winked at her, and Riley giggled. As much as I hated to admit it, Riley really liked Teddy—thought she was funny and all that shit.

“Sleep okay?” Teddy asked. Riley nodded. She was quiet in the mornings, but after ten, all bets were off.

“Teddy is going to stay with you today, Sunshine.” We’d talked about it yesterday—that Teddy would be here a couple of days a week and hang out with her while I was at work.

Much to my dismay, Riley was thrilled.

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