Page 90 of Lost and Lassoed

“Thank you for calling.” I let that land. “Stop smiling at me like that,” she said.

“Like what?” I asked, laughing.Like a big, dumb, lovesick idiotis what she meant, probably.

“Like that,” she said again.

“Why?” I asked.

“Because it’s freaking me out!”

Riley grabbed my other hand, and I went to seat her on Moonshine. I put a helmet on her too. I kept an eye on Teddy and the way she interacted with Maverick—lucky horse to be so loved by her.

She mounted easily, and I finished getting Riley settled on Moonshine. I had to adjust her stirrups—she must’ve grownthis summer—and we were good to go. I tied her reins and handed them to her. Then I walked to Scout and mounted.

“All right, Sunshine,” I said. “You’re going to stick behind me, and Teddy’s going to bring up the rear, okay?” Riley nodded excitedly.

“I love a good rear!” Teddy called. And with that, we were on our way. Now that the trail was clear, it was a pretty easy ride, but we had to do a few climbs, and cross the river at two different points.

“Keep your reins loose, Sunshine,” I said when we got to the first incline. “Let Moonshine use her shoulders.”

“I know, Dad,” Riley said back.

“Yeah, Dad, she knows,” Teddy called, and I shook myhead.

I was in for it with these two, wasn’t I?

Don’t get ahead of yourself, August.

As we rode, I listened to Riley and Teddy. Riley told Teddy all about the dress she’d be wearing at Cam’s wedding, about how Emmy said she’d be able to ride Sweetwater soon, about Brooks taking her fishing again—basically everything that had happened to or near Riley over the past couple of days.

And Teddy took it all in. She responded, she asked questions, she let Riley talk her ear off. She was patient, and she listened. Her tone was never bored or tired—she was always engaged with what Riley was telling her. I could listen to the two of them together all day.

I pulled on Scout’s reins to pull him down another trail—we were getting close. I looked back to make sure Moonshine followed—of course she did. She was a perfect horse.

Being this high up in Rebel Blue was one of my favorite things. There were fewer aspens and more pines. There wereeven patches of snow in some places that had withstood the summer heat. I was happy my dad told me about this.

Now that we were getting closer, I was starting to get nervous about the surprise. I’d never done anything like this before. I’d never had a reason to, but now I did.

“Five minutes,” I called back to Teddy and Riley, who weren’t paying me any attention whatsoever.

In those five minutes I let myself wonder about the future. If Teddy, Riley, and I would be able to do this in five, ten, twenty years—ride through Rebel Blue together. I wantedthat, and I hoped I’d know soon if Teddy wanted it, too. This was the scary thing about want—the fact that it wasn’t a guarantee.

It was a wish, and wishes were made of air—at best.

When we broke out of the trees, Teddy and Riley stopped talking. I didn’t think they’d seen them yet—the pink flowers. There were only a few, but I knew where they were. As soon as I saw them, a weight lifted off my shoulders. Wildflowers could be fickle—there one day and gone the next.

That is why I hadn’t called Teddy sooner, why I hadn’t gone to her house as soon as Cam and Riley left.

I wanted to do this for her. And for Riley. I wanted them to be able to finish what they’d started this summer, and I wanted to be part of it. I wanted to show up for both of them—to show them that I’m going to be all in. Forever.

Once we got closer to the flowers, I pulled Scout to a stop. It was Teddy who saw them first. “Wait,” I heard her say. “Is that…? Riley, look!”

And then Riley shouted, loud enough for all of Meadowlark to hear: “It’s rock fucking jasmine!” And I had no one to blame but myself for her impeccable use of the F word.

Chapter 41

Teddy

Gus and I were sitting on the top step of his porch—just like we did the night I picked Riley up from soccer. This time, Gus’s head wasn’t in his hands, he wasn’t beating the shit out of himself for being a bad father (which, obviously, he wasn’t). We sat next to each other comfortably, looking up at the night sky.

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