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Dylan's awkward chuckle filled the air, "Well, Jenna, yes, Giuseppe, a friend of Brad’s hired me, but I genuinely am into you. The job just... well, I’ll explain it later.”
“Sounds secretive,” Jenna whispered before bursting into laughter, and soon, we all joined in. The boisterousness of the dorm, the youthful energy, the unpredictable twists—some things truly never changed.
Soon we were watching a nature documentary with scenes of hiking and scenes of wilderness adventures. Jenna turned to me, her eyes twinkling with mischief, and said, "So Brad, Courtney tells me you were quite the outdoorsman."
Caught off guard, I shrugged, a light blush creeping up my cheeks. "I like to hike and camp, but I wouldn't call myself an outdoorsman."
"Brad here was a bit too modest," Courtney chimed in, grinning at me. "He held off a bear once when we were camping in the rain."
We all laughed again, but I couldn't help but feel a sense of relief. Knowing that Dylan, with his skills and experience, was here to help protect the girls gave me a sense of security.
After our laughter died down, I turned back to Dylan. "So, you're working for Giuseppe now?" I asked, my curiosity piqued.
Dylan tipped his head, his eyes taking on a stern edge. "Yeah, man, that's right. Giuseppe knew he needed someone he could count on to watch over the girls. So here's the rundown. The main gig was to shield Courtney. Jenna, being her roomie, was in the picture too. Giuseppe figured if Courtney was in some kind of danger, Jenna could be caught in the crossfire too.”
"I take it this isn't your first gig as a bodyguard?" I probed.
Dylan grinned, leaning back in his chair. "You could say that. I worked in Vegas for a while for the Russo family. Mostly as a bodyguard, sometimes as a bouncer when things got rough."
"Russo family?" I raised an eyebrow. "That's big league. You must be good at what you do."
"Dylan shrugged, downplaying his prowess. "I've trained in Krav Maga, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, even some tactical driving."
I let out a low whistle, "Giuseppe certainly knows how to pick 'em."
Courtney nudged me playfully. "Watch out, Brad. You've got competition." We all laughed. The dorm's boisterous atmosphere, and the youthful energy, all felt achingly familiar.
As we were in the middle of a laughter-filled story about Jenna's first riding lesson, Dylan's phone rang, cutting through the jovial atmosphere. He glanced at the screen, and his face turned serious. "It's Giuseppe," he announced, causing the room to fall silent.
He answered the call, putting it on speaker so we could all hear. "Hey, Giuseppe," he greeted, trying to keep his voice casual.
"Dylan," Giuseppe's deep voice filled the room. "How's everything going? Brad and Courtney still at the ranch?"
Dylan glanced at us, his eyes wide. "Uh... Can I call you back in a few minutes, Giuseppe?"
There was a pause. "Sure, Dylan. Talk soon," Giuseppe said, and the call ended.
We all looked at each other. "We can't tell him we're here," Courtney said, her voice resolute. "Not until we know more."
I nodded in agreement. "Giuseppe doesn't need to know about this, not yet."
Turning to Dylan, Courtney instructed, “Call him back and tell him we're still at the ranch, for all you know."
Dylan nodded, understanding the importance of the lie. We had a common goal, and for now, that meant withholding the truth from Giuseppe. The call had injected a shot of reality into our evening, reminding us of the seriousness of our situation. But we were in it together, ready to face whatever came next.
Later, as we sat around eating burgers and fries, cheering for our teams during the football game, I took a moment to appreciate the normalcy of it all. Looking at Courtney, her eyes alight with laughter, a surge of warmth coursed through me. As the laughter from Jenna's antics subsided, I glanced at my watch and stifled a yawn. It was late, and we all needed rest.
"I think it's about time we hit the hay," I suggested, getting up and stretching my arms. “Tomorrow’s Monday. You never know what Mondays are going to bring.”
Courtney nodded, adding, "And we all need to stay focused."
Jenna and Dylan exchanged a look, their humor fading as they noticed our serious faces. Finally, they agreed, and we all began to tidy up the remnants of our late-night feast.
With a plan of action settled for the moment, we each retreated to our respective areas. Jenna and Courtney disappeared into their bedrooms while Dylan and I prepared to make do with the available couches in the common area. The arrangement was far from perfect, but it would suffice. We were in uncharted territory, and comfort was the least of our worries.
Courtney's voice stopped me as I was about to settle onto the couch. She stood at the doorway of her room with a determined look.
"Brad, could you... join me for a moment?" she asked. Her tone was hesitant, but the resolve in her eyes had me on my feet immediately.
