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"Godda Who wouldn’t like Jessie? Even when she was prying she was adorably innocent about it Lily had alanted a little sister Instead, she’d ended up an only child, and lonely Even her playmates had been scrutinized by her father Only the ‘best’ for his only child

She drained her beer, then stood

"Another?" Mac asked

Lily nodded She felt a little buzz from the toasty weather and two beers, but she didn’t care She’d been high strung and working hard for so long, the stress had finally taken its toll Yes, she had no business letting her guard down, but she was having a wonderful time and she’d just decided to take the da again As long as she kept an eye on Mac, she figured that was good enough, right?

"I’ll get it," he said "Jessie, keep an eye on her Don’t let her use a phone"

Jessie arched a brow "Whatever, Mac"

Lily sat and waved hiot in line at the beer tent, she was satisfied

"Like I could think of anything coherent to say at the moment anyway"

"You buzzin a little, honey?" Jessie asked

"A little I never drink"

Jessie snorted "Yeah, I’ht in the alcohol department" She held up her plastic cup "It’s soda Two beers and I’ll never findalone on this trip I don’t like to lose uy’s ass who tries to take advantage of , Lily said, "And I believe you could"

"Hell yeah, I could You don’t grow up on the streets like I did without learning to take care of yourself And thathow to punch, kick and wield a knife like you ine a childhood like that She had lived a life of obscene privilege Sonext to sohting

"Itup like that"

Jessie shrugged, then sreat life Thanks to Mac"

"What did he do? You don’t have to tell me if it rabbedto steal a car Scared the shit out of ht he was a cop"

Lily couldn’t fatho to steal a car, but kids did get into trouble "What happened after he caught you?"

"He brought o back to school while I orking, gave o"

"Didn’t you have a home? Parents?"

She frowned "Yeah, I had a home and parents, if that’s what you want to call them"

Okay, so Jessie didn’t want to talk about her faraduated?"

Her face just lit up when she se So I worked and saved ht my own bike"

"You’ve done well for yourself You should be proud"

"I am I worked my tail off But I’d have never made it without Mac He pulled me off the streets, kickedwas often He forced me to look a few years down the road, to what I could be instead of what I thought I was He’s an a man-- more of a father to listened in Jessie’s eyes Lily felt a tug in her chest, trying to reconcile the Mac she kneith the one from the story Jessie told

He’d literally saved Jessie’s life

Who was Mac Canfield? Was he really one of the good guys, like he said? Had he changed in the last ten years?

Was Lily wrong about hiht a beer for Lily and another soda for Jessie

"Thank you," Lily said, her gaze fixed on him as he sat

"What?" Mac asked

Lily shook her head "Nothing"

Mac glared at Jessie "What did you tell her?"

Jessie batted her lashes at Mac "Why, nothing, Mac

Would I reveal your deep, dark, perverted secrets to just anyone?"

Mac lifted a lock of Lily’s hair, rubbing it between his fingers "Oh, I think she already knows those"

Waraze never left her face when he said that And Lily couldn’t tear her eyes away froo find ht here on the grass and cohtmares from the visual of that one"

Mac’s lips curled upward Lily tore her gaze from his and turned to Jessie "I’? You two are putting off ‘hot sex iled

"I’ll catch y’all later Be good and for God’s sake, get a roo as she walked away

"She’s adorable," Lily said

"She’s a pain in the ass," Mac replied "But yeah, she’s a good kid"

"She told me what you did for her"