Page 13 of Lilly's Little Labor Day

“That’s not farfetched. There was a whole organization that claimed to be a leadership training seminar. In reality, it was just a sex cult. Women were basically forced into slavery. I’m serious.”

“Oh.”

“Yep. So what do you know about this guy?”

For a moment, Lilly really was worried. In reality, she didn’t know much about Blake. Could he be creepy? Suddenly, the thought of meeting him alone didn’t sound so wonderful.

“I don’t know much,” she admitted. “He lives in Parker. He’s in the heat and air business. Seems really nice.”

“Have you even talked to him? Like actually heard his voice?” Edward asked. He tapped the pen’s tip against the yellow pad.

“Yeah. Twice,” she said.

“What’s his last name?”

Once again, her mind raced. What would it hurt giving up Blake’s last name? It wasn’t as if Edward could find out that he’s a Daddy from having the information.

There’s nearly eight million people in the Metroplex, she realized. There are probably a hundred or more guys with that same name.

So she told him. “Blake Rankin.”

He wrote it down.

“And you said he’s in heat and air?”

“Uh-huh.”

“What’s the company’s name?”

“I dunno.”

“Does he own it or work for someone else.”

“Do you always ask so many questions?” she said.

He looked up from his writing. “When I’m trying to keep sassy little girls safe, I do.”

She gulped.

Did he just call me a sassy little girl?

“Look, I don’t know if he owns the company or not. I’ll ask him tonight.”

“We’re almost done. Calm down.”

She thought of hitting back with a comment to show him just how sassy she could be but decided against it.

“Where are you going?”

She told him the name of the restaurant.

“Are you meeting him or is he picking you up.”

“Meeting him,” she said.

Edward looked relieved, but only slightly.

“And you, under no circumstances, will get into his car. Correct?” he said.

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