Page 5 of Cowboy Bear's Hope

Was he serious?

“I’m sorry, am I understanding you? Did you really speak to my child without my knowledge?”

Oh, hell no.

“Well, after that little incident with Lisa on the playground yesterday, I felt someone should step in to guide Rosalind’s behavior. I know how being a single parent can be detrimental to some children’s development. I also know Rosalind has no father at home. But you and I seem to get along, don’t we? I was sure you wouldn’t mind?—”

Well, it looked like my first instincts were correct. The man was nuts.

“Stop right there, Mr. Dryden. The fact is, I do mind. Very much,” I said, feeling that familiar rage only another single parent could identify with, build inside of me.

This was bad. I couldn’t afford to blow up at work, but really? What did he expect? That I would be grateful for him sticking his big nose in my business?

I knew Rosie was having a difficult time getting along with her friends right now. And there were a million possible reasons for her behavior, but I was working on it with her.

Mr. Dryden had just started at the school and the fact was he didn’t know me or my child from Adam.

How dare he?

My sweet little girl had been showing signs of being overly emotional just lately. But I was working with her on positive ways to process her feelings as well as acceptable ways to express them without violence or tantrums.

It was a work in progress, and Miss Dembeck was aware since we’d discussed it together. We even came up with a plan of action to help in case Rosie became upset during school.

And absolutely none of those plans involved this man marching in and taking my child to his office without my knowledge or permission. I didn’t give a crap if he was the assistant principal.

“You have no right to have my child taken out of the classroom for private chitchats in your office about anything, do you hear me? You have seriously overstepped,” I said, barely hanging on to my temper.

“I am sorry you feel that way, Avery. I thought you would appreciate it, and I assure you my actions fall very much in line with my job description,” he said, presenting himself as Mr. Do-Gooder with what I knew was false sincerity.

But I had no proof. And I needed my job.

“Well, in your job description or not, consider this your notice that I, as Rosie’s mother, do not give you or any other faculty member at this school permission to speak to my child alone without my presence. I will be sending this in an email to Principal Jefferson. Right now, in fact,” I said, narrowing my eyes at the man.

He might be taller than me, but I was pretty sure I could take him in a fight. And right then, I wanted nothing more than to pummel his dumb ass.

“I understand you are upset, but I think you’ll see I only meant to help Rosalind, Nurse Brown. I’m sure when you have a chance to think it over, you will appreciate my efforts. Don’t worry, we can try coffee again on Monday,” he said, touching his fingertips to my arm before walking away.

What the actual fuck?

I stormed into the nurse’s room and covered my face with my sweater so I could scream into it without causing a commotion.

“Um, Av? Are you okay?” Casey asked.

“No! I am not okay. Did you hear that?”

“I did, and I agree. The man overstepped, and he is so gross,” Casey whispered.

“And coffee? Does he really think I would drink coffee with him? Ugh. Well, I’m sending that email. I do not want him talking to Rosie again. He couldn’t even get her name right!”

I sat down at my desk and opened a blank email, which I filled with my complaint and my request.

Before I could talk myself out of it, I sent the thing. Marked urgent.

A few minutes later, I received a vague reply from Principal Jefferson saying she’d pass my request to Miss Dembeck, Rosie’s teacher.

Of course, I’d already emailed her as well, and she apologized profusely for the entire thing.

For some reason, Miss Dembeck was under the impression I was dating the new assistant creep and that he had my permission to parent my daughter.

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