“Good morning to you, too,” I mutter, pulling off my helmet.
“Didn’t realize you were up this early,” he says. “Something wrong with the bar?”
“No,” I say quietly. “Just needed something.”
He studies me for a long beat, then nods toward the door. “Cat’s making breakfast. Come in before she starts yelling about bugs coming in.”
I follow him inside, the smell of coffee and cinnamon wrapping around me like warmth I don’t deserve.
Catalina is standing at the stove, wearing Carter’s oversized tee, a small ghost of her baby bump showing, and her hair tied up as soft morning light hits her face.
She turns and beams when she sees me.
“Reed!” she says, voice bright. “You never come this early unless something’s wrong.”
Everything’s wrong.
She says it like a joke, but her smile falters when she really looks at me.
Carter hands me a mug, the steam curling between us. I wrap my fingers around it just to feel something.
“I met someone,” I say, the words falling out before I can stop them.
That gets Catalina’s attention immediately.
Her eyes widen, her grin blooming. “You what?Who? When? Tell me everything!”
“Darlin’,” Carter warns, but there’s a faintsmirk on his face.
I take a slow sip of coffee, the heat burning down my throat. “It’s complicated.”
“It’s always complicated with you, ” she says. “But you’re going to tell me anyway.”
“She’s engaged,” I say quietly.
That kills the sound in the room.
Catalina’s lips part as she drops the wooden spoon she was holding. “Oh!”
“Yeah,” I say, “and she’s been seeing me anyway.”
Carter raises a brow but doesn’t say anything as Catalina leans forward on the counter, her eyes full of questions she doesn’t ask yet.
Catalina’s voice gentles. “And you love her?”
I nod once. “Yeah, I do.”
She reaches across the counter, her hand brushing mine. “Does she make you smile, Reed?”
I stare into my coffee, my throat tight. “Fuck, does she. Just looking at her makes me forget about all the pain I’ve ever gone through.”
Her eyes glisten, not pity, just understanding. “Reed, you can’t just talk like that, you’re going to make me sob.”
I give her a ghost of a smile, taking another sip of my coffee.
Carter sets his mug down beside mine. “You want advice, or you just need to bleed it out?”
“Bleed it out,” I murmur.
