Page 6 of Declan's Hope

“Then I better make myself scarce,” Garrett said, making tracks for his private office.

Declan frowned as he straightened away from the desk and stopped Garrett with a hand on his arm as he passed. “Why would you do that?”

Garrett glanced over his shoulder toward Cal’s office and sighed before facing him again. “Let’s just say I’m giving her some space.”

Declan eyed Garrett’s solemn expression. Normally he would give his friend grief when it came to his unrequited attraction to Destiny. Especially since Garrett gave Declan just as much grief over his relationship with Hope. But not with this new development where Garrett purposely stayed from her. So, he let it drop, saying instead with a slow grin, “Well, Hope is taking all the space she needs when it comes to me.”

The start of a grin kicked up one side of Garrett’s face, although the humor was slow reaching his moss green eyes. “She’d need it where you’re concerned.”

“If you ask me,” Solace said, rising from the couch, “Hope and Destiny are two highly intelligent women who know their own minds.”

Declan frowned at his friend picking up her purse and slinging it over her shoulder. Garrett voiced a cautious, “And…”

He couldn’t wait for what was sure to be a real zinger.

“And…” Solace grinned at them, surprising him with her, “Be patient.” Then her sincere gaze held Declan’s. “Both of you. Now, let’s eat. I’m starving.”

Garrett chuckled. “Well, we can’t have you starving now, can we. Cause you’re mean when you’re hungry.”

“Cal?” Declan asked his grinning friend as Garrett and Solace chatted and laughed while heading for the other hallway that would take them to the back entrance.

“I’ll meet you all there. I just gotta say something to Haven before I leave,” he said, nodding toward his office. “It shouldn’t be long. I’m sure Hope’ll be done dragging you over the coals soon.”

Declan grimaced at the closed door. Cal was probably right. And as he left the building, he was certain he could feel every single jagged bump of each burning ember.

* * *

It can’t be morning yet.

Declan groaned but kept his eyes closed as a muffled—incessant—phone rang from…somewhere close by…bringing him slowly awake. The rhythmic tone warred with the pounding beat going on inside his skull before it finally stopped. He rolled over and groaned again.

What the hell had happened to him?

He shook his head, then immediately regretted it when his brains fell out of his ear. Or at least that’s how it felt. Whatever he’d done to end up like this, it couldn’t have been anything good. That was for damned sure.

He had been… Had been…

Hell, he couldn’t even form a thought. He smacked his lips and rolled his tongue around to try and get the sensation back in his desert-dry mouth. That ended up being another mistake.

His tongue tasted like ass.

Think, man.

Garrett. Solace. Cal. Dave’s Bar and Grill. Country music. Lots of beer. Then…

Solace.

His friend had done this to him on purpose.

Through a haze he could almost see it—Solace laughing as she’d slid a shot glass across the table just after they’d finished eating. “Oh, come on Carter," she cajoled. "It’s called a kamikaze. Try it.”

He’d taken a long drag off his beer before eyeing the lemonade-looking tiny drink. He remembered smirking at her with, “Looks like a girlie kinda shot to me,” before drinking more of his beer. Then that familiar, challenging glint he should have known better than to underestimate had lit her big, golden-brown, all wide and innocent-looking eyes.

"Awww… Bless your heart." She’d shrugged. "If you don’t think you can handled it…" The added twang to her Georgia drawl should have had him on alert too.

“Don’t do it,” Garrett had warned low as Solace had shoved the drink closer to him, saying, “Afraid it might knock you on your ass?”

Of course he’d had no other choice than to take up the challenge. His other friends hadn’t really been any help after that. Garrett had muttered something under his breath ending in dumbass, while Cal had laughed his agreement when Declan had grabbed up the glass.

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