When I peeked up, Elizabeth was giving me a look of horror. Oh hell. Wait until she turned around and saw him. It was his day off and he was dressed in jogging pants and a tight blue T-shirt. I had to admit I was impressed that his body was as nice as it was. Of course, he was only in his mid-thirties and I knew he worked out often.
I slowly shook my head in an attempt to warn Elizabeth.
Don’t. Do. It. Don’t look at him, Elizabeth.
Elizabeth took a deep breath and turned slightly as she looked up. Her eyes widened and the only thing I saw was a look of pure desire move across her face. Clearly he saw it too, because Tim’s breathing picked up.
Elizabeth seductively bit down on her lip. “Oh my Lord,” she mumbled as I kicked her under the table, causing her to get her wits about her. The table nearly fell over when she stood quickly.
“Tim . . . um . . . Father . . . oh, ah um I mean . . . Father Tim . . . Tim.”
Holy crap. I’d never seen Elizabeth stumble over her words before.
“Elizabeth, are you okay?” he asked as he reached out for her. When she jerked away from him, she tripped over the chair and almost fell.
“Elizabeth!” I cried out as I jumped up. Tim quickly grabbed her before she fell.
When she pushed out of his arms, she turned to look at me for help. Of course I picked that time to wiggle my eyebrows and glanced down to his pants in the exact location of what she longed for. She gasped and said, “I’ve got to go. I’m late!”
Tim and I stood there and watched as she practically knocked people over in her attempt to get away as fast as she could.
“Is she feeling okay today?” Tim asked.
Pressing my lips together, I shrugged. “I think she hasn’t been getting much sleep.”
“Really? I wonder why?”
“Dreams, forbidden dreams about something she can’t have,” was all I said as I saw his head snap over in my direction.
I’m totally going to Hell for this.
With the bowl of popcorn, a bag of black licorice, and three Diet Cokes, I sat down on the sofa and turned on the race. I wasn’t sure if I should watch it or not. Last week Malcolm nearly wrecked three times and I swore I wasn’t going to watch another race. The problem was I was letting my heart call the shots and not my head, therefore I was sitting down and getting ready to settle in as they were doing a few warm up laps before the race went green.
My phone buzzed as I picked it up to see a text from Annie.
Annie: Let’s go out tonight? I need dick.
Rolling my eyes, I let out a chuckle.
Me: I can’t. Princess and I are watching movies.
Annie: Pussy. Don’t’ you mean you’re stalking your man on TV? Jesus Christ will you snap the hell out of it. You need to get fucked and as soon as possible.
I knew she was probably right. On both accounts. I was somewhat stalking Malcolm on a daily basis. I did a Google search of him every night before I went to bed. Not really sure what I was looking for . . . or hoping not to find . . . but each night I held my breath and typed in his name.
The moment I saw a picture of him, a warm feeling rushed through my body. Maybe I did need to go out. Even some mindless touching and kissing might be kind of nice. What harm would come of a little innocent fun?
I was about to text Annie back that I would go out with her when the announcer mentioned Malcolm’s name and my breathing stopped.
“Looks like Malcolm Wallace is having a bit of trouble again this week.”
I swore I could feel my heart beating in my ears. I needed something of Malcolm and if it had to be just the mention of his name, then so be it.
Me: Enjoy your night and get enough dick for both of us.
Annie: Pussy.
Me: You called me that already. Be careful! Love ya!
Annie: Tomorrow I’m dragging your ass somewhere. Love you too!
I dropped my phone next to me on the sofa and turned up the television.
“I’ve started wondering if his leg really is giving him trouble and that’s what has him so distracted.”
My lower lip tingled when I realized I was chewing the living hell out of it. Closing my eyes, I said a prayer that Malcolm would be okay. I didn’t know why I was torturing myself by watching him race. I hadn’t heard anything from him since the day I walked away. Even when they delivered my stuff along with Princess, there wasn’t even so much as a note. I wasn’t sure what broke my heart more. The fact that I was hoping he would reach out to me, or the fact that he hadn’t reached out to me.
Pushing a handful of popcorn into my mouth, I picked up my phone and checked my email. There was one more lap before the race started. The name Emmit Lewis stood out like a sore thumb on my phone and I knew instantly that was the Emmit who used to race with Malcolm.
I clicked the email and opened it as I started to read it. My eyes drifted up to the television as I watched the race. What happened next had me jumping up and knocking the popcorn to the ground.
My hands covered my mouth as I whispered, “Oh God, Malcolm.”
I STOOD AND STARED DOWN at the gravestone as I took in a deep breath. It was the first time I had been here since the day Casey was buried.