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She wipes the tears from her eyes. "You guys are too good to be true. I never thought I'd have a family, again."

"Well, me either. Looks like we both got a surprise out of this," I murmur, ruffling her hair. "Go pack your shit, I want to go home."

She smiles, a broad, childish grin and runs from the room, taking the stairs two at a time. Her enthusiasm is contagious.

"I have one more thing I need to take care of while we're here," I say to Blake, moving toward the front counter. "Nurse Miranda."

"Yes, ma'am?"

"Here is the number for an Interpol agent I need you to call. Talk to each of the girls and find out who isn't a citizen. If they want to be, the tutors wi

ll help them, and this agent will do the paperwork to make sure it happens. That way, none of them end up deported." I hand her a card with a name and number on it.

She gapes, shock all over her face. "Ma'am, this is . . . this is amazing. We've been trying to get someone to agree to help with citizenship forever."

"Well, I know people. If you run into any trouble, call me."

"Yes, ma'am."

I walk back to Blake as Sorina bounds back down the stairs, a duffel bag over her arm and a sketchbook in her hands. She stops in front of us, bouncing with excitement. I laugh as her happiness fills the room.

"Let's go," I say, pulling her under my arm.

Walking toward the door, the nurses and other girls smile at us. I pass Sorina to Blake as we hit the outer doors, transitioning into the agent persona. We file into the car and I climb back into the front seat with Jameson. He grins at me and pulls into traffic. Shannon's phone rings.

"Hello? Yes, Mom . . . Hold on . . . Blake, Mom wants to talk to you," she says, holding her phone to him.

"Hi, Carmen . . . No, I'm fine . . . My phone is dead . . . Why don't you and Dad come over for dinner tonight . . . you can meet a new member of the family . . . I'll explain when you get there . . . okay . . . you too." He ends the call and hands the phone back to Shannon, lifting his gaze to meet mine in the mirror as Sorina leans against his shoulder.

I pull my phone out and dial Teresa's number.

"Hello, Ms. Lily. What you need?" she says when she answers the phone.

"We're having company for dinner. I need you to do something special for me though, a surprise," I say. Blake narrows his eyes at me and I give him a sly grin.

"¿Se puede hacer una cena rumana? Sorina, Vlad y me encantaría las comodidades del hogar," I say.

Can you make a Romanian dinner? Sorina, Vlad and I would love the comforts of home.

She laughs into the phone. "Si, of course. I’ll go to the store now."

"Take Sammi and Rhett with you, please."

"Yes, ma'am."

I hang up the phone and stare at Blake, a smug look on my face.

"Why did you just say my name?" Vlad pipes up from the back seat.

"You'll see."

38

~Lily~

The aroma of tonight's dinner wafts into my office as I email Monroe. He's not happy about Blake's charity event idea, but he's given permission. We're getting more security, and Sammi has the go ahead for setting up a surveillance system once a location is booked. I'm still nervous, but this is what Blake wants, and I can't find it in my heart to tell him no.

A knock at the door pulls me from my email. "Come in."