Page 66 of Distress Signal

Reagan poured me a mug.

“How do you take it?”

“Black is perfect,” I replied, accepting the cup and taking a sip.

Damn, was I glad I stocked this place withmyfavorite coffee. I’d be perked right up in no time.

Unable to keep my eyes off her, I watched as she moved around, navigating the kitchen like she’d lived here for years instead of a week. Reagan, as it turned out, didnottake her coffee black, and I made a mental note of the caramel oat milk creamer she splashed into her mug before leaning on the counter across from me to sip it.

“Thank you for coming for me last night,” she said, almost conversationally, as though she didn’t want to make a big dealout of it. I didn’t like the way she avoided my gaze when she said it, either.

I fixed that in a hurry, setting my coffee down and clasping her chin between my thumb and pointer, turning her face to me until her eyes met mine.

“I willalwayscome for you,” I assured her.

That was the second time I’d said as much to her, and I wondered how long it’d take for her to believe it.

Those gorgeous green orbs darted around my face, testing the seriousness of my statement, before she nodded once and pulled free.

My attention snagged on the clock on the stove over her shoulder.

“Fuck,” I hissed, lifting my coffee to my mouth and chugging it down, not giving a single fuck about the burn in left in my throat.

“What’s wrong?” Reagan frowned.

“I didn’t bring my phone over last night, and I should’ve been at the barn hours ago. I have to get going.”

I passed her the empty mug and said, “Thanks for this.”

She gave me a small smile. “Thanks for last night.”

Nodding, I left before I could do something crazy like say fuck work and drag her to bed, give her something toreallyto thank me for.

A wall of notifications greeted me when I lifted my phone off my nightstand back at my house, the top one a phone call from my foreman.

I dialed him back.

“Hey, I’m so sorry,” I said when he answered, not letting him get a word in.

“Everything okay?” Abel asked.

“Yeah, it’s fine. Just a personal thing I had to deal with. And speaking of, can you handle things on your own today? I’ve got something else I need to take care of.”

“Of course,” Abel said. “That’s what you hired me for.”

“Thanks, Abel. I owe you one.”

“Get your mama to make her baked mac and cheese for lunch one of these days, and I’ll consider us even.”

I chuckled. “Deal.”

That call completed, I immediately dialed my twin as I headed into the bathroom, stripping out of my clothes so I could shower.

“Sup.”

“You busy today?”

West snorted. “I’m a business owner. I’malwaysbusy. And so are you.”