Page 357 of Call Me Baby 2: Side B

catching the tail-end of his stare.

I sip from my drink.

Lirrah clutches Teddy’s bicep.

“You’re holding out on me, now, Teddy,” she keeps going on and on… “Give me sadder. More miserable than ‘Bad timing.’”

He pulls his bottom lip between his teeth, drops his head back lazy.

“Worse timing.”

Another laugh breaks out.

Teddy shakes his head,

glancing at me over the rim of his glass,

and a small grin appears.

The kind born from two people arriving at the exact same thought

at the exact same time:

She’s not looking for the truth.

She’s looking for some secret ingredient for a hit single.

He sets his drink down on a nearby tray,

turns to her, adjusting his waistband.

“Okay, darlin’. Quick survey,” he says, pointing around the room. “With a show of hands, who here’s in a happy, healthy, loving relationship?”

Two hesitant hands rise.

Teddy gestures politely.

“And may I ask, what do you do?”

“Public Relations,” says Dominique.

“And you?” he asks Garrick.

“Finance.”

Then he motions around the group,

pointing at Lirrah first⁠—

“Artist.”

Then me.

“Artist.”

Then Ace.

“Artist.”