THE POUNDING OF THE GROUND under my feet felt good. It cleared my mind and that was what I needed. After my first therapy session with Malcolm this morning, I was more confused than ever. Yesterday, I’d spent almost two hours going over all of his medical information and coming up with a treatment plan.
I came to a stop and leaned over, placing my hands on my knees as I sucked in deep breaths. I could smell the spring flowers in the crisp cool air. Something about the air out here made me feel alive. Closing my eyes, all I could see was how scared Malcolm’s eyes were this morning.
“Fuck!” I shouted.
The compound fracture had damaged some of Malcolm’s nerves. He’d be able to fully walk again, I just wasn’t sure he’d ever be able to get clearance to get behind the wheel and race. Not one single person had bothered to tell him how extensive the nerve damage was.
Then there was his knee. That was a whole other beast of its own.
Standing, I drew my arms up over my head and inhaled deeply. Right now I needed to get him walking and build up the strength in his leg. The whole time we were together this morning he didn’t utter a single word to me. I cut the session short only because I couldn’t take the silence anymore.
I knew my comment about finding another therapist pissed him off. I saw it in his eyes. I can do this. I can help him. I just need to pray and ask God to help me with these confusing thoughts I’m having. After looking over all the medical information, this job no longer was about the money. It was about helping Malcolm and I knew I could.
My cell phone went off as I pulled it out of my shorts.
Annie: Waco? What in the fuck are you doing in Waco?
I rolled my eyes as I let out a chuckle.
Me: It’s paying me really well. Plus I’m staying at a damn mansion and my patient happens to be utterly handsome.
Annie: Have you fucked him yet?
My smiled dropped. What in the hell? Does everyone think I’m a slut?
Me: Just three times last night and twice this morning.
Not a minute later my phone rang.
“Hey.”
“Are you kidding me? Tell me you’re kidding because I know you and you wouldn’t mix business with pleasure.”
With a giggle, I replied, “Yes, I’m kidding. Gesh. Do you really think I’m that much of a slut?”
Starting to walk, I could see Malcolm’s house. I swear his driveway was at least a mile long.
“Okay, well tell me why you’re there. Is this guy like a germaphobe who won’t leave his house?”
I nibbled on my lip nervously. “No. I kind of knew him before he had his accident.”
“Oh . . . this just got very interesting. Who is he?”
I lifted my hand up and waved her off like she could see me. “No one you would know.”
“Try me. You’d be surprised.”
“Malcolm Wallace.”
Silence.
Pulling my phone out, I checked to make sure the call hadn’t dropped. “Annie?”
“Malcolm Fucking Wallace? You’re staying at Malcolm Wallace the NASCAR driver’s house? In Crawford? His ranch?”
I pulled my head back in surprise. “Since when did you become a NASCAR fan?”
She let out a roar of laughter. “Since I saw him at one of my father’s benefit dinners. Holy fucking cow bells. Paislie, that guy is hot as hell. Where did you meet him and why didn’t you tell me?”
“Um . . . well, I met him at a race in Vegas. Trey had VIP tickets and I literally ran right into Malcolm. We got to talking and I don’t know, we hit it off. Then he sent me a ticket to the Texas race and I kind of had dinner with him one night and was there when he had his accident.”
More silence.
“You there?” I asked.
“I. Hate. You.”
Pressing my lips together, I shook my head as I tried not to start laughing. I knew she would be pissed I kept her in the dark about Malcolm.
“Do you know why I hate you, Paislie?”
“No, but I’m sure you’re fixin’ to tell me.”
“First, you fuck Trey Rogers for months. Then while with Trey Rogers you met the best looking guy on the planet, then go out with said hot guy, and now you’re probably massaging his upper thigh while you contemplate whether or not you’re going to accidently graze his dick. I hate you.”
And that was it. I lost it laughing. “When was the last time you had sex, Annie? I think you’re overdue! You could always call Trey. I hear he likes to keep one on the side from his girlfriend of six years.”
Annie made a disgusted sound. “Fuck him. He was an asshole. I feel sorry for that girl, but if she’s stupid enough not to see, then that is her problem.”
As I got closer to the house, I saw Sophie outside riding her bike. She still had the training wheels on it and I could hear her yelling out from way down the driveway. Man, sound travels out here in the country.
“Agreed. Anyway, Malcolm feels more comfortable here. So . . . here I am.”
“Huh. So do you like him?”
Now it was time for me to be quiet.
“Paislie? Oh my . . . you do, don’t you? Hold on. I need to shut my office door.”
I slowed my walking down a bit. I could see Sophie jumping as high as she could to get my attention.
“Okay, tell me what’s going on. In all the years I’ve known you, any time I ask if you like a guy you pop back with a for sure no. Even Trey, I knew you were only with him for the sex.”
I loved my best friend, but sometimes I wanted to tape her mouth shut. “I’m not really sure what I’m feeling right now, Annie. I’ve never . . . well I mean . . . he makes me feel . . . I guess I . . .”
“Jesus! Spit it the hell out.”
“That’s just it. I don’t know how I feel! I’ve never felt like this before.”
She gasped. “Have you talked to Sister Elizabeth? What does she say?”
I rolled my neck a few times to get the tension out. “Hey, I’ve got to go. I have an almost six-year-old barreling at me on a bike with training wheels and she’s out of control.”
“What! He has a kid! Holy fu—”
Hitting end, I smiled as Sophie rode her bike up to me and hit the brakes hard and fast. Must run in the family.
“Paislie!” She turned to Clarisse and waved. “Paislie is gonna watch me now. She’s my new best friend!”
Clarisse and I had met last night in the kitchen when I was sneaking around the house trying to find my way about. She gave me a tour of the house and then made us both a cup of tea. We talked for three hours about everything and anything. I instantly loved her. I knew it was because she reminded me of one of the nuns back at St Patrick’s.
“Sophie, Virginia will be here any minute to get you.”
Glancing up, I gave her a questioning look. “Her nanny. Malcolm insisted Sophie only go to after-school care three days a week. Monday’s and Friday’s Virginia comes. She’s running late today.”
With my hands on my hips, I flashed Sophie a huge smile. “Well, if it’s okay with Clarisse, I’d love to hang out until Virginia gets here.”
Sophie jumped off her bike and ran to the older woman where she dropped to her knees and begged.
Clarisse shook her head and said, “Fine. You be a good girl for Ms. Paislie, you hear?”
“Yes ma’am!” Promptly turning, she got back on her bike and started peddling while Clarisse got in the little golf cart she had been riding in while following Sophie, and headed back to the house.
“Do you like it here?” Sophie asked.
I shrugged. “Well, I haven’t gotten a chance to really look around yet. I did hear there are horses here though!” I said with excitement in my voice.
“And ponies! Uncle Malcolm bought me one for my birthday last year and then said it was lonely so he bought another one. I didn’t really get to visit them much when we lived with Daddy, but now that Mommy and me live here all the time I can see them anytime I want!”
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.
Shit.
“How does your leg feel?” I asked.
He looked down at it and said, “A bit sore, but nothing too bad.”
“Did you take a pain pill?”
Malcolm shook his head. “Nah, I only take one when I really need it.”
I licked my dry lips and couldn’t help but notice the reaction from Malcolm as his eyes flickered down to my lips. “Well, I should go shower. I went for a run.”
He simply nodded as I lifted my hand and said, “See ya,”
Before I got to the front door, he called out for me. “Paislie, do you think you could drive me into town? I need to get the hell out of here and I don’t want to bother Clarisse.”
The idea of spending time with him filled me with excitement and scared the hell out of me. “Sure, give me thirty minutes?”
Something moved across his face, but it was gone as fast as it came. “Perfect. I’ll meet you right here in half an hour.”
My body tingled with the promise he made and I quickly headed into the house before I did something I would regret. Like press my lips to his.
When the door shut, I leaned against it as I placed my hand over my racing heart. Looking up, I pressed my lips together and whispered a prayer.
“Father, please give me the strength and ability to resist my temptations.”
I chanted the prayer all the way to my room, in the shower and while I was getting dressed.