Wow. Malcolm really likes spoiling Sophie. “That was nice of him to do that for your pony.”
Sophie nodded her head. “Yeah. Mommy said Uncle Malcolm likes to spoil me because he has a broken heart.”
That piqued my interest. “He does? Oh how sad! Why?”
“Casey.”
That was unexpected.
Casey? Who’s Casey?
“I don’t think I’ve met her yet,” I said, hoping that would pull more information out of her.
Oh, good lord. I’m pumping information from a five-year-old.
“Oh, she’s dead!”
I stopped walking and stared at her. “She’s . . . dead?”
Sophie did a circle around me. “Yep. I’m not allowed to talk about it ‘cause it makes Uncle Malcolm really, really sad.”
“Oh,” I said, disappointed I wouldn’t get any additional information.
“But I can talk to you ‘cause you won’t be sad ‘cause you don’t know her.”
I fist pumped internally and I knew God was shaking his head at me. Glancing up toward the heavens I mouthed, Sorry Lord. Forgive me.
“Nope, I don’t know her so you can tell me. Why does it make him so sad?” I asked.
“Promise not to tell?”
I crossed my heart. “Promise.”
I’m totally going to Hell.
“Uncle Malcolm got hit when he was driving and she went to heaven while he held her and said goodbye.”
My heart dropped to my stomach. I covered my mouth as I let the little bits of information Sophie fed me sink in. Who was Casey and how long ago did this happen? In all my research I hadn’t found anything about a girlfriend named Casey.
“How sad,” I mumbled.
“Yeah. Do you want to run while I ride my bike? I’m fast.”
And like that, Sophie had moved on. “Ahh . . . sure! Let’s go!”
She took off as I ran next to her. By the time we got up to the house and she rode around me a few more times, Virginia pulled up and off Sophie went to head to some jumping place.
I waved goodbye as I watched the car drive off. Turning, I went to head up the porch stairs only to find Malcolm standing at the top. My breath hitched as I took in the beautiful sight before my eyes. His scruff was trimmed to perfection and I quickly found myself imagining it rubbing against my skin. My nipples hardened at the thought.
Ugh. Stop it, Paislie!
“She really likes you,” he said with a genuine smile.
I returned it with one of my own as I pushed all naughty thoughts away. “I really like her. She has more energy than the Energizer Bunny though, I swear!”
He threw his head back and laughed. The sound rippled through my body like my very own energy shot. “Tell me about it.”
His eyes moved across my body and the butterflies went crazy in my stomach at his intense stare.