Page 17 of The Tycoon

She grabbed a bottle of beer and one of Mexican Coke in a glass bottle from the fridge, twisted off the tops, and handed him the beer.

He took a deep swallow.“Thanks, I needed that.”

“So, is this your first drive-by?”She lifted the Coke to her lips.

“Yes.It’s definitely not something I’m used to or that I want to do again.”He grinned.“Though I have to admit, it got my heart pumping.Cardio for today.”He laughed.

She chuckled and took another sip of her soda.“I think it might have something to do with the environmental group that Jerry and Wanda were with.If that is true, it looks like they’ve escalated.I’m even more certain now that Jerry meant to kill you last night.”

Cole’s shoulders slumped.He dropped his chin and shook his head.“That’s incredibly sad.He’s young, too young to be involved with a murder plot.”

“He’s not much younger than you.You’re what?Thirty?He was probably only five, maybe six years younger than you.And I doubt there’s much of a plot.The only thing they want is to kill you.They want to make you pay for the oil spill with your life.They want to make an example out of you.”She looked him straight in his eyes.I really don’t want to be right about Jerry, but I saw it in his eyes.I’ll never forget that sight.“I won’t let that happen.And that was some great driving today, by the way.”

He chuckled.“Thanks.”Cole ran a hand through his hair.“I learned while trying to outdo my brothers on the ranch.A lot of open space there for kids who were underage but champing at the bit to learn to drive.I was one of those kids who was down at the Department of Motor Vehicles, as soon as they opened, on my sixteenth birthday.”

Regan laughed.“My mom taught me on mountain roads.Mostly dirt.Driving on the pavement was a revelation to me because I didn’t have to grip the steering wheel so hard to stay in my lane.”

After taking another drink, he set his beer on the island.“I guess we kind of grew up the same…at least, when it comes to driving.”

“We did.I guess I better order the burgers.What do you want on it?”

“Cheese, tomatoes, onions, pickles lettuce, ketchup and mayo.”

“In other words, the California burger.”

He grinned.“Yup, order away.”He waved his left arm out as though giving her permission.

She walked over to her purse and grabbed her phone.The number was on her contact list.She stayed in the living room to make the call.After she placed the order, she returned to the kitchen.“Mason can pick it up in about fifteen minutes.He’ll have to pay for it.”

Cole sat on the stool, nursing his beer.“I’ll call him.”He pulled his phone from his back pocket and pressed a button.“Mason, we put an order in at Freddy’s.”He turned toward Regan.“He asks which one.”

“West Colfax and Wadsworth Boulevard.”

Cole relayed the information and listened for a moment before hanging up.“He’ll do it and be here in about half an hour.”

“Sounds good.We’ll have to eat in the living room on the coffee table.I’ve never had the need for a table before.You’re my first guest.”

Cole shrugged.“The coffee table it is.It’s fine.I haven’t always been rich, you know.I’ve eaten at the coffee table many times.”

“I didn’t know, I just assumed you’d always been wealthy.Born into it.”

Cole chuckled and shook his head.“No, I was born into a family of six kids—five boys and one girl.We lived on a ranch, and every one of us had to work.Before and after school, we each had chores to do.”He sipped his beer.

Regan rolled the Coke bottle between her palms.“I have two sisters besides my brother, Randy.They are both older than I am by a lot.Gena, my next oldest sister is eight years older than I am and Charlene, my oldest sister is thirteen years older than me.I was a surprise to say the least.And then they had Randy so I’d have someone to play with.Charlene and Gena don’t live around here anymore.”

Cole nodded.“My sister is the youngest, and I don’t think she was planned.As a matter of fact, I don’t think any of us were planned, but we were all loved equally.”He picked up his beer.“Let’s move to the living room.I want to relax, and these stools don’t allow for that.”

“True they don’t.”She picked up her bottle and followed him to the sofa.

He sat on the end farthest from the kitchen, facing the front door.

She sat on the opposite end.

The doorbell sounded.

Regan set her soda on the coffee table.“Hopefully, that’s Mason.”She walked to the door and looked through the peephole before she opened the door.Seeing Mason, she opened the door and immediately took the paper bag he held.

Holding it with one hand, she closed the door with the other and locked it.Then she took the bag into the kitchen.She got two plates and put a burger on each plate, followed by the best French fries ever.They were like shoestring potatoes.