Page 56 of Callahan's Haven

“Just giving you guys time together,” he said, standing up.

“That’s sweet, but totally unnecessary.” She walked in and grabbed his hand. She’d managed to put on fresh clothes. “Everyone else is here anyhow.” She grinned. “Garrett wanted me to check to see if you’dfallen in, and if not, I was to pull yourwounded assout there.” She gave him a quick kiss before leading him to the now-overflowing room.

“About time,” Garrett said with a smirk where he sat on the bed and held up the box of condoms. “For a man who considered himself a liability last night, you certainly made a quick recovery.”

“Leave him alone,” Solace said, grabbing the box out of Garrett’s hand and putting it in the nightstand drawer while managing to get off a head pop. “What are you, twelve?”

“Hey,” Garrett complained, rubbing his head. His gaze bounced over to Destiny and then back. “Watch it. I’m delicate.”

“Hah!” Destiny huffed out before standing up from the couch and coming up to Cal. Hope followed behind her. Cal tensed as Destiny looked him up and down with a critical eye, then shocked the hell out of him when she threw herself into his arms with Hope wrapping himandDestiny up and holding them tight.

“Thank you,” Destiny whispered.

“We knew you’d bring her back,” Hope said, her voice quavering. “Even if we were a little mean about it last night.”

“You were mean to him?” Cal caught Haven’s scowl over her friends’ heads.

“Just a little,” he told her with a grin. “But they were right.” He held Haven’s gaze. “You were mine to protect.”

She gave him and her friends a soft smile.

“Okay, folks,” Declan said, clapping his hands and straightening from where he leaned against a wall. “We’ve got an hour’s drive to the field where the Colonel’s plane is landing. So, let’s load up.” He glanced at Garrett and then Hope. “Why don’t you ladies ride with us since it’s so late.”

“I think that’s an excellent idea,” Garrett chimed in.

Cal waited for what was to come and then held in a laugh when Destiny asked Garrett, “Afraid you can’t make it on your own?” Especially since she said it so sweetly.

“We’re perfectly capable of finding the field by ourselves,” Hope added, giving Declan a scowl. “Besides, you’re rude and I’m not sure if I like you very much.”

“Good going, man,” Garrett smirked at Declan.

“I don’t think you’re faring much better,” Declan muttered, grimacing.

“Faring better about what?” Destiny’s confused stare went between Declan and Garrett before her eyes widened. “Do you two think… Uh, no.”

“Guys,” Haven said, moving in the middle of the four. “It might not be a bad idea since theydoknow exactly where we’re going and we don’t.”

“But that one really isnotvery nice,” Hope said motioning her head at Declan. “He yelled at me in the hospital.”

Declan stepped toward her. “I d—”

“Declan’s right. We need to go,” Solace broke in, grabbing Declan’s arm and shaking her head up at him, her brow furrowed.

He gave her a quick tight-lipped nod and stepped back.

“So, for right now,” she said, addressing each one, “Garrett, you’re driving. Hope and Destiny you’ll ride with the guysbutin the back seat. Declan, that puts you up front too.” Garrett and Declan mirrored each other’s scowls. “And you two aren’t to talk to them—at all.”

“Yes, Mom,” Garrett said, pulling his keys from his pocket while Haven tugged her two friends who clearly wanted to argue with the setup into a quiet huddle, with Destiny shaking her head and Hope glancing over her shoulder at Declan.

“Okay,” Hope said, turning and giving a frowning once-over to Declan when they broke apart. “But we’re only doing this because Haven wants us to.” Cal half expected her to stick her tongue out at him.

Destiny had her irritated gaze on Garrett. “And don’tyougo getting any funny ideas.”

Cal’s brows rose at Garrett’s slow, heated perusal of Destiny as he stood up from the bed and crouched enough to meet her on eye level, her lips parting as he leaned in close. “We need to get one thing straight, sweetheart,” he murmured low and intense. “None of my ideas concerning you are funny.” He held Destiny’s gaze as her face flushed and mouth worked to say something, but nothing came out. “None of them.” They stared at each other for several seconds while the rest of the room seemed to hold their breath. “So, are you ready to go?”

The expected explosion didn’t come in the ensuing silence.

Destiny hesitated on a deep breath and then gave him a stilted nod before grabbing Hope’s hand and scurrying from the room with Garrett and Declan following close behind.

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