Page 34 of Callahan's Haven

“It’s about damn time,” Destiny complained as the two walked into the sitting area, with her too-observant friend stopping and narrowing her gaze on her. “What’s wrong?”

Cal had been adamant with her before she’d gotten out of the car that Hope and Destiny weren’t to be told. She understood the need for secrecy. She also understood she would never be able to keep something this huge from them—even if it was only for a couple of more days.

She’d left Cal fuming in his car after telling him as much. With her friends looking at her with so much concern, she questioned if this was the right thing to do or not. Cal had assured her that her friends weren’t in danger, but if by chance something happened to them because of her and their knowing would have made the difference…

“I need to tell you guys something.”

11

Haven had told them.It was clear the moment Cal and his team sitting in the van watched the three leave their dorm room for morning classes. Nothing was too obvious about their curiosity, but their frowning perusal of the walls and ceiling told them they wanted to locate the camera. The friends finally gave up and headed down the hall, throwing looks over their shoulders all the way, with Destiny waving a middle finger over her head as they turned the corner.

“Gotta love her,” Garrett said under his breath with a laugh. Cal decided not to give him grief about his comment. He left it up to his other teammates. Declan didn’t disappoint him.

“Oh, you do?”

“No. Of course not,” Garrett said, turning away from the monitors and scowling at the other man. “I don’t know her. It was just an observation.”

Cal decided Garrett had it just as bad as he did.

“You know this poses another problem,” Solace pointed out as the girls left the front entrance side by side. “I know how girls this close can be. They’re going to close ranks around Haven.” She grimaced. “The three of them will be together now more than ever, and whether we like it or not, it puts Hope and Destiny in the line of fire so to speak should something go down.”

Garrett and Declan both tensed.

“Okay,” Declan said after a few seconds while his own true feelings showed on his face. Interesting. “So,weclose ranks a little tighter until we get through Friday—keep all the girls safe.” Declan glanced at him, Solace, and then finally Garrett. “Agreed?”

“Agreed,” Garrett said, speaking for the rest of them.

“Good.” Declan got up to leave the van after Solace opened the door to follow the girls. “I’ve got the goddess.” He glanced over his shoulder at Garrett with a grin before stepping out. “You get the little one.”

Garrett stared at the monitor where the camera tracked the girls’ progress from the dorm to the sidewalk, then said in a whisper, “The perfect one, you mean,” while Declan closed the van door and headed to his vehicle.

* * *

The rest of the day had gone exactly as Solace had predicted. When not in class, the three young women had stuck together like glue.

At the moment, Garrett monitored them from the van while Solace sat several tables over from their Wednesday night study group. According to Garrett, the three were keeping themselves slightly apart from the rest of their group with their heads together, talking in hushed whispers.

“I don’t think they realize we can still hear most of what they’re saying,” Garrett said in his ear.

“Probably not,” Cal answered. They’d be finished in the next fifteen minutes or so, and Cal was about to make his first appearance to Hope and Destiny as Haven’s boyfriend, with plans to walk them back to their dorm. He had a feeling he was in for a grilling. He grinned to himself. Especially from Destiny.

“They’re breaking early,” Solace whispered. “I have to admit they haven’t stared at me, although I have gotten a couple of winks from one of the guys in their group.”

“Like we said,” Declan laughed. “You’re a cougar.”

“Shove it, my friend,” she answered. “I’m following them out.”

“That’s my cue.” Cal left his SUV and got to the bottom of the steps about the same time the girls did. “Hey, babe,” he said to a wide-eyed Haven, her gaze going even wider when he bent down for a quick kiss. “You going to introduce me?”

“Uh, sure.” She glanced at her two friends with a shrug when they gave her a questioning look. “Hope, Destiny, this is…Cal.”

“Nice to meet you, ladies.” He reached out a hand to shake one hand then the other. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”

“Hmph.” Destiny was going to be a hard sell. “We’ve heard a lot about you too.”

Beside her, Hope gave Destiny a nudge and shake of her head before saying with a too-broad smile, “A lot.”

What does that mean?

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