Page 50 of Saving Sophia

The hostess led us through a maze of rooms toward the back. A blond woman and a tall man wearing a beanie sat in the farthest booth, their backs to us as we approached. The woman laughed and flipped her hair in a way that seemed … familiar.

I knew that flip.

“Callie?” I cried out, half-running the last few steps.

“Soap!” She swept out of the booth and entangled me in a wonderful, perfume-scented, Callie-hug that took my breath and filled my heart with pure joy.

“Callie,” I said again, but it came out in a ridiculous little squeak because she was still hugging the daylights out of me.

“Take it easy, Chickadee, you’ll squish her,” Rook’s deep voice admonished. He stood up and gave his brother a quick nod and grin, his arms folded easily over his green and black flannel covered chest.

Callie released her grip and banged her hip against me before scootching back into the big round booth. Rook slid in next to her while Ethan and I sat on the other side.

“Are you surprised?” Ethan dipped his head down to kiss my cheek, his fingers finding mine.

“I don’t … how did …?”

“I told you two days,” Callie said. “Hot detective brother told me where to find you and suggested I come up for a visit.” Callie leaned up against Rook’s shoulder, batting her eyelashes like a pro and earning an appreciative smirk from him. “He had this steamy double latte pick me up from the airport, and I’ve been in heaven ever since.”

“I’m …” My tongue twisted along with my gut. “I’m so glad you’re safe.”

“Hey, girl.” Callie looked across the table into my face, her green eyes serious for once. “I’m right here.” After a second’s pause, she turned her gaze to Ethan, then to Rook. “And right here is”—she tipped her head and dropped her voice to a silly stage whisper— “seriously full of hot men.”

A bubble of laughter burst out from my throat.

A waiter approached the table. “Can I get you started with something to drink? Perhaps one of our handcrafted Mojitos?”

“Talk to me about margaritas,” Callie said.

“Blood orange or watermelon?” the waiter asked.

She shot a grin my way. “Watermelon?”

I nodded happily. The waiter made a note and looked to Rook and Ethan.

“Do you have Manny’s?” Rook asked. The waiter smiled and nodded.

“Pinot noir,” Ethan said.

At that moment, a huge, bald stranger loomed up behind the waiter, with eyes boring into us like drill bits. I shivered, clutching Ethan’s arm. The waiter startled, then quickly stepped out of his way.

“Water,” the big man grunted at him before shoving into our booth beside Rook, crossing his arms, and giving us all a baleful stare. The waiter scrambled away to comply.

“Hey, Griff.” Rook gave the scary man a good-natured shoulder-shove as if he were an old friend. I blinked, trying to resist the urge to hide behind Ethan’s shoulder.

“Sophia, Callie, this is our brother Griff.” Ethan squeezed my hand reassuringly.

I squeezed back, doing my best to stifle my fear. “Um … hi?”

Another brother. The one coming to work on the security system.

“Charmed,” Callie purred to him, not in the least frightened by his size or glare. She nudged me and whispered, “They just keep getting hotter.”

Griff barely nodded his bald head. Callie arched her neck at his lack of response but then did a hair flip and turned her attention back to Rook.

When the waiter returned with our drinks, I took a cautious sip and discovered watermelon margaritas tasted delicious, like a grown-up Slurpee.

I swirled the sweetness around in my mouth, then turned to Callie. “So, I still don’t understand. Detective Valero told you to come?”

---