Page 59 of Soaring and Saucy

“Yes, he is.”

“Pastors usually counsel and tend to their flock, right?”

“Lila is a wolf among sheep.”

“So were you – and look how happy we are,” Stephanie said softly, crooking her finger toward him. “She’ll be here in ten minutes or so. How about you take a break, and we talk in the bedroom.”

“You are not texting him, no matter how sweetly you ask.”

“Of course not. I was going to have her reach out to him.”

“I don’t want to set my buddy up with someone like her.”

“You’re not. I am…”

“Stephanie…”

“Lila is a sweetheart, Lance,” Stephanie pleaded. “She’s been through so much, broken deep down inside from her past. I’m not trying to match her up with Pasteur, but she could use a friend, and with me leaving for Florida…” she let her voice trail off pointedly as she stared at him levelly. Lance cursed under his breath, looked at her, and raised an eyebrow as he pressed his lips together.

“You don’t play fair, Stephanie.”

“No,” she smirked. “I really don’t. Tick-Tock, husband. We’re down to eight minutes if you want to ‘discuss’ things.”

Hours later, the truck was loaded, and she said her ‘goodbyes’ to Lila. Lance was a complete sweetheart toward her, even though he was still holding a slight grudge against ‘Drunk-Lila’ from the first time they met. As Lila got into her car, waving and crying, Stephanie heard Lance’s voice beside her in the U-Haul truck.

“If she could stay sober, she’s a half-decent person.”

“She’s a sweetheart on the inside.”

“And a drunken nightmare on the outside.”

“You were, too.”

“You are going to give me a complex,” Lance muttered. “That’s twice you’ve said that today, and I was just about to agree with you.”

“You were?”

“Yeah, just please keep my name out of this, okay? Pasteur is a good friend, and maybe he could reach her. He’s extremely kind, smart, and understands what it’s like to let loose – but – you give her the phone number and stay out of it, okay? Whatever happens, happens.”

“Oh, I agree. I don’t want to touch this with a ten-foot pole.”

“Princess, by giving Lila Pasteur’s cell phone number – you are currently pole-vaulting with said pole into the deep end,” Lance chuckled, smiling at her. “Buckle up, and let’s head for the hotel for the night.”

Twenty minutes later, she was texting Lila from the hotel parking lot while Lance got them a room. They would get started driving first thing in the morning and try to make the trip in one day. It would take them about twelve hours to get to Jacksonville without any traffic, and then, round two of all the hard work began again.

Here’s the number to a pastor, Lila…

You’re crazy, you know that?

Dial-A-Dud?

Text-A-Twerp?

Prattle-A-Pastor?

Therapy isn’t free and while this is sweet – hard pass. Thanks, but no thanks.

He’s a friend and completely safe.

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