Page 13 of Rebel

“Hey,” Mia called after I signed off, her brows dipped in concern. “Call me in fifteen minutes to make sure you’re all right.”

I rolled my eyes, but I appreciated the gesture. “Sure, no problem. Livvy is with the sitter this evening, so I’ll see you later.”

“Next year I’m bringing a second producer.”

I smiled. “You said the same thing last year, but let’s face it, you love being in the thick of things.”

She flashed a smile. “Maybe. Talk to you in fifteen.”

***

When I exited the studio, this time I no longer felt light or carefree. I was worried and paranoid, looking over my shoulder and scanning every face in the crowd for signs of danger. None appeared—of course—which only made me feel more ridiculous for the scream I let out when my phone buzzed in my pocket. “Sorry,” I mouthed to the curious people who looked my way before I turned my attention to my phone.

Rebel: Hey let’s grab a drink at the Hippie Hut on the south end of the grounds. They have normal beer. I checked. See you there.

I stared at the screen with a frown. He hadn’taskedif I wanted to meet him, just demanded it, and even though I was annoyed—as hell—I found myself heading to the Hippie Hut. They were a tiki style bar with several locations in Nevada and dozens throughout the southwest, and they were good people who made good beer, and sometimes aired commercials duringHighway Pulse.I smoothed my hand over my jeans and fluffed my hair as the strains of Creedence Clearwater Revival grew louder and louder.

“Stop!” I admonished myself and shook off the desire to check my reflection or touch up my lips. This was just a beer with my baby daddy who didn’t know he was a baby daddy yet. It wasn’t a date.

“Nikki!” Rebel, I mean Logan, stood and raised a hand from his spot at the far end of the bar. Damn he was delicious.I wondered how many times I’d have to see him before I was really used to how good looking he was. The leather vest he wore did nothing to tamp down his insane level of hotness, in fact it only increased his bad boy appeal, which I was far too old and too wise to actually find appealing.

Wasn’t I?

I better be,I told myself and fixed a smile on my face before I went to greet him. “Logan. Hey.” I looked around the familiar surroundings and slowly my smile felt less fake and more sincere. “Doesn’t really seem like your kind of place.”

A fantastic smile split his face as he let out a loud, deep chuckle. “Maybe not regularly but I’ve known Hap and Honeyfor a few years now. They ran into some trouble a few years back and came to us for help.”

That surprised me. “Interesting.” I turned to Honey with a big smile. “I’ll have that NEIPA you’ve been bragging about all weekend.”

She laughed, and a gleam lit her pale blue eyes. “I’ll make it two.”

“Perfect, thanks.” I turned back to Logan and his amused expression. “What?”

“Nothing,” he shrugged. “You’re different than I remember you. In some ways, but so much is just how I remember you.”

I blinked in surprise. “You remembered me?” That shouldn’t surprise me, and I shouldn’t be so happy about it.

“Yeah, of course.” He accepted his beer with a grin as he shook his head. “I didn’t just remember you, I thought about you over the years. More than I should.”

Same.“I can admit that thoughts of you crossed my mind as well.” A lot. Too much, but in my defense, I carried his baby for nine months and saw his eyes every single time Livvy looked at me. “And now we’re here. It’s odd.”

He smiled around his beer bottle. “Now we’re here and it’s not as odd as it should be. Right?”

I knew what he meant. Being around Logan was like it had been all those years ago, so easy and relaxing. “Yeah.” My phone buzzed on the counter, and I picked it up with a smile, before I shot off a quick reply.

“Everything all right?”

My shoulders rose and fell. “My producer and best friend was just reminding me that I was late with my fifteen minute check-in. She’s worried after that call that came in earlier.”

He nodded. “That’s part of why I wanted to see you.” He paused and let his gaze rake over my body before his tongue slipped out to wet his bottom lip. “I heard the show.”

“Then you heard the angry caller?”

He nodded. “The Blood Fangs are seriously dangerous fuckers, Nikki, and they don’t issue idle threats. You need to be careful, and I don’t mean check your backseat and walk with your keys between your fingers.”

“Good because I already do that. You can’t be too safe these days.”

“You need to be more than careful Nikki, you have to be alert. Listen to your gut and respond accordingly.” His eyes darkened, his expression terrifyingly serious, which left me no choice but to nod.

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